Regarding Eternity

Things Will Always Go Well

2011-11-01T10:23:00.000-04:00

To be one of God’s children means to have an eternal Father bestowed upon you by adoption, through no merit of your own, for the purpose of the Father’s glory. It also means that things will always go well for you for the rest of your life.

Yes – things will always go well for you if you’re a child of God.

How can I say that? Am I getting all “best-life-now” on you guys this morning? Nope. The truthfulness of this statement is not dependent upon semantics, but perspective. God’s perspective is far superior to our own impotent, sin-marred, self-centered perspective. And God has told us something very important about our life’s events: no matter how difficult, how confusing, or how painful things may be, they were allowed by God, and…

We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28

No matter how badly things may go, things are going well for us. That’s such a difficult concept for us to grasp, but thankfully God’s wisdom is not squelched by our limited capacities.

We can allow this truth to manifest in our lives and in our hearts and by God’s grace, within the most difficult situations, we can trust our loving Father, knowing that He has an ultimate plan that is perhaps well above our understanding. We can embrace our weaknesses, for as the LORD has told us, “…my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

My prayer for each of us (and for myself) is that our circumstances will not dictate our joy nor our trust in God. Through Christ we have affirmation that God is working things out for our good, for His glory.

May we all be able to join Paul in saying:

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. –2 Corinthians 12:10

Thank God

2011-09-05T00:45:00.002-04:00

One thing that drives me crazy is that no matter what I'm doing, I could always be doing *more*. Do you ever feel that way? It's a pain because it imparts a sense of impotence on one's soul, even in the face of progress.

Thank God that we could never do enough to merit His favor; thank God that Someone has already done that for us.

He Must Do What?

2011-07-21T14:44:00.002-04:00

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it. -Mark 8:34-35

I think I've figured out what Jesus is saying in this verse.

I think He's saying that if we want to be His disciples, we have to deny ourselves and follow Him.

We have to stop acting spoiled, stop insisting on comfort, stop demanding our rights, and stop being consume with *temporal* concerns.

We have to deny ourselves. It flies in the face of our culture and our hard-wiring.

But - as the text says - IF we're to follow Him, we MUST.

Literally?

2010-10-23T20:00:00.002-04:00

I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.

-Matthew 25:45

How many times have you read this verse, or had it taught to you? How many sermons have you heard which used this scripture?

I've heard and read this, many times. I usually get the same moral out of it: we are to regard the less-fortunate among us as if they were Jesus Himself. When we read this scripture, it's supposed to remind us that we are to be sensitive to the lowly; generous to the poor; sympathetic to the downtrodden.

But wait...if you really think about it...we are to regard the less-fortunate among us as if they were Jesus Himself?

Sure, you can take that as a sort of "symbolic" lesson. But really, is that how Jesus means it? Or does He mean it to be a literal commandment for you to care for the homeless man at the subway...the neighbor who has cancer...the mentally impaired boy at the bowling alley...the relative who is poor and needy...the sex slave in Thailand...the orphan in Africa...as if they were God Himself?

If you saw Jesus the Christ, the God and Savior of the world, in need and begging on a street corner, filthy and hungry...what wouldn't you do for Him?

What if He means it literally?

Getting It

2010-10-22T11:17:00.003-04:00

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God".

-Luke 9:61-62

This is an intriguing piece of scripture. Seems a bit harsh for Jesus to reply in such a manner, no?

What do you think this person thought when Jesus replied in such a way? Perhaps something like this:

"Sheesh! I just told Jesus I was going to forsake my own plans and follow him. All I want to do is go say bye to my family, and he doesn't have the courtesy to let me do that!?"

If we're honest with ourselves, though...we sometimes treat God like this.

God has saved us, but we'll obey when and where it's convenient. God has commanded us to do something, but we'll do it "when/after/once/as soon as" - and we decide to obey His command on our own terms.

At first glance, this scripture can be a bit of a struggle. At least for me it can be. It seems like Christ is being a bit "unreasonably" harsh. Not fit for the kingdom of God, because he wants to go back and bid his family farewell?

This is one of those scriptures you need to "think on" a bit. And here's what I think.

The person Jesus is speaking with doesn't "get it". Had he realized the hugeness of the situation he was in the middle of, he wouldn't have been thinking about saying goodbye to his family. He would have been awestruck, focuses solely on the Savior. Running toward Him. Forsaking everything else in full realization that he had found the one true treasure of eternity.

The modern equivalent? Those who are Christians, who follow Jesus, but don't give Him everything. They say, "Lord, I'm yours! But I want to keep this...this...and, that thing too. I'll hang onto those".

No! If you "get it", none of those other things matter! You've found the true treasure of eternity! Don't look back!

