life

TODAY’S BREADCRUMB

It seems short-sighted for someone to have a “life verse” since one’s life is in many places on each given day and what one truly needs from GOD is fresh manna for every moment.

TODAY’S BREADCRUMB

FAITH OR FEAR

Death is certain, but it isn’t final. Fear of dying and death causes normally rational people do lots of irrational things – like hoard toilet paper and live alone in caves (homes) for who knows how long. But, there’s GOOD NEWS and also a better option – faith. Death is terrifying when viewed from people who live in a place of fear, but death isn’t very scary when viewed through lenses of faith. Because death is a defeated enemy – it has been swallowed up in the victory of GOD’s love, so it has no power, no sting, and nothing to fear any more – unless you live in a position outside of faith.

We are all dying mortals who need a living Savior – Dr. Jim Denison

54 And when the rotting body has been clothed in what can’t decay, and the dying body has been clothed in what can’t die, then this statement in scripture will happen: Death has been swallowed up by a victory. 55Where is your victory, Death? Where is your sting, Death? (56 Death’s sting is sin, and the power of sin is the Law.) 57 Thanks be to God, who gives us this victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!  1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (CEB)

People who fear dying and death either have never heard such GOOD NEWS, refuse to believe it, or don’t really trust it, for it seems that even people of faith have fallen into the camp of the fearful at this time. Yet fear and faith cannot occupy the same place – as they are in total opposition to one another.

Because…18 Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love takes away fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear. So love is not made perfect in the person who has fear.  1 John 4:18 (ICB)

Death is no longer the punishment for sin, but the promotion of salvation – when we go from mortal to immortal, from partial to complete…if you live by faith, not by sight.

Jesus said…I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]  John 16:33 (AMPC)

Fear sees a problem. Faith sees an opportunity.

Fear cowers. Faith takes courage.

Fear complains, criticizes, and blames. Faith takes action.

Fear sees a giant too big to fight. Faith sees a target too big to miss.

Fear turns to government, medicine, and science. Faith turns to GOD.

We are living in a period of time where many are living in a state of fear – afraid of this enemy virus. Others are living in a state of faith – turning to and trusting in GOD to protect us, provide for us, and grant us His divine favor. This is always the case when dealing with an enemy – some fall back, while others step forward.

Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.’” And Gideon tested them; twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained.  Judges 7:3(ESV)

 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear…34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”…45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”  1 Samuel 17:23-24, 34-37, 45-47a (NIV)

We must allow people to decide for themselves what to do and determine their own level of risk in dealing with this virus. Let the fearful, weak, and vulnerable go home and stay home as it is the right thing for them to do, and let their decision be understood and supported. Let the faithful, courageous, and confident go out to battle and engage in life as they choose, care for those staying at home, build immunities against this virus, and defeat its threat upon our lives and livelihoods.

TODAY’S BREADCRUMB

We can’t stop living because some of us are dying.

100% of human beings die. The hairs on our heads, as well as the length of our days are numbered.

You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. Job 14:5 (NLT) 

We can do nothing to change the quantity of our days, only the quality of them. We do what we can to preserve life, exercise prudence, and not live recklessly or arrogantly, but still we watch some die who “shouldn’t”, and others who “should” die, yet don’t. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is going to kill the exact number of us it is destined to kill – not one more, not one less. Tens of thousands of us die each and every day from a variety of causes – people of every age, size, shape, and color – but we have never “shut down” the world because of this.

We haven’t stopped driving though some of us die in traffic wrecks. We haven’t stopped eating though some of us die from choking on food. We haven’t stopped swimming though some of us drown. We haven’t stopped having sex though some of us die from it by heart attack, aids, std’s, and unwanted pregnancies (tens of millions of babies are aborted each year after people have had sex). We haven’t stopped going outside though there are hungry wild animals out there who kill some of us. And what about the millions of us who develop and/or die from cancer each year? We live on, knowing that some of us will get it and some of us won’t, some of it can be treated, some of it can’t.

We know for certain that cigarette smoking leads to lung disease which kills tens of thousands of us every year; We know for certain that pornography is connected to and associated with tens of thousands of crimes, abuses, addictions, and disorders; We know for certain that alcohol destroys and kills tens of thousands of us each year; We know for certain that soda, cheesecake, and donuts contribute to obesity and diabetes which kills tens of thousands of us each year – yet we haven’t banned cigarettes, pornography, alcohol, or sweets. So, what is this sudden concern right now for the safety and well-being of human life and “shutting down” the world in which we live? (According to the Associated Press, 80,000 Americans died from the flu during the 2017 – 2018 season; as of this writing there are roughly 40,000 worldwide and 4,000 U.S. deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19).

We can’t stop living because some of us our dying.

People live; People die. We call this life. Death has always been here with us. No one dies too soon, no one dies too late – we all die right on time – our time.

This is not a time to live in panic and fear, but to stand together, under GOD, in faith. We must carry on and continue to live in common unity – to work, play, attend school, shop, celebrate, mourn, and worship GOD – and everything else human life entails. We should take advantage of this unique opportunity to re-examine our lives, reset our values, and reform our systems of government, healthcare, business, education, entertainment, religion, etc…

But we shouldn’t return to “business as usual” either. We have just learned that we can live without a lot of things – things that just a few weeks ago we would have never dreamed we could forego. Things that were a part of our every day, every week rhythms and routines. Yet in such a short period of time we have adjusted, adapted, and changed. We have also learned that the Church is not a building, that being able to go to work and school is a blessing, and that we miss each other – even those frustrating, annoying, irritating people we used to interact with every day.

We need to live better and smarter. We need to live more simple, humble, selfless lives. Yes, we should be vigilant to wash our hands, fold them in prayer, and use them to help and serve those around us. While we’re at it, how about incorporating a little common sense into the way we live, since it has been replaced by too much non-sense. A great deal of life is a matter of being disciplined and responsible on a daily basis – doing the right thing, the right way, for the right reason, each and every time (we find what is right by reading the right book, The BIBLE).

We can’t stop living because some of us our dying.

Physical life ends in physical death – this is a certain, given fact. But we are both physical and spiritual beings. Spiritual life is eternal – it is spent in perfect relationship with GOD and His people, or in absolute isolation alone forever. Yes, death is certain, but so is life.

He who has the Son [by accepting Him as Lord and Savior] has the life [that is eternal]; he who does not have the Son of God [by personal faith] does not have the life. 1 John 5:12 (AMP)

I am certain, as I hope we all are, of this…“All my days GOD has been faithful; All my days GOD has been so, so good; With every breath that I am able, I will speak of the goodness of GOD.” (Goodness of GOD, Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson, with a few grammatical liberties taken)

 

TODAY’S BREADCRUMB

True FREEDOM is found only through SACRIFICE – when I lay my selfishness, my insecurities, and my defensiveness aside and put GOD and others before me. A “me first” manner of life yields a dissipated caged death.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow anyone to put the yoke of slavery on you again. Galatians 5:1

TODAY’S BREADCRUMB

ALL THERE IS

The unbelieving, unsaved souls of the earth are compelled to do it all and have it all right now, because for them, there will be no later life. The fear of death holds them captive, leaves them short-sighted, and drives them into a flurry of self-promoting, pampering, and pacifying activities, since for them, this is all there is and the best that life will ever be.

These children are people with physical bodies. So Jesus himself became like them and had the same experiences they have. Jesus did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death – the devil. Jesus became like these people and died so that he could free them. They were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.    Hebrews 2:14-15 (ERV)