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Our Designs 🖌

If every design is meant to help spark conversations about Jesus, then you need to know what they mean! Read below to find out about each design and how to best share the gospel when someone asks.

Bear fruit

When God created the Earth, the very first thing He commanded was simple: “Bear fruit.”

And God is saying the same thing to you!

We created this collection to be a conversation starter — with friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers you see during the day. It’s an easy way to break the ice about God while sharing one of the most commonly used phrases by Jesus to His disciples.

So, when someone points to your shirt, you can point them to Jesus.

Soul Anchor

What does it mean that Jesus is our soul’s anchor? Does it mean that the sea will always be calm? Does it mean we’ll never be tossed about?

Nope.

Anchors don’t control the water around it. Anchors keep boats safe and secure in times of trouble. Floods, hurricanes, thunderstorms — if you experience any of these things, it doesn’t mean your anchor is failing. All boats go through troubled waters. But not all boats have an anchor strong enough to keep it from sinking.

Bear Witness

Jesus came into the world to bear witness to the truth.

When Jesus stood on trial before Pilate, He wasn’t thinking about why He was going to die. He was thinking about why He was born:

“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

And like the early Christians who went out into the world to bear witness to the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus — some to their final breath — so are we to do!

We created this shirt to get someone’s attention when you’re wearing it and act as an icebreaker. Use that to bear witness to someone today.

Tetelestai

A person’s final words reveal a lot about them. Steve Jobs could only scream in surprised excitement. Truman Capote called out for his mother. And Emily Dickinson composed a poem: “I must go in, for the fog is rising.”

Jesus used his final breath to exclaim τετέλεσται or tetelestai — “It is finished.”

This sounds like something you would say after a long, hard day of work. And no greater work, no greater love, and no greater humility has ever or will ever match it.

It is finished. Death has died. Peace with God. Eternal life is possible. Believe it and be encouraged.

Stop being dead

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

— Colossians 2:13

LI:II:XIII means 51:2:13… the 52nd book of the Bible is Colossians, the second chapter, the 13th verse.

Death is a funny thing. We are dead to death but we still must kill it everyday. The new creation in Christ is a fighter. Paul says several times towards the end of his life that he’s fought the good fight.

That’s what we mean by “Stop Being Dead”. The truth is you were dead. You are alive. So stop acting like you’re still dead.

Move mountains

The smallest faith can move the biggest mountains.

A father came to Jesus early in His ministry with his possessed son. The father was desperate. He had gone to the disciples and his son was not getting better. But Jesus was able to heal him instantly.

Why was Jesus able to do it and the disciples couldn’t?

Because of their lack of faith. Even faith the size of a grain of mustard can make a mountain get up and move.

Let Tractor No. 40.17.20 — Matthew 17:20, the 40th book of the Bible — be a reminder: faith makes all things possible.

abide

What does it mean to abide in Christ? It’s not some mystic metaphor. It’s real… just as real as the roots in the ground or the branches of a tree.

A branch can only bear fruit if it abides in its vine. We can only bear fruit if we abide in Jesus. And how do we do that? By faith that is rooted in trusting God.

A branch stays attached to a vine so that it can live. That’s why we abide in Christ.

Snake killer

From the beginning, there has been a war between our God and Satan — between the kingly lion with all power and the lowly snake who works to deceive us.

In the Garden, Satan disguised himself as a serpent and deceived Eve and then Adam into disobeying God. As a result, God declares that we would be at war with the snake and that while the snake would bruise the heel of Jesus, Jesus would bruise the snake’s head and win in the end.

And that’s exactly what happened! Satan used Judas to “bruise the heel” of Jesus and have Him sent to the cross. But Jesus was resurrected into eternal life, “bruising the head” of Satan.

Jesus Christ: Prince of Peace, Son of God, Snake Killer.

Born 2x

It’s not a misprint. We put the word “born” on there twice. But why?

A Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus had the same question when Jesus kept talking about needing to be born again:

“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

Jesus explained that it’s not about being physically born again. It refers to a spiritual birth — a regeneration of the human spirit from the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be like Nicodemus. The first born is important. But the second born is necessary.

yellow paint

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most influential artists in all of Western Civilization. The Potato Eaters affirms the inherent dignity of each and every person, even the lowly farmer. The Starry Night was a sort of self-therapy as he painted the nighttime countryside from his room in a mental asylum.

He also thought eating yellow paint was a good idea.

Yellow, he thought, was a bright, vibrant color. It looked happy and made him feel happy when he used it in paintings. Surely, it would make him happy if he ate it.

At first, it’s a bit of a miserable artistic beauty — Van Gogh was so painfully hopeful that it takes your breath away. But eating yellow paint isn't beautiful. It sounds painful. It’s the result of a mental illness.

What is your yellow paint? What are you taking in to try and cope with the stress of your life? What is Jesus trying to knock out of your hands right now?

Don’t eat yellow paint. Instead, feast on Jesus.

Spiritual gangster

You may read about preachers and theologians from centuries past and see overgrown mustaches over dusty robes.

I see big, booming preachers and priests who brought the hammer down on church corruption.I see great awakenings and raps about flowers.

I see civil war peacemakers and abolitionists.

Follow in the footsteps of these spiritual gangsters.

good enough

You ever have one of those days where you think to yourself, “My best just isn’t good enough.” I struggled in my first few years with doubt — I feared I wasn’t good enough to be a Christian.

And then God gave me some really great news:

“You’re right.”

You see, if your best was good enough, it’d be all up to you. It would be possible for you to do it all. Peace with God? Eternal fate of your soul? Answering for sin? That’s a lot of pressure.

But it’s not up to you. It’s up to Jesus… and His best was good enough.

gospel Map

The last thing Jesus told His disciples was, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Not some nations.

Not most nations.

ALL nations.This map is a helpful reminder that the Gospel is for each and every nation.

Demas

Don’t be a Demas.

Throughout the New Testament, Paul references a lot of people. Most are friends and fellow workers on mission with him. Demas is one of those people. In his letter to the Colossians, Demas sends his greetings. In his letter to Philemon, Paul describes him as a co-laborer in the faith.

But then… something happened. In his final letter to Timothy, Paul says that Demas fell in love with this present world and deserted him to go to Thessalonica. Demas had run the race for decades only to lose in the end.

We turned the e on its side so that at first glance it could look like we’re saying Demas was... well, you get it.

Don’t give up at the finish line. Don’t be a Demas.

easy yokes

If someone said the word “yoke” you’d probably think of the yellow part of an egg. But that’s a “yolk”. (We never said we won any spelling bees in school.)

So what the heck is a yoke? In the days of Jesus, it was a kind of harness for oxen to pull a cart or farming equipment. Isn’t that how life can sometimes feel? Like an uphill both ways in the snow kind of drudgery?

But Jesus offered a solution:

"Come to me all who are weary and tired. I will give you rest. My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”I don’t know about you, but I’m going to start taking my yokes easy from now on.

Good news rainbow

Have you ever wondered what a rainbow means in the Bible? It was God’s promise to us that we’re safe.

For thousands of years, rainbows communicated hope — the storm has stopped and we can go outside again. But then Jesus came into the world. He is our new rainbow and that is very good news.

Why is it good news? Because rainbows just communicate that we’re safe. Jesus actually does it. He saves us from punishment and allows for there to be peace with God forever.

And that is really good news.

Aliens Pray

“E.T. phone home…”

The first disciples encouraged the early churches with many different stories that could help them understand how better to follow Jesus — sheep who have gone astray, clay in need of a potter, and… aliens not of this world?

No, really! It’s right there in the Bible! Peter describes Christians as sojourners, exiles, and aliens who should treat the desires of this world as something completely foreign to them. Why?

Because heaven is our home. And as aliens in exile, every time we pray we “phone home” in a way to the God who loves us and leads us.

don't defend a lion

Have you ever seen a lion and thought it needed your protection? If anything, meeting one in the wild makes it clear that you are the one who is going to need help.

