If you will live for anything, then will you die for nothing?

Its 12:16 am and im sitting here in my kitchen quite alone besides the hum of my refridgerator and the ticking of the clock. Looking at the clock reminds me that time is forever slipping away on this earth, which also means that its counting down to the glorious reappearing of my lord Jesus Christ. My heart is gripped with the burden of the lost. Their souls wander this earth with no cause, no ground sense of purpose, no hope to call their own. If they will live for anything, then does that mean they will die for nothing?

I cant imagine a life where every day is filled with a desperate jump from one crumbling foundation to another. Whether it be drugs or finding fulfillment in a relationship, or even things that arent frowned upon in society such as security in money or education! How is it that we of little faith put our trust in things that are so trivial and temporary. Just imagine if we could see the whole picture, if we had eyes with an eternal perspective. Would your life change? I certainly know mine would. I would stop living for anything. Jumping from earthly comfort to more earthly comfort. I would stop finding rest in my job, bank account and social status and start looking at the big picture.

Then comes the question of what you die for. Throughout our world today people die for things everyday. Some die for their country, some die for their religions and some just die because THEY want to. Think of it this way, what if WHAT we died for was revolutionized? What if our death had so much more purpose that our birth? If every single step, action, breath, thought, movement and resource was put into motion for the purpose of our death. In other words, we lived to die. We had the eyes and heart of God that focus on whats to come, not what has been or is now. We would live not for anything but for Jesus Christ and his call and also died not for nothing but for the glory and honor of our God in heaven.

Just stop and reflect upon what you live for and possibly what you are going to die for. If what you are living for is not soley for the glory of Jesus Christ and you profess to follow him, take a second look at your decision. Then turn to your death, will it be the most amazing day of your existence? Or will it be hopless and empty and a remorseful occasion. Choose who you live for. Choose who you die for.

Hebrews 2:8-10

"In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering."

Why do my pockets feel so comfortable?

One day i was standing around just thinking and i noticed how comfortable it felt just to rest my hands safely in my pockets. I didnt have to shake anyones hand or ring up a customer or do much of anything at all. Then just as this comforting thought left my mind another thought convicted me without missing a beat. It is so much easier to hold onto the things inside our pockets than it is to let it go. Physically and spiritually we all have those"pockets".  

Physically our pockets can be big or small. We could carry a lot of stuff or a little bit of stuff. Say for instance, car keys? a wallet? chapstick? change? receipts? It could be anything. But how often do you decide to let go of that stuff? Most often those are the most vital things you need for wherever you are going. For instance, you are driving out of the Wal-mart parking lot and you see a man that is obviously needy. He looks hungry and is terribly thin. You remember that you just got 10 back in change from your purchase. Does whether or not that man might do drugs cross your mind? Does the light change right before you can roll down the window and give him your money? If these thoughts compel you to keep driving then your pockets are to comfortable. Your not willing to give of your valuables, your most essentials to help God and his children. 

Well here is another thing to think about, your spiritual pockets. God tells us that we should be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. But how often are we even willing to give God those things through our service? Here is a really real example for me: Your at work and a customer comes busting into the store in a raging fit because YOU just messed up on a return. The customer is angry, yelling and obviously is not giving you the sort of respect you deserve. As a human being, your first response is usually to defend yourself and make yourself look your best in front of your manager, even though you know you just made a mistake. But i think God had a different plan for you and the wealth of love he has given you, stored right in your pocket. Its your choice, are your pockets not so comfortable that you could lend some of that love and show that customer Christ? Or is it so comfortable that you will keep Christ's hands from moving from within the pockets? One thing i do hope is, that i find just mere lint on the insides of my pockets when im gone, because i gave everything i had to give away. 

My Life is West, So I Will Go East.

