Eternity is a Long Time

  Even though our faith can be summed up in one sentence – “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) – it is so deep as to be unsearchable. This means we can never fully understand all of what our faith in Jesus means. Of course, if we could totally understand it, then our faith would not be worth much. However, we often feel overwhelmed by the enormous depth of our faith. So, it is good to look at verses which summarize what we are to do with our faith. Some of these verses are: Luke 9:35 35  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” Matthew 11:28-30 28  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.   3...

  As the old song goes: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” and it is. There is really no other season that means so much to so many people. Even those who are unfamiliar with Christmas season quickly get caught up in the spirit of the season when exposed to it – and I am not talking about the presents. Even those who are not “religious” or even nominally Christian enjoy this time of year     There is a special feeling of families gathering, enjoying each other and giving gifts. Thanksgiving is very special and very important, but it lacks the act of giving which Christmas brings. However, the two together work beautifully as it is so important to give thanks for what we have and then share that with others.   But what is it that makes the season so special that for a month out of the year, so many in the world have a slightly different outlook than usual? Why do so many people understand what is meant by the “Christmas spirit” we see depicted in feel-good Chr...

When God comes through for you the sense of gratitude you feel – or should feel – is immense. Arguably the sense of gratitude should start at the moment of salvation. When you have been saved from the condemnation of this world through faith in Jesus, your thankfulness should be out of this world. If you truly understand what you have been saved from, then nothing else can come close. Sometimes we only look for the big, audacious miracles or instances in our lives where we can point to and say to others, “Look at what God does”. However, by being a little more soft-hearted and open, you will see beautiful “smaller” miracles, joy, gifts, doors that were opened or shut that are all the work of God. This is why it is so important to keep a soft heart so we can recognize the many movements of God in our lives. But we are soldiers of the God of Creation who loves us more than we do ourselves. Like any loving father would do more for his children other than providing half the necessary...

 

  Everlasting faith is the belief Jesus always has you in His hands. Whether it be in good times or bad, faith is knowing He is merely a thought away. There is contentment in this realization. No matter the trial or temptation, no matter the success or victory, Jesus is there to anchor us through the highs and the lows of our life. For He never changes and is our lighthouse wherever we are in our life. You may ask, “Why do we need Jesus as an anchor when things are going well? Is not that a good thing and a blessing from God?” It does seem a bit counter-intuitive to think we need God as an anchor when things are going well. The answer is to remember that we are irrational, illogical, emotional and (basically) depraved beings who tend towards evil rather than good. Like sheep, we wander away from where we are supposed to be. That is why one of the parables of Jesus is about Him going after the one sheep out of 100 who did not stay with the rest ( Luke 15:3-7 ) In the Sayings...