Livin' Thing

The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.  Isaiah 40:8

Looking back at some old photos taken of me from my youth, I am dumbfounded by some of the trends and fads that I actually embraced as a child.  Whoever thought that the long, colorful, Bermuda shorts from the 80s, otherwise known as ‘Clam diggers,’ were a good idea for a short and pudgy kid, was out of their ever-loving mind!!  Thankfully that fashion trend came and went and as I entered the ninth grade in 1990, I proudly rocked a pair of Bugle Boys.  Okay, enough about me and my fashions; you get the point….

I am always amazed at how I can open my Bible and read a passage of Scripture that has a relevant meaning for exactly what I am going through at the exact time that I needed to read it.  It’s no wonder that the Bible contains the very few words of the almighty God and it is the only document that is ‘living.’

‘Living’ means that the Scriptures in the Holy Bible are relevant for all people in all places in all times.   The Word is as contemporary as the latest trend, yet as lasting as eternity.  Praise God’s holy name!!

Heart to Heart

People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  1 Samuel 16:7

In a romantic relationship, often times it is the initial physical attraction that draws two people together. Once the relationship evolves and two people fall in love, it's what is on the inside that matters the most.  In fact, looks alone can only take someone so far...

It’s natural for us to look first at someone’s outward appearance, but God sees past physical appearances and looks directly into our hearts.  Sadly, our society places too much emphasis on physical appearance without giving much thought to how beautiful a person’s heart is.

To God, true beauty comes from the inside, the heart, not what we look like!

Teach Your Children

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9

Whenever our boys asks me where or what I do for work, my standard response is along the lines of: "I help people by selling insurance." (I would dare to tell them that I am an expert in Health Care Reform, but I do want them to think my job is somewhat exciting!)

Being a father has certainly made me understand the importance of the message I communicate to our children.  For instance, I knew that my father was in the Army Reserve when I was a young child, but I could barely articulate that he was a human resources manager for a large U.S. textile manufacturer when asked what he did to earn a living.  Regardless, I knew that he loved me and my little sister and was a much stricter disciplinarian than my mother was.  I knew that he wanted the best for us and worked hard to provide for our family.  He also wanted us to be in church on Sundays and valued sitting down at the table to enjoy meals every night after he came home from work.

You see, everything we do or say teaches our children about our priorities, beliefs, and passions.  Knowing this we must not allow ourselves to become too busy with the demands of our occupations or other priorities, as we will surely send the wrong message to our children.

What are you communicating to your children?  Do they know that you have a heart for God’s direction in your life?  Do they know that you are in a relationship with Christ by the example you lead?

We have an incredible responsibility as parents and wise parents will always seek God’s counsel in raising their own children.

Hammer

 

You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  Psalm 139:13

Several summers ago, we had our patio converted into a screened-in porch.  While it was under construction, I couldn't help but notice the skill and precision that the contractor used as he built the add-on to our home.  After he measured all of the dimensions of our patio, he went with us to purchase all of the necessary materials and knew with certain wisdom and experience the proper tool to use to complete each step of the project.

Just like the contractor who knows what tool to use, God has a job for each one of us to do while we are here on this earth.  In fact, He had our plans worked out before we even drew our first breath when we were born.  He created each of us to serve as His ‘tool’ to get the job done.

If you think about it, it’s pretty amazing to know that God has prepared us, fashioned us, and equipped us to serve Him on this earth.

Joy

The joy of the Lord is your strength!  Nehemiah 8:10

For the longest time, I wouldn't dare enter the doors of a church because I mistakenly thought that church-going folks didn't know how to enjoy themselves and live life.  All of these years later, I couldn't have been any more wrong!  Sure, there are some Christians that meticulously attempt to live their lives without sin (it’s impossible, by the way), and in many cases, with that comes the judgment of others and other self-righteousness, but God created each of us to enjoy our time here on this earth.

Happiness is based on performance or on your set of circumstances.  Joy is what springs from God’s love; performance and circumstances don’t mean a thing.  When you realize how great God’s love is for you, you become less vulnerable to depression and despair over disappointments and problems.

The more you seek Him, find Him, love Him, and know Him, the more you become like Him, and the greater your joy will be.  You will find perfect and lasting joy in heaven, but you can experience joy right here and right now by walking with the Lord.

Changes

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  2 Corinthians 5:17

                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Without a shadow of a doubt, some of the most encouraging words of the New Testament are found in 2 Corinthians 5:17.  Change is one of the true constants of life.  I am certainly a different person than I was ten years ago and I have changed as I have grown and matured in my walk of faith.

The Bible teaches us many great truths about change.  One is that despite the world changing around us, God always remains the same and dependable.  The second is that God requires a change of heart-repentance, that produces an outward and inward change in each of us-obedience. 

When your heart is changed, your life will also be changed forever!  Allow God to break down the walls around your heart and change you forever too!

Let My Love Open The Door

I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.  Revelation 3:8

Many folks don’t realize this, but all of us are called into ministry upon accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Simply stated,  God’s purpose for our lives is that we receive His love and then turn around and express it to others.

God desires to have a personal relationship with us so that we can experience His love and many blessings on a daily basis.  The church has done a lot to dilute this message over time, but God’s master plan is that we receive His grace and mercy while we are on this earth and then the gift of eternal life in heaven.  There is nothing more that needs to be added to this message, but unfortunately, many people have also chosen to add their personal spin on the what the requirements are to receive God’s greatest gifts…

Heaven is our ultimate destiny and what a wonderful destiny it is!  We must go out and share this news with a broken world that is in desperate need of some good news.