Are You a Parent?

2010-09-29T08:50:00.002-04:00

I am. And a fairly new one, at that.

The amount of love I have for my son cannot be quantified in words. The only way I can attempt to describe it is to say that when I became a father, I was given new emotions that I'd never felt before (and plenty of them).

When I'm away from him, I think about him constantly. I ignore after-work errands so I can get home to him more quickly.

His well-being so captivates my mind that I have developed an anxiety issue which is in some respects a result of my worrying that something might happen to him.

Do you know that feeling?

The thought of harm coming to my son is the worst earthly thought I can imagine. That I would willingly allow harm to come to him is unthinkable.

Do those thoughts ever cross your mind?

God reminds me of His love for us through this avenue.

The God of this universe allowed His beloved son to go through the most terrible form of execution this world had to offer. Willingly. For us.

(inhale......exhale......)

Truly, an unimaginable love He has for us.

-G

Temporal, Defined

2010-09-10T22:50:00.003-04:00

tem*por*al

[tem-per-uhl, tem-pruhl]

-adjective

enduring for a time only; temporary; transitory (opposed to ETERNAL)

Trust

2010-08-25T09:56:00.001-04:00

Love the Way of the Master Minute today...

"The Christian is told that he understands 'by faith.' For instance, if we have major surgery, we trust the surgeon even though we have no real understanding of how he is going to operate on us. We have to trust him or there will be no operation. We understand that he has the ability to make us well, so we choose to have faith in him and his abilities. In the same manner, we trust God. Many have died at the hands of surgeons, but no one perishes who places himself or herself in the hands of God. His ability is boundless and His promises are "an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast."( Hebrews 6:19) Doctors and pilots will fail you, friends you trust will disappoint you, elevators will let you down, but the promises of Almighty God are utterly trustworthy."

Spurgeon Truth

2010-08-18T08:40:00.002-04:00

"I have known some few hardened wretches, who passed out of the world, as they had lived, in open rebellion against God, and who to the last, therefore, despised religion; but, generally, I have found that the scoffer changes his tone when death approaches. “Send for someone to visit me,” is his cry then. “For whom shall we send? Shall it be John, the swearer?” “Oh no! send for John, the praying man; I should like him to pray over me. Or send for the minister.” “But why don’t you ask for your old companions? You used to say that they were the jolliest fellows, they were the merriest men you ever met. You know there is no such place as heaven or hell, for you often said so when in their company. Many a glass have you quaffed with them; why not have another before you die?” Ah! such companions as these will not do for him now; and that fact proves the honour which such a man, at last, puts upon the Christian." - Charles Spurgeon

2010-08-10T08:36:00.003-04:00

"Blessed are those who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied." - Luke 6:20-21

Contrast the Lord's words above with what He says in verses 24-25:

"But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry." -Luke 6:24-25

Poor and hungry or rich and well fed. Which would you rather be?

Poor and hungry. At the heart of those words, what do they mean? If you're poor and hungry, you recognize that you have a need. If you're wealthy, you can't honestly ask God to "Give us this day our daily bread". But if you're dirt poor? Yes, you can sincerely and honestly rely on God, each day, for your bread. If you're hungry, you have a need, and you recognize it. How many of you have ever, when you're really hungry, decided you liked the way it feels? If offered food, would you say, "No thanks, I'm good and hungry". You have a need, a real need, and you recognize it.

Rich and well fed. What do those adjectives indicate? The word "rich" here means "abounding in wealth". Like, really rich. No material worries in the world. Well fed means you never have to feel hungry. You can completely rely on yourself for material goods, food, shelter...anything you want or need. Rich and well fed indicates self-reliance. The feeling that, "I've attained everything I need to be safe, sound, and secure". Your life's work has been to be self-sufficient, and that is your reward. You have no "needs" you can point to.

Blessed are those who recognize they have a need for a Savior! Blessed are they!

But woe unto those who scoff at the Savior, puffed up with pride, as if they are their own god!

Poor and hungry or rich and well fed. Which would you rather be?

-G

Quick Thought

2010-08-07T12:12:00.002-04:00

God made men, and God made women. He made them different.

This is to be celebrated, not hated and downplayed. Are you a man? Well, then be a man. Are you a women? BE a woman, just like God made you to be.

Don't let this backward, evil world shame you into believing otherwise.

-G

Plug the Leak

2010-08-05T08:58:00.000-04:00

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." -Revelation 2: 4-5 (emphasis mine)

Stay up there, my friends. Don't fall from the heights. Stay in the Word. Once the Spirit makes the Word real to your heart, grab onto it, clutch it, and hold on for dear life.

It's your shield, your parachute, and your vessel.

