on a "Need To Know" basis

I just love agent Jethro Gibbs. He's a tough guy with a warm heart. There
are many times when, during a typical NCIS episode, he is approached for
information. His usual response is ,"That's on a need-to-know basis, and
you don't need to know!"

Well, we are all on a Need to Know basis and we DO need to know! We
simply do not know when our time on this earth will come to an end. There
is no guarantee that we will be here tomorrow or the next day. That
realization brings to mind some need to's.

We need to make the most of each day we are blessed to live. 

We need to make sure we let those we love know that they are dear to
our hearts! May as well tell them you love them every day!

We need to have our "house in order." That has nothing to do with
how clean I am keeping my apartment (thankfully) but everything to
do with making sure important things are completed for when we are no
longer here.

WE NEED TO KNOW GOD!!!! 

This should be the number one goal in our lives; the relationship we
have with our God and creator, with Jesus our Savior and with the Holy
Spirit, within us. This relationship needs to be one we are building
each and every day of our lives. We should strive to pray, to read His
word and to praise and worship Him, bring glory to His very name. 

Eternity awaits us. It seems abundantly clear that we will spend this
post-life existence in one of two ways. We will either by taken to live in
Heaven with Jesus, whose blood provided a residence there, or we
will live eternity in the absence of God!  It's an easy and blessed choice!

Our Underestimation of God

An infinite God can give all of Himself'
to His children. He does not distribute Himself
that each may have a part, but to each one
He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were
no other.

A W Tozer


I love Tozer! I invite you to read the above quote several times so that its
message may sink in. 

As we study and experience the qualities of God, we have every reason to be amazed
and fearful out of respect and awe. We may be created in His image, but we are
obviously so very very different from Him. That's what makes Him holy, holy holy.
The concepts are very tough to get a hold of; His transcendent abilities, such as the
ability to be in all places at all times, His knowledge of everything that is happening,
even every thought we have, just seems unbelievable... because it is.

Yet this awe and respect may have the effect of making Him appear distant. We
may have the feeling that we simply can not possibly matter in the scheme of things.
How could the creator of he entire universe care for our daily comings and goings,
the path our lives take, the tears that fall when we are sad.

Well the Bible is full of scriptures that suggest, much as Tozer has stated, that these
incredible characteristics and Godly abilities, do, in fact, make it fully possible that
God knows each hair on our head, each tear that falls, each care and concern. He
wants and wills to be an active part of our lives because He created us and loves
us. He delights in our successes and has compassion for the roadblocks that this
world throws our way.

He also has expectations; that we will be aware of the incredible opportunity created
by the very death of His own son. That we will strive to live lives of righteousness
because of the blood of Christ, that we will strive to humble ourselves and follow His
ways with diligence and consistency.

He is God... we are His children. What a comforting thought!

Vapor Control

The Bible refers to the brevity of our lives in different ways. One is to compare
the length of our stay here to a vapor. Grass and flowers are other things used to
remind us that we are very very temporary!

So what is the impact of that limited time span? Well, it doesn't give us forever
to adopt the gospel as our redemption, Jesus as our Lord and the many blessings we receive as precious gifts given with grace.

Someone, it seems to me, that has become one with Christ and an adopted son
or daughter of our Father in Heaven, would be one who lives an appreciative
life, a life that is full of the realization that we have a purpose, a family, a
future that can only be described as amazingly wonderful. Probably wouldn't
need to read Norman Vincent Peale's Power of Positive Thinking to arise each
day with joy, perseverance and satisfaction with what we have been given
despite our natural sinful nature.

The point is simple: We're here for a short while to bring glory to God
and to live and enjoy the blessings He has provided.

It doesn't last long, and that's okay. Make the most of the days, hours and
minutes that you have. Be thankful to the max!

That sovereignty thing...

The ugly truth is that sinful human beings deserve nothing from a holy God. We cannot manipulate God in prayer. We cannot expect a rich, pain-free life, as touted by the prosperity gospel. Neither can we expect to reach heaven because we are a "good person." Jesus Christ has been provided to us as the way to heaven. (John 14:6)

I borrowed the above off of the internet. I was looking for a definition of God's sovereignty. It seems to me that this sovereignty thing really brings out the defensive pride in us humans. It's really tough to think that we're not in charge. What are we servants or something? 

I, for one, have no trouble with realizing that I am NOT God! I spent some years of my life thinking that I was the one driving this life of mine. Well, that really didn't work so well, thank you. I wasn't a very careful driver.

I am pleased and blessed that God is in charge. He truly doesn't owe me any explanation for what happens because He is God; and I am not. All things work for good in His plan. It's quite honestly a relief to know

that this transcendent, all-knowing God goes out of His way to give me free will, listen to my prayers and shower me with his loving kindness...all of which I humbly recognize are not things that I have earned.

He created me and I desire to bring glory to His name. He does all the hard work; I just have the blessings of being His creation.

He is sovereign!!! 

Breaking fast the right way

Nutritionists suggest that the first meal we take in the morning is vitally important for the rest of our day. I'd like to join many others in suggesting that this first meal should be surrounded by a look at the Gospel.
Beginning the day with the Gospel works wonders for our humility. A realization of what God has provided through the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus, cannot help but start our day off with a sense of humility. Being aware not only of our sinful nature but also of the single path provided for atonement starts the day with a tone of gratefulness for receipt of something we did not deserve
nor earn.
In essence, I teach myself the Gospel message each day. It's profound but also simple in length. It's glorious and filled with the realization that God's complete rejection of sin has been accomplished through the ransom of the blood of Christ. I would suggest R. C. Sproul's short but succinct writing on the
Gospel.
I also have started picturing the three crosses at Calvary, visualizing the reality of what our Lord Jesus accomplished and endured in the greatest moments in the history of our world. The Cross of Jesus is the miraculous place where our sins were exchanged for the righteousness of the perfect, spotless Lamb of God.
I hope you will join me in beginning each day glorifying our God and His plan for redemption and salvation.

Will you be there?

There are so many positive and wonderful aspects to believing on Jesus, worshiping God and looking forward to living in the presence of He who created everything. Nevertheless, with all the realities that go with the above, there is, in my life and quite likely in the lives of many, the haunting realization that someone we have loved in our lifetime may not be in heaven when we are called. I'm not one that understands the concept of purgatory or the praying or buying another's inclusion into God's heaven. It doesn't seem to be a part of the gospel preached in the word of God. I do not have the power to get myself into heaven, let alone the power to wish hard enough to put someone there. I don't believe that tithing at any amount can purchase membership for another because I truly believe salvation is not for sale. My earthly father passed away about three years ago, painfully. He was and is someone that fills my heart with love each and every time I think of him. He was wonderfully imperfect, a very good person, generous to a fault, and loving. Yet he passed away from this earth without leaving any certainty about his relationship with Jesus; and I did nothing to bring assurance that he had a relationship with God. I was consumed with sadness and fear, and I was simply not, at that time, solid in my own beliefs. I told him that God loved him. That I loved him. I was there at his side when he passed away. He is either in heaven or in the absence if God, which is my definition of hell. So I am left with a weak hope, prayers that I am not sure are valid and the wish that I will someday be able to put my arms around him and toss away the fears that he would not be there.
 Oh please, God!
The lesson is simple: share faith with those you love...today.