Where Would We Be?

Where Would We Be?

The next day he [John] saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 – NASB)

For Christ also died for sins once for all, [the] just for [the] unjust, so that He might bring us to God… (1 Peter 3:18 – NASB)

Have you ever played the “what if” game?

The father in Fiddler on the Roof played that game when he sang the song, “If I were a rich man.”  He imagined all the things he could do if he just happened to be rich. In his abject poverty he couldn’t help fantasizing what it would be like to be a wealthy man.

Games like that can be of some benefit; they can temporarily ease the pressure of difficult circumstances. The “what if” game can also help one face reality, like the one I engage in with regard to the death and resurrection of Christ.

I ask myself “What if Christ had not died? What if He had not risen from the dead? What if he had not paid for my sins? What if Christ’s blood did not wash away sins? What if God had not loved me enough to send His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life?”

What then? Where would I be? What would be the consequences if all these things were not true? I can hardly bare to think of it, but doing so periodically stirs in me a gratitude that God does love me.  He did send His Son to save me. He did shed His blood to wash away my sin. He did purchase my redemption and He will come for me some day. He has prepared a place for me and I will ever be with the Lord.

Where Would I Be?*

(© 22nd October 1992 – by Christopher Shennan)

For Christ also died for sins once for all, [the] just for [the] unjust, so that He might bring us to God… (1 Peter 3:18 – NASB)

Where would I be if the Lamb had not died;

Had He not been beaten and crucified?

Were Christ not stronger than the grave’s dread power,

How would I fare in that dark, final hour?

I fear my sins would have damned me to hell;

My thoughts have condemned me – that I know well.

Peace would have fled like the dew of the morn,

And I’d have been wishing I’d never been born.

Where would I be if God’s Love had not been

Wholly invested in Calvary’s scene?

Had He not carried my sins far away,

To whom could I turn on the Judgement Day?

The worm would not die; the fire would not quench,

Or Eternity hide the noise or stench

That would rise from my sins continually,

Or cries of despair that would issue from me.

But—

Not, “Where would I be?” but, “Where am I now?”

Is the theme of my song; source of my vow.

For the Lamb was slain, the Lamb did die,

And the mercy of God has drawn me nigh.

Now what will I do about those outside

Who’ve never been told of the Crucified?

I’ll spend and be spent till the end of time,

And many lost souls are eternally Thine!

 Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Ariete by Francisco de Zurbaran. This work is in the public domain.

A Bad Attitude – the Chosen Disability

A Bad Attitude – the Chosen Disability

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. – Scott Hamilton

I wouldn’t say a bad attitude is the only disability in a life, but it certainly is a destructive force in anyone’s life. A bad attitude is symptomatic of a spiritual disease at the core of our being.

Wow!” Someone says, “Aren’t you being overly dramatic and extreme here? We can all be a little unreasonable at times and our frustrations cause us to lash out at times; the innocent often bear the brunt of our frustrations, but no real harm is done.”

What? No harm is done? Please!

Growing up I often heard this reaction to unkind and bullying words being hurled at someone: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. Thoughtless or malicious words have the power to sever relationship, cause divorce, and send people into depression. Sarcasm can make the victim feel undervalued, or worse, make them angry. In its extreme form, anger can lead to violence and even murder. Don’t tell me words will never hurt me, or anyone else. Kind words can bring healing to the human spirit, but unkindness stemming from a bad attitude can wreak havoc and wound people in ways from which they may never recover.

A bad attitude is caused by a broken relationship with our Heavenly Father. A man or woman in harmony with God will never treat others in a way that demeans them.

A bad attitude shows we are blind to the value of a human soul to God. Christ died for every man woman and child on the face of the earth. They are that important to Him.

Not only is a bad attitude something that causes disabilities in others, it causes disabilities in us as well.

We will be disabled SOCIALLY

Who would want to be around a person who regularly disregards their feelings and refuses to listen to reason? A bad attitude will drive us into isolation.

We will be disabled EMOTIONALLY

Anyone with a bad attitude will be out of sorts with themselves and can never be truly happy. People with a bad attitude I have always recognized as unhappy and discontented individuals.

We will be disabled SPIRITUALLY

A person with a bad attitude cannot engage in meaningful prayer. Just as a bad attitude sabotages relationships with other people, it also undermines our relationship with God.

The worst thing about the disability of a bad attitude is that it is not thrust upon us. We can only be disabled by it if we choose to have a bad attitude. On the other hand we can choose to have a good one.

A Wise Choice

(© 1^st May 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

 Love is patient, love is kind [and] is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant… (1 Corinthians 13:4 – NASB)

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. – Scott Hamilton

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 – NASB)

An attitude is something you can choose;

Both good and bad, no one makes you have it.

