Living today and tomorrow

So much is happening in the world today. We see it and hear it on the news and on the radio. We read about it in newspapers and on the Internet. Some of it is true, some of it is blown out of proportion, and some of it is just made up to look like news.

Can we believe it? Some of it but not all.

So, what are your goals for life and living today? Are they similar to other people’s goals of losing weight or getting a degree? Do they have anything to do with making lots of money and building a nice (big) house? When I see goals like this or hear about them and then drive into Flowood or some other town and see these big homes that all look like they are duplicates of each other in size and shape I wonder what is the purpose?

It seems that we like to be individuals and we like to have things which others don’t have, but when it comes to our houses and cars we are stuck with copies of everyone else’s likes. There are no real unique homes or cars. Yes, you can paint the outside of a Camaro a different color from others, your home may have a different floor plan than the one next door. But the shape of the car is the same. The shape of the house is mostly the same.

Everything in our lives, for the most part, is the same. Wouldn’t it be great if we could customize our living space the way we want it to be? I know we are at the mercy of cost and that the companies which sell cars sell the cars which their research tells them that we want. Life is different today than it was, say one hundred years ago. They didn’t have phones, many didn’t have cars, most lived in what we call a shack today. But, I never heard my grandmother say that they didn’t have a roof over their head or food on the table.

Life today is very different from what it was then. Life today is very different from that of just forty or fifty years ago. It seems that we have forgotten how to be kind to one another. We don’t seem to try to help each other when there is a need. Mostly we just sit around and wait for someone else to help, when we have the ability to do it ourselves.

We also spend way too much time reading comments and things from social media sites. Yes, it is fun for a while but it is like sitting in a rocking chair, you are doing something but not going anywhere. Reading those comments is funny and sometimes it is educational but if you don’t get up and do something about those causes that you “like”, nothing will get done!

It is like saying “Amen!” with all the gusto that you can muster, then going out the door of the church and not having a clue what the Preacher said!

God put each one of us here for a purpose and a reason and it doesn’t matter where you live or how much money you have. You can do something for God’s Kingdom. It may be nothing more that offering up a prayer for someone in China or India, but God can use a heartfelt and sincere prayer and do something with it. It is true that there are many who don’t believe in Him and may never believe in Him, but prayer can make a difference in someone’s life. It made a difference in mine.

God loves you and He can work with you and through you to make a difference in someone’s life. A hug or a prayer or even just a note or an email letting them know that you are thinking of them and that you are praying for them in whatever situation they may be in. Seek Him out and thank Him for getting you up this morning and use today for something that Jesus would do if He were here. Then, repeat tomorrow and the next day until He calls you home. I promise that the outcome from small things will have an impact when you see its results in Heaven.

Healing…

There are many times that we all need healing in one form or another. Healing from grief and pain in the loss of a dear friend or loved one. Healing from a disease or an accident. Healing from hurtful words or actions which, possibly a loved one, was said to you or done to you. Healing comes to each of us in many forms.

Which one do you need today?

Jesus can bring a healing spirit into your heart and change it from one that is mistrustful and alone to one that sees the good in people and comforts others when they feel down. Many times we feel that we are the ones who need the healing, but when we offer prayers and comfort to someone else we are the ones who get the most benefit. The love of God, which we bring to others through our prayers, works in both directions. It touches the one that we are praying for but it also flows through us and into us to heal us in ways that we don’t even know that we need.

Healing…is something that Jesus did when He was here and He is still doing it today. Through medicine and doctors and through our diet and exercise, we are healed and helped in ways that we didn’t understand could be done. A little change here, a walk for ten minutes or so, eating less red meat and more fish…these are little changes that we can do which will bring healing to us along with prayer.

Healing of our hearts and our souls, that is the very thing which Jesus can do even when we don’t think it is possible. Sometimes it will happen when we just don’t believe it or even when we don’t want it. God has His purposes and He works in our lives to fulfill His purposes in ways that we can’t imagine. Not that He forces us to do something, but the circumstances of our lives will work for His glory and our good…if we allow it to.

Unfortunately, we are the controllers of that part of our lives. By that I mean that we choose whether we will do this or that for God today or tomorrow, God doesn’t force us to follow His directions. He will allow us to fall and fail in our own attempts at doing what WE think is right and when we realize that it isn’t, then He will pick us up and begin again. Just as the potter at his wheel. The re-making and re-molding process isn’t pleasant, nor is it what we would want to experience most of the time, but in His process and His time we will do His will in our lives.

It may be just before the end of our lives, but it will accomplish that which He deems is necessary and glorious for His Kingdom. It will not show the type of glory that our world expects, but to God even a small coin is worth much more than gold when given with the right attitude.

So much fear and anger

The world is a place where many things happen “in the name of Allah”, many of them are caused by hate…why? What is the reason for hatred, fear and anger toward those who don’t follow your religion? Just because there are people who believe differently than you do is not a valid reason for this at all!

In some circles and belief systems the emotions of fear, anger and hate are looked upon as destructive emotions and that is exactly what they are. Fear in itself is not because a healthy fear of heights can save your life. A fear of death can keep you alive to live another day, depending upon your situation. Anger and hatred are more like acid and fire, keeping them inside can cause disease and death quicker than normal.

What am I writing this for? Because there is much fear and anger in our world today because of hatred. Those who cannot tolerate other religions besides their own bring this into focus on the daily news because of their actions. Why? I don’t know. I cannot understand the mindset of those who follow this way of life and living in order to kill others in the name of their “god”.

I saw an article earlier today from a woman in the Middle East who asked this same question but in a way that put Christians in the place of “radical Muslims”. How would the world feel about Christianity then? What would every person think about our religion if we did these things on a daily or weekly basis? We wouldn’t be living our lives according to the teachings of Jesus, that is for certain! So, why would the “prophet” encourage his followers of Allah to do this? There is no reason for this and it is the only religion in the world which is this violent and has been for hundreds of years.

Humanity can be better than this. We are not perfect and never will be in this life, but we can’t claim that our religion is the only one that should be followed. While it is true that according to the Bible, “God is a jealous god”, He is that way because He expected His people, the Jewish people, to be His priests and representatives to the world! They failed at their calling and didn’t recognize their Messiah when He did come to them. God doesn’t blame them or anyone else for this or any of the other sinful ways that we live our lives, but when you feel a call or prompting from the Spirit, don’t push it or Him away! You may never get another chance at this.

Move away from the hate and anger and move toward Jesus. Give your life and your heart to Him while you still have breath in your body and the ability to make a difference in someone else’s life.