Purpose

 

     How do we find purpose on earth? What is it all about? If Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, what does He expect from you and me? He gave up everything to give us all new life. I know I have nothing to give in return. There is nothing we CAN do, nothing God needs. He is everything and He holds everything in His mighty hands. What He wants and asks from us is to have a relationship with Him.

     As we get to know Jesus through His word and through prayer, our purpose begins to become clear. Knowing Him, putting Him first, recognizing we can’t do anything without Him, finds us surprisingly able to do things we could not imagine. Our confidence is in Him, rather than in our imperfect selves.

     He may use our stories, our sufferings, our lives as a testimony to others. People may notice a change and ask us about the hope within us. We may speak boldly about our faith to the people God places in our lives. Jesus may even ask us to reach out to someone we don’t like very much. We can’t do it on our own.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

     Get to know Him. Open up the Good book. Imagine a new life filled with possibilities. Most of the thoughts in our head, what we worry about, compete for, save to buy, work towards, will not come with us into heaven.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to the power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

     When we meet Jesus, He will burn up the things that are no longer needed as we walk through those pearly gates. But the things we did with Him and for Him and through Him? They will be refined like gold, beautiful and lasting. Good enough to last forever.

Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved-even though only as one escaping through the flames.  1 Corinthians 3:13-15

     This work is not anything we can do on our own, but only with Jesus, the foundation. He shows us what to do and how to do it, through His Holy Spirit, through His mighty word, through our time of prayer.

     Ready to give it a try, this purposeful life? It comes down to the heart and His love.

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.  Proverbs 27:19

     What is the condition of your heart? Let it melt into a life with Christ.

Dear Jesus,

You give our lives meaning and purpose. Show us how to take the next step. Help us focus on Your love and getting to know You more intimately. We are one in spirit with You and the Father when we believe.

Amen

Perfection

 

     I want us to work backwards this week, focusing our eyes on the end of the story, and the warmth and beauty of heaven. If you are a believer in Christ (if you are not, stay tuned all week) we know we will live forever!

     One day, at the end of these earthly lives, we will live in perfection.  Our bodies will move from mortal to immortal, from perishable to imperishable (see 1 Corinthians 15;35-58) and yet we will remain our unique selves. Let this truth give you strength and hope, giving promise to a parent’s heart as they witness their child suffer with disability or disease; joy to a widow’s or widower’s heart as she or he continues to miss a spouse; an end to the labored breathing that comes with lung disease; a day to be free of temptation and addiction. A new beginning at what appears to be the end of the road.

     Finite to infinite, imperfect to perfect, perishable to imperishable, the unseen will be seen, time will become timeless. It puts our suffering, our temptations, our grief into perspective. God will redeem all of it one day, in His perfect timing.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

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, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:17-18

     We will meet Jesus face-to-face. We will live in glory. No time-frame, no hustle and bustle. A reuniting with loved ones. Our future with no more goodbyes. No more scurrying from place to place. No more stress! We can drink our coffee for hours on end. We will have time to speak to others in history. We will see Moses and Elijah, John and James, Mary and Joseph, Abraham and Isaac. Forever.

     There is no end to our story, other than a giving up of our imperfect bodies. We aren’t striving and struggling just to get to the end of this life. The end is the true beginning. Feel the hope. See the glory. Live out your life with passion and love. All of this is achieving for us a glory that far outweighs it all.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day.  2 Peter 3:8

    Our sufferings last only a moment in light of eternity. Take in that strength today. Count on that hope. Believe in eternity. All of this will be redeemed in His glory. And every breath on this earth can be lived for Him. Every breath is precious. He gave you life on earth and He promises new life forever.

Dear Lord,

You give us hope for tomorrow, when we will be like You, with new bodies in a perfect world. A new heaven and a new earth, with Your glory shining all around us. The Son will be the sun of heaven. No more night. No more tears. The hope of glory. Our blessed assurance.

It is Jesus.

Amen

Dreams

 

     Resting in Jesus throughout our lives brings peace and joy. When pleasing Him becomes our greatest priority, we won’t care what others think. Honoring Him is the desire of our heart. When His dreams become our dreams, we have rest for our souls.

     Our lives may look insignificant to the outward-focused, money-oriented, me-first world, but to Jesus we are His treasures, His chosen people. His royal priesthood. Our prayers matter. Our Bible study matters. Our deep love for others matters. We are keeping evil at bay, every single day with the power of the resurrected Christ. Let His dreams become yours. You are making an eternal difference.

