If The Lord Wills

 

A store manager overheard a clerk saying to a customer, “No, ma’am, we haven’t had any for some weeks now, and it doesn’t look as if we’ll be getting any soon.” Alarmed, the manage rushed over to the customer who was walking out the door and said, “That isn’t true, ma’am. Of course we’ll have some soon. In fact, we placed an order for it a couple of weeks ago.” Then the manager drew the clerk aside and growled, “Never, never, never say we don’t have something! If we don’t have it, say we ordered it and it’s on the way. Now, what was it she wanted?” “Rain,” replied the clerk. As much as we’d like to think we can provide everything that others might need, truth is we cannot. There are some things that only God can provide.

[James 4:13-17] “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we should live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Notice the progression in planning: First, they plan a trip today or tomorrow – “Today or tomorrow we will go…” Second, they plan to arrive at a certain destination – “…go to such and such a city…” Third, they plan to spend a certain amount of time at their destination – “…and spend a year there…” Forth, they plan to engage in and carry through a plan of action while they are in that city – “…buy and sell…” Fifth, they plan for their business to have certain results – “…and make a profit.”

Is there harm in planning? Is there harm in intending to go places and once arriving doing things? NO! The point James is making is to go ahead and plan but do so having a realistic view of life and of God. “Why you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we should live and do this or that.”

A man is walking past a farmer's field with a cow tied to a rope. The farmer says, “Hey, mister, where you are going with that cow?” The man replies, “I’m taking it to town to sell it.” The farmer says, “You mean if it’s the Lord’s will you are.” The man says, “Well, it’s my cow and I reckon I can do anything I want with it. It ain’t any of the Lord’s business!” A short time later the farmer looks up from his work. He sees the man coming back from town – bloody and beaten up. “What happened to you?” the farmer asks. “Well, just down the road three guys jumped out of the bushes, beat me up, stole my cow and left me for dead.” The farmer says, “Oh no! What are you going to do now?” To this the man replied, “I’m going home to clean up – if it’s the Lord’s will.” The harsh reality is that life, in all its blessings and beauty, is uncertain. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, and each one of our lives is a vanishing vapor. Here today…gone tomorrow (gone today).

So, make plans. Set Goals. But remember that you were not placed on this planet simply to go shopping at Walmart, dining at Applebee’s, or walking/jogging at the Civic Center. You were placed on planet earth that, when you do these things, you do them with a realistic view of life and a realistic view of God. If it is the Lord’s will, we will do this or that every moment of our life. We never know when our life on earth will end.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:16). Are you ready to meet God?

Do Dogs Go To Heaven?

 

The children begged for a hamster, and after all the vows were given to take care of it, they got one. They named it “Danny.” Two months later, when mom found herself responsible for the creature, she found a prospective new home for it. The children took the imminent departure of Danny quit well, remarking, “He’s been around here a long time. We’ll miss him.” Mom replied, “Yes, but he’s too much work for one person, and since I’m that one person, I say he goes.” Another child said, “Well, maybe if he didn’t eat so much and wouldn’t be so messy, we could keep him.” But mom was firm. “It’s time to take Danny to his new home now,” she insisted. “Go get his cage.” With one voice and in tearful outrage the children shouted, “DANNY? We thought you said “DADDY!”

Every year on October 4, a growing number of churches involve themselves in a “blessing of the animals” service. This “blessing of the animals” is rooted in the Roman Catholic Church as a part of observing “Saint Francis of Assisi Day.” However, in more recent times, more and more protestant churches have picked up the practice of “blessing their pets.” A recent announcement of such “animal blessing” came about stating that “Pastor So-in-So” would bless your pets if you bring them to church on Sunday morning. And, if your pet has died, if you bring a picture of the deceased pet, he will also bless your dead pets as well. Of course, there much that could be said about this, but I want to restrict my comments to this question, “Do animals go to heaven when they die?” Consider this:

It was man who was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), and the rest of God’s creation was contrasted with the creation of man. Man differs from the rest of God’s creation in that he has been given an undying spirit that returns to God upon death (Acts 7:59). When an animal dies, there is no immortal part that survives the death of its body.

Think of the implications. When asking this question, we typically have in mind our beloved pets. But does God only give “pets” immortality, or does He give all animals immortality? If the former, what scripture teaches this – and if the latter, then all the mosquitoes, flies, leeches, and maggots that have ever lived, from the time of Adam until now, will be joining us in heaven as well. That’s just not what people are usually thinking about when they affirm animals will join us in heaven, but that’s the logical end.