You can decide in life to win or lose –

A good attitude you can have – if you crave it.

No one sane, would choose to be disabled,

At least not when it comes to sight or limb;

They’d choose instead to be enabled

To run a race, play a game, or to climb

Yet many choose to have bad attitude,

Crippling them in heart and mind and spirit;

They know not how to live with gratitude,

Or have a true peace – rejoicing in it.

You can have any attitude you choose;

Choose wisely – it can make you win or lose.

Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Vengeance is Sworn by Jacob Haas. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-ND 2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. We made no changes to this photograph.

Seeing People as Trees – The CONSEQUENCES

Seeing People as Trees – The CONSEQUENCES

(Picture credits at end of post)

And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and *implored Him to touch him. ²³ Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” ²⁵ Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. ²⁶ And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” (Mark 8:22-26 – NASB)

This is a remarkable incident and the life and ministry of our Lord and deserves some special attention.

Could not Jesus have healed this blind man completely to begin with, instead of performing it in two stages? Why did Hi first touch only give the man only partial vision? Why let him see people as trees walking about when He could have given him perfect sight to begin with?

First let us establish that Jesus did nothing by accident; He did everything with a purpose. Therefore there was a reason Jesus healed the man in two stages. He had something to teach us. He appears to have intended for us to see this miracle as a parable of some spiritual principle; He wants us draw a parallel physical and spiritual vision. He wants us learn a practical lesson that will aid us in living the Christian life, and in interacting with the people around us.

What is that lesson? How can we make this passage speak to us in a manner that will transform our behaviour, rather than just pass through our minds as an interesting occurrence in the earthly ministry of our Lord?

I have thought and prayed much about this and believe there is one central message Jesus would convey to us, and it seems to me to be a message both simple and obvious: He does not want us to see people as trees.

• If we see people as trees we may want to cut them down
• If we see people as trees we may admire them but not value them
• If we see people as trees we may want to use them
• If we see people as trees we may want to re-shape them

People as Trees

(Tuesday 11^th May, 2010 – by Christopher Shennan)

And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”

                                                                                 (Mark 8:22-26 – NASB)

I mostly saw people as trees;

Just part of the scenery where,

If standing too much in my way,

Could be cut down – so there!

I could cut them down with my tongue;

A very effective means,

Of making these folks go away,

For daring to hinder my dreams.

The people as trees were not all,

In my way, some were really quite fair;

I admired them, inspired them;

And found them quite easy to bear.

There were some, these people like trees,

Who were useful, fulfilling my needs;

When done with them, had fun with them;

They were hardly more valued than weeds.

Some of these people like trees,

Were like pieces to carve and design;

Like works of art on display,

I could proudly claim them as mine.

This state of affairs was before

I admitted my vision was flawed;

I knelt before Jesus and wept,

And received Him once more as my Lord.

Since then, by the touch of His Hand,

My Master has opened my eyes,

And I see each one who’s been born

As a precious, incredible prize.

 My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Photo by Joe Mabel. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.; please note the Disclaimer at this final link. No changes were made to this photo. Photo was also used under the GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.2

The Poison of Unforgiveness

(This image is in the public domain.)

The Poison of Unforgiveness

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:35 – AKJV)

The story of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 is a stunning example of the consequences of an unforgiving disposition.

Briefly it is the story of a man who owed an impossible amount of money he had no hope of paying. In spite of this he received mercy; his debt was entirely wiped out because of the compassion of his master.

But this “wicked servant,” as his Master calls him later, goes out and demands payment of a small debt owed him by one of his fellow servants. He has deaf ears to the man’s pleas for time to pay. He goes so far as to have the man arrested for not paying his debt immediately.

So his Master pays him in kind, withdraws the forgiveness of his debt, and delivers him to the torturers till his debt is paid.

Now this is the point Jesus was trying to make when He said: So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:35 – AKJV) If you do not forgive you are not forgiven. And it has to be from the heart that you forgive or it doesn’t count.

I saw this on a poster: “Unforgiveness is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies.”

Holding on to the hurts others have done to us may be the stupidest thing you and I have ever done. Don’t do it.

A Bottle of Poison

(© Thursday 18^th December 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:35 – AKJV)

I took a bottle of poison:

The label, it said: “Don’t forgive!”

But I knew if I ever drink it,

I would give up my right to live.

So I took, another bottle,

It said, “Forgive –You Will be Blessed!”

I drank it all and discovered

The Peace of my Lord and soul’s rest.

I’ve cast the first bottle away;

There’s no place in this heart of mine

For poisonous Unforgiveness.

To keep it would be a vile crime.

So friend, if you are still hurting,

And find that the pain is too deep,

Drink to the dregs “True Forgiveness”

And you’ll taste God’s Heavenly peace.

Check out my books at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor