What would you do if today was your LAST DAY?

I thought about some advice I recently saw on one of those Facebook meme’s, and at first glance, it was such a nice sentiment.

LIVE EVERYDAY LIKE IT’S YOUR LAST 

Then I realized how impossible that would be.

If I knew today was my last day, what would be the most important things to me?  What would I want to do with my last 24 hours?

These things certainly wouldn’t make the list:

Clean the house

Do laundry

Pay bills

Go to work

For that one day and maybe even 2 days or a week even, it would be okay.  But can you imagine what would happen if I lived everyday like that?

My house would be filthy – and I’d be there to live in that filthy mess!  I wouldn’t like that at all.  I especially wouldn’t like anyone else to come to my home and discover such a pigpen!

My bills would all be late which would hurt my credit and eventually all my utilities would be shut off.  Which would probably be okay since I wouldn’t have the money to pay them anyway, as I stopped going to work.

What would I do with my days instead?

It’s my last 24 hours – I’d want to:

What?  What would we REALLY do with them if we knew absolutely these were our last 24 hours to live and breathe on this earth?

The reality is, we ought to live like any moment could be our last, but not to the exclusion of the things that simply must be taken care of in the event tomorrow is going to come.

I was reading through the Gospels again recently, and one of the things that really stuck out this time through was how Jesus managed to get all the mundane, daily things done that needed to be done, but also took care of the really important stuff, too.

He did those things in the midst of doing the daily chores.  

He did the daily chores in the midst of doing the miracles.

He miraculously fed over 5000 people with just 2 loaves of bread and 3 fish while taking care of the daily task of preparing lunch.

He ministered to a truly hurting woman who stood accused by those wanting to put her to death during the course of His job as a teacher.

While house cleaning He swept His Fathers temple clear of money changers and other assorted vermin.   

Because He lived each day with the right mindset and attitude a woman who had been very ill for 12 years was able to benefit from a momentary, fleeting encounter with Him while he was en route to another appointment in the course of His day.

Watching Him, his disciples learned that they too could go about their daily lives, making a living, cleaning their homes, doing their chores, in such a deliberate fashion that allowed the Holy Spirit to work through them to touch the lives of others in meaningful ways that would have eternal consequences.

Whether catching fish, collecting taxes or cooking meals they could affect change in the world around them by effecting the people around them with righteous attitudes and faith behaviors while executing the ordinary chores of their daily lives.  Just like Jesus did.  Just like we can.

Colossians 3:22-24

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Who knew the daily grind could be so exciting and productive?  How might you go about your daily life, taking care of those necessary chores, while also living deliberately to accomplish "The List" Jesus instructed His followers to complete?

What ways are you living out your Christian faith while going about daily tasks?  Share your examples below! 

Telling Truth

We must stop being so afraid to proclaim the truth!!

When we tell our testimonies, when we speak of our Christian walk, when we share with others the struggles, why are we so afraid to tell the truth?

I’ve seen it over and over, I’ve even done it myself.

We don’t want to discourage anyone, we’re afraid they won’t come to Christ if they know the truth.

So we fudge a little, we fib a little, we exaggerate a little to make it all a little nicer, a little easier to swallow.

The truth is that the walk of a true disciple of Christ is a difficult walk, fraught with danger, filled with hard circumstances, complete with persecution from without and self-doubt from within!!

The truth is that renewing your mind to His way instead of doing what you want, dying to self to live for others, humbling yourself and esteeming others more highly, taking the back seat instead of the front, denying pleasures of the flesh instead of indulging in them are really, really difficult things to do!

Jesus not only never said it would be easy, He made it clear it would be TREMENDOUSLY HARD!

That it would mean a lifetime of being hated by the world we live in, persecuted by our neighbors and even those we call friends.  Stalked by an evil spiritual being filled with darkness we can’t even begin to imagine, whose only desire is to kill and destroy us, our lives, our loved ones!

That there would be trials, but alongside them would be great triumphs.

That we can expect to be targets but the shield of faith would protect us from every weapon formed against us.

