Wednesday, October 13, 2010

October 13, 2010

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." I Corinthians 15:58
When it comes to our faith, everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus!
The resurrection is the "therefore" in this verse. Because the resurrection is a fact and Jesus did rise from the dead, then all of God's other claims and promises are true as well! ALL OF THEM!
Life matters! Life matters more when you live it for God! Life continues after death when Jesus lives in you!
Since life matters then what you do (or don't do) with your life matters! What you do in this life with and for Jesus has eternal significance! Everything you will enjoy in the next life is infuenced by what you do in this one! Your resurrection depends on His. Since His happened yours will, too! How encouraging is that!?
If the resurrection were not true that would not be true - but it is!
What you do matters even when it doesn't seem to matter. Everything you do either adds or detracts from eternity - your eternity and eternity for others! So, make today count! Keep obeying God and honoring Him! Keep loving others and serving them. Don't life for results or affirmation, live knowing that every right thing you do is recorded in heaven and great will be your reward!
Paul sent this reminder to encourage us! He, of all people, understood how discouraging it can be to serve God and to serve people. God is invisible and people can be ungrateful and life can seem pointless. But look to the resurrection! When Jesus looked defeated and faith looked its darkness, victory was accomplished!
Take encouragement today! Do the hard thing - the right thing - the faith thing!
Today I want to especially send this encouragement to my beautiful daughter who is celebrating her 34th birthday today in the face of some overwhelming struggles. Sis, you know it pays to do the right thing! Payday is sometimes delayed, but God is faithful to those who remain faithful!

October 12, 2010

"How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body." I Corinthians 15:36-38
You have heard all the good news, bad news jokes. There are some good ones.
For humor to be funny it must contain an element of truth and life IS a good news/bad news proposition. You are fully aware of that!
In this portion of Scripture Paul assures us that we who are the redeemed will receive eternal bodies with which to enjoy the eternal paradise that is Heaven. The bad news is we will have to die to get it!
According to Paul's analogy, the seeds of your new and eternal body are resident in your current body!
So, care for your temporary body. Nurture it. Regard it as sacred because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Surrender your body as a living sacrifice that God can use for His glory.
But no matter how well you care for it and maintain it, some day death with rip your spirit out of your body and it will be buried or burned. No matter how your body is disposed of, it will be resurrected and renewed when Jesus returns!
God cares about you as a whole person, emotions, mind, spirit and body. And when Jesus offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice for your sins, He redeemed your whole person! The death of Jesus conquered sin and His resurrection destroyed the power of death! His Holy Spirit ministers comfort, truth and health to your mind and spirit!
So, for believers, there is good news and better news! Death will usher you into the immediate presence of God and the temporary separation from your body will result in the reception of a perfect and eternal body!
Live life carefully and prayerful and joyfully! Love God completely and love others passionately knowing that His eternal life and love at work in you and your future is bright!