A Daily Bread That Knows No Moth, Rust, nor Thief

"...And give us this day our daily bread," a phrase that holds so much promise, yet means so little to me. I really have no idea what receiveing daily bread would look like or what that kind of dependency would entail. I am a comfortable American ensconced in a corpulent lap of luxury, and what's worse, I like it. I really do. I like this self-constructed sense of independence and will continue to do so despite its propensity to come crashing down around me...unless I change. Trajectories are never easy to alter. More or less, they can be determined with great consistency by a series of equations. The destination can be pinpointed with the use of a little calculation and a little critical thinking. I've punched the numbers for my trajectory and I like where I am headed, which is rather funny because I shouldn't. I shouldn't like it all. It looks a lot like whence I came. An entirely synthetic, and entirely false sense of security. One that acknowledges no daily bread, and in that, little dependence on God. Only self.

Maybe that's why I have these "life-altering events." These crises that seem to shake my world and leave me with a feeling of helplessness and dependence that I had previously never known to exist. The kind of feeling that leaves me feeling such an overwhelming sense of self-pity that I foolishly begin to believe that I too have the right to cry out, "Eli Eli lama sabachthani?" "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" What a fool I am. I begin to play the martyr crying out silly mutterings and musings that sound as if they were taken verbatim from Job 30. The funny thing is that I am often too dense to realize that this deviation probably just saved my life. This alteration in my trajectory is an attempt to deliver me from my ominous destination, a destination that should scare the living hell out of me. Yet the hell seems to remain. For I often foolishly try to course-correct, I try alter my life in such a way that I can still make my prior destination: the same one that promises me death. Much like a dog that returns to its vomit, I return to my empire of dirt. I look at it and recognize that it is indeed an empire of little value, but it's the only thing I know. The only thing that is tangible before me. So I defend it like a rebel. What if for one moment I was to lay down my arms as C.S. Lewis has suggested, and stop playing the rebel? What if I was to turn over my empire that often fall subject to Moth, Rust, and Thief alike? What if for once I was able to see that my impending destination will be the death of me, and take heart in these deviations in my life trajectory? What if I could lay down my guns and lift my hands? What if I was to forsake this empire of dirt for the promise of something better--something that promises to be worth its eternal weight in glory?

Psalms 16:1-11 ( NASB )
Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.”
As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

My daily bread is my portion and my inheritance. Let me lay down my guns and lift my hands to the one that knocks me "off-course" again and again in order that I should reach a destination that is worth both living and dying for. Amen.

The Dark Night's Role in Preparing Us for an Eternal Weight of Glory

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NASB)

Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
John 16:20-22 (NASB)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Romans 8:18-25 (NASB)

Last night as I was taking part in Grace Baptist's presentation, Bethlehem Revisited, I had much time to ponder upon a book that I had been reading earlier in the day. The book was entitled Dark Night of the Soul. It was written by one of the doctors of the Catholic Church, St. John of the Cross. In Dark Night, St. John spends much time discussing how the dark nights of the soul are what drive us to the light of Christ. Personally if I never experienced affliction, I could not honestly claim that I would intentionally seek the Deliverer. Similarly, last night it was bitterly cold. My hands and feet still feel like they are thawing out twelve hours later. Needless to say, though the bitter cold was not enjoyable and received much ill will and contempt from me, it caused me to revel in the fire that was nearby. That fire was a beacon in an otherwise bleak and bitterly cold night. That fire was my source of strength and life in a sense. I don't see how I could have endured that night without the warmth of the fire to sustain and strengthen me. Though in retrospect, if it had been 60 degrees out, I don't see how I ever would have sought out that fire. In fact, I can assuredly say that I would have considered myself above the fire, that I had no need for it or desire to bask in its radiance. Many times I see my relationship with Christ functioning in a similar manner. When times are good and the days warm, I really have no desire to seek out the fire. In the same way, when I do not suffer or experience tribulation, I rarely seek God. I grow content with where I am spiritually and do not seek the fire known as Christ for fear of growing too hot or uncomfortable. Though that should not be the case! For when that happens, my religion becomes a religion of luxury, gratification, and general corpulence. My faith becomes stagnant, and in my opinion a stagnant faith is a faith that's slowly dying. Our faith is rather similar to a muscle in our bodies. The only way for it to grow is to properly nourish it and subject it to stress (e.g. exercising). If either one of these components is missing, the muscle atrophies and dies. Our faith is made to grow and be continually refined. Our faith's goal should never be found on this terrestrial ball. Our faith was not birthed for earthen glory. It was destined for an eternity with its Creator. In this fact, we find solace and also in a sense, a new view of faith. For our faith shall never reach its goal this side of heaven. With this being said, the only aim of our faith here on earth is to continually grow and prepare ourselves for an eternal weight of glory.

