What time is it, Honey?

Due to my poor eyesight, I cannot see the digital clock in our bedroom. Every morning, the first thing out of my mouth is an inquiry about the time. Time is very important to me.

Usually, I wake up every morning around 6:30 a.m.  (I am an early riser). After a quick breakfast, I write my schedule for the day.

Bible study 7:30-8:30

Morning walk 8:45-9:45

Housework 10:00-10:05

Write for website 10:05-11:30 …

You get the idea.

Vacation time

This summer, we vacationed in a little cabin in northern Michigan. Much to my chagrin, the cabin did not have a working clock. I was flabbergasted. How would I be able to schedule my vacation without knowing the time?

At first I struggled with the whole time issue; I never realized how often I checked my phone … until it didn’t work. The internet is dicey at best in northern Michigan. But, after a few days, I sank into a delightful rhythm.

Time?? Who needs to know the time? A pox upon all clocks and time pieces, I thought with reckless abandon.  We ate when we were hungry and slept when we were tired. I was no longer ruled by

the tick

and the tock

of an

unrelenting clock.

The tyranny of time.

While Jesus does not want us to be ruled by the tyranny of time, He does want us to have a sense of urgency about the time and the seasons. All time is moving towards an awe inspiring event – the Day of the Lord. What do the times and seasons tell us about this day? How can we prepare for this crucial event? Please click on the link below for more information.

1 Thessalonians, Session 18: Time and Seasons

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Always is a very sketchy word in today’s culture. Very few things in this life rank the term always. “I will always love you … I will always be there for you … I will always be your friend.”  I have heard and believed these phrases only to be disappointed on several occasions. The promise is only as dependable as the one who utters it.

God promises there will come a day when we will be always with the Lord. Faith will become sight, no more death, no more sin, no more sorrow, and no more shame. The separation will be over and we shall forever be always with the Lord. The promise is only as dependable as the One who utters it.

To find our more about Always With the Lord, please click on the link below.

1 Thessalonians, Part 17: Always With the Lord

I love the quiet. As a busy teacher, who spends much of the school year with noisy, energetic children, I long for peace and quiet. The quiet life. God also loves quiet and wants us to live the quiet life. In the stillness of the quiet life, we can hear God’s voice speak words of life and hope.

Even though God calls us to live the quiet life, that doesn’t mean we are to be silent. In season and out of season, we need to be ready to tell everyone we meet about the grace we have found in Jesus Christ.

Even though our lives are quiet, our character, words, and our actions should speak loudly of the Gospel.

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So how do you live the quiet life, and yet speak loudly of the kingdom of God? God’s Word contains the answer. To continue your study of 1 Thessalonians, A Life of Faith, please click on the link below.

1 Thessalonians Part 16: The Quiet Life

Insightful  … cute … smart … funny … quixotic!

Think of words you’d use to describe yourself. Would you ever consider describing yourself as a “most holy thing”? Me either, but God does. Because of the cross, we have been washed clean (sanctification) by the blood of Christ. The process of sanctification is not a quick fix. Sanctification continues as long as we continue to draw breath.

Thankfully, we are not responsible for our sanctification. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit work together to wash away every sin and stain. Our sanctification is accomplished by His word, circumstances, prayer, and discipleship. Operation Sanctification … God’s going deep!

To do 1 Thessalonians A Life of Faith, Part 15: Operation Sanctification, please click on the link below.

A Life of Faith, Part 15: Operation Sanctification

As Americans, we live in a culture of more, where enough is never enough. We want more money, more house, more car, more technology, and more status. The “next big thing” is still not enough. Americans want more and more. All of this striving for more and more does lead to a net gain of more and more debt,  more and more stress, more and more aggravation, and more and more dissatisfaction. Seeking more and more of the American Dream leaves us empty, drained, and depressed.

There is one thing, however, we can have more and more of that will not leave us empty– God. The more and more we seek the Kingdom of God the more and more He will bless us and transform us into the image of His Son. God is waiting and longing to pour out more and more of His spirit upon His children so we can minister to the lost and hurting, make disciples of all nations, and bring God great glory.

More and more God … more and more grace, peace, love and righteousness.

To do part 14 of the A Life of Faith, please click on the link below.

1 Thessalonians, Part 14: More and More

For related articles please click on the following links:

The Stuff Monster

Making Room for God

9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,  10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. 1 Thessalonians 3:10

Picture perfect … practice makes perfect. These well-known idioms are part of American culture.  People long for perfection. Perfectionism is a cruel task master, especially when one is … well, …imperfect.  Despite our flawed condition, we continue to seek perfection. We work, strive, and labor for perfect test scores, perfect teeth, perfect children, the perfect job, the perfect wedding, the perfect vacations,  the perfect house, the perfect outfit, etc.  We try everything except the one thing that will help achieve our goal–prayer. Prayer, however,  helps us not to be perfect, but to be perfected. Biblical perfection is very different from the human idea of perfection.

What does perfection have to do with a life of faith? The Bible does have a good deal to say about perfection,

“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

Whew! That sounds like a perfect impossibility until we read,

“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:23

and,

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Colossians 1:28

God’s plan in for man to be perfected, but Biblical perfection will not be achieved apart from Christ. To learn how to be perfected, please click on the link below.

A Life of Faith, Part 13: Pray and Perfect