We're like boats out on the sea. A small hole in the floor of the boat might not be noticed at first, and can easily be ignored for a while.

Worldly things leak in...slowly...discreetly...innocently.

Unless the situation is handled, there's only one fate for a vessel, out at sea, with a hole in it.

So don't wait. Don't let apathy rule the day. That's from the enemy.

Plug the leak!

-G

Primary Focus

2010-08-04T10:06:00.001-04:00

Here's a profound quote by Francis Chan I recently came across:

“Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

Anyone else wake up one day to realize that something other than God has become the primary recipient of your limited energy and brain-power? (Shhh...don't say the "I" word...)

When it happens, it's startling. It happened to me, recently. I woke up one day and realized that I devote a significant amount of time and energy to business, sales, and acquiring money. And by "significant", I mean, excessive.

Perhaps it's because my wife is now a stay-at-home-mom, and I'm a 26 year old with a 1 year old at home and a bit of an anxiety issue. Perhaps it's the sense of "security" it gives me to acquire money; it makes me feel like I'm protecting my family and "doing my job as a man". Seriously...I have to ask myself...is that a joke? Am I playing a joke on myself?

Don't get me wrong, it's good to provide security for your family, and to be financially stable. But when it crosses over to the realm of "need", as in, you "need" to have money to feel secure...well, that's not OK. Security comes from God, not some stupid little thing like money. God provides and protects. God gives wealth and takes it away. If God trusts you with money, do you think it's prudent to allow that money to become your focus? No, not for a Christian. Seek FIRST the Kingdom. God will not stand for anything other than Him to be the focus of one of his chosen children.

Some time ago, at my church, the pastor said something to the effect of:

"Your primary focus in life is what you think about when you're not prompted to do so."

That stuck with me, and I'm glad it did. If that "primary focus" is not God, something's off.

-G

Thank you, God

2010-08-03T10:03:00.001-04:00

It's been over a year since I've written on this blog. Lately, Regarding Eternity has been on my mind. Why? Not sure.

So much has changed since my last post. I feel strange just jumping back in, after not posting for over a year. But who cares? I think God wants me to. So I will.

I'm realizing that my blog was more than just ramblings of mine, it was actually a form of worship. And lately, God has been doing things to me. Calling me closer to Him. Clearing things up for me. Showering grace on me. And through many avenues, including the adventure of being a father myself, He is making His truths more and more real to me.

So hey, for what it's worth, there will be more worship coming from Regarding Eternity.

-G

Correction

2009-06-12T13:53:00.000-04:00

A headline today:

"Congress sent legislation to the White House Friday granting the federal government unprecedented authority to regulate and restrict cigarettes, the single largest cause of preventable death."

The single largest cause of preventable death?

I beg to differ.

400,000 tobacco-related deaths per year in the USA.
1,300,000 abortions per year in the USA.

-G

Today's Game Plan

2009-05-27T09:14:00.000-04:00

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him,

and he shall direct thy paths.

Food for Thought

2009-05-22T08:40:00.000-04:00

If God would have wanted us to live in a permissive society He would have given us Ten Suggestions and not Ten Commandments.

-Zig Ziglar

Someday...

2009-05-18T11:47:00.000-04:00

How many things made you sad yesterday? Or mad? Or even a little agitated, uneasy, anxious, worried, or confused?

Today is only half-over. How many awkward, unhappy, or high-pressure feelings have had already today?

Here's a happy thought to take along with you for the rest of your day:
Those thoughts & feelings are temporary. They only exist right now, in this life.

One day, this life will be a memory. And those thoughts & feelings won't exist.

Only perfection & happiness, in His presence.

Christian friend, what a blessed eternity is waiting for us!

Cookie Jar

2009-05-04T13:03:00.000-04:00

It's funny how, if you get too excited-or-giddy-or-anxious-or-impatient over something you want, God will remind you that it really isn't that important, in the big picture. The things of this world aren't really that important, Regarding Eternity -- if you will.

God loves to keep His childrens' eyes on the prize. It's up to us to be "outside of ourselves" enough to realize that the frustration we feel after our plans are thwarted (or delayed) is selfish, and not unlike the frustration a 5-year-old feels when his father swats his hand away from the cookie jar.

Man, I'm always learning. What a Teacher.

-G

At Work?

2009-05-01T09:14:00.000-04:00

I'm at work today. You?

Does your brain ever go into "big picture mode", like mine does? I have often thought, "It's curious that so much of man's life is spent working in order to survive." Seems a little odd, doesn't it? Do you work more than you sleep during the week?

To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

-Genesis 3:17-19

This is just another product of Adam's original sin, and the "old nature" that we all struggle against.