This leads me to view our suffering in an entirely new light. The dark night of our souls, suffering and a perceived "absence" of Christ (Deuteronomy 31 and Joshua 1 assure us that God is always with us, though at times we will feel like His presence is far from us), should not be viewed as pointless or just something to be endured. That very suffering is purifying us and preparing us for an eternity with Christ. If my chief aim is to be with Christ for an eternity, who am I to say that I want to partake in eternal communion with our Lord and Savior, and yet not want to prepare myself for such a privilege. I imagine it would be similar to playing in the Super Bowl without ever picking up a football beforehand. That would be absolutely ridiculous. That seems to defy every law of nature that we have ever encountered. Those who have played in the Super Bowl have put countless hours and endured terrific pain in their training to have the privilege to play in the Super Bowl. Though in this instance let us suppose the man of our metaphor had been given a gift by the owner of a team in the Super Bowl to play for his team, because he is a friend of the owner. So in reality his place on the roster is reserved. He's got his shot. He's headed to the big time. Nothing more is required of him to play in the Super Bowl than just to accept the terrific gift that has been given to him. But my thoughts are: Why would he ever want to not prepare himself? If he was told in advance that he had an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl, why would he not spend every waking moment preparing himself for such an honor. He wouldn't train because it was necessary for him to partake in the Super Bowl. He would constantly train himself out of love for the Super Bowl. He would be in awe that he would have such an honor bestowed on him, and that awe would drive him to the weight room and the practice field. He would be beating his body in a sense, yet that beating of the body would make him "chiseled, jacked, <insert term for one looking buff here>" aka preparing his body for the Super Bowl. The pains that he would encounter in the weight room would be considered minute to the glory and joy that he would receive once he stepped onto the field at the Super Bowl. How much more so would we feel when we cross through the Heavenly Gates! My metaphor of a man being given the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl is put to shame when I apply it to me being given the opportunity to spend an eternity with my Creator. I much like that man, have been told in advance that I have the opportunity to take part in an something that is much grander than I could ever imagine. Also much like that man, the hard part has already been done. He has been admitted to the Super Bowl, much like Christ's death and resurrection was all that I need to enter Heaven. Christ paid the price for me. All that is required of me is to see the necessity of His suffering and accept Him as my Lord and Savior. But also like that man, why would I want to stop there!?!? Why would I want to be content with just going?!?!? Why would I not want to prepare myself for such an honor?!?! Why would I not want to spend every waking moment lived in the light of my future, namely spending an eternity in Heaven? If eternal communion with The Father is my chief end, then my question is chiefly what am I doing in light of such a grand opportunity? Am I hitting the weights with intensity? Am I running 'til I cannot run any longer on the practice field? Or am I sitting on the couch guzzling sodas and watching the tele? If the man in my story who was given the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl chose not to prepare for the Super Bowl, it would cause me to question whether he really appreciated the gravity of the situation? That he had been given an opportunity to do something that by all rights he could never do on his own: just show up and play in the Super Bowl. How much greater is the opportunity that we have been given, for Christ paid a price for our salvation that we could never pay on our own terms. I cannot begin to imagine the value of such a price, but I do recognize this: I want to live in the light of that sacrifice. Every fiber of my being screams that I do not deserve such an extravagant gift, yet lo and behold, it has been placed before me. All I have to do is choose to unwrap and claim it as my own. And then why would I choose after receiving such a gift to live like I had never received it? One would ask if I really appreciated the gift, if I chose to bury it and live my life in sheer ignorance of the gift. Yet I do the same thing with the gift that Christ has given me. I trudge through life wallowing in my own self-pity, forgetting that this life is only a preparation for an eternal weight of glory. I let my current trials and tribulations consume me rather than letting the Ultimate Gift that I have received consume me.

Many times I forget about the great gift that I have been given. I sit and moan about the suffering that I encounter throughout my life. How odd that is! I cry over the very same suffering that is driving me to Christ. This suffering is not something to be feared or even despised. The suffering we encounter should be nothing than the wind in our sails that drives us, proverbial eternal sailboats, over the waters of life to the realm of Christ. So I leave you with this: run to Christ. He'll know what to do with your troubles.

