The Importance of an Eternal Perspective

"Dust to dust, and ashes to ashes..." is all I heard before my head began reeling with the implications of an ungodly life, and what I want to be remembered for at my funeral. In the end does it really matter how we lived? Are we really going to leave a lasting mark on those who walked this planet with us? As a Christian, do I want to die with regrets?

These are some serious questions, ones that I believe need answering. As I was attending the funeral of a man who had left his wife and family for another woman, the asphyxiating tension in the room became evidently clear while I observed the family's interaction with one-another, and with this other woman. It was clear that they were doing everything in their power to be friendly to her, but inside there was obvious turmoil and pain. As I observed this I could not help but wonder what that man, His body now lying in a casket, thought during his dying moments. I could not help but wonder at the regret he must have felt as his wife and family surrounded him to comfort him during his last moments on earth. It is this situation that has encouraged me, no, exhorted me, to ask myself this question before I do any "questionable" thing.

"Is it really worth it?"

When the dust settles, the final hurrah is over, and I'm lying on my death bed will I regret the decisions I made? Will I wish that I could undo all the hurt that I caused others? Or how about when I stand before my saviour? Will I be able to utter any words except "I am so sorry." You see, this is the importance 0f having an eternal perspective, it causes us to view our time here on earth as a stewardship, one for which we will have to give account. If we understand that someday we are going to stand before a righteous judge who will ask us to give account of ourselves, it changes things. With that perspective we can no longer live for ourselves, but must live for Christ and for others. The decisions that we make today shape our tomorrow, and we can never tell how far-reaching the consequences of a poor decision will be, but I guarantee you this; any decision not made for the glory of God is far more detrimental than we will ever come to realize. Not only do our selfish acts and poor decisions hurt ourselves, but they affect others, sometimes years later. It is impossible to tell at the time, but in the end, I think we will know.

I am committed to living my life in such a way that if I have time to think it over at the end, I will not finish with regrets, but I can joyfully look forward to a glorious union with my saviour. Wont you commit to do the same? Live your life through Christ's strength, and for the glory of God.

Hymn Number 380

"Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
daily, walking close to Thee,
let it be, dear Lord, let it be."
- Author Unknown

The refrain of this song has been tirelessly chugging through my thoughts for many days now; I sing it when I wake up, and I sing it when I go to sleep. I hear it's message in every sermon I listen to, and I read it on every page that I turn. In short, this is something that the Lord has really been impressing upon my life; the need for a closer walk with Him. The need to lose my life so that I might gain it, the need to decrease so that He might increase. It is this need that has driven me to a deeper understand of the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus, the ultimate example of a close walk with God and a yieldedness to the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 5:7-9, speaking of Christ, says: "who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" If the Father could will that the gift of salvation be offered to the world any other way than by His life, Christ wanted to know. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus cried out to His father "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." and again He prayed "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." Christ's life always reflected the will of the Father, and He died on the cross bearing our sin just as the Father had asked Him to do. That is what the verse in Hebrews means when it say that He "learned obedience" and that He was "perfected." It is not that He was morally perfected or that He had at some point been disobedient and now learned obedience, but that His ministry, His purpose for coming to earth was proven throughout His life, and made perfect, or completed, in His death.

It is Christ's example, the one of obedience unto death (Philippians 2:8), that we are called to follow in order to have a closer walk with God. Romans 13:14 tells us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and to "make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." This means that we must put off our sinful works and start doing the work of Christ. We must stay as far from evil and as close to the Lord as we possibly can. Christ, in daily experience, must be put on so that we can live a life where we are not seen, but He is seen working through us; a life where He is given all the glory. It is our contribution to His Kingdom that will be remembered, not the glory that we amass for ourselves.

A close walk with God is manifest by a life lived in complete submission to His will and to the working of His Spirit. It is a life that works only where it sees the Lord at work. It is a life where success is not measured by numbers, but by the effect it has produced in the lives of others. A close walk with God is learning to do things His way instead of our way.

"I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee."
- verse 1, 'Just a closer walk with Thee'

Stewardship: More than just Money

I've often been told the importance of being a good steward with what God has given me, and always my thoughts come back to two things: time and money. But the reality is, God has given me so much more than just the money I have and the time I'm alive. He has given me every ability that I have, every talent, every gift, every opportunity, He has given me everything that has come into my life, whether good or evil. I say that because, if not directly from Him, He still allowed it into my life with the purpose that I be a good steward of it.

How can I be a good steward of everything? Even the bad situations that enter my life? By using each and every opportunity that comes my way to bring glory to God. After all, that is the chief end of man. In fact, if I do not seek to use everything I encounter as a means to glorify my LORD, I have failed Him and not exercised a diligent stewardship. In sinful situations - I can flee from them to Him, in bad situations - I can learn what He would teach me, in good times - I can serve Him, in all things I can remain faithful, I must remain faithful, or else I have failed my calling as a faithful steward of what the LORD has entrusted me with.

As believers, entrusted with the service of God and others, we cannot be prideful of the work we do or the work we are called to do, for it is all based on what God has entrusted to us. By fulfilling our calling we are simply being good stewards of what we have received as a gift. That is no occasion for pride!

"And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability..."
~ Luke 25:15

Blogging: a Key to Successful Leadership

I'm sure that the title of this, my opening blog, lends itself to a confusing concept of one of the keys to successful leadership. It is however the contemporary counterpart to an age old tradition of all great leaders.... Journalism; either in the form of a weekly article in the paper, or possibly a daily diary, tracking the twists and turns of life, both with the intent of educating those who may read it, but also with the purpose of processing information gained throughout the day. It is this then, the writing out of ideas in order to process them, that all leaders share in common; in yester-years it was journalism, today it is blogging.

If I could define what the purpose of blogging should be, I would say that it is to "process information in a way that it may be thoroughly understood by oneself, and effectively communicated to others."

Definition in hand, I would say that blogging also helps accomplish one other quality that all great leaders share in common: The ability to write well. From tyrannical leaders such as Hitler to great men of the faith such as John Wesley, the ability to write well has always played an important role in their lives, but more importantly, in their legacy. And what, may I ask, is the purpose in leading others today if we do not intend to leave a legacy to be followed tomorrow?