It’s the same way with the Bible. We don’t need to go around looking for arguments to win. God doesn’t need our help… we need His!

As the 19th century pastor Charles Spurgeon put it:

“The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.”

Alive.*

The biggest asterisk in human history is right there in the Bible. After Jesus was dead and buried, the women who followed Him went to his tomb to pay their respects. But instead of Jesus, they saw two men in dazzling clothing who asked a simple question:

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

On Good Friday, everyone said:

Jesus is dead.On Easter Sunday, they added a footnote:

Jesus is dead*.

*alive

4 soils

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus called us dirt. We can either be empty, rocky, or thorny… or we are good soil.

Birds won’t come along because good soil keeps the seed safe and buried.Rocks can’t get in the way because good soil allows the seed to take root.Thorns don’t choke us because good soil protects the seed from danger.

Good soil takes hold of the seed of the gospel and yields fruit a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.

Be the good soil.

All is grace

All is grace. It’s not an empty saying or something you tell yourself to get through the next five minutes – like a band-aid for your soul.

It means we can have confidence in God even when we don’t feel like it.

Speeding ticket? Grace.

Laid off? Grace.

Cancer? Grace.

It’s easy to believe the good things that happen in our lives are God’s grace. But how can the bad things be grace too? Because if God allows heartbreak, sorrow, illness, or death in our lives, we can believe it is to draw out some greater good. Faith is strengthened in time of difficulty.

All is the result of God’s never ending, never stopping, forever love for us. All is grace.

beauty for ashes skull

Why are there flowers planted in a skull?

Because the truth is, we were dead — like this skull. But God did something indescribably wonderful. He took our dry bones and breathed new life into them.

Roses don’t bloom in a pile of dead bones. But God promised that He would make us alive again. These flowers are the proof.

kauchaomai

It’s probably all Greek to you, but kauchaomai is a frequently used word in the New Testament — Paul uses it 31 times across 7 of his letters and mentions it to all but one church in his flock.

It means to glory on account of something or to boast.

But wait, how can we boast? God hates human pride more than anything else in the world. It has to mean something else.

And it does.

Paul always uses kauchaomai in reference to boasting in the Lord. We glory at His redemption, the works of His hands, the mercy He extends, and the grace He freely offers. If we boast in ourselves, we’re not only wrong but we’re refusing to accept these gifts of God.

But if we boast in God, we are merely giving credit where it’s due. And there is a lot of credit due to God.

Clean.

Wash. Cleanse. Pure.

These are words that hold importance all throughout the Bible. But we can’t do it alone. Imagine you have dirty hands and you’re trying to wipe away the mud and grime from someone else’s hands. You’d just be wiping the dirt around and not really accomplish anything at all.

But with God’s help, we are clean. It's not open-ended. It's not temporary. It is finished. We are already clean because of Jesus.

Clean. Period.

Agape

You may love your friends, your spouse, or your dog. But agape love is the highest form of love.

The Greek word "agape" was used by early Christians to describe the self-sacrificing love of God. When John is telling the first churches that "God is love" he is using the word "agape" there.

Go ape over God’s love for you… because He sure is going ape over you.

Count it all loss

We value a lot of things — family, school, work, happiness, and even our own reputation.

But there’s something special about money, isn’t there? Jesus described it as a rival to God. Paul said the love of it is the root of all evil. Money can take a hold of our hearts in a way that most other things can’t.

That’s why we used a $100 bill as the background. Money, yes even money, should be counted as loss compared to Christ.

Hold loosely. Share generously. Count it all as loss.

Filled up

That’s right… it’s just an empty box.

Although we may go about our daily lives feeling like a walking, talking empty box, we’re not. We’re filled up with the invisible God. And in the midst of our feeling empty and depleted and tired and suffering, God is enough for us.

lion

If you’ve read “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis, it’s not hard to picture God as a lion. Aslan the Lion is powerful, strong, and very wise.