The same condition separates us from God. Only Christ's offering can bridge the gap, and wash us free of that "old nature" that we inherited from Adam. Praises to Him!

Enjoy your day at work, friends.

-G

Your Conscience

2009-04-24T08:33:00.000-04:00

Your conscience...what a miracle.

Isn't it curious that we have a built-in information center which constantly provides feedback to our brain regarding the morality of any given situation? And, that we are the only beings on the planet that have such a device?

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
-1 Samuel 16:7

We are accountable.

Gabriel

2009-04-23T09:02:00.001-04:00

Gabriel...that's me.

Now that I understand the blogosphere a bit more thoroughly, I thought the name-change wise.

It's still me, Sinner Saved. And I'm still a saved sinner. Praise God for that!

But I decided to stop using Sinner Saved as my name. I'm Gabriel. Nice to meet you.

-G

In God We Trust (Right?)

2009-04-22T09:22:00.000-04:00

MSNBC is having a live vote on this topic:

Should "IN GOD WE TRUST" be removed from U.S. currency?

Vote here, before they take the poll down:

You* should voice your opinion!

*By "you", of course, I do not mean ExPatMatt :-)

Where are you?

2009-04-22T08:35:00.001-04:00

Where are you right now, Christian friend? At home? At work? On a bus? At school? The library?

What are you doing? Drinking coffee? Running through your morning routine? Just about to get off work? Relaxing at home after a hard day? In between errands?

Chatting with your wife? Watching TV with your husband? Getting ready for dinner? About to go outside and clean your car? Go for a run?

Just got back from riding your motorcycle? From church? From your softball game?

Doing some homework, maybe? Just poured yourself a Coke?

Just changed a diaper?

Just took the garbage out?

Or maybe...just relaxing?

What are you doing right now?

Where are you right now?

We're all doing different things.

We're all in different places.

We all have something in common, though...

God is here with me.
God is there with you.

Say Hi. Tell Him you love Him.

New World

2009-04-20T09:12:00.000-04:00

The world is changing. This New World is the result of many changes, technologies, and problems. And opportunities.

The number of "end-world-esque" events are clearly on the rise, and have been.

Daily, terrorist attacks kill innocent people.

I wonder how this hurricane season will treat us...

Wow, China is getting big and strong.

How many diseases are new to the human race within the past thirty years?

Does Ahmadinejad really mean what he says, or is he just bluffing?

Did you see that Chavez is our new friend?

And so on.

It's a NEW WORLD out there.

A New World.

The good news?

This New World is still run by God. And His promises are still the only sure thing in existence.

More good news?

This New World provides us with more opportunity than ever.

Most likely, everyone reading this has a blog on which they post their thoughts fairly regularly.

Do you know what happens if you or I post just the right thoughts at just the right time? Our blog would go "viral" and would spread across the blogoshpere and internet like wildfire.

I just read a story about these folks who created a huge bacon-bbq thing that you make on your grill. It was so out-of-the-ordinary that it was an instant sensation on the web, and their obscure little barbeque blog, within a day, had millions of readers.

Articles were written about them and they became semi-celebrities. Because they created some sort of bacon-explosion thing that probably didn't even taste very good. It was just the right bit of odd, with the perfect dab of unique.

Would this have been possible twenty years ago? No.

We now have resources and avenues that were impossible just a short time ago. This is just one example of a tool (the blog, not the bacon explosion) with which we can reach the world for Christ. If we say just the right thing, at just the right time. We have to think outside of the box.

We're in this world, but not of it.

While we're in it, let's live in the New It.

That Cross

2009-04-10T09:17:00.001-04:00

It's really hitting me this Good Friday.

Oh, that cross!

We are so blessed that He went to that cross!

That wretched, terrible cross!

That beautiful, wonderful cross!

Without that cross, there is no hope for us.

Without His sacrifice, we are lost.

It was His plan, and He did it for us.

You and me.

What was it that maintained Him throughout the torture?

What was in His mind, that he could endure what He went through?

When he was dragging that cross, nearly lifeless, what motivated him to press on?

When He closed His eyes, hanging from that cross, bloody, bruised, humiliated, and splayed out...what was He thinking about?

You and me, friend.

He did it for us.

.
.
.

Wow.

Amen, Wayne Dawg!

2009-04-08T08:11:00.000-04:00

So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” (John 19:1-6 NKJV)

Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. (Isaiah 52:14-15 NKJV)

Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 53:4-6 NKJV)

Bear In Mind

2009-03-27T09:27:00.000-04:00

God can do anything.

There is nothing that God can't do.

Impossible is a human word.

To God, impossible does not exist.

God can do anything.

All praises to God!

How blessed we are to be able to praise Him!

This life is hard.

We can do nothing.

