"God knows our steps."
Every day of our lives is fully known by God. He is eternal and declares the end form the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise. God is not concerned over or afraid of our future.
It can be easy to worry when we forget that God is in control. We were at dinner with a missionary and right in the middle of our conversation he had a thought brought to his mind about where his passport was. He had left it at home and was supposed to leave in a few days. It ended up working out because he was able to go home with his wife and get his passport before flying out. If he had his passport his wife would have been driving home alone for hours across the desert to where they live. God knew and took care of them both.
Hindsight really is 20/20. Many times I have looked back over where God has taken me and have been amazed at how wise He is. He knew where I was headed because He wanted me there. He knew what it would take to grow me and make me more like His Son. When we trust the Lord and let Him be in control of our future we can lay down our fears and know our future is secure. It takes the pressure off.
How have you seen that God is in control of your future? What has he brought you through that you now see was His plan?
Showing posts with label Future. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Future. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Day 294 - The End of Your Life
"Nana was gone. Her closest relatives had all came today to say goodbye. Jess wrote the following in an e-mail to our staff: The family has said goodbye to our beautiful nana Ellen. Tonight she closed her eyes and woke up with our Jesus. She was the best mom, and grandma anyone could have. She loved people with all her heart and she loved Jesus."
I could have included my entire journal entry from this day last year but I am sure you don't want to read the details of soccer practice and grocery shopping in between the point of what this day was all about. Here was a woman who simply loved people and loved Jesus. She would recall her favorite moments again and again and loved to talk. She had a flare for life. She would order things from Home Shopping Network and immediately return it or tuck it away and never use it. We all laughed about it with her. She loved to cook for her family.
All these things are happy memories but even more so they are her legacy and they have have shaped individuals and families. The real point of what I am saying here is not about my wife's Nana. It is really about you. What will people say when you are gone? What will the legacy be that you leave?
Life is too short to mess around. We must love passionately and let people know we love them. We must witness like Jesus is coming back today (because if it was the Will of the Father He could). We must work and build for the future and for our families and future generations. As we do the legacy we leave will be one worth having.
You may have heard the story of the man who had been working with explosives and became wealthy through his work. When his brother passed away there was an error in the newspaper and the reporter did an obituary on this man instead of his brother. It was all about how he had merchandised death and his life was destructive from that point of view. The man decided to change his legacy and poured himself into more honorable pursuits and rewarded others for the same. That man was Alfred Nobel who the Nobel Peace Prize is named after.
If you don't like the answer you came up with when I asked what would people say about you then it is time to make some changes. You can as long as you have breath in your lungs. It is like a friend of mine used to say to me from his seat in a wheelchair with a smile on his face; 'Any day above ground is a good one.' Now I happen to know that the day of a Christian's death is much better than thousands of days here on the earth but I get what he was saying.
Let's live and love and leave a legacy so that when we go into eternity people speak of the wonderful things we have done and the impact we had on their lives.
If you could write your own obituary what would it say? Are there any that you have heard of or read in the Bible or somewhere else that you admired the person after hearing it? Who and why?
I could have included my entire journal entry from this day last year but I am sure you don't want to read the details of soccer practice and grocery shopping in between the point of what this day was all about. Here was a woman who simply loved people and loved Jesus. She would recall her favorite moments again and again and loved to talk. She had a flare for life. She would order things from Home Shopping Network and immediately return it or tuck it away and never use it. We all laughed about it with her. She loved to cook for her family.
All these things are happy memories but even more so they are her legacy and they have have shaped individuals and families. The real point of what I am saying here is not about my wife's Nana. It is really about you. What will people say when you are gone? What will the legacy be that you leave?
Life is too short to mess around. We must love passionately and let people know we love them. We must witness like Jesus is coming back today (because if it was the Will of the Father He could). We must work and build for the future and for our families and future generations. As we do the legacy we leave will be one worth having.