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalms 55:22 (NASB)

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. “Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.” So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously; and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.
Exodus 1:8-14 (NASB)

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NASB)

Our Love Affair With The Transient (and the Brothers Grimm)

"To some, love is a word
That they can fall into
But when they're falling out
Keeping that word is hard to do"
from Love Is Not A Fight performed by Warren Barfield

Keeping that word is hard to do, because it goes against our very human nature. As humans, we have a natural tendency to roam aimlessly, seeking to satisfy ourselves with the temporary and the fleeting. But it's nothing more than that--temporary and fleeting. Sure, we can say we fall in love, and are sincere in saying so. Of course, it's easy to say that when the sky is bright and the seas are calm. But about when the times when you've forgotten what the sun looks like, and the days when it seems that sea's sole intention is to provide you with a watery grave? It's in those times, that we truly see what love is. When that temporary feeling of infatuation left long ago, finding other fools to abide in its presence and lust after it. It's absence causes us to realize that we were not really in love with "the lover." We were in love with the idea of loving them. This simply means that it wasn't truly them that we cared for, it was the thought of being able to love someone that captured our consciousness.

Does this happen a lot with our spiritual walks? When God showers blessings upon us, is it not easy to say that we love God? It's tough to say that our love can be proved amidst blessings, because we can easily shift our love from the Giver to the gifts themselves. Our devotion really cannot be proved until those gifts are gone, whether it be walking away from them all or having them taken. I can honestly say that I have always claimed to love God and constantly trust Him to lead me step by step. But why is it that when I fall, that I suddenly lose sight of Him? Do I follow God by faith, always following His calling of my name, or do I instead follow a trail of gifts he leaves behind? Many times I see myself as a spiritual Hansel. Rather than rest in faith, I instead choose a lesser method of finding my way: Relying on my own independence, and only believing the bread crumbs that I see. Needless to say, this method has proved inadequate again and again, and only leaves me frustrated and embittered.

Many times when I put myself in Job's situation, I can't honestly say that I could experience his situation will maintaining a blameless attitude. Or in David's situation, and still call myself a man after God's own heart. Which in my mind, proves that I've been worshiping the gifts more than the creator rather than worshiping the creator with the gifts. These gifts are in no way evil, neigh they are gifts from our Creator. Though if we begin to use our gifts for our benefit and our benefit alone, they begin to become the centers of lives. This is why we become really frustrated and embittered during these times. We use the gifts for purposes that they were not created for: serving ourselves. When we no longer use our gifts for the Kingdom, we lose sight of where we are and what our purpose is.

This frustration and bitterness does little for my benefit. I begin to blame God for cutting off the trail of presents. So I, in essence, become ignorant to His call. Though this breaks His heart, His marvelous love for us allows us to make our own choices, no matter how stupid some of them may be. So when I've lost my ability to judge where I am, due to the loss of the physical (outpouring of gifts and blessings) and the spiritual (my ignorance towards God) I become lost. Absolutely and unequivocally lost. It is during this disorientation, that I am susceptible to turn to lesser means to seek out a way. The Deceiver knows my faults well, and often has a worldly, attractive offer for me. Much like the candy house in the story of Hansel and Gretel, this offer entices me greatly by allowing me to indulge in my sinful nature. Though this offer looks great on the outside, from the inside, its true nature is revealed. The deceiver has carefully hidden himself inside, waiting to see if I will take the bait. And If I do (which happens much too often) I become subservient to that sin, much like the children became enslaved to the witch. Though I may no longer be a slave to sin after I became a believer and receiver of Christ's sufficiency, I still fall prey to its earthiness. This means that I still am susceptible to it's ability to render my ministry ineffective, figuratively killing my ministry. This is similar to the Witch's desire to kill the children and devour them. The deceiver finds great joy in being able to devour our ministries through sin (Ted Haggard anyone?). Unlike the children, I am not able to escape on my own based on my own ingenuity and resourcefulness. It took Christ's sacrifice to free from my sin prison. So it is our realization that Christ has already conquered sin that is able to free us once again from the prison cell of sin. It is in this moment that we once again realize where we are, and that our Creator never left our side and is ready to lead us on, once again.

