Time Is Precious
Time. Is. Precious. It’s precious because it’s short, we don’t know how much more of it remains, it is gone forever once we use it, and there are staggering implications for how we use it. There is only One Who knows how to best use the time that remains for you and me, so let’s not leave Jesus out of our plans today or any day. Remember this: we can spend our time any way we choose, but we can only spend it once. As we live by grace, in dependence upon the presence and power and purposes of Jesus, He will help us give less priority to the things that really don’t matter and more priority to the things that do.
Biggest Thrills And Best Prizes (With No Regrets I …
Temptation often invites us to sin in two ways. The first is like a carny barking at us to “Step right up” for a chance to have a thrilling experience or win a desirable prize that is never worth it in the end. The second is like a boat at sea gently rocking us back and forth until we have drifted to sleep in indifference to God’s better ways. Whether it shouts or whispers, temptation is ever beckoning us to look away from Jesus, love something more than Jesus, and live for a substitute for Jesus. By grace, we can resist by reminding ourselves that the biggest thrills and the best prizes are enjoyed by those who are anchored to Him.
Set Your Sights On Eternity
One of the enemy’s biggest lies is convincing us to live as if this life is all there is. He wants us to prioritize and pursue things that won’t matter for long over things that will matter forever. But everything looks different when you look past the temporary to eternity. This place isn’t our home; we’re heading home. This life won’t last forever; the next life will. This treasure trove will fade away; the ones laid up in heaven have an everlasting shine. Yes, let us enjoy our time on earth and the things of earth as God means for us to do. But, even more, let us think, feel, speak and act as people who have set their sights on eternity.
I Can Do All Things … Through Christ Who Giv …
Self-help. Personal achievement. Human ingenuity. Man-made creations. We often think too highly of ourselves, talk too much about ourselves, and turn too much to ourselves as if God is not there and as if we do not need Him even if He is. But the truth is… The only reason we turn to self-help is because we’ve made a mess that we’re trying to fix. We achieve only what God has given us capabilities to do. The discoveries we’ve made are just that, things that God has known all along. Man-made lakes are filled with God-made water on God-made land. Let us remember: There is a big difference between “I can do all things” and “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Joy That Can Never Be Taken Away
Our joy will always be at risk if it is dependent upon things that we look to instead of Jesus because we are always at risk of losing them. The thrill fades away. The moment is over. The thing breaks. The experience disappoints. The person leaves. But Jesus has promised to give us a joy that doesn’t burn out, fade out, check out or sell out so we don’t have to miss out on real and lasting happiness that is only found in Him. Though every other form of happiness will inevitably leave or forsake us, He never will. In Jesus, we are offered a joy that can never be taken from us no matter what else is.
Blessed To Be A Blessing
God has not blessed us with time just so we can use it binge-watching Netflix. He has not blessed us with money just so we can spend it on more comforts. He has not blessed us with abilities and skills just so we can serve our own interests and passions. The generosity of God has been extended to us with blessings of time, talent and treasure that we might both enjoy them ourselves and extend them to bless others. Those of us who are trusting in Jesus have been entrusted with showing the world His heart for them by being His hands and feet and mouth to them. You have been blessed; now go be a blessing.
The Day After Christmas
‘Twas the day after Christmas, and all thru the place
Everyone began going back to their old, normal pace.
The tree and the decorations were all neatly put away,
‘Til this time next year, tucked in the closet they’d stay.
Christmas Is About Grace
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
We will often fail to live out our faith in Jesus and stumble in our walk with Him. We won’t always love Him most, love others best, and love rightly all the rest. Instead, we will make ourselves the center of our lives, make self-serving decisions as we plan our lives, and ultimately make a mess out of our lives. That. Is. Why. There. Is. Christmas. Christmas is about a gift of God’s Son, a gift of forgiveness, a gift of transformation, a gift of eternal life, a gift of happiness in God. Christmas is about grace… Forgiveness for when we have said “yes” to sins committed, freedom to say “no” to sins not yet committed, and favor to experience eternal pleasure where no sin will ever be committed again. There is grace for us. God’s grace. Grace that is greater than all our sin.
The Point Of Christmas
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. – Luke 2:20
The point of creation and Christmas and the coming new creation is that God is glorious, and He desires to be seen as such by a joy-filled, peace-filled, hope-filled people that He has made and redeemed for Himself. The Scripture stories of Christmas are ripe with this: Good news of… Great joy. Peace on earth. Light shining in darkness. Salvation from sin. A forever kingdom. Everlasting life. A Savior. A Reigning King. A Son of the Most High. Christ the Lord. Immanuel. Glory to God in the highest. Christmas shines brightly with God’s ultimate purpose: that He be honored in us and we be happy in Him. Until Jesus returns again, let us return to live our everyday lives knowing… God is with us. God is for us. God is to be glorified through us.
Broken For The Broken
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. – Romans 8:29
Jewelry breaks. Toys break. Electronics break. You and I break. God made us in His image, but our sin fractured our likeness to Him and our relationship with Him. But Christmas is for the broken. God loves the broken. He sent Jesus for the broken. The Son of God came to do what we could not do, and die for what we could not do, perfectly bear the image of God. When we put our faith in Him, He puts His Spirit in us changing us forever. Rejoice today! For the Christ Child left the manger and made His way to the cross where the Christmas Gift of God’s Son was broken for the broken so that we could be made right with God, made to look more like God, and made to live forever with God.
