"Real life"

In my last post, I ended by saying that this life is not really our "real" life; we are here so briefly.  The life that we will live for eternity is what is most important.  Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."-Matthew 6:19
As for me, I'm not concerned with having treasure there, I only want to be there, at the feet of my Master.
What a privilege it will be to kneel before Him!  Eternity is a long time and what waits for us there is beyond our imaginations.  This world will be difficult:

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, his must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels.- Mark 8:34-38

What is it to lose your life for Christ?  One immediately thinks of the martyrs, but I believe here Jesus is talking about the way we live our lives.  Do we live for Him, making Him and the gospel our top priority, or do we spend the majority of our time on earthly cares and concerns?  Of course we must care for our families, work, etc., but when we lose our lives for Christ, we put Him and His work at the top of the list.

My pastor said something interesting the other day.  He said, "If all Christians lived as you do, what would the church be like?"  Something worth considering, as all of us together make up Christ's body here on earth.

So let us shine the light of God's love at every opportunity.  No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts in under a bed.  Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.- Luke 8:16

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will  never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."- John 8:12

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.- Romans 12:2

I can tell you from my own experiences that when I set aside myself and follow God's will, that is when I have peace even in the most brutal storms life can dish up.  There will come a time when we have no more troubles, no more sadness, no more pain; when we leave this world and go home to where we belong.
In the time we have left let us continue to bear fruit for His kingdom.

Let us also remember that we cannot do this in our own power.  Our salvation is by grace alone, and the power within us is the Holy Spirit.  He gives us strength and courage that we don't have in ourselves.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.  and so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.-Romans 8:1-4

No matter our current circumstances, if we are in Christ, we are not alone.  Nothing can separate us from Him!  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:  For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:35-39  This is one of my favorite verses.  It is such a comfort to know that nothing can separate us from the love that my Savior has for us!

It's so important to remember that his world is not our home...it is a temporary place, a faint shadow of things to come.  Many people worry that we may be entering the last days, but whether that is true or not, we will certainly have a last day of our own...most of us have less than one hundred years.  Every so often it's good to take a good hard look at ourselves and our priorities.  It's so easy to slip into the cares of this world, and it's easy to put off sharing the gospel... we don't want to offend, do we?  Share in love.  Plant seeds.  God will water them, and you just might be surprised at who comes to meet you when you enter the Kingdom that you thought weren't listening.

Here's a beautiful song about what is in store for us when we leave here.  I hope you enjoy it and it brings you hope, because one day there will be a day with no more tears or suffering.

Wishing you blessings.

An Answer for Anonymous

your website truely inspired me - I am doing a small talk in my school about being not of this world and instead living this world for god and you have really helped me to grasp some ideas! I would love to hear your views on 'conforming to the patterns of this world!'
Thanks - x

Let me answer in two parts- first about living in the world without being of it and then about no longer conforming to the patterns of this world.

When we become believers, we are changed. We continue to live in this world, but we are no longer of it. When we turn our lives over to God, accepting Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, we come alive spiritually and become a son or daughter of God. This is only the beginning of a brand new life!  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

-Matthew 16:24-26 

 In other words, our old selves with our old desires are set aside in order to seek God's will for our lives instead.  Instead of living our lives to satisfy ourselves, we live our lives to satisfy our Father and that is when we find peace and happiness beyond anything this world could ever offer.  After all, he is the one who sees the future and knows the best path for our lives.

 It's the Holy Spirit within us that is able to ascertain God's will and we understand his word through new eyes.  As Jesus said, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.  Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also..."-John 15:19-20  Surely our Lord was persecuted, even unto death; the very death that saves our souls.  So when others laugh at us or mock our faith, don't take offense and do what Jesus said: But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven....-Matthew  5:44

As our souls are transformed, so must be our ways of thinking and living.  No longer should we conform to this world, because If we continue to conform to this world, we will be just like everyone else and have no testimony; and without a change in our lives we can't show others what God has done for us.  

As it says in Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.-Colossians 3:12-15 

So we live in this world as lights that shine in the darkness, and this world is dark indeed. 

Have you ever been in a pitch black room, feeling along for a light switch and unable to find one?  It doesn't take long to start feeling panicky.  But then a friend comes and throws on the lights and we can see everything around us.  The switch may have been right in front of us the whole time, but it took someone who knew where it was to turn it on.  This is what we should be like; one who floods the room with the light that is our Father and his love.   People are lonely, hurting, and grasping for any straw of love.  These are the people we are called to help.  Simple acts or words of kindness go a long way in a hurting heart.  When in doubt, ask what our Savior would do.   He always loved the down and out, even when the religious people of his day looked down on him for "eating with the sinners." 

If we stay in our tight little circle of believers, how do we reach the lost?
This calls for wisdom.  I wouldn't advise going to a kegger and preaching!  
But that girl that no one ever talks to...you could look her in the the eye, smile and strike up a conversation.  When a homeless person asks for money, give if you feel led, but always ask if you can pray with or for them.  Sometimes instead of giving money I pass on by (if I'm in my car) and come back with a sack lunch and offer prayer then.  When we keep an active prayer life, the Spirit will direct us to those he'd have us minister to.

This world is all about me, myself and I.  What can I get?  But walking with God means asking instead: what can I give?

I hope I've answered your questions and that your talk at school goes well!  
Anyone else out there with questions, I welcome them and will always do my best to answer them.  Wishing you lots of blessings.