Two men passed by my life recently. Although they did not know one another both went into eternity within the last two weeks. One man was in his early fifties, the other his late forties. One was married not quite three years, and the other had four children. One was diagnosed with cancer six months earlier, the other fell victim to a virus causing him to slip into a coma within weeks, never to awaken . Neither expected they were living their their last hours on earth. Both men loved the Lord. Both funerals became a celebration of love, laughter, and tears.
Ponderings: When thinking about a legacy what will you leave for those that pass through you life when your job is done? Whether new acquaintance or old friend, twenty-five or fifty-five, we touch each other even if for a brief moment in time. For several days I have been reflecting on memories, like old buried bones asleep inside my soul. I ask myself... has my life made an impact? Have I touched anyone's life? Do I continually search for my predestined purpose? Without permission these questions drifted into sifted thoughts as I pondered who I was in Christ. My journey began at one of the two funerals. The pastor read a scripture in Hebrews; listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you as you read this passage.
"Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:11-13 NASB).
The Word of God is (literally) alive and active. The power of Scripture is superior to a double-edged sword reaching into secret compartments in the heart of women deeper yet, into our spirit. The Hand-of-God touches our thought processes and attitudes when we study His Word. We change by the power of the Holy Spirit. His Word teaches us the difference between what is spiritual (real) or what is of the soul (sin nature) penetrating so deep as to divide soul from the spirit and reaching our core and piercing inside joints and marrow. God's Word is immeasurable, written by the Spirit who reveals the depth of the Scriptures to those willing to open the holy cover.
The pressures women deal with in today's world make it easy to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. The author of the Scripture cautions readers to remember the lessons the Israelites learned about God in order to avoid repeating these errors. The key is "be diligent to enter into that rest." This passage reminds us of how "following the same example of disobedience" leads us into defiance rather than entering the rest of God. The profoundly deep insights discovered in the Word is an adventurous journey in establishing a mind-set, a holy point-of-view that frames our mental reference center and changes old habits into holy habits . . .thinking like Christ Jesus. The spiritual nature and the soul of a Christian woman is often a strange mixture of motivations. It takes a holy spiritual umpire (the Holy Spirit) to guide us in sorting out and separating the flesh nature from the spiritual nature. Women must sort out their soul as they would sort through a closet, throwing out what no longer fits.
If we allow our life to be filled with selfish desire we must understand we have been warned of loss of reward. There is a rest for women here on earth. A much greater rest is waiting (characterized by great peace) for us that includes rewards for what we accomplish on earth. Although this life on earth is wonderful, it is just a dress-rehearsal for eternity.
"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire" (1 Cor. 3:11-15NASB).
Challenge: This week's challenge is to look deep into your soul to see what you can discover. I did. Pray that the Holy Spirit will challenge you to form a routine study in the Word. Form holy-habits by implementing spiritual attitudes created in your soul by the Holy Spirit, who settles us into a restful Christ-like point-of-view. Think about the legacy you will leave. Are you touching lives for Christ? Are you searching for your predestined-purpose? Ask yourself, who you are in Christ.
Two men passed by my life recently. Although they did not know one another both went into eternity within the last two weeks. One man was in his early fifties, the other his late forties. One was married not quite three years, and the other had four children. One was diagnosed with cancer six months earlier, the other fell victim to a virus causing him to slip into a coma within weeks, never to awaken . Neither expected they were living their their last hours on earth. Both men loved the Lord. Both funerals became a celebration of love, laughter, and tears.
Ponderings: When thinking about a legacy what will you leave for those that pass through you life when your job is done? Whether new acquaintance or old friend, twenty-five or fifty-five, we touch each other even if for a brief moment in time. For several days I have been reflecting on memories, like old buried bones asleep inside my soul. I ask myself... has my life made an impact? Have I touched anyone's life? Do I continually search for my predestined purpose? Without permission these questions drifted into sifted thoughts as I pondered who I was in Christ. My journey began at one of the two funerals. The pastor read a scripture in Hebrews; listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you as you read this passage.
The Word of God is (literally) alive and active. The power of Scripture is superior to a double-edged sword reaching into secret compartments in the heart of women deeper yet, into our spirit. The Hand-of-God touches our thought processes and attitudes when we study His Word. We change by the power of the Holy Spirit. His Word teaches us the difference between what is spiritual (real) or what is of the soul (sin nature) penetrating so deep as to divide soul from the spirit and reaching our core and piercing inside joints and marrow. God's Word is immeasurable, written by the Spirit who reveals the depth of the Scriptures to those willing to open the holy cover.
The pressures women deal with in today's world make it easy to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. The author of the Scripture cautions readers to remember the lessons the Israelites learned about God in order to avoid repeating these errors. The key is "be diligent to enter into that rest." This passage reminds us of how "following the same example of disobedience" leads us into defiance rather than entering the rest of God. The profoundly deep insights discovered in the Word is an adventurous journey in establishing a mind-set, a holy point-of-view that frames our mental reference center and changes old habits into holy habits . . .thinking like Christ Jesus. The spiritual nature and the soul of a Christian woman is often a strange mixture of motivations. It takes a holy spiritual umpire (the Holy Spirit) to guide us in sorting out and separating the flesh nature from the spiritual nature. Women must sort out their soul as they would sort through a closet, throwing out what no longer fits.
If we allow our life to be filled with selfish desire we must understand we have been warned of loss of reward. There is a rest for women here on earth. A much greater rest is waiting (characterized by great peace) for us that includes rewards for what we accomplish on earth. Although this life on earth is wonderful, it is just a dress-rehearsal for eternity.
Challenge: This week's challenge is to look deep into your soul to see what you can discover. I did. Pray that the Holy Spirit will challenge you to form a routine study in the Word. Form holy-habits by implementing spiritual attitudes created in your soul by the Holy Spirit, who settles us into a restful Christ-like point-of-view. Think about the legacy you will leave. Are you touching lives for Christ? Are you searching for your predestined-purpose? Ask yourself, who you are in Christ.