Monday, Jul 14, 2008

TWG - July 14, 2008

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TWG - July 14, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 1; Psalm 53; Acts 10: 24-48

Today is July 14, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.

Well I am back from vacation! Susan and I took three days and went to Susan Creek Campground. It was nice to be able to hide from the heat. It was a bit cooler up there. While I was there I read a book called “The heart of a great pastor” by HB London. Apparently, I have a ways to go before I can say I have the “heart” of a great pastor. It takes lots of love and focus on the things that are important. I’m working on it. I also was able to share the gospel with John and Casey, a couple I know who “coincidently” was camping there too! They both trusted Christ! And I’ve started a new blog about my encounters with the culture. I hope to connect with people I witness to and encourage them to dialogue with me. You can find it at http://honest-answers.blogspot.com/ I put a picture of Thomas on the Blog at timewithgod.mypodcast.com at his going away BBQ. He’s headed to West Point. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

What is your life founded upon? I mean, what is your foundational belief, bottom line and guiding principle? What are you living for and what would you be willing to die for? That is foundational truth. Some people are living for the moment and in the moment. Their foundational principle is about having fun and enjoying life. Whatever makes me happy at the moment is what it’s all about. In theory, this idea sounds good… until it bumps up against someone else. It doesn’t work well in relationships. My happiness often conflicts with the happiness of others. Take marriage. Maybe it makes me happy to sit on the couch all week long, drink beer and watch WWE. But somebody’s got to pay for all that stuff, and somebody’s got to clean up my mess. If I don’t consider the needs of others, there’s going to be some “professional wrestling” in my own home and maybe I’ll be left in the ring all by my lonesome with no relationships. Other people believe that whoever dies with the most toys wins. They are living until they die. You can see it in their value system. They work hard for what they have, and they spend a pile of money on boats, houses, horses, toys and every other thing they can get their hands on. Is life the sum of what I own? I can have everything in the world and have an empty soul. Then there are those who are just living for survival. (That covers a lot of us these days!) They live from paycheck to paycheck, hoping that their will be some money at the end of the month. Most of the time it doesn’t happen. They work hard, but work doesn’t pay the bills. They save as best they can, but it’s never enough. They are in survival mode. Who wants to live like that? There must be more to life than just trying to live! There is. The guiding principle worth living your life for is Jesus Christ. He is the solid foundation. He is the only one that brings real happiness. He is the only one that makes sense of the stuff I own. He is the only one worth living and dying for… and He is the only one that can bring meaning to life AFTER I die. It’s time we quit playing with the toys of life and started laying a solid foundation: Jesus!

If you shoot me an email, I’ll send you a paper called “The Five Messages.” A five part way of expressing yourself more clearly and completely.

Dear Lord Jesus. I want to live my life for something significant. All too often I let the things of this world take my focus of the important. The urgent screams for my attention, when all along I want to do your will. Help me to settle the issue once for all. You are all that matters! Living for you is all that matters! The rest is just details. I choose, this day, to serve the Lord Christ.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. This is the greatest commandment

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:43 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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