More implications. If both men and animals are immortal, then why is man not allowed to kill his fellow man (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22), but he is commanded to rise, kill, and eat animals (Acts 10:13)? Surely, it’s because man and animals are different. Man was created in the image of God, and animals were not.

[Hebrews 12:13-16] Heaven is a place of reward for faithful living (Matthew 5:11-12). It is a place of redemption for “just men made perfect”. Consequently, animals don’t qualify. Animals do not possess the ability to comprehend mortality, and if they do, well… does that mean some animals will be in Hell as well?

Personally, I’m an animal lover, and I’m thankful to God for creating animals, especially pets, to be our companions as we live here on earth. I’ve also suffered at the loss of several of my pets and know the hurt that can be associated with that. But as for any hope of seeing them again in Heaven, the Bible, which is the only source of information we have about Heaven, provides no evidence that animals will live forever, let alone, live in Heaven with us forever. I guess we’ll have to wait to see.

Whatever the trial, God sees; Whatever your struggle, God knows; Whatever your cry, God hears; Whatever your difficulty, God cares; Whatever your problem, He understands. Whatever your need, God provides.

It's Only A Minute

 

“Last call for Henderson and Hernandez.” It was eleven minutes until the plane was scheduled to depart. At ten minutes till departure, the airline released the seats for this party of two and allowed two passengers who had been victims of an oversell to board in their place. At nine minutes before departure, Henderson and Hernandez arrived at the gate. They were business colleagues and had been swallowed up by the long security lines at the terminal entrance that everyone has to navigate before entering the passenger area. They were livid. They were in disbelief. They threatened - using foul language. They pleaded. They were reminded of the airline policy, to which they responded, “But we were only one minute late!” How much damage, how much loss, how many tragic things have happened at the excuse, “Just a Minute?” Oh, I know that we all procrastinate. And most often the effect or impact on our life or the lives of others is minimal. But in some cases that one minute can mean the difference between life or death, Heaven or Hell. Had they been here sooner, had he done that quicker, had they simply looked in the right direction; these are statements that most of us have made at some time or another. And if life came with a guarantee of tomorrow then it really would be of little concern for one minute would simply follow another. But we all know better.

What delayed Henderson and Hernandez causing them to miss their flight? Did wake-up call fail? An auto accident? Did they get lost? That could explain things. Or, they could have waited too long to leave the hotel or failed to leave themselves the time needed to encounter the TSA terror. But one thing is certain, their tardiness kept them from boarding their flight. What keeps us from success? What will keep us from Heaven? They were going to do what they should, but they didn’t get around to it in time! That has pertinence in our daily schedules and our overall success. It has relevance to whether or not we go to Heaven. Do not decide to live for Jesus even one minute too late!

[Philippians 2:9-11] One of the most sobering songs sung in worship is “Almost Persuaded” by P.P. Bliss. The wording is drawn from the apostle Paul’s conversation with King Agrippa in Acts 26, with the idea that many will come remarkably close to becoming a Christian but will tragically decide that Jesus is Lord too late. Have you ever wondered who will be the last person deliberating the decision to become a Christian (a follower of Christ) when the trumpet sounds and the dead in Christ rise? Why do we delay? And at what cost do we procrastinate?

(James 2:13-14) “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” James teaches that we do not know what tomorrow will bring much less the next minute. That one minute you had to do that good deed for another could be the only door that will open for that good thing you intended to do. That one minute you had to obey the gospel may be the last opportunity you have. I am persuaded that one of the devil’s greatest tools for our eternal destruction is when he gets us to “JUST WAIT A MINUTE.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3) “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall have no escape.” The Christian actually looks forward to the Lord’s return – not as a thief but as a Savior to rescue us from this sinful world. (Revelation 22:12-15) Lord come.

God Knows What He's Doing

 

It’s amazing the things we ask for sometimes, isn’t it? I know we often look at others and say, “That’s ridiculous! You need to be more realistic!” But what if God gave each of us exactly what we ask for? A traveling couple shared this story about a certain journey. “During a trip from California to Indiana, it didn’t help that our connecting flight from Denver was delayed twice because of mechanical problems. Then, after we were aloft, we noticed the lights began an annoying flickering. Mentioning it to a flight attendant we were assured, ‘I’ll take care of it.’ Moments later the lights simply went out. Clearly the problem had been solved. A passenger across the aisle leaned over and said, ‘Whatever you do, don’t say anything about the engines’.” So, what if God granted us everything we asked for – would we be happy with the results? I can pretty much guarantee we would be surprised at the results, because often we really don’t think through what we are asking of God. I recall a fictitious story from my youth about a young man who was killed in an accident in which he was caught in some kind of machinery. Someone gave his grieving mother some sort of magic potion that would bring him back to life. She used it, and he did come back to life. But he came back screaming to die because of the pain from the way his body had been mangled in the accident. The loving mother hadn’t thought of that happening. All she wanted was her boy back with her again.

