Winning Words 4/3/13
“Was that an earthquake, or did you just rock my world?”  (Unknown)  Some seismologists have suggested that April 3, might be the date of the crucifixion of Jesus.  The Bible says that there was a great earthquake on that day, and scientific studies seem to indicate an earth disturbance at that place and time.  Once, while in California, I felt the earth shake.  It caught my attention.  Different things can rock our world.    ;-)  Jack 

FROM RB IN MICHIGAN:  I knew there was a reason I enjoyed my wife's birthdate of April 3rd - today.
She came along at the right time and changed my world.  Last Dec. 5th I was in Japan giving a presentation when the room shook furiously.. it was my Dad's birthday.  Jesus shakes our world today with His Father's Living Word applied to our lives.  Now I must go into that shaken world as He has blessed me with the morning.  He is Risen indeed, Alleluia.////JACK:  Earthquakes are serious business for many of the world's people.  The new pastor at WB's Methodist Church has this license plate...GOD ROX.

 FROM WALMART REV:  The other day, someone from our church on FB said: "Pastor Paul, you rock!" Don't worry, I didn't let it go to my head, Jack...my head is big enough without an explosion doing further damage.////JACK:  You're in good company.  Peter was a Rock Star, also

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  It's an eerie feeling when everything under and around you is quaking.  Though it may last for only a few seconds, it's scary.  The recent collapse in Seattle of a section of Pacific shoreline was horrifying for those living in houses right on the brink, realizing how they could have been swept away with the land.  Imagine the severity if a portion of California coastline along the San Andreas Fault is sheared off, with extreme loss of lives and property damage.  And people will say, "Why does God let things like that happen?"////JACK:  Isn't it strange how we choose to put ourselves in harm's way, and, when some harm comes, we blame it on God?

 FROM TRIHARDER:  that place and time?  What date?  Is there a general agreement of the exact date of the crucifixion?////JACK:  Since records were not kept like they are today, there is no consensus on the dates of many occurrences, religious or otherwise.  The historian Josephus is the most reliable source that I'm aware of...and his work is sketchy, at best.  Dates listed as B.C. or B.C.E. are examples.  I suppose that if the scientists were able to pinpoint April 3, they should be able to pinpoint a year, as well.////TH:  I was born on the second seder of passover (-- I think I told you that).  As you know, the date is different every year if one uses the Jewish lunar calendar. "Coincidentally", The Easter holy days seem to follow those same dates.  Today is the 23rd of Nissan, 5773.  Did Jesus die on that date?  Because April 3 would be a different date on the Jewish calendar every year.////JACK:  Calendars, clocks and sundials are man's way of marking time.  Regardless of how time is kept....time marches on.  One of the reasons for April Fool's Day is said to be a reaction to Pope Gregory changing the date of the new year from April 1 to January 1.

 FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS:  You always make me think – and smile.  Have a great 4/3////JACK:  Cubs win!  Cubs win!  Cubs rock!

FROM PH IN MINNESOTA:  Did Elvis ever “rock” your world?////JACK:  I remember when TV cameras would not show Presley below the waist.  "Elvis the Pelvis" was too risque!////PH:  Did you know that in the early days of TV you could not even say (for example) the word, pregnant.  How far we have come!  But in what direction?////JACK:  Old people usually don't like change, but life is change.  As I once said in a Winning Words..."Deal with it!"

 FROM CJL IN OHIO:  We've had a few "shakes" around here due to dumping of shale water being put back into the ground.  I felt one.  You're right, it does get your attention.////JACK:  Around here we call that procedure...Fracking...and think that it's a bad idea, environmentally.  Others think that it's the solution to the energy problem.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Funny!  We've been through a couple minor earthquakes.  It's a strange and scary feeling.  Gary went through two big ones when he was traveling for business in California.  He thought someone broke into his hotel room and knocked everything around.  (He slept through the quake).  Rocking our worlds would be wonderful...like announcing an up-coming birth, or a devastating rock...such as hearing about a death.  We have to go over, around and under the rocks, but Christ can go right through them for us.  He has beaten the rock of death and because He has, we have.////JACK:  God uses various "things" to get our attention.

 FROM AW IN ILLINOIS:  Way I felt about Judy when I first met her. Seems that  there was a romantic song used this idea This brought back memories.////JACK:  When a good person comes into our life, we like to think that God had a hand in it.