     Make a decision today to follow Jesus. Let Him take the lead in the dance of life. Delight in His footsteps. Find direction as he takes your hand. His light will fill you with all you need each day. Decide to accept Jesus as Savior. It is the one decision that matters most.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other way under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do. Ephesians 6:7-8

Father,

Keep our minds and hearts on Your dreams for us. With the decision to accept Jesus in our lives, we understand sacrifice. We understand love. We understand humility. He showed us the way through all He did for us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Dance

 

     The dance of life does not move in easy, sequential steps. There are times when we barely move, in a slow dance, rocking back and forth in the same place. Change is difficult. Some seasons we move in an elegant waltz, organized and flowing. Everything in the dance of life flows smoothly and steadily.

     The music speeds up and life spins out of control, a raucous and chaotic polka, spinning us wildly. We aren’t sure where we will land. And there are the moments of wild abandon and freedom. We don’t care who is looking. We take on the world and don’t care what others think.

     Whatever dance you are experiencing, let the Lord of the dance take control. He can keep up with each step. Worship Him as if no one is looking. Imagine the powerful King of Israel, dancing on the street in worship; so exceedingly filled with the joy of the Lord, he could not stop. Even with his wife’s embarrassment and harsh words, David needed to worship his God.

Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might. 2 Samuel 6:14

Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13

You turned my mourning into dancing> You removed my sackcloth and clothes me with joy. Psalm 30:11

     The dance of life with Jesus is sure. Our footsteps, whether in control or faltering, whether in wild abandon or joyful worship, are His. One day our mourning will turn to gladness and we will dance through heaven’s gate.

Jesus,

Take the lead as we continue the dance of life. With You, we will never completely lose our way. You are getting ready to take us home. Lead the way.

Amen

Decisions

 

     Wondering which path to take next? Do we look back to the past for the answers or do we press forward to what is ahead? The answer is “yes!”

This is what the Lord says, “Stop at the crossroads and look around, and ask for the ancient paths where the good way is, and walk in it and find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16a

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13

     Are you standing at a crossroad? When we need direction, there are answers in the Bible. Learn from the ancient ways. The Bible is full of stories of men and women just like us. They had doubts. They made mistakes. They followed the wrong path. They asked for forgiveness. And they moved ahead.

     Look at the ancient paths and forget the doubts and mistakes. You are forgiven. Press on to what is ahead. Jesus is right there leading the way. He may set you on a brand new path.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

Jesus,

We get confused. We wonder what’s next. Guide our eyes and ears to see and hear Your Word and strain toward Your goals, Your ways, Your direction.

Amen

 

Dance

Daylight

 

     When we receive Jesus as Savior, we move from darkness to light. Jesus is the light of the world. (John 8 and 9 Matthew 5) Having been filled with His light, we can shine with His enduring love. Because of His complete forgiveness, we are washed clean.

This is the message we have heard from Him, and declare to you. God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1 5-7

          He purifies us from ALL sin. Let this freedom fill you with peace and joy. Because of His great love, we can walk out our lives in the light of eternity. Shine continually as a child of the light.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1;5

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12

You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.  1 Thessalonians 5:5

Jesus,

Because of You, we need not walk in darkness. The light of Your glory has forgiven us, washed us clean and set us in eternity. Fill us with Your light as we finish our earthly lives as children of the day.

Amen

 

Delight

 

     This weekend, we took great delight in the spectacular colors of fall in Minnesota. The vibrant oranges along the Mississippi River Road were heavenly against the deep clear, blue sky.

     These words came to mind this morning out of nowhere. You will make my dreams come true, when all I seek is to glorify You.  When God becomes our first love and our greatest desire is to follow and please Him, he blesses us with supernatural power and the desires of our hearts become His.

Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

     Take time to delight yourself in the Lord today. Thank Him for His Son, Jesus who saved us, for His Spirit that guides us, for His word that teaches us, for His creation that inspires us, for friends and family to bless us, for food and shelter that sustain us. Take delight in His presence, in His power, in His protection, in His providence. He will give you the desires of your heart. And, don’t forget, as we take delight in Him, He takes great delight in you and in me.

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you. In His love, He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord,

We take delight in You today for all of Your good gifts from above. We, as children of the light, are already seated in heaven with You. How miraculous! How amazing! How delightful are You!

Amen