Yesterday, i was on my way to school and i drove by a bus stop, do mind you i was already running late and i needed to get to school and then work. I prayed against anxiety and kept on driving. Then I looked over to the bus stop and saw this women that i had served at a homeless ministry a couple of months ago. But again i just kept driving for another block, when all of a sudden, it felt like the holy spirit had put a 10 foot brick wall in front of my heart, and i had just run into it.
I had to turn around, something inside me was not okay with leaving her there in the hot sun. So, in the middle of ths busy street i quickly found a place to turn around, i felt like Jesus really took the wheel. I parked the car in a neighborhood next to the bus stop and got out to ask her if she needed a ride.
She hesitated at first because she wasnt sure if i was serious, then she asked if i could take her to the post office and the bank and her storage unit to sort somethings out.I had to think about it for a second, because i knew i needed to get stuff done, but my next thought was, would Jesus keep on driving? Then i quickly said, yes, yes of course i will take you where you need to go.

So off we went, she still couldnt wrap her mind around why i had stopped. Well, we got to talking and at first it was small talk, trying to break the general awkwardness that came in thos first few moments. Then she talked about how she catholic and she had gone to the church every night that week for a retreat. I just sat there and listened and drove.

As we got farther and farther she started to open up about her life, it choked her to tears to have someone to talk to, someone that cared enough to stop for her and just listen to her story. Then she asked me my age, and when i told her, she gasped and told me i was just a kid, and that kids dont do stuff like this.

I went further to explain that its Jesus that works through me, and that she is my family and i couldnt leave her on the side of the road like that. Finally we went to her last stop got back in the car so i could take her wherever she needed to be for the day. She decided she wanted to go to a bus stop right by my school, so it worked out perfectly for me. In those last few minutes while we were together, she still had this happy radiance that was contagious. The wrinkles in her face seemed less sad than when i had first met her at the bus stop. Before she got out of the car i prayed for her, i prayed for favor and protection. She then thanked me over and over again and said i was a true miracle from heaven.

And that is my point, for that one hour it wasnt about me. It was about a lady who by the worlds standards has nothing, but in heaven has everything. That hour was one of the best in my entire life, not only did that lady see Jesus in me, but i didnt let my age stop me from following the call of the Holy Spirit , i went in the opposite direction of what i knew i wanted to do and ran for the arms of my saviour who wanted to help this lady. My life was west, so i went east. Now i know what Jesus meant when he said, 'Whoever keeps his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it." Which way are you headed?

A Quest For Lily Whiteness.

Ive made an observation lately about the people around me. Working at "Justice" the mega tween store of America, i see girls from ages 2 to 80 everyday. I see different shapes and sizes and faces and personalities. Some of them are kids, some of them are moms, some of them are grandmas. Oddly, it comes down to something that is hard to explain. Something that seems to be missing amongst this vast age pool of females ; Lily Whiteness.

I have been reading the book "Authentic Beauty" for the last couple months and the author brings up this concept of living a pure and holy life. The parallel goes hand in hand with being Lily White among thorns. The Lily being your spiritual beauty and devotion to Jesus Christ your prince and the thorns being the evil of this world. And in the so many faces and people i come into contact on a daily basis, the majority being women, i have yet to see a truly Lily White figure to boast upon. It seems that this women should have Proverbs 31 boldly written across her forehead and every detail and trace of radiant beauty exuding from her. In the eyes of so many, striving to reach this almost impossible status, she is elegant, she is put together, she is poised, she is proper, trained, primped, modest and smiles in every situation of every day.

But i cant help but think that this women is tired, trapped and in all honesty trying to do something that she can never do alone. This being the impossible task of being immaculate. That is where the Lily concept becomes so crucially vital. The key is that being Lily white has NOTHING to do with being perfect, and it has everything to do with deep and intimate relationship with your savior Jesus Christ. Now that being said, the women i encounter everyday very well may be saved, but its a whole other title to be lily white, because its the reflection of your counterpart: Jesus. Everything in your world revolves around him. Every step and action and word has undeniable purpose, in order to be a crystal clear reflection of the one who made you.

And to bring this full circle, this is my quest to Lily Whiteness. To sacrifice for, protect and fight for purity one step at a time with my loving prince at my side. Its not going to be easy, but i would rather be a Lily than a thorn... Who would want to repel everything and everyone because of a sharp and dagger like shell? Flowers anyone?