Did you know that God commands us to be glad?
"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)
1) God created us for his glory
"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth,... whom I created for my glory" (Isaiah 43:6-7)
God made us to magnify his greatness - the way telescopes magnify stars. He created us to put his goodness and truth and beauty and wisdom and justice on display. The greatest display of God's glory comes from deep delight in all that he is. This means that God gets the praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so that he is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
2) Every human should live for God's glory
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"
(1 Corinthians 10:31).
If God made us for his glory, it is clear that we should live for his glory. Our duty comes from his design. So our first obligation is to show God's value by being satisfied with all that he is for us. This is the essence of loving God (Matthew 22:37) and trusting him (1 John 5:3-4) and being thankful to him (Psalm 100:2-4) It is the root of all true obedience, especially loving others (Colossians 1:4-5).
3) All of us have failed to glorify God as we should
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
What does it mean to "fall short of the glory of God?" It means that none of us has trusted and treasured God the way we should. We have not been satisfied with his greatness and walked in his ways. We have sought our satisfaction in other things, and treated them as more valuable than God, which is the essence of idolatry (Romans 1:21-23). Since sin came into the world we have all been deeply resistant to having God as our all-satisfying treasure (Ephesians 2:3). This is an appalling offense to the greatness of God (Jeremiah 2:12-13).
4) All of us are subject to God's just condemnation
"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23).
We have all belittled the glory of God. How? By preferring other things above him. By our ingratitude, distrust and disobedience. So God is just in shutting us out from the enjoyment of his glory forever. "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
5) God sent his only son Jesus to provide eternal life and joy
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)
The good news is that Christ died for sinners like us. And he rose physically from the dead to validate the saving power of his death and to open the gates of eternal life and joy (1 Corinthians 15:20). This means God can acquit guilty sinners and still be just (Romans 3:25-26). "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). Coming home to God is where all deep and lasting satisfaction is found.
6) The benefits purchased by the death of Christ belong to those who repent and trust him
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out" (Acts 3:19). "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
"Repent" means to turn from all the deceitful promises of sin. "Faith" means being satisfied with all that God promises to be for us in Jesus. "He who believes in me," Jesus says, "shall never thirst" (John 6:35). We do not earn our salvation. We cannot merit it (Romans 4:4-5). It is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift (Romans 3:24). We will have it if we cherish it above all things (Matthew 13:44). When we do that, God's aim in creation is accomplished: He is glorified in us and we are satisfied in him - forever.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Heaven: Home of Laughter
My first post had a couple funny real life stories. I also want to include links to more serious things. They still include references to humor, but not my own personal stories. From time to time, I will include my personal life experiences. However, this article really speaks about what I want to include in this blog. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.epm.org/artman2/publish/Eternity_life_in_heaven/Heaven_Home_of_Laughter.shtml
http://www.epm.org/artman2/publish/Eternity_life_in_heaven/Heaven_Home_of_Laughter.shtml
Friday, May 14, 2010
Life in the Not So Fast Lane -- Angels Watching Over Me
A couple of months ago, my husband and I made the journey of another PCS. Yes, we are a military family. My husband has been married to the Air Force longer than to me. He has completed almost nineteen years of service. This summer will be our six year wedding anniversary.
We decided to drive one car and tow the other one so we could all be together. Travelling with a two year old across several states. Figured it would make the trip easier. A few months before we moved, we took the truck into the shop to be serviced. The mechanic found several problems with the truck. Thus, "Angels Watching Over Me" in the title.
We knew we needed new tires and new brakes. Didn't know how bad the tires were, until after he took them off the truck and showed us how they were cracked. It is a miracle we didn't have a blow out at some point. There were other problems too with the rear differential leaking fluid all over the brakes. The mechanic even took a video tape of various problems he found with the truck. Never thought I would be watching a movie about our vehicle at the repair shop. Funny thing was when he connected the camera to the TV in the customer waiting room. The beginning of the video was his dog. He loves his dog like it was his child. Very sweet.