[Job 42:2-3] “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I don’t understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” It’s easy to thank God when He does what we want. But God doesn’t always do what we want. Ask Job – His empire collapsed, his children were killed, and what had been a healthy body became a rage of boils. From whence came this torrent. From whence will come any help. Job goes straight to God and pleads his case. His head hurts. His heart hurts. And God answers. Not with answers – but with questions – an ocean of questions… “Where were you when I created the universe?” type questions. After several dozen questions, Job has gotten the point. What is it? The point is this: God owes no one anything! No reasons; No explanations; Nothing! If He gave them, we wouldn’t understand them.

God is God. He knows what he is doing. When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart. He is trying to bring souls to salvation (1 Timothy 2:1-4) and transform saved souls into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29). He will do whatever it takes to accomplish that eternal purpose. He’s more concerned with our eternal character than our external comfort.

Jesus was in a tough situation, (about to be killed - assassinated) when He prayed to God the Father, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Do you think perhaps Jesus understood that God the Father had a better understanding of what we need than we do ourselves? Could it be that just perhaps we should adapt Jesus’ method of praying? Surely God wants us to ask Him for the things that are on our heart, for Scripture clearly says, “…you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Perhaps it’s time we started adding the words of Jesus to our prayer, (and really mean it), “Not my will, but Your’s (Your will) be done.”

What is God using in your life to get your attention? The generation gage serves as my ignorance concerning the Charlie Kirk assassination, but I must reiterate, God knows what He’s doing. Forgive, and press on in God’s love. It’s time to seek God’s will in your life. May God bless you with all you need and with the ability to realize that He’s all you need!

Perseverance Produces Beauty

 

A strand of pearls is a beautiful sought after piece of jewelry. Pearls come from oysters. A small irritant, like a grain of sand, gets in the oyster. Unable to get rid of the grain of sand the oyster covers it with a substance in an attempt to lessen the irritation. Problem is that the irritant keeps growing and the oyster keeps covering it with more substances, changing this small irritant into a beautiful lustrous pearl. If it weren’t for the suffering, there would be no pearl.

The Christian life can be challenging. Due to the many obstacles and trials Christians encounter, we need to “let patience work.” James wrote the following about the need to let patience work: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). Notice the statement: “…let patience have its perfect work.” James informs Christians that we need patience when facing various kinds of trials. “Patience” means “endurance.” Christians may have to cope with the criticism of non-Christians, monetary loss, family problems, failing health, and many other trials. Patience is the virtue needed in such times.

The passage teaches that Christians must “…let patience have its perfect work.” If we do this, then we will be “perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” This sounds appealing, so how do we let patience work? First, consider that we do not let patience work when we hinder or interrupt the process of enduring trials. When facing challenges, we may feel tempted to panic. Sometimes people try to run from problems, and escape through drug abuse and alcohol. Others may turn to illicit relationships with the opposite sex to find comfort. However, turning to these things to escape problems only creates more problems.

What, then, is the solution? How does one allow “…patience to have its perfect work”? There are three basic things we can do to let patience work: 1) Do not try to squirm out of trials. Since trails present an opportunity to gain experience and grow, we should face them. Rather than running from problems, the psalmist wrote: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10). Just be still. 2) Trust that God will work things out in His own time. Trials will not last forever. Rather, than rushing God, we should be patient, listen, and learn lessons as life is happening (James 1:19-20). 3) We should pray that God would use this trial to make us stronger. Prayer is an act of submission, showing that the one praying relies on God (James 1:6-7).

[Romans 5:3-5] There is more we can learn from the way pearls are formed. The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” When we have suffering or trials in our lives, we need to turn them into something beautiful. We need to persevere through whatever headache, pain, or trial in order to turn it into the beautiful hope that can be seen in the Spirit God has given us. So, the next time you are faced with a frustrating grain of sand in your life, instead of complaining, work hard, through the Holy Spirit, to turn it into a beautiful pearl. By remaining calm, trusting God, and praying to God, one allows patience to work. After patience completes its work, then one will be “…perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” So, in trials, let patience work! “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established” (Proverbs 16:3). All things are possible when we journey with God.