Our love affair with the transient and the physical leads to nowhere but the grave. Our ministries have little value when we busy ourselves indulging in what the world offers us. I exhort you (and myself as well) to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Hebrews 12:1b-3 (NIV)

Let Christ reign in your life and find your fulfillment in Him and not the transient. For as much as the transient is fleeting, so much more is God eternal. So let's use our transient to serve the eternal.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Mark 4:16-17 (NIV)

Playing To Win

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
John 17:14-18 (NASB)

Many times in sports, a coach will pepper his fiery speech with a phrase along the lines of, "You're playing to not lose. You should be playing to win." An interesting perspective to say the least. The coach sees the athletes in a defensive, timid, and self-defeating state and sees how that style of thought hinders the athlete from completing their own goals (usually winning) and playing to the best of their abilities. In essence, they've taken themselves out of the game, by not playing up to their potential. You see, coaches ask us to shift our perspective from the consequences of a potential loss to something much better: the rewards that can be reaped with a win. This changes the athlete's entire perspective and even the confines of the game itself. For now, the athlete looks ahead to what can be gained, instead of what can be lost.

Now what would this look like in the life of a Christian? I'd say playing to not lose, could be easily described as living in a plastic bubble of attempted moral living, all the while shunning those who might contaminate your self-possessed "righteousness" in hopes that it (your attempt at righteousness) will save the day. Many would use a Chiristanese cliche of "in the world, but not of the world" as a crutch upon which to lean when arguing this point. Many would feel that "in the world" means living here on this terrestrial ball, and "not of the world" would mean avoiding all contact with those who didn't believe the same as us, for fear that they may "infect" us, and instead choosing to spend time solely with other Christians. Case in point, those who choose to live apart from society for fear of being drawn society's predisposition to sin, and instead exchanging a life amidst "the lost" for a life spent in piety. Well I've got news for you. We've all been infected, there's no avoiding it; and yes, it's fatal. We cannot avoid sin, because our very nature, is that of a sinner--a being who is prone to sin. So obviously Jesus did not mean that we should avoid contact with non-believers out of fear that we might sin. No, He of all people would know how enslaved to sin we are, for He is the very One who died in order that our sins would be forgiven and set us free from the bonds of sin!

What Christ is talking about is that we are plant ourselves in the midst of mankind. That is being "in the world," for "world" is referring to humanity, not the earth. "Not being of the world" simply means to live differently than the rest of humanity. For when we are given the same set of circumstances and opportunities as everyone else, and yet, choose to live differently, we are living "not of the world." This, my friends, will draw attention to Christ's Name, and bring further glory and honor to Him.

So now that we know that playing "to not lose" isn't going to cut it if we sincerely desire to advance Christ's Kingdom here on this earth. What does playing to win look like? Simple. We go and join God in the Harvest. For Jesus said in John 4:35b (NASB), "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white [ripe] for harvest." We are to join Him in His work of harvesting souls. For a practical application, reflect on the potential travesty of a farmer who won't harvest his bumper crop for fear that he might dirty his hands, all the while ignoring the mud and manure on his hands from his other farm chores. Every time I turn down an opportunity to minister to someone for fear that I might be made "unclean," is ludicrous. By doing so, I become the farmer in my previous statement. For I, my very self, am unclean. What's going to happen? Am I going to get "more" unclean? No, I am as unclean as they come, and my tattered morality demands reparation. The only problem is that I can't pay such a large debt. It is only by Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the grave that my sins are forgiven and my debt payed in full.

Since we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Christ's victory over death guarantees us an eternal win (spending an eternity with Him in heaven), let's play like it and earnestly seek to win souls for Christ.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (NASB)

You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:8-17 (NASB)

For the Son of Man [Jesus] has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 (NASB)

Are we more afraid of hell than we are in love with heaven?

True Religion

"True religion is a very practical thing if we do not adulterate it." -C.T. Studd

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27 (NASB)

"Men will wrangle for religion; write for it; fight for it; die for it; anything but live for it." -C.C. Colton

"No Religion." A common phrase among the Christian circle. Many claim to not follow a religion, but a relationship. This all good and well. For it is not the religion but the relationship that saves us. I believe that we can't earn our salvation, for we all have sinned. Therefore, we are saved by faith alone. Religion cannot and will not save us. For Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Therefore, I believe in an all-powerful and all-encompassing grace extended to everyone by Christ through His death on the cross and succeeding resurrection from the tomb after three days. But how will we look any different from the rest of the world if we refuse to live differently? How will we magnify Christ in our lives if we don't put into practice the changes that he has commanded must take place in our lives? Those changes are the basis of our religion. Those changes are what make us different, and in turn, draw others to Christ. How else could we magnify God without making these necessary physical changes in our lives? Much more important, how could we even resist these changes with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us? The answer is religion according to Christ, for Jesus Himself laid the foundation of Christianity. Why do you think Jesus gave us many commands when He was here on earth? Just for fun? Just for us to blow them off? Of course not. He expected us to follow them for His sake and to magnify His Name. If we have a relationship with Him, He expects us to obey Him. This obedience out of love for Him is our true religion. Though just as importantly, we must not allow our own personal biases and judgments to alter Christianity or all is lost. It is as Georgia Harkness once said, “The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world.” We must not attach ourselves to the Gospel. We must conform to the truths of the Gospel, not conform the Gospel to us.