But if you’ve never heard of Aslan, it can be quite terrifying to potentially meet this lion.

That’s how Susan, one of the four children who stumbled into Narnia through a wardrobe, felt. After all, who has ever heard of a safe lion?

“Is he — quite safe?” Susan asked. “I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.""Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

Our God is a lion. He’s not safe. But he’s a King. And he’s our King.

43316

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

— John 3:16

43 3 16 references the 43rd book of the Bible in John, the third chapter, and the 16th verse. It’s likely one of the most well known verses in all of Scripture.

But sometimes when we hear something over and over and over again, it can lose its significance… and that’s often what happens whether you’re following Jesus or not. That’s why we left it with just numbers.

Use this shirt as a conversation starter. When someone asks what these numbers mean, don’t just recite John 3:16 to them. Explain what it means to you and to them. You might be surprised at where the conversation goes.

All Upside Down

“The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne…”

— Revelation 4:10

LXVI:IV:X means 66:4:10… the 66nd book of the Bible is Revelations, the fourth chapter, the 10th verse. So why’s it upside down?

Because everything is upside down with Jesus. The poor will be rich. The meek shall inherit the earth. The mourning will be comforted. The insulted are rewarded.

And every crown will be thrown down to the ground, landing at the feet of Jesus.

Lion + lamb

Lions and lambs don’t typically hang out together because, well, animals don’t like to spend very much time with other animals that eat them.

But that’s exactly how our God describes how it’s going to be with Jesus. The lamb will lie down with the lion. The wolf will dwell with the lamb. The leopard shall lie down with the goat.

That’s the kind of peace we can expect with Jesus.

grace alone

What does grace mean? It’s undeserved favor. You’re guilty, you’re not worthy, you didn’t earn it — but you still get a gift you don’t deserve.

So why is it important that you don’t deserve the grace of God?

Because if money or work or status could make God love you, we’d be an even bigger mess than we already are. There’d be looting in the streets and self-centered backstabbing would be even more rampant than it already is. A child born into poverty would be without hope.

But that’s not the way God’s grace works. The gifts of God are given freely because He is good.

No money. No striving. No effort. Grace alone.

Beauty for ashes flowers

Why Roman numerals on a shirt full of flowers?

LXI:III means 61:3 and that’s the chapter and verse in Isaiah that contains one of the most encouraging promises that God has for us:

“...to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,the oil of gladness instead of mourning,the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;that they may be called oaks of righteousness,the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”

God knows that we can get tired or that tragedy can strike and leave us deeply saddened. And his remedy is this promise — that He will take our death and exchange it for life everlasting.

joy

When Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, the Holy Spirit took the form of a dove and descended as the Father spoke over it all. It’s one of the few times when all three members of the trinity are visibly present and active at the same time.

The gift of new life in baptism, set by the example of Jesus, is why there’s a dove pouring water into your heart — with the three parts of the Trinity overlapping in the background.

Joy is a powerful gift and it can easily be stolen. As you go about your day, rejoice even in the hard work and toil. God has given you what you need and He’s given you the ability to accept your lot in life. God will keep you occupied with joy in your heart.

If you let Him.

Mercy lamb

Grace is getting what you don’t deserve. Mercy is not getting what you do deserve.

At its core, mercy is about forgiveness and with God it endures forever. Why? Because of Jesus, our sacrificial lamb who endured the punishment for all our sin. But he’s not just any sacrificial lamb — many people before Jesus sacrificed all sorts of animals to gain the forgiveness of God. He’s the perfect sacrificial lamb because now there’s no more need for any more sacrifices.

That’s why we have the lambs in red on the shirt, to remember that Jesus and His willingness to die a bloody death on the cross makes peace between us and God now and forever.

God isn't my co-pilot

Ever heard the phrase, “God is my co-pilot”?

On the surface, it seems like a fine thing to say — you and God are in this together. You both know what you’re doing and either one of you can fly the plane. Sometimes He takes the wheel and something you do, right?

Wrong.

