Making a Difference in your Life, in the Parts that are for Keeps!
Who do you want to figure your taxes?
The IRS sometimes offers, “We will figure your taxes for you.”
Who do you want to figure the cost of your spiritual life?
What about the cost of your life after death—the cost of your eternal destination?
Fact is—that has already been decided, if you do nothing.
Count the cost, of following Jesus, now—COSTLY.
Count the cost of not following Him now, and then—VERY COSTLY ! ! !
At the start of the day, today, just what do I have control over?
At that moment what do I have a choice in?
Can I have control over things going perfectly for me today?
Not likely.
Can I have control over myself doing things perfectly today?
That calls for a followup question.
Meaning, can I try harder to do things right today?
I suppose we all try to do things right, at least some days.
And we try to arrange things to go right as much as we can.
Does trying for perfect work?
Does it satisfy?
“Murphy’s Law” (whatever that may be) seems to operate around us—and inside us.
Here’s my take on Murphy’s Law, and it leads to my point:
As a Christian, I do not subscribe to Murphy’s Law, but “someone” keeps sending me a gift subscription.
Fact is, this world is messed up, broken.
We have to start with accepting that reality, to make sense out of today without regret and disillusionment.
What we have the most control over is the start of our day—the very beginning, before any news or information or obligation or people attempt to influence us.
If we can get hold of controlling that very first thing that crosses our mind in the morning, we have the best shot for the best day possible.
But I am not writing here to give self-help talk on positive thinking.
First things first—really first things—actually, “first thing.”
“Seek ye first . . .” comes from His Book, and it counts, period.
The stuff in the Bible counts across the board, for all time, for everyone, whether you surrender to its message or not.
“Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
“If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all liberally . . . But let him ask in faith, not wavering . . . A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
So, from PERFECT to FOCUSED.
Trying to be perfect is depending on ourselves—uncertain at best.
Focused on God from the first second of our day is definitely the way to go, every day.
Try it !
And if you really want to transform your day and revolutionize your life, I challenge you to try this—kneel beside your bed before you do or say or think anything else, and thank God—that’s it, just ten seconds.
This comes from a caller to “Trivia Friday” on afr talk.
What did Pilate ask Joseph of Arimathea when Joseph asked for Jesus’ body, and said he was going to bury it in his own tomb?
Pilate: “Why would you, a prominent leader of the Jews, want to give up your tomb for this Jesus?”
Joseph: “No big deal; it’s just for the weekend.”
This is not actually in the Bible, but it is so good.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” the payment for all our sins was done, finished.
When Jesus rose from death, the guarantee of our resurrection and eternal life was begun.
“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Sometimes it causes me to tremble.
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Sometimes it causes me to tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Sometimes it causes me to tremble.
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
SOMETIME I FEEL LIKE SHOUTIN’ GLORY.”
Most people are aware of the meaning of “The Lord’s Day.”
But for most people it doesn’t mean anything to them every weekend.
Most people say Merry Christmas—it has the name “Christ” in it.
But for most people Christ doesn’t mean anything in their celebration.
The Lord’s Day—one day a week set aside as special, by God Himself, from week one, six thousand years ago.
God rested on the seventh day, and made it a holy day.
God told us to do the same.
We do well to not change anything initiated by God, consecrated by God, and commanded by God.
American culture is changing many sacred things ordained by God—ordained for our well-being.
Many changes are dramatic and immediately disastrous, and become national issues.
But the impact is more gradual, but deep and profound, as we forget to remember The Lord’s Day.
God made this one day a week different for our benefit—to rest.
If we don’t stop to actually rest one day a week, we lose so much, no matter how much we claim to keep going seven days a week.
It’s like the benefit of stopping every activity after a meal, including thinking, to give the digestive system priority for four minutes.
God also made this one day a week different for our benefit—to remember Him.
If we don’t stop to actually recognize God at least one day a week, in every part of our life, we lose even more, everything important.
We must “Be Still, and Know That He Is God.”
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
If He says it is important enough for us to stop one day a week to think about Him, to get direction for the rest of the week, then we do best to do so.
Now, The Lord’s Day serves to prepare us for The Day Of The Lord—the greatest day of all—the ending day of history that is only the beginning.
If HIStory is His Story, then RESTory is the rest of the story—perfect rest forever in heaven, or the worst torment forever in hell.
If we fail to remember The Lord’s Day now, with honest open heart before Him, how will He remember us on The Day Of The Lord?
The Bible lists five pieces of defensive armor for Christians:
The belt of TRUTH.
The breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The shoes of the GOSPEL OF PEACE.
The shield of FAITH.
The helmet of SALVATION.
Use them for personal protection and defense against attacks.
The Bible lists one offensive weapon:
The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God—THE BIBLE.
Does a sword need protection?
Only when not in use, sheathed.
Does the Bible need protection?
Only, perhaps, when we keep it closed.
Does a sword provide defensive protection in its sheath?
It only works offensively, in hand, in use, in combat.
Does the Bible provide defensive protection, closed?
It only works open, in use, read, spoken, lifesaving in spiritual combat.
Open your Bible.
Read your Bible.
Do not hesitate to quote the Bible.
It has far more power than our words.
“The Word will not return empty, but will accomplish that for which it is sent.”
Accomplishment may give satisfaction, but it takes more to experience contentment.
When we achieve, and reach a goal of completing something, we feel good, for awhile.
Then we must find something more to do if we are to feel good again.
Getting something done, getting paid, getting stuff, getting happy—it has to be repeated.
So how do we get contentment—or do we just experience contentment when it happens?
“Food + Clothes = Contentment” —–His Book
“Godliness + Contentment = Great Gain (Success)” —–His Book
Therefore,
Godliness + Food + Clothes = Success
“I have learned in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.” —–His Book
So, you can’t “achieve contentment”—you can only “be content.”
But we can “learn . . . to be content.”
When the righteous right Americans lose, they buy guns and keep their powder dry.
When the leftist liberal UN-Americans lose, they buy “rioters for hire” and burn down America.
The unbelievable, “unredeemable deplorables” spoke with their vote, but they did not give up their guns.
The first amendment gives five rights to keep us free.
This means we “redress grievances” at the ballot box.
The second amendment gives a second option in case the first one fails to stop a wayward government.
We just learned that the first amendment works, even today.
But the day we give up any of the second amendment, we will lose all the other freedoms.
Thanksgiving in spiritual perspective, by Abraham Lincoln.
https://vimeo.com/americanfamilystudios/review/112711051/80379bdcac
Consider giving thanks to God, equal to the food and fellowship you share today.
“Justice restores our mental health.” —–Sandy Rios (afr.net)
Yes, Sandy.
Personally,
and
Nationally.
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