Time is money!

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…”
(Luke 16:10)

“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”
(John 3:12)

It seems the Lord was showing me that these verses can refer to how we manage and steward and understand TIME. He gives us TIME in this temporal world and watches to see how we will use it. And if we do well (according to His idea of “well”), then He is ready to entrust us with heavenly, eternal things!

Sometimes, when we experience God’s tangible Presence, Eternity invades our temporal reality and TIME seems to disappear, as it is overwhelmed and displaced by His eternal, infinite Glory. And as we experience Him like this, everything in our lives begins to be transformed. But if we want to experience this infusion, we need to approach and esteem temporal TIME rightly — by spending a lot of it on Him, being willing to lavish Him with one of the few types of CURRENCY that really impresses Him — our TIME.

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Uh…really live!

YES, LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOURSELF! (Ran into this sign at a car dealership today) We need to stop living our lives through books and movies for awhile — and unplug from electronica, entertainment, social media, etc. for awhile — and go on some real adventures with the Holy Spirit!  It’s not complicated — just get away from the noise of the world long enough to be able to hear what God is saying to you.  And then go do whatever He says!

Brushstrokes…

The mind is a canvas. And it takes discernment (and patient practice) to know who is painting on it… us, or the culture or the enemy or God. Not all thoughts we have are from us (and many of our own thoughts are…uh..not that helpful). We cannot afford to be passive as we meander through our brains. We have to be aware and disciplined, and to know the difference between the stuff in our heads and the Word of God:

“…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
(2 Corinthians 10:5)

His gravity, not ours.

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”
(Romans 11:36)

Jesus, help us to break free from our own gravity today
(all our inner monologues, desires, plans, distractions
and self-absorption) and to revolve around You.

 

Where is your treasure?

“For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the City with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10)

Abraham enjoyed many blessings and accomplished many great things while being “present” and living on this planet. But he never allowed these blessings or activities to beguile him or divert his attention from his true destiny. He knew that this place was not his home.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'” (Revelation 21:1-4)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your TREASURE is, there your HEART will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

May the fruit of our lives matter in eternity.
CARPE AETERNITAS!!!

 

What is success?

Attentively available…

 

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
(1 Corinthians 6:19)

I believe the practical outworking of this is to simply learn how to hear the voice of God, and then to regularly listen for Him and do whatever He says.

That means we don’t have to be brilliant or exceedingly clever — just ATTENTIVELY AVAILABLE.  This, IMO, is a big part of the “crucified life” — to regularly, throughout our day, pay the emotional price of unplugging from our inner monologues and to-do lists and distractions and connect with Holy Spirit and seriously listen for whatever ways He might want to tweak or overhaul our plans/goals for that moment or that day — and enter into what I call “the adventure of Holy Ghost improv.” 

He might tell you to pray for that person next to you in the check-out line.  Or to share the Good News of Jesus with the guy in the next cubicle.  Or forgive your brother.  Or…

 

The Grinch…

Which GRINCH is trying to steal your Christmas?  Maybe it’s the Grinch of Unforgiveness.  Maybe it’s the Grinch of Bitterness or Resentment.  Regardless of which Grinch it is, we don’t have to let him get away with it!  Because of Jesus’ victory on the Cross, and His Presence in us, we have been given the strength to really let go of these things and be healed — such a wonderful Christmas Gift that is.

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Listen…

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
(James 1:19-20)

Now is a time when we should be unplugging from noise and tumult and knee-jerk reactions. Now is a time to be listening to the Spirit.  That, I believe, is the way of peace and revelation and true objectivity in this season.

TV LOVE…

Here’s a short vid I made about true intimacy…