Our lives are not our own. We don’t get to tell God where He can and can’t go. God isn’t a co-pilot. He is everything. The God of the Universe who made flowers, oceans, mountains, and shooting stars isn’t on equal footing with you and me.

God isn’t my co-pilot. God is the pilot.

gospel

What does “Gospel” really mean? The word gospel comes from the Old English “god” meaning "good" and “spel” meaning "news". And when we see the phrase "good news" we know it’s referring to the story of Jesus Christ's birth, death, and resurrection.

So then why is the “GO” emphasized? How does a good story go?

A good story will go if we are willing to take it.

The last thing Jesus told His disciples was, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Those are His standing orders. Those are what He left us with. And until He returns, the command remains:

GO.

goat

We call a lot of people the GOAT.

Michael Jordan.

LeBron James.

Tom Brady.

Roger Federer.

But Michael Jordan didn’t walk on water. LeBron James didn’t make blind men see. Tom Brady can’t unstuff the ears of the deaf. And Roger Federer won’t turn water into wine.

There’s only one GOAT who took the punishment for our sin. There’s only one GOAT who allowed us to have peace with God. And there’s only one GOAT who became a SCAPEGOAT.

Earth's end

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.”

— Romans 1:8

XLV:I:VIII — The 45th book of the Bible is Romans, in the first chapter, and the eighth verse, Paul encourages this young, early Church in Rome with news that the Gospel is reaching countless nations.

It may be easy to think of Christianity being one that resides in homes like ours and spread to cities that look like ours. But the final words of Jesus to His disciples makes it clear that the Gospel is for the ends of the Earth.

Jesus has given us our marching orders. Will you go?

Re > pe

There are a lot of words we throw around as Christians that if someone asked what they really meant, we might be stuck.

Redemption is one of them — it simply means the act of saving or being saved from evil.

Then why is redemption better than perfection? Because God didn't make you perfect. He wants to care for you. He enjoys lifting you out of the dirt. No matter what kind of trouble you're in, God is looking forward to helping you out of it.

God is excited to save you and He's strong enough to do it.

sasquatch

Sasquatch (or Bigfoot) is said to be a hairy, upright-walking, ape-like creature that lives in the woods and leaves footprints. Despite being as tall as 9 feet (and nearly everyone having a high definition camera in their phone) no one has ever captured video of the elusive Missing Link.

Hmmm.

But Sasquatch remains a common folk legend. Inspiring countless hiking and camping expeditions. People will literally take time away from work or their family and spend hard-earned money to seek out something for which there is no evidence.

The actual evidence for Bigfoot is non-existent. Is it the same with Jesus?No way!

The story of Jesus was told by hundreds of eyewitnesses. They saw Jesus heal, preach, break bread, and die on a cross. And now 2,000 years later, He is still giving us the Holy Spirit. He talks with us whenever we want. He provides for us everyday.

Instead of believing in something unseen, believe in someone who was seen.

Be Still

“Be still and know that I am God.”

This is one of the most popular verses in the Bible and it’s commonly interpreted as an encouragement to take some quiet time with God.

But it’s actually a battle cry!

The writer of Psalms 46 was likely living in a time of war. Attacks were coming from all sides and it’s as good a time as any to take up your sword and figure out a way to win. But God doesn’t want us to try and figure out how to win. He breaks the bow. He shatters the spear. He burns the shields with fire. God wants us to be still and be confident that He is who He says He is.

You don’t have invading armies at your door, but you might have an impossible deadline to hit or a traffic jam that’s going to make you late for an important meeting.

The next time you take a sip of coffee or you’re filling up your calendar for the rest of the week, just remember that you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Be still. God is God.

Not home

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

— Philippians 3:20

America is not your home.

Heaven is your home.

That’s what Paul was telling the Philippians in III:XX (3:20) of his letter to them. You are here for a short while visiting. But you are (present tense) a citizen of Heaven.

The political issues of our day carry enormous weight. Supporting justice and shunning injustice is a result of following Jesus. But even the most important human rights issues are no substitute for following God.