God can do anything.

To ExPatMatt

2009-03-11T21:52:00.000-04:00

For some reason, it wouldn't let me respond to your comment...

So, I added a new post about it.

And my response is this:

My good buddy! I knew you would love that! But in reality, I was (as I'm sure you realized) referring to the following sentence, when I said that I didn't want to be too inflammatory. I mean, people get downright offended by a Christian who would dare say that Islam was to blame for anything (like 9/11, or.....).

And before the "fringe extremist" argument is presented, please look up the evidence regarding those who reside in the middle east who supported the "9/11 jihad" after it was carried out.

And...Obama being anti-life is fairly obvious. Wait...omit "fairly". Are you kidding? Do you know that in the MAJORITY of states here, in the good old U-S-of-A, if a pregnant woman is murdered, then her murderer is charged with a DOUBLE homicide? If a pregnant woman is murdered, then...HEY!!!...the baby in her body is considered a human being. But if a woman is pregnant and chooses to kill the baby in her body, then well, that's a choice she makes about her body. Please! What if the baby is born, and then 5 minutes later, the mother decides that she does not want to be a mother, and kills her baby? The answer is, she would have committed the most unspeakable murder anybody has ever heard of. But, that same crime committed 10 minutes earlier, it's supported as a choice.

I urge you to search for the testimonials of some people who have worked at clinics who subscribe to the type of evil that our president is now enacting into law. Do you know what he thinks should be done with babies who survive abortions? Check it out. He thinks they should be thrown in the garbage, alive. This is fact. To oppose this is to be ignorant of the facts, or to be stoic beyond what my mind is capable of.

Let me know your thoughts.

The Rock

2009-03-11T09:12:00.000-04:00

What times!

I mean...look around! It's crazy if you sit back and observe the landscape of our nation.

The market has cut itself in half. Unemployment is over 8% and rising. Our president is making it rain money from the sky on irresponsible businesses. OUR taxes are paying for it, and WE will pay for it double-time when we have to face the inflation it causes. We are now ruled by an extremist, pro-death, anti-life ruler. While I don't want to get too inflammatory, I think it shall suffice to say that he is less-than-zealous about bringing justice to those who are (right now!) planning the obliteration of our nation. Let's close the detainment camps and stop interrogations. Perfect.

These times can be great for us, though. How? Well, it's certainly easy to err toward lukewarm when everything is going as planned. And when we're prospering. And when our fear-and-anxiety level is low. Well, take a good look around. Breathe it all in. Draw a picture. The way things are right now, well...they haven't been this way in a long while. And after this is over, we may just snap back to some sort of sanity. Or maybe not. Either way, what a perfect time to look around and think...every day...every hour..."OH, HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE THE ROCK, THE ONE, THE SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, AS OUR OWN!".

Nothing can shake that. Ever. The Dow can go to ZERO. Obama could set up concentration camps for 2-year olds, if he decides that they are not humans, either. The evil Islamic militants could nuke wall street. That won't change the fact that we're saved by grace through faith in CHRIST. So, what have we got to fear? Look around, and muster a good chuckle. All of this doom and gloom around us...It's all less relevant than it seems, in the big picture.

Fireproof

2009-01-31T23:45:00.000-05:00

I just watched "Fireproof".

You know, the new movie with Kirk Cameron that just came out for rent this past week.

It's awesome. Go rent it. What a great movie!

I can see why it was so popular in the theatres. It really blessed my wife and I.

Study Up

2009-01-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

I was tossing around the whole idea of "Blogosphere Evangelism" and some thoughts occurred to me that I'd like to share.

In my line of work, email can be the primary vehicle of communication between people. For many business relationships that I am a part of, the typed word is my very identity to the other person. Because of this, I've become fascinated with the typed word.

For my career, I have studied the art of effective emailing. It occurred to me, we Blogosphere Christians ought to study the art of effective blogging. My identity to you is this blog; similarly, all I know of you is what I read on your blog or what you post on my blog. To this end, let's study the ways in which we can create a blog persona which will effectively reach the lost. Always think, "What's the purpose of what I'm typing right now?" and "Who is my audience?" and "How will this post affect them when they read it?".

There is some great material available to learn how to become effective typers. Just thought I'd share.

Busy Busy Busy

2009-01-26T08:32:00.000-05:00

My life is very busy.

Sometimes there is so much to do and so much going on that the thesis of my prayers frequently becomes, "Lord, help me to focus on you today." I tell Him that I need Him to help me think of Him throughout the day. I need Him to help me live in the Spirit today. I need Him to help me remember to pray throughout the day. Does anyone share a similar experience?

