Who do you trust and where do you go for wise counsel? For most of us our parents were the first people that we thought had all of the answers and we asked them a myriad of questions. Still early in our childhood most youngsters added their grand parents to the group of souls from whom they gleaned information and sought wisdom. By the time we were teens we thought our parents had become clueless and our grandparents were just old. We turned to our teachers, coaches and cultural icons for wisdom. As young adults in today's world electronic communication and social media has become the most trusted source of contemporary, relevant wisdom. There is a source of wisdom that is just as valid and timeless as ever. That is because the source is has always been and will always be.
The Bible says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16) The purpose of this doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction is stated so, "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:17) God has a plan for your life and He has provided you with an instruction book to prepare you to live out that plan. The instructions in the book tell us how to obtain eternal life, how to live life in this world and give us a picture of the abundant life that is available to us now and the glorified life that awaits us in heaven. The problem is that most of us don't read or follow instructions very well. Surely there is a better way. Surely there is a short-cut. Certainly I can create a successful life for myself that is superior to anything that the Creator of the universe can construct. Read the instructions again and discover that the One who created you, loves you more than you know. Always has, always will. Have a blessed day.
I have grown weary of seeing our flag at half-staff. I have tired of seeing ambulances, hearing sirens, and listening to detailed reports of yet another tragedy that has taken innocent lives far too soon. We can blame ideologies, weapons, abuse of power, or any number of things for such behavior, but the truth is, this is a heart issue. Slowly but surely our country has lost it's heart for life. We no longer respect life or consider it precious. If some people feel abused, bullied, or greatly offended by another person or group, that appears to be, to them, justification for taking the life of people they don't even know.
We have abandoned the Creator of life and determined that His teachings are not relevant to us and not worthy of passing to our children and the world around us. God's Word teaches us, "the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7) Man did not create life and he has no authority to take life from another innocent human being.
We have become an angry nation. We are angry with the government, we are angry with terror, and we are angry with each other. Take heed of these words, "an ill-tempered man stirs up disputes, and a hotheaded man is the cause of many sins." (Proverbs 29:22). Behind each of the horrible acts that we have witnessed these past few weeks, you will find a furious human being.
The answer to our problems does not lie in the government. It does not lie in gun control, revised immigration regulations or any other unenforceable concept debated and made law. The answer lies in the heart. When we realize that we were created by a loving God, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;" (Psalm 139:4), to live according to His will, then and only then will we find the peace that passes all understanding. Christ Himself said that He came so that we might experience the abundant life and He is the only way to have that experience. So what can you do? Pray! Pray that God's people with repent and return to Him. Pray that your family knows Christ as their personal Savior. Pray that your next door neighbor has a personal relationship with Christ and if not, pray that someone will share the Love of the Creator with them (that might be you). Pray for your local, state and federal government. Remember, God promised that, "He hears the prayer of the righteous." (Proverbs 15:29). Have a blessed day.
I enjoy going to the local jr. high and high school track meets. At the junior high level the kids are just discovering where their potential lies and that, with a little training, they will exceed their own expectations. There are two types of races, sprints and distance, but they have one thing in common. The athlete must finish well in order to win. As they grow older they discover that, in a sprint, the start is almost as important as the finish. If the runner doesn't get out of the blocks correctly the race may be over before it has truly started. On the other hand the start of a distance race isn't nearly as important as how you finish. In fact, it is possible for a distance runner to get a slow start, stumble, get trapped in the pack, and still finish well.
Life is much like a distance race. Our start in life is not nearly so important as our finish. The world is filled with stories of men and women who rose out of the depth of poverty, illness, disabilities, etc. to become great leaders and inspirational figures. They may not have had the perceived advantages of wealth, health and advanced education, but they had a heart for success. Every person has a life to live and a race to run. The apostle Paul advises us to "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the
joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) Life is filled with challenges. The choices that we make have a direct impact on the race that we will run and how we will finish. Paul tells us to look to Jesus for the correct answers of how to run this race of life and be successful and you will only find Jesus in God's word and the lives of those He has changed. Several years ago it was popular for young people to wear a bracelet with W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do) and that is still a question that we need to ask ourselves every day. Whenever life becomes difficult, instead of asking "What am I going to do", ask "What Would Jesus Do" and then do that. One day you will be able to look back on your life and say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day,..." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Have a blessed day.
First light is always an exciting time of the day, even if your eyes aren't completely open and your brain isn't fully awake to take it all in. Fall and winter provide some of the best sunrise and sunset photo opportunities of the year and one of the reasons that I love autumn. The morning is the best time for a special meeting.
When most people hear about having a "Come to Jesus Meeting" they are not thrilled about that possibility. The fact is that Jesus wants to have a daily relationship with His saints. It is a time to read His word, study the meaning, sing praises to him and make our needs known through prayer. The best meeting you will ever have is the one in which you "Come to Jesus" for the first time. Have a blessed week-end.