Our hope is not found in a President or a law or a political party. Our hope is found in God.

romans 9:16

“So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”

— Romans 9:16

You ever have one of those days where you think to yourself, “My best just isn’t good enough.”

Well, you’re right!

God didn't make you perfect because He didn't want you to be perfect. Can you imagine how much pressure it would be if God left it all up to you? He wants to do the heavy lifting because... He's the only one who can do it. As cheesy as it sounds, God wants to be the one to help.

So the next time you're in a time of trouble, and you don't think there's any way out, be still and watch Him work.

Luther 500

Martin Luther was a German priest, monk, and tireless defender against a corrupt and abusive Roman Catholic Church of the day that preyed on people’s fears to gain money, power, and status throughout Europe.So he started a Reformation.

It’s been over 500 years since Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg — a series of arguments against the selling of indulgences, an abuse by the church that tricked the people who trusted them into buying certificates that lessened the time their loved ones had to spend time in Purgatory.

500 years of standing up against wrong doctrine.500 years of fighting exploitation.

500 years of being an ODG.

WHo

“I am not who I used to be.”

Idolatry.

Selfishness.

Greed.

Drunk.

Thieves.

Swindlers.

Some of us were but now we are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus.

Fresh prince

Charles Spurgeon was a pastor of the largest church in the world, a writer whose production few have ever matched, and a preacher of more sermons than you can count. He was exceedingly successful but continually humble. His booming voice moved congregants to conviction and salvation right there in their pews.

After his death, Spurgeon was nicknamed “The Prince of Pastors”. Spurgeon would have accepted the compliment had he heard it, but there’s no doubt he would have used it to point to Jesus — as he did with nearly everything else in his life.

You see, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. It’s not a name you hear for Him often — more frequently you hear Christ, or Son of God, or Emmanuel. But it’s a really important title. Why? Because Jesus restores broken relationships and (more importantly) brings peace between us and God.

The Prince of Pastors was always talking, writing, preaching, and pointing to the Prince of Peace.

Original birdman

St. Francis might have preached the gospel to birds, but he was not a sissy.

He was a world traveler, venturing all the way from Italy to Egypt to try and convert a Sultan so that the Crusades would end.

He was shipwrecked often on his travels to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

He helped rebuild churches and monasteries all over the Italian countryside.

And he still found time to preach the Gospel to the birds of the air.

What an ODG.

thug life

If you’ve been following Jesus during any of the past 500 years, you have Martin Luther to thank.

Luther fought a corrupt Roman Catholic Church that preyed on princes and paupers alike in what is now Germany.

500 years of standing up against wrong doctrine.

500 years of fighting exploitation.

500 years of being an ODG.

it never lasts

“The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid.”

— Luke 23:55

The disciples thought this was the end. Jesus had died. He was being buried in a tomb — shut up with a giant boulder blocking the way.

But death could not hold Jesus in the grave. Death didn’t last. It never lasts.

It’s the same with us. Death will not last against us either. That’s why we have the Roman numerals for 23:55 in the bottom right hand corner. Treasure this verse in your heart and remember that death didn’t last against Jesus and it will never last against you.

Hello Lazarus

In the middle of His ministry, two of Jesus’ disciples — Mary and Martha — discovered that their brother Lazarus had died. He was shut up in a tomb for four days, but Jesus wanted everyone to believe that He was the resurrection and the life. He told Lazarus to come out and sure enough, Lazarus walked right out of his tomb.

And it’s the same with us! We were born dead, but it is Jesus who calls us into new life. He wants to see us live and He has the power to breathe life into our dry bones.

We made this name tag to be a conversation starter. It’s not everyday you meet someone named Lazarus. Use it to share the story of Jesus raising you from death to life.

Call me lazarus

Did you know that Jesus wasn’t the only person to be raised from the dead in the Bible?

In the middle of His ministry, two of Jesus’ disciples — Mary and Martha — discovered that their brother Lazarus had died. He was shut up in a tomb for four days, but Jesus wanted everyone to believe that He was the resurrection and the life. He told Lazarus to come out and sure enough, Lazarus walked right out of his tomb.