It seems like a have a million things to do before I leave for work. At 7:00 am. I know I have a million things to do at work. My job is a very busy one, in which I have to be proactively ready for anything, at any time. I work 10 or 11 hours a day, always trying to outperform in a high-stress environment. And I need to keep up on the news. And investments. And devotionals. And the internal politics of the office. And in my line of work, I have 2000 bosses. And then, once I leave work, there are a few million more things which need my undivided attention before I can lay my head down to sleep. And I don't even have kids (yet!).

I prayed to God this morning to help me focus on Him today, through the hurricane that is my life. And, I thought of you. If you share a similar lifestyle, I pray for you, too. If you feel compelled, say a quick prayer for me.

Let's focus on what really matters, in light of eternity.

A Little Perspective This Morning

2009-01-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master,
when he will return from the wedding,
that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

Blessed are those servants whom the master,
when he comes, will find watching.
Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them
sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

...Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

-Luke 12:35-37, 40

The Living Word

2009-01-21T17:16:00.000-05:00

Jesus is the living God, the Word incarnate.

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
-Luke 11:23

Christians, let us gather with Jesus. Closely and intimately. Let's huddle near to Him. If we stay in His Word, we are gathered close to Him. He is the incarnate Word of life, alive and true. Diving into His Word is like gathering close in His arms. And disregarding His word is not without consequence; He says it will cause us to "scatter". Let's stay close.

Let's study the Word with alacrity and vigor. Meditate and pray over it. Just as our bodies cannot survive without food, our souls cannot thrive without the food of the Word. And Christ Himself calls us to not only read His Word, but to obey it completely.

"More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
-Luke 11:28

"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
-James 1:22

Remember the importance of the Word, daily. It's not just a book. It is God's living Word. God's spoken word created this world. God's Word will triumph in the end.

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword (the Word), that with it He should strike the nations."
-Revelation 19:11, 13, 15

Change Is Here

2009-01-20T12:19:00.000-05:00

An historic election. Barack Obama is now the President of the United States of America. Change is here.

Most likely, the path of the American Christian will be more labored. President Obama is certainly not a friend of evangelical Christians, despite what he may claim.

A new atmosphere will form in this country, furthering the the ideals of the "social progressive". This is the path that results in Christians being even less tolerated.

The Word of God will be even less respected. Being saved & sharing your faith will be even more taboo.

Take heart, Christian! This is promised to us. This is part of the story. We are promised it will get even more difficult. And more, and more, and more difficult.

Stay the course.

We're not of this world.

Don't compromise.

If this world hates us, it hated Him first.

We belong to Him.

Don't compromise.

Be sober and vigilant.

Be wise and discerning.

And don't compromise!

Dr. J. Vernon McGee

2009-01-20T07:50:00.000-05:00

One of my most important mentors in becoming a Christian is a man named Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Do you know him?

I didn't meet him until 2004. He died in 1988.

I stumbled across his radio ministry as a young Christian. His down-home demeanor, unique voice & dialect, and methodical way of going through the Bible - the entire Bible - to teach his listeners one half-hour at a time was curious (and addictive!) to me.

Anyways, he taught me much of what I know of Scripture. I may not have always agreed with the stances he took on certain things (most of the time I did), but I love the way he teaches! And his voice is reaching the lost in over 100 languages & dialects, more than 20 years after his death.

I look forward to the day I meet Him, in Heaven. Here's a short excerpt from one of his newsletters. It's nothing revolutionary by any means, but I always feel indebted to him, to share his voice:

God of Our Past and Our Future

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13, 14)

As one year departs forever and a new, unknown year is here, the thoughtful person remembers and meditates on days past and ponders the future.

It seems there are two opposite suggestions in Scripture. Paul reminds us to forget those things that are behind and to reach out to those things that are before us (see Philippians 3:13). However, God commanded Moses to remember all the ways in which He had led him and the children of Israel (see Exodus 13:1-3 and Deuteronomy 5:15).

Is not God saying to remember the good and forget the bad, except as it can be a deterrent for future mistakes? We can be so immersed in guilt over our failures as to forget that God can still forgive and use us. Confess and forget that bad stretch and “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Athletes work through slumps and come out stronger.

In remembering God’s marvelous guidance, our faith is fortified to face a nebulous unknown. If He could bring us through last year, can we not trust Him for this year? “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12).

--From a January 1985 newsletter written by Dr. J. Vernon McGee

Good News for Christians

2009-01-18T16:59:00.000-05:00

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

-1 Corinthians 10:13

For You & For Me

2009-01-18T14:19:00.001-05:00

Good Sunday,

I hope you are doing well, whoever you are. I'm happy the Lord led me to create this blog a week or two ago. I'm meeting lots of nice people. Some of you I've been praying for.

