Saturday, January 2, 2016

January 3, 2016

 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

The key to knowing God's purpose for your life is to know God on purpose. Paul, writing to the Romans, says that if your want to know God's purpose for your life make knowing God your purpose. If you do that, He promises that He will reveal His will for you.

Why is it important to know your purpose for living?

If you are not guided by your purpose, you will be misguided by your personal preferences.

 A purpose gives you something to live for that is bigger than yourself and what you want. A life guided by personal desires never seems to end well.

If you are not guided by your purpose, you will be misguided by your passions. A purpose takes emotions and emotional decision out of play. How many good decisions have you made when you were overcome by your emotions? A purpose begins with the end in mind and chooses or decides based on what accomplishes your purpose.

If you are not guided by your purpose, you will be misguided by your prejudices. A purpose is based on a process and on principles not on personalities or people. A purpose is focused on arriving at a certain result and prioritizes according to whatever accomplishes the purpose rather your petty personal judgments.

Are you living on purpose? Do you have a clear idea of what your life is to accomplish?

If so, it is because you have purposed to know your purpose. You have purposely made knowing God your purpose. That purposeful quest has lifted you above your personal preferences, above your passions and above your prejudices.

Know God, know purpose.

 No God, no purpose.

January 2, 2016

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,  that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:14-16

(NOTE: When I post this I do so knowing I will have one less devoted reader of my blog. It's not a though I have many who read it to begin with, but this one was a special one. My sister-law-law, Jan Gee, went home to be with the Lord yesterday following a brief but intense battle with ovarian cancer. So, I post this in her honor knowing I will never post another devotional without thinking of her.)

I wonder how many times I will write "2015" on a check before I adjust to the new year -2016?

In spite of my struggle with adjusting to a new date, New Year's Day is one of my favorite holidays! I find it more relaxing than most holidays because it is less demanding than most of the other holidays. I get to stay up late and sleep in on that day without feeling guilty.
New Year's Day allows me to be a "couch potato" for a day, watch football, snack on some munchies and not feel too guilty. I like that!

Overlook the fact that I am writing this post on New Year's Day, and it is one day I get to be a "normal" guy!

This is the 65th New Year's Day I have celebrated. I am hoping I will get to celebrate quite a few more! There is a LOT of football left to watch!

Having said that and having expressed my love of New Year's Day, I am looking forward to something MUCH greater than New Year's. Some day I will get to enjoy "no years"! "No years" is where the vast majority of my life will be lived!

"Brad, what are you talking about? What is "no years"?

"No years" is eternity!

There are no clocks in eternity!

There are no calendars in eternity!

There are no dates, or day-timers or deadlines in eternity!

In eternity time is measured in millenniums not in minutes! Eternity is lived in the "everlasting moment"! Think about the best moment of your life - that moment you wished would never end. If you project that forward you have a glimpse of eternity!

When I run out of New Year's I get to have "no years" for one reason only - because "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!" God's Son stepped out of eternity and into time to pay the penalty of my sins by dying on a cross! He died in time so I can live in eternity!

Wow!

I can have a happy New Year because I know for sure I will some day enjoy a happy "no years"!

Do you have that assurance?

Have you trusted Christ to be your Savior?

Have you repented of your sins, confessed that He is your only hope for salvation, and accepted His sacrifice for your sins?

If you have or if you will - Happy "No Years"!