Twenty-Fifth

Wow! Sorry it has been so long since the last post, if you haven't forgotten about me I promise this one will be somewhat long and I fully expect to get some questions, if I don't, great that means I have less to worry about.
Here is a song by Leeland(read that as if I am a radio DJ, preferably Casey Casum)


So at the risk of sounding morbid, I do not fear death. I know for those who know me know I have always said, "I don't want to die yet, there is so much in life that I still haven't experienced and want to." But honestly what is better than an eternity spent praising God? Of course I want to get married (sex) and I of course I want to experience the joys of having a child, and watching them grow up, and seeing what it's like to be 50, and all the other things that happen in life. But we are talking about an almighty sovereign God, who put me on this earth to serve him, why wouldn't I want to join him at his throne? Think of it this way, say you get a job that is absolutely incredible, a job where all the benefits are perfect and when you mess up, although something should happen, your boss says "it's OK, try it again," a job where you never get fired no matter the screw up. A place that you always want to go into work. Wouldn't you want to meet the boss of this incredible organization?

I have always, since high school, loved the verse Philippians 1.21 "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." I always liked the verse for the first part, to live is Christ. I understood that to live this life I should live as Jesus Christ did. Of course I'm doing that perfectly (ha! there's lie number 1). But as I go through life I am constantly asking the question (no I will not say what's on those awful bracelets) what is the next right thing to do? By living life by one event at a time I feel I can slow things down and find the next right thing to do.

But the second part of the verse, "to die is gain" has always been something that I looked over. (that's a big look over) There are two options in life, (as Christians) when we are blessed with another day to live we are to love/live/serve/ and be like our Saviour Jesus Christ did. And if we do all this then to die is a gain. It's crazy I know, but I don't fear death. Do I sin? (ha umm every single day) Of course we all do, whether you understand that as sin or not, we all screw up, but my joy and understanding comes from something called grace. I had a conversation with a lady in a coffee shop the other day about grace and she (as the cigarette dangled from her mouth, she was cute until she put that thing in) said something that even Christians get hung up on "so if you believe there is grace does that give you an excuse to sin?" My response was one that I think a lot of Christians need better understanding on, "absolutely not." See grace isn't so we can sin, grace is there in case we do sin. (which we will...oh how typed words are confusing) My words mean nothing, let the Bible clarify:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.

Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:1-9)

The definition of grace is "receiving something good that you do not deserve" and the definition of mercy is "not receiving something bad that you do deserve."

I don't fear death because God, through Jesus Christ, has blessed me with grace and shown me mercy.

James 4.13-14 says "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

With an understanding that my life is a mist or a vapor then that means I should live my life as Christ, and if I do that then to die will be a gain. Guys our time here is short, why waist it on meaningless things? In a time when the economy is going the way we wouldn't like, why as Christians should we worry? Our rewards are not in the stock market or a stimulus plan (which wasn't a good idea, in my 22 year old with no money, opinion), our rewards are in Christ alone. Him glorified is the thing we should live for, money is a blessing that we should share with the poor. (I'm pretty sure Jesus said something about a rich man and a camel going through the eye of a needle..in case you forgot it's Matthew 19.24)

Please don't see this post as being a testament to me hating life. Ha! It's the opposite I praise God everyday for another day, and I mean that. I love the ministry God has called me to and I am excited to see where He is going to take me on this ride and how He is going to use me. I want to experience marriage, children, growth, the future and all kinds of things, but if I don't then awesome because my rewards are in heaven.

May you, as Christ followers, live a life that is honoring and glorifying to the Sovereign Lord and live a life that Paul talks about in Philippians (the verse I talked about earlier, have you forgotten already?) And if you think I am a complete idiot I would love to talk about it, seriously I love to talk, can you tell?

Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..