That lies would bombard us but the TRUTH would set us free.

That apart from trusting and believing in Him we would be helpless, discouraged and inept; but He would be our hope, our encouragement and that through Him only, we would be able to do everything we need to do.  Everything He asks us to do.

That to our every question He would be our answer.

Truly, Jesus is Who He told us He is.

He is the Way to our joy, peace and the love we all crave so deeply.

He is the Truth we search high and low for and yearn for in our hearts.

He is the LIFE, eternal life, we desire above all other things.

The walk as a disciple of Christ is the hardest, best, scariest, most joyful, toughest and most wonderful walk any of us will ever experience.

BE BRAVE! BE TRUTHFUL! BE LOVING!  

Tell others that Jesus loves them, died for them, was raised from the dead for their redemption and they are called to take up THEIR cross, pay the cost and follow Him to a LIFE ETERNAL that is the only rewarding ending to this physical life on earth.

His love is well worth the cost He paid so we could have it, and that is no lie!

KISS - Keeping It Super Simple

If I had a nickel for every time someone said that biblical principle was TOO HARD to understand, never mind follow!  Well, I'd probably have a few nickels :)

Right now in this culture and social climate we are living in confusion reigns on the grandest scale!

People are confused about which "god" is the true God

People are confused about morality

People are confused about themselves; if they are boys or girls

People are confused about which bathroom to pee in

God is not the author of confusion.  He knows how frail we are, how prone to sin, how liable to choose the wrong thing even when the right thing has been clearly laid out for us.

2Timothy 2:22-25

Just three simple scriptures that speak volumes to us, if only we will listen; if only we will have ears to hear.

22: So flee youthful passions (when we were young, we were foolish, selfish, unwise)
and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace (Galatians 5:22 & Ephesians 5:9)
along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (we don't stand alone, but in the Body!)

23: Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels (if we got this one thing right we would save ourselves so many unhappy moments in our lives!  NOTHING means nothing!  Do not engage in foolish, ignorant controversial conversations that lead no where!  Waste of time! Waste of effort! Waste of breath!)

SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

24 & 25:  And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.

When we fuss, fight and argue with people about what is wrong and what is right, we teach them only the same confusion they are already heaped in!  

Paul goes on in his letter to Timothy in chapter 3 verse 16 to reveal that -
All scripture is given by God and profitable for teaching for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness.

It is not in participating in arguments or debates that confusion is dispelled and truth reigns; it is in speaking the truth in love and living out the scriptures in our lives so others can see and be inspired to desire the hope and peace and joy of the Lord for themselves.

Keeping it Super Simple; this is a fallen, lost, hopeless world of confusion and anger and fear and sin ruled by a dark evil who only hates and destroys.  We alone are uniquely chosen by the Creator to present the alternative to darkness:

His love and light and grace and mercy and righteousness and holiness and justice and peace.

We are His Ambassadors, shining His light and calling others to His table.  It is a great privilege and great responsibility to represent the One True God to a world that rejects His very existence and shuns His truth.

This task is difficult enough without making it harder.
We are not called to refute every lie and prove false every accusation.  
That kind of activity bears no fruit and simply distracts us from our calling, wasting our time.

Three simple steps will accomplish far more that we ever will engaging in long arguments we are not called to engage ourselves with.

1.  Grow up in Him and actively seek in fellowship with likeminded believers these things:
      RIGHTEOUSNESS
      FAITH
      LOVE
      PEACE

2.  Avoid and walk away from silly, useless arguments about what is or isn't truth

3.  Speak the truth with your actions and your words, which allows the Holy Spirit to convict and      
      transform hearts and lives far better than any argument we could ever make!

Are you searching for truth but uncertain what to believe?  There is One whose way leads to life everlasting and truth that brings peace to the heart.  We can't change your life, but He can!  There are no magic words, no special prayer; there is just a Savior who will answer if you will but call on His name.

ROMANS 10:13  Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved    

The Lord bless and keep you this day, the Lord cause His face to shine upon you.