Great endings

A friend of mine recently passed along some wise counsel that is well worth repeating:

1. Live without pretending.  We are not who we think we are. We are, however, who Christ says we are. 2 Cor. 5: 17 tells us, "If any man be in Christ, he is a(n entirely) new creation; the old has passed away, behold, new things have come." We do not have to live beneath our station in Christ, because, in Him, we are more than conquerors.
2. Love without depending. In the love chapter of the Bible, 1 Cor. 13: 4, 5, we hear "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own." The kind of love God has for us - and wants us to have - is other centered.
3. Listen without defending.  1 Cor. 13: 5 goes on to say that "love is not provoked." It listens patiently, hoping to give a reason for the hope within us. It values both speaker and listener.
4. Speak without offending. Our aim in Christ is to build up, stir up, and cheer up so that the Church - the body of Christ - is neatly fitted and joined together by that which every joint supplies (Eph. 4:16). It grows, it works and produces work fit for the kingdom of God.

As we move through our days, let us determine to be "other centered" and so demonstrate the heart of God.

About the Future

A 20th century Christian sage said, "We are made for eternity as surely as we are made for time. Everything we do, therefore, is about the future."

Looking at that far distant country - the future - I find there is much I am only beginning to understand about God's denouement for history.

The kingdom of God has, for the most part, been relegated by some scholars to a future undetermined time and having little immediate importance. Jesus said quite a bit to His disciples (and by extension, to us) about the kingdom. There is much for us to heed as well.

In future posts I hope to take a closer look at God's kingdom and what it means for His creation and His people. Please join me in this discussion, as we are fellow travelers.

JH

Touching God

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - " 
1 John 1:1

"And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His, glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."      John 1:14

Within these verses the Apostle John describes an active, vibrant, living relationship he had with the Jesus Christ he walked with, lived with, stood by, and knew. The one word that best describes this relationship is intimacy.

Courage, Honesty and Friendship

I received the following from a friend of mine. I thought I might pass it on in the hopes of encouraging any and all friends or acquaintances who might read this. God bless!