Many times, those outside the faith do not see the open arms of Christ portrayed in me, instead they see me, as a Christian, using the church as an exclusive society. Shame on me. I have taken the Gospel and conformed it to myself. I have made it the constitution of my social club, rather than divine mandates for the way I should carry myself. I have used the Gospel as a shield for the Church to repel against outsiders instead of an extension to the lost. The Gospel's (and religion's) purpose is to aid and not condemn. I should build bridges with the Message of the Gospel, not walls. Though if one would ask an atheist about Christianity, the first answer to be had, would be one of exclusion and condemnation. It is as Voltaire describes, "Of all religions, Christianity is without a doubt the one that should inspire tolerance most, although, up to now, the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men." Therefore, I must practice the religion of love that reaches out to the lost, the very same that Christ described incessantly and explicitly while He was here on this earth. I must speak Christ's Truth, and do so in LOVE.

Also, I wonder why is it that the Christian circle (predominantly younger Christians) are quick to disown Christianity as a religion? Again, I repeat that the religion is not what saves us. Jesus made this clear again and again, yet at the same time, He gave us commands He asked us to live by. So why are we so quick to shun religion? Are we content to settle ourselves as infants in Christ rather than growing and maturing as Christians? I think so. I speak from personal experience when I say that it is much easier to be content with the thought of an insured eternity and to look no further for instruction or work. I would compare it to having a lazy faith. I am ashamed of the audacity that I have to accept a gift with no comparison, free grace, yet show no appreciation of the gift's value nor show love to the gift-giver! Even in a society as distorted as present day America, it is seen as rude to disregard a gift received, and those gifts can never be compared to the gift of free grace. For we will never even be able to comprehend the sheer magnitude of so great a gift, much less be able to compare it another. Therefore, I implore, let us take hold of the gift given to us and run to God, seeking to obey Him and love Him more each day than the last.

I leave you with scripture, for Truth lies in scripture and not my musings.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” -Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)

The Sermon on the Mount- Matthew chapters 5-7

Saved by Grace, Living by the Spirit- Romans 8:1-18

Dedicated Service- Romans 12:1-21

The Necessity of Love in Religion- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (NASB) [Emphasis added]

Christian Conduct- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

My Hope Rests In My True Home

The more time I spend in this life, the more I wish that it was over. Now I'm not saying that I want to end my life. My life is not mine to take. It was given to Christ long ago. It is His decision and His alone. What I am saying though is that this world has a deadly cancer that has permeated it to the core--sin. This sin continuously multiplies, corrupting and infecting everything in its reach. This cancer has left a bitter taste in my mouth. As a Christian, I have been promised that one day, I will be able to trade in all this infection from sin for a unencumbered eternity. Simply awesome. How great it will be on that day. To hear my Lord and Savior say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." To feel the relief that my own personal struggle with sin is no more. That is what I long for, to be able to spend an eternity without the burdens imposed by the world and my very own earthly nature. Burdens such as earthly desires, stress, and sickness will be forgotten. Haste the Day, oh Lord, when my faith shall be made sight.

If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. -C.S. Lewis

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. -Hebrews 11:16 (NASB)

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. -Isaiah 65:17 (NASB)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new " And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost." He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. -Revelation 21:1-7 (NASB)

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. -2 Peter 3:13 (NASB)

What tranquility will there be in heaven! Who can express the fullness and blessedness of this peace! What a calm is this! How sweet and holy and joyous! What a haven of rest to enter, after having passed through the storms and tempests of this world, in which pride and selfishness and envy and malice and scorn and contempt and contention and vice are as waves of a restless ocean, always rolling, and often dashed about in violence and fury! What a Canaan of rest to come to, after going through this waste and howling wilderness, full of snares and pitfalls and poisonous serpents, where no rest could be found. -Jonathan Edwards