You may have heard the story of the man who had been working with explosives and became wealthy through his work. When his brother passed away there was an error in the newspaper and the reporter did an obituary on this man instead of his brother. It was all about how he had merchandised death and his life was destructive from that point of view. The man decided to change his legacy and poured himself into more honorable pursuits and rewarded others for the same. That man was Alfred Nobel who the Nobel Peace Prize is named after.
If you don't like the answer you came up with when I asked what would people say about you then it is time to make some changes. You can as long as you have breath in your lungs. It is like a friend of mine used to say to me from his seat in a wheelchair with a smile on his face; 'Any day above ground is a good one.' Now I happen to know that the day of a Christian's death is much better than thousands of days here on the earth but I get what he was saying.
Let's live and love and leave a legacy so that when we go into eternity people speak of the wonderful things we have done and the impact we had on their lives.
If you could write your own obituary what would it say? Are there any that you have heard of or read in the Bible or somewhere else that you admired the person after hearing it? Who and why?
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Day 240 - Permanent Solution To A Temporary Problem
"We talked about her son who tried to kill himself last night."
There have been a few times in my life that news shocked me and made me sick to my stomach. This was one of them. I had a close relationship with this individual. I had walked him through rocky points in marriage and eventually a divorce. I had prayed with this man and labored to keep him in church. Now here is news that he had tried to end his life.
The only light I could see in this situation was that he was still alive. His mother was dealing with the feelings associated with suicide. "What did I do? What didn't I do? What could I have done?"
We prayed together and I listened and let her work through the emotions and tears. In the end I encouraged her and then connected with him later that day over the phone. He was ready to make the changes and to work where he needed.
I have heard it said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The pressures and weights of today will not be the same pressures of tomorrow. Whatever you are going through you must remember that you are 'going through' it. It won't always be like this. Yet the devil wants us to believe that and would love for us to end it all.
The greatest hope we have is that no matter how hard it gets in this life if we are Christians we have the life to come that there will be no more pain and suffering. We have a Comforter now who is with us everywhere we go and in everything we encounter.
If you are battling suicidal thoughts you need to talk with someone who is godly and trusted. Share with them what you are feeling. Pray together and seek the scriptures on your situation. Also at the bottom of this page I have included telephone numbers you can call if you feel like you have no one to talk to.
God loves you and has a wonderful future He has planned. You will outlast the problems and the trials of life.
What scriptures give you hope? What are you looking forward to in life?
USA National Suicide Hotline 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). New Hope Telephone Counseling Center 714-639-4673. Covenant House 1-800-999-9999 . Focus on the Family's Counseling Department 1-855-771-HELP (4357). Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Mountain time.
There have been a few times in my life that news shocked me and made me sick to my stomach. This was one of them. I had a close relationship with this individual. I had walked him through rocky points in marriage and eventually a divorce. I had prayed with this man and labored to keep him in church. Now here is news that he had tried to end his life.
The only light I could see in this situation was that he was still alive. His mother was dealing with the feelings associated with suicide. "What did I do? What didn't I do? What could I have done?"
We prayed together and I listened and let her work through the emotions and tears. In the end I encouraged her and then connected with him later that day over the phone. He was ready to make the changes and to work where he needed.
I have heard it said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The pressures and weights of today will not be the same pressures of tomorrow. Whatever you are going through you must remember that you are 'going through' it. It won't always be like this. Yet the devil wants us to believe that and would love for us to end it all.
The greatest hope we have is that no matter how hard it gets in this life if we are Christians we have the life to come that there will be no more pain and suffering. We have a Comforter now who is with us everywhere we go and in everything we encounter.
If you are battling suicidal thoughts you need to talk with someone who is godly and trusted. Share with them what you are feeling. Pray together and seek the scriptures on your situation. Also at the bottom of this page I have included telephone numbers you can call if you feel like you have no one to talk to.
God loves you and has a wonderful future He has planned. You will outlast the problems and the trials of life.
What scriptures give you hope? What are you looking forward to in life?
USA National Suicide Hotline 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). New Hope Telephone Counseling Center 714-639-4673. Covenant House 1-800-999-9999 . Focus on the Family's Counseling Department 1-855-771-HELP (4357). Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Mountain time.
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