Death. It's something we all know exists, and yet at times it seems to be so very distant from our lives and the last thing on our minds. But sometimes it comes unexpectadly. Last night it came to a 43 y.o. mother-of-three after a firework show in Valencia. She was struck by a run-away car only a half mile from where I was celebrating the 4th with my family and friends. Before I drifted off to sleep that night I thought, "what if that had been me?" Then this morning, in addition to thinking about the death of last night, I discovered news that the authors of "Do Hard Things" and the Rebelution Blog lost their mother to cancer yesterday.
Although both of these deaths were in God's perfect timing, they are both "premature" according to human expectations. At this point in my life I often think in terms of years down the road and what I want to do. But these events have caused me to stop and ponder, what if today was my last day on earth? What if my God-ordained days are shorter than I expect, am I living the way I need to live now? What if someone close to me is living their last day?
Thinking through these things puts life in a new perspective. Motivations for holding personal grudges, being depressed or angry, or constantly stressing over plans shrink in light of the brevity of life and the reality of eterenity. Although life can be challenging and heart-breaking, as well as glorious and fun, we may never know that any particular day is our last one before we are called Home. This perspective calls us to live every moment in obedience to our Savior and to glorify Him in any circumstance big or small, because that is how we achieve a successful life. It likewise puts possessions and materialism in their place and brings to focus the importance of investing in people around us as we share the Gospel with the world and build up fellow believers. People after all, are the only created ones on this earth that will last forever.
Ultimately, it reminds us that God is indeed sovereign over our lives and we need not be anxious about anything, not even tomorrow. Even if His perfect plan means calling some of us home earlier than we expect, we know that as we purpose to cherish His grace, walk in obedience, and live for His glory our lives will not be wasted - no matter when He calls us home.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Words Mean Things!
Words mean things. Yet, as culture changes, word meaning is redefined to comply with lower standards and the current world view of the people. Lines are blurred and we become desensitized to things that are unthinkable in a Biblical culture. For instance, marriage is being replaced by civil unions and “long-term relationships”, husband or wife is being replaced by partner or significant other. Baby is being replaced with fetus and life is no longer defined in terms of sanctity, but quality. Someone who is diagnosed as a “vegetable” is no longer worthy of basic sustenance. Each of these examples have been implemented to advance the world’s agenda of defining society outside of God’s morality, all in the name of greater freedom and convenience.
Meaning is so important and our generation must be committed to defining meaning in light of scripture, the only ultimate reality. As Van Til stated "He who defines wins." We must, therefore, be prepared to call sin what it is and stand by definitions as God defines them. We must stand guard against the world’s gradual change of words to make sin acceptable. We must not allow redefinitions to make a subtle entrance to our thinking for the sake of the church in America and future generations.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
WANTED: THE WESTERN
This is a project my brother helped direct and organize. If you enjoy the trailer please take a moment to become a fan on Facebook. The finished product is scheduled to be releasedshortly!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus: The Hope of a Generation Facing A Potential Storm
The American culture we live in today is growing increasingly bleak. The economy is decaying and the nation is currently led by a government hostile to God. Morality and restraint are disappearing and threats of shortages, wars, economic devastation, tyranny and persecution loom on the horizon. Understandably, many live in a state of alarm, fearful of what the future holds for them and especially for their children, children just like me, who are members of the next generation praying, planning, and hoping for a future.
So how should we respond, not only as the next generation, but as Disciples of Christ to this gathering storm? Perhaps the current alarm is a providential wake-up call, a call for us to trust in Him alone and depend on Him for all things, including our daily bread and our health care. It is time to realize that our hope and our trust should be in the Lord and not in our circumstances, a standard of living, possessions, or people. It is time for us to cut away the bondage of cultural thinking and the false sense of security that has wooed us into forgetting that God provides us with our very breath and knows the number of our days, and even the number of hairs on our head.
How freeing it is to ponder that God alone is our refuge and strength, and our freedom comes from faithful obedience to Him in all circumstances. The era God has placed us in may look drastically different than that of the prior generations, but our calling transcends circumstances as we seek to stand with Joshua and Caleb and follow God with dedicated hearts in the face of incredible odds and the giants in our land. In the whirlwind of challenge, we proceed one step at a time, laying our hopes and dreams at His feet and trusting Him who directs nations and orchestrates all events according to His awesome plan. May we be faithful to seek God with our whole hearts, stand as children of His promises, fix our eyes on Him, and run with endurance and purpose the race that He has set before us. Now is the time to evaluate what really matters in life so we can set our sights high and live lives of precision focused on knowing God and making Him known.
_____
"Oh, that young and old would turn off the television, take a long walk, and dream about feats of courage for a cause ten thousand times more important than American democracy - as precious as that is. If we would dream and if we would pray, would not God answer? Would He withhold from us a life of joyful love and mercy and sacrifice that magnifies Christ and makes people glad in God? I plead with you. . . set your face like flint to join Jesus on the Calvary road. "Let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come" (Hebrews 13:13-14) When they see our sacrificial love-radiant with joy- will they not say, "Christ is great"?" - Don't Waste Your Life, Piper.
So how should we respond, not only as the next generation, but as Disciples of Christ to this gathering storm? Perhaps the current alarm is a providential wake-up call, a call for us to trust in Him alone and depend on Him for all things, including our daily bread and our health care. It is time to realize that our hope and our trust should be in the Lord and not in our circumstances, a standard of living, possessions, or people. It is time for us to cut away the bondage of cultural thinking and the false sense of security that has wooed us into forgetting that God provides us with our very breath and knows the number of our days, and even the number of hairs on our head.
How freeing it is to ponder that God alone is our refuge and strength, and our freedom comes from faithful obedience to Him in all circumstances. The era God has placed us in may look drastically different than that of the prior generations, but our calling transcends circumstances as we seek to stand with Joshua and Caleb and follow God with dedicated hearts in the face of incredible odds and the giants in our land. In the whirlwind of challenge, we proceed one step at a time, laying our hopes and dreams at His feet and trusting Him who directs nations and orchestrates all events according to His awesome plan. May we be faithful to seek God with our whole hearts, stand as children of His promises, fix our eyes on Him, and run with endurance and purpose the race that He has set before us. Now is the time to evaluate what really matters in life so we can set our sights high and live lives of precision focused on knowing God and making Him known.
_____
"Oh, that young and old would turn off the television, take a long walk, and dream about feats of courage for a cause ten thousand times more important than American democracy - as precious as that is. If we would dream and if we would pray, would not God answer? Would He withhold from us a life of joyful love and mercy and sacrifice that magnifies Christ and makes people glad in God? I plead with you. . . set your face like flint to join Jesus on the Calvary road. "Let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come" (Hebrews 13:13-14) When they see our sacrificial love-radiant with joy- will they not say, "Christ is great"?" - Don't Waste Your Life, Piper.
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