For one of you, I'm not the only one praying in my neck of the woods.

I thought I'd share this video today. It's beautiful.

Watch it, and think: "For me. This was all for me." What a humbling thought.

WARNING: GRAPHIC

Resolved

2009-01-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

Jonathan Edwards was a man who made resolutions, though not in the form of New Year's resolutions. In his long list of resolutions he included:

Resolved, to live with all my might while I do live;

Resolved, never to lose one moment of time, but improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can;

Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him;

Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge;

Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

These are fantastic resolutions, regarding eternity. The last one is particularly meaningful. Let's tweak it a bit, to say, "Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish had done as I ponder this earthly life for the rest of eternity."

Now THAT thought is a game-changer, is it not?!

What a wonderful way to live. Let us do our best to keep in mind that the choices we make, the things we do, the way we use our time & money, the opportunities we have with others, and every other aspect of this life are more important than we know. So important, actually, that we'll have eternity to pore over them.

Are you going to be pleased about what you're doing today, then?

Lord, Lord!

2009-01-16T08:19:00.000-05:00

How tragic that the US Airways plane hit a flock of birds, taking out both engines.

How wonderful that the pilot was incredibly skilled & able to glide the plane down to a safe landing in a crowded river, with no deaths.

How....predictable!...that the reports you read from passengers on the plane describe people praying desperately as the plane went down.

The first interview I saw on TV regarding this crash was with a passenger named Jeff Kolodjay. His voice was still shaking; he was still visibly unnerved.

As he described the events that tranpired, he said,"...and everyone was just...praying, actually..."

He stuttered for a second, uncomfortable about revealing this fact.

The people on this plane got this report from the pilot: "Brace yourselves, because we're going down." Just like that, they were forced to face death.

Many people on the plane started praying. Audibly, at that. How many of these praying people do you think are practicing Christians? How many are saved of the Lord, in Christ?

How many of these people, the day before, would have felt uncomfortable in the presence of somebody praying at a restaurant? How many would have made fun?

Impending death made them suddenly realize that they weren't in control, so they began to plead to God!

Nothing they had ever done in and of this world mattered any more. All that mattered was God!

How many of these people, had the plane crashed and burned on land, would have been told, "Depart from me...I never knew you"?

Let's pray for these people. God used this aviation disaster to make himself suddenly real to all the people involved. All of a sudden, God wasn't something to be mocked! Praying out loud in public wasn't something for religious fanatics! They were instantly changed. Let us hope that it impacts them - all of them, for the rest of their lives. And those people involved who were ignorant of, opposed to, or indifferent to the Word of God and the truth of salvation before this incident...let us pray that they never forget the day they faced death.

End of Daze

2009-01-15T15:27:00.000-05:00

Oh, how this world lulls us into complacency. Almost like the sound of rain on a tin roof, the events of this life can rub our backs, place a warm blanket over us, and snuggle us into a foggy daze. This world sings us a perpetual lullaby. This world wants us asleep to the things of the Spirit, comfortably resting. Focused on this world.

And oh, how important our hectic schedules are! We must conquer the world! And these zealous non-believers...they're so numerous. And our family members, they'll surely roll their eyes if they're subjected to any "God talk". And this society. Oh, this society. Being a Christian is borderline taboo. Christian practices are being outlawed in nations around the world. Will I be able to write this blog in 10 years? Will you be able to carry a Bible in public? No one can say. Can the whole world be wrong? How can I be right if the whole world thinks I'm wrong? I feel dazed.

The fog becomes more dense...our eyelids become heavier...the daze takes over, without our permission. The world becomes more important. Seeds of doubt are allowed to sprout. The path of least resistance seems like a comfortable choice. We're lulled into a daze, with our priorities in disarray.

ZZZZZZZZZZZ...

ZZZZZZZZZZZ...

ZZZZZZZZZZZ...

WAKE UP! This is the way it's supposed to be! There are no surprises here. These hurdles are not only supposed to be here, but the Word promises that they will be in our path. We might be rejected by some, but the world rejected Him first! We are promised hard times. We are told we are not of this world. If we're not of this world, we cannot let this world become the center of our lives. Refuse!

And, by God, we're told that the closer we get to the End of Days, the harder it will become to be a true believer in this world. And it will get even harder than it is now. Perpetually. Christians will become an offense to more and more people. The Word will be shunned. So our guard must be up, our resolve must be firm, and our head must be clear.

Until the End of Days, let's strive for the End of Daze.

Food for Thought

2009-01-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

1 Chronicles 28:9

To Meet Such a Man

2009-01-15T07:46:00.000-05:00

This is a great story. My Dad sent this to me.

-----------------------------

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town square. The food and the company were both especially good that day.

