Justin Bieber was almost aborted.
His mom became pregnant with him at age 17.
Now, he is praising the Lord in front of millions at the World Cup.
God can use anyone.
A message to all Christians:
Remember that Christ died for you when He did nothing wrong. Remember that He bled for you when you were 100% in the wrong. Now He calls you to extend that same love to others.
I have apologized to people when I knew they were totally wrong and I was totally right. I didn't do it for them, I did it for Christ, who saved me. If He can forgive me when I didn't deserve it then I can extend a fraction of that kindness to others.
People will offend you, wrong you, and hurt you throughout your life. Christ already knows and will judge accordingly. You are called to forgive. Sometimes you must take the blows like He took on death for us. If you want to heal this world it starts with us doing as Christ did.
The world will never get better if we endlessly retaliate. Humility is what we need. "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matt. 23:12). You might be 100% in the right, but Christ still calls you to forgive, just as He forgave you when you were 100% in the wrong. It's your turn to do likewise.
Christ is risen.
This is the single most significant event in history. Today is the day Christ was vindicated as the one whom the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms testified about.
He took a small group of men and women, many of whom had just abandoned him and were terrified for their lives, and transformed them into bold proclaimers of his resurrection—the very message that took over the Roman Empire and spread throughout the entire world. If they could do this as a small, persecuted group, then all 2 billion+ of us can do it today. Go proclaim Christ every day of your life.
"He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
It's still amazing to me that the Creator of the Universe would send His perfect Son to die in my place. I lived in open rebellion and cursed God for years for not giving me what I thought I deserved ... all the while not realizing He took the punishment I actually do deserve.