11/6/09
I grew up in South Louisiana and spent the first forty four years of my life enjoying the warm winter time temperatures that I now realize I took for granted. My sophomore year of college at LSU we had a snow storm – all ¾ of an inch of snow and the whole campus had to shut down because of unsafe driving conditions! One would think after being a resident of this wonderful community for these past 11 years I would have gotten use to the changing of the seasons.
Well after struggling through the unseasonably record low temperatures and dismal grey skies from last week I have come to the realization that I don’t like cold weather, and probably will never like cold weather – no none at all. And you know what – I just have to learn to live with it or be depressed five or six months out of the year.
Well the bible talks about the seasons of life. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Then Solomon goes through a list of life’s seasons – some we are on top of the mountains enjoying life; and those other times when we feel like the mountains are on top of us! Birth versus death; building up versus tearing down; laughter versus crying; dancing versus grieving etc. Well all of us love those mountain top experiences – but not one of us can escape those times of heartache, confusion, and pain that life deals to us. Ecclesiastes 7:14 encourages us with this biblical admonition. “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.” Life is full of seasons. Just because I don’t like certain seasons doesn’t mean it’s not ordained by God.
So I have a choice – be grumpy or fulfill Paul’s command to me from 1Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you.” May the Lord Jesus help me to be thankful in all seasons of life – the good times and the bad times – knowing that He is in control.
9-2-2009
Chuck Colson writes in his book – The Faith – “Salvation - our past sins are not only totally forgiven, but we are also transformed to live a new life by God’s power & grace.”
If salvation is real it is going to result in a changed life. Does that mean we become totally sinless? No, not at all. What it does mean is that my life, my desires, & my wants, begin to line up with God’s purposes. It may start off small (the kingdom is like a tiny mustard seed – it’s going to grow) but eventually if my experience with God was real I will begin to be conformed to His image. That is my desires and wants and actions will begin to change.
May we know the real grace of God.