Luckily, we were able to have all these problems fixed. We made the journey to our new base. Arrived here safe and sound. Our stuff, well, that's another story. Gotta love movers. But that is what reminds you about what is really important in life. Not the stuff you accumulate, but the people you have with you to share this incredible journey we call life.
That brings me to another story that happened recently. I went to the commissary to get some groceries. I need to add that it was raining this lovely spring day in Colorado. I purchased a few items and put my son in his car seat then took the cart around to the back of the truck to put the groceries away. I forgot that I had let him hold the truck keys while I fastened his car seat.
It is when I have the back window to the SUV open that I realize Aiden has the keys! I hear the doors lock. I hear them unlock. Back and forth, lock, unlock. I run over to the passenger door where my son is sitting with the keys in his hands. Little two year old fingers pushing buttons. Lock, unlock. OK, now I can open the door, NO! Locked again. Now, uh-oh the truck just started.
Really? I freak out and try to get into the Navigator from the opened window in back. I get about half my body through and then... stuck. Oh, no! I figure everyone in this area of the parking lot must be laughing at me by now, but no. Everyone is busy with their own lives. Doing their own thing. Nobody seems to notice me hanging out the back of my SUV.
Then it happens! The most beautiful sound I thought I would hear. The doors are unlocked. I tell my son to not push a button. Mommy will be right there. My son must have been very amused by me. He didn't cry at all through all of this. I was able to get out of the truck and get the keys back from my son. Give him a kiss on the cheek and tell him that I love him. I get into the driver's seat. Before I put the car into gear, I put my head on the steering wheel and just laugh and laugh.
Proverbs 17:22 says it best. "A happy heart is like good medicine. But a broken spirit drains your strength."
We decided to drive one car and tow the other one so we could all be together. Travelling with a two year old across several states. Figured it would make the trip easier. A few months before we moved, we took the truck into the shop to be serviced. The mechanic found several problems with the truck. Thus, "Angels Watching Over Me" in the title.
We knew we needed new tires and new brakes. Didn't know how bad the tires were, until after he took them off the truck and showed us how they were cracked. It is a miracle we didn't have a blow out at some point. There were other problems too with the rear differential leaking fluid all over the brakes. The mechanic even took a video tape of various problems he found with the truck. Never thought I would be watching a movie about our vehicle at the repair shop. Funny thing was when he connected the camera to the TV in the customer waiting room. The beginning of the video was his dog. He loves his dog like it was his child. Very sweet.
Luckily, we were able to have all these problems fixed. We made the journey to our new base. Arrived here safe and sound. Our stuff, well, that's another story. Gotta love movers. But that is what reminds you about what is really important in life. Not the stuff you accumulate, but the people you have with you to share this incredible journey we call life.
That brings me to another story that happened recently. I went to the commissary to get some groceries. I need to add that it was raining this lovely spring day in Colorado. I purchased a few items and put my son in his car seat then took the cart around to the back of the truck to put the groceries away. I forgot that I had let him hold the truck keys while I fastened his car seat.
It is when I have the back window to the SUV open that I realize Aiden has the keys! I hear the doors lock. I hear them unlock. Back and forth, lock, unlock. I run over to the passenger door where my son is sitting with the keys in his hands. Little two year old fingers pushing buttons. Lock, unlock. OK, now I can open the door, NO! Locked again. Now, uh-oh the truck just started.
Really? I freak out and try to get into the Navigator from the opened window in back. I get about half my body through and then... stuck. Oh, no! I figure everyone in this area of the parking lot must be laughing at me by now, but no. Everyone is busy with their own lives. Doing their own thing. Nobody seems to notice me hanging out the back of my SUV.
Then it happens! The most beautiful sound I thought I would hear. The doors are unlocked. I tell my son to not push a button. Mommy will be right there. My son must have been very amused by me. He didn't cry at all through all of this. I was able to get out of the truck and get the keys back from my son. Give him a kiss on the cheek and tell him that I love him. I get into the driver's seat. Before I put the car into gear, I put my head on the steering wheel and just laugh and laugh.
Proverbs 17:22 says it best. "A happy heart is like good medicine. But a broken spirit drains your strength."
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