He Wants You to Know

 What if you could slow life down? What if you get your mind to be still for a few moments? What if you could block out the distractions and press your spirit closer to God? What if you could get so still before Him that you knew He was present in that moment? What if you heard each whisper from His mouth? What if He said to you, "I want you to know ...."

God wants you to know you are loved beyond your comprehension. Rom 8:35-39. You are loved on your best days when you do everything right. You are still loved on your worst days when you sin rebelliously even though you know better. You are not loved more on the one than the other day. The depths of His love is unfathomable. Every other love pales in comparison. His love is perfect, unconditional, and enduring. God wants you to know today that His love toward you is not earned. It was His choice. It was His idea. John 3:16, Romans 5:8 You are loved beyond measure. Will you accept that love and let that form the foundation from which you build your life. 

He also wants you to know you can be forgiven. It does not matter what you have done. Such horrible things that you cannot forgive yourself. Such wicked behavior you have kept it secret. You cannot even speak of it to those closest to you. Even though you live with constant guilt, shame, remorse, and under condemnation, forgiveness is available to you. It does not matter what you have done. He is willing to pardon past and present trespasses. Ps 103:12, I John 1:9 His forgiveness is there for the asking. Jesus died to remove that sin. To remove the guilt, shame, and condemnation. We just have to ask Him for it in repentance. 

He also wants you to know you were created with intelligent design. You are not a mistake no matter the circumstances of your conception. God had you in mind. You are also created with purpose. God wants you to know that your life has meaning. That He fashioned you with an assignment in mind. It is your job to seek God for that calling on your life. You may think you have made too many mistakes and that you are too old as life passes you by. It is not too late to start with God. To find a purpose where you are planted. It could be in less than pleasant circumstances. Incarcerated. Homebound due to poor health. Isolated and lonely. In an abusive environment. God can reveal purpose to you. You can become an intercessor. Your testimony can help others battling what you have endured. You can love people others neglect. Your life has purpose and meaning. Ask Him to show you what to do. 

He wants you to know that even if you have failed, you are not a failure. The Bible is filled with people who failed and yet God still used them. He used a prostitute named Rahab. He used an adulterer and murderer in King David. He used an impulsive hot tempered man named Peter. He used a religious terrorist who murdered Christians named Paul. You are not defined by your failures. You are defined by who God says you are. If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you're redeemed and part of His family. You are not a quitter. God put valuable stuff in your life like perseverance and faith to keep trying. 

He wants you to know that life is hard and life is fragile. Painful moments surface. Death happens. People can wound you deeply. In all of that, God is the place we can run and hide. He is the place we can find strength to get through the hard days and long nights. God is always available to help. Psalm 46:1, Ps 50:15 When life gets difficult, God wants us to know that He will not leave us or forsake us. Joshua 1:9 

These are just a few of the things God wants us to know as we journey through life. Maybe one of these things really hit home. Maybe one or more is just what you needed to make it through the day, the night, the trial, the pain, and despair. He just wanted you know He is there and He cares. 

Hard Times

Birthdays come and go. Some are considered milestones like when a teenager turns sixteen and get their driver's license. Some lament turning forty. They bemoan the fact that they are no longer young, but labeled middle aged. Sixty-five is another big one as people reach the age of retirement. I am no longer in my fifties, but made the jump to the sixties. I guess that means I'm officially classified as a senior adult. 

The night before I turned sixty, I told Brenda about my plan. I routinely get up early to ride the Peloton bike my sons got me for Christmas. Those rides range from six miles to over twenty miles. I told Brenda that night to celebrate my birthday I was going to ride thirty miles. I have ridden my road bike further. I once rode it fifty miles and one hundred miles. Not on the Peloton. Twenty-three miles was my record. I wanted to break it just to show that at sixty I am not washed up. That I could push myself to do hard things.

I am not going to say it was easy. Especially not on my bottom. It took awhile to complete. When it was all said and done, I made the thirty miles plus five more. Puddles of sweat formed under the handlebars on the floor. My clothes were just as soaked as if I stood in the shower wearing them. My legs were shaky when I dismounted. 

Why such a feat? I like to challenge my mind and body to do hard things. We live in a society where most things are easy and convenient. We push a button on our phone to order food, remote start a vehicle, lock doors, and even turn the lights off and on. We have gone past pushing buttons on a remote control. We can just speak what we want to watch and the television will go to that program or movie. 

Living with such luxury makes us soft. Doing hard things makes us tougher. Mark my words. One day all this technology is going to fail us. Those dependent on their cell phones will be horrified one day to realize cell towers have been shut down and nobody has cell service anymore. One day all our entertainment devices will be disabled and the only programming we have access to will be a one world government propaganda to brainwash. To get us to conform and renounce our Christianity people will be forced to accept the mark of the beast, which the Bible forbids any Christian to do. Many will go along to get along. They will do whatever is required to save their hides. Devout believers will die violent martyr's deaths refusing to renounce Christ. Hard times are coming. I see signs of it everywhere. 

Our soft churches are not prepared for such times. When persecution really starts, will the mega churches still be filled? Will our churches still have people show up? There are many parts of the world where serving Jesus is costly. These followers of Jesus understand persecution in a way most of us have never experienced. How will American Christians respond when they are arrested, tortured, and killed? None of us knows. It is my belief that we very well may live long enough to find out. 

Faithful followers of Jesus have lived hard in gospel hardened places. They have a rock hard faith that is not easily shaken. They are steadfast in their commitment. They are resolute in their determination to be faithful to the very end no matter what it costs. Contrast that with people who wake up and opt not to go to worship because it is raining. Contrast that with those who bow to the idol of family and use them as an excuse for not being fully devoted to Jesus. Hard decisions are coming for American Christians. Hard decisions that require hard faith and conviction. Will this wishy washy church age stand firm when that time comes? Time will tell.