And it’s the same with us! We were born dead, but it is Jesus who calls us into new life. He wants to see us live and He has the power to breathe life into our dry bones.

Edwards quote

Did you know that Jesus wasn’t the only person to be raised from the dead in the Bible?

In the middle of His ministry, two of Jesus’ disciples — Mary and Martha — discovered that their brother Lazarus had died. He was shut up in a tomb for four days, but Jesus wanted everyone to believe that He was the resurrection and the life. He told Lazarus to come out and sure enough, Lazarus walked right out of his tomb.

And it’s the same with us! We were born dead, but it is Jesus who calls us into new life. He wants to see us live and He has the power to breathe life into our dry bones.

Ransomed

The word “ransom” is all over the New Testament, but do we really know what it means? And do we really believe we were ransomed? That would mean we were a prisoner to someone or something.

Well, we were!

Adam was perfect when he was made, but he enslaved himself to sin and death by disobeying God. When he had children, he passed on to them the consequences. And when they had children, the same thing happened… all the way down to you and me.

But Jesus did something more beautiful for us than you could possibly imagine. He died to rescue us because we could never pay that massive debt to get out of slavery.

So when you say “I have been ransomed” it’s not some dramatic metaphor. It really happened!

calvin's tulips

John Calvin was a theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation and many of his ideas are still widely regarded in Christianity today.

But he's not such a stuffy guy. In fact, Calvin liked flowers. He figured everyone liked flowers as much as he did so he used the acronym TULIP to explain the most important things about God:

Total Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

(Hey, I know some of those words!)

So, read up on Calvin, TULIP, and stop to smell the flowers every once in a while — you might run into someone who wants to know what your shirt means. It's an easy way to break the ice and start talking about Jesus.

Yolo

YOLO. You only live once, right?

Wrong.

If Jesus is real and if He was raised from the dead and if we get to share in that resurrection… doesn’t that mean we live twice?

That’s why we have the big red bar through YOLO. It’s just simply not true.

Sanctification

Sanctification simply means to be set apart. And God sets us apart from the world in a lot of ways.

He commands us to love those who hate us.

He helps us give beyond our means.

He inspires us to go to the ends of the earth to care for people we've never met.

But sometimes we sin and sometimes we're selfish. We know that this whole sanctification process won’t be finished until we meet Jesus.

That’s why the colors continually get darker and richer as the pattern goes down. Sanctification is a journey our entire lives that ends when we see God.

Reftoons theologians

Ain’t no party like an ODG party!

Charles Spurgeon was a smoking good preacher, leading the largest church of his time.

Martin Luther brought the hammer down on church corruption and false doctrine.

John Calvin helped people stop to smell the flowers and reflect on the truth and justice of God.

Jonathan Edwards woke the early American country up out of its deep sleep.

John Knox pointed to the Prince of Peace as a country around him erupted in civil war.

Ephesians 2

You were born dead. It’s not just a “well, I’m prone to do some bad things every now and then” sort of thing. You were dead.

Followed Satan.

Disobedient sons.

Selfish desires.

Given in.

Given up.

BUT GOD…

It’s the most beautiful interruption. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

We were dead… But God said, “Live.”

Let that inspire your writing and encourage your conversations today and every day.

My hope

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly lean on Jesus' name

These are the opening lyrics to the great 19th century hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” and it’s a throwback to the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders.

Would you rather build a house on sand or rock? It probably doesn’t make much of a difference… until you experience your first thunderstorm. The rain would turn that sand into mud and your house would be washed away. But rock is permanent, secure, and safe. Even the fiercest flood isn’t going to turn rock to mud.

Everyone has to build a house. Make sure yours is on solid rock.

Good Books (Spurgeon Quote)

“Visit many good books but live in the Bible.”

— Charles Spurgeon

You can visit many worlds and discover many truths about God through the words of many authors. But make your permanent residence in the only book that feeds your soul and answers the deepest longings of your heart.

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