As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying a well-worn sign that read, "I will work for food." My heart sank.

I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful,
knowing that seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my car. Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square."

Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through his sack.

I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest visitor.

"Looking for the pastor?" I asked.

"Not really," he replied, "just resting."

"Have you eaten today?"

"Oh, I ate something early this morning."

"Would you like to have lunch with me?"

"Do you have some work I could do for you?"

"No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch."

"Sure," he replied with a smile.

As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions.

"Where you headed?"

" St. Louis "

"Where you from?"

"Oh, all over; mostly Florida "

"How long you been walking?"

"Fourteen years," came the reply.

I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending Story."

Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought.

He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over to God

"Nothing's been the same since," he said, "I felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now."

"Ever think of stopping?" I asked.

"Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me, but God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles. That's what's in my sack. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads."

I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked: "What's it like?"

"What?"

"To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your sign?"

"Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's
concepts of other folks like me."

My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said, "Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in."

I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I asked.

He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. "I've read through it 14 times," he said.

"I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see" I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed very grateful.

Where are you headed from here?" I asked.

"Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon."

"Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?"

"No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next."

He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his mission. I drove him back to the town square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things.

"Would you sign my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages from folks I meet."

I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse of scripture from Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope."

"Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you."

"I know," I said, "I love you, too." "The Lord is good!" "Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?" I asked.

"A long time," he replied

And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, "See you in the New Jerusalem."

"I'll be there!" was my reply.

He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"

"You bet," I shouted back, "God bless."

"God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.

Later that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them.

Then I remembered his words: "If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"

Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. "See you in the New Jerusalem," he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...

Ray Comfort's Blog

2009-01-14T13:04:00.001-05:00

I find if interesting to reflect on Ray Comfort's blog (Atheist Central). I think of his thought process before deciding to create this blog. I mean, it's the equivalent of cutting yourself and then jumping into shark-infested waters.

He chose to create a blog with the intention of attracting atheists. He then debates them. On any given day it's like 40 against 1 (or a few, if you include the Christian bloggers). And why did he do this? To polish his writing skills? To satisfy his ego? No. Hardly. He did it because he cares for the atheists. So he lays himself out there to be ambushed by these folks, because he wants to help them. And they come, every day, without fail. I mean, come on, it's like they're beating on a pinata. He lays an article out there and it's like shaking the chum bag over the sharks' heads, and then unleashing them.

I think he's a good guy.

Lifehouse Everything Skit

2009-01-14T09:12:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've seen this before. Watch it again.
It blesses me every time I watch it. Beautiful!

Rwandan Man's Confession

2009-01-14T07:37:00.000-05:00

This is from the Way of the Master website. I love it.
--------------------
In 1980 a young man from Rwanda was forced by his tribe to either renounce Christ or face certain death. He refused to renounce Christ, and he was killed on the spot. The night before he had written the following commitment which was found in his room:

“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed, the die has been cast, I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made- I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed vision, worldly talking, cheap giving & dwarfed goals.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I won’t give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till everyone knows, work till He stops me & when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner will have been clear.”

Would You?

2009-01-13T20:54:00.000-05:00

If God told you that you could guarantee your brother/father/sister/mother's salvation by running 10 miles per day, every day, for the rest of your life, would you do it? Would you even have to think twice? "Where do I sign?" is the first thought that comes to mind. Daily physical exhaustion to guarantee eternity in Heaven for someone you love? The two can hardly be compared. There's just about nothing we wouldn't do if it came with a guarantee for someone else's salvation.

This is a comforting thought as we live the struggle that is being Christ's chosen in this crazy world. While it's not meant to be taken literally -- of course no work like running (or any other human work, for that matter) can save anybody, let alone one of their family members -- it's a thought to keep tucked away in your memory banks, to pull out and think about when things get tough.

We would gladly do any number of things to guarantee anyone's salvation. Salvation is not up to us, though. It's God's. Alone. He is the Author of salvation. But your efforts come with a guarantee -- His Word will not come back to Him without bearing fruit. So give out the Word and keep running the race. You don't know what your race path will look like once we're in the Lord's presence, looking back on our lives. You don't know who is reading your tracts, reading your blog, watching how you live, or listening to your sermons. Keep on running the race.

The New Blog

2009-01-13T08:13:00.000-05:00

Regarding Eternity. Self-explanatory, really. All who post on this blog are asked to consider their thoughts in light of eternity. That's a long time. This will be a place to visit which will give a minute of your day to God. Eventually, the only things that will matter will be what we've done regarding eternity, and in light of eternity. Let us remember that during our busy days & nights, when the world grabs hold of us and won't let go.

This blog is part of my effort to glorify God through Jesus Christ, the Author of eternity.