It wasn’t a philosophical question. It was the exhausted sigh of a man who had compromised so often that truth had become meaningless. He had traded integrity for security so many times that he no longer recognized the currency.
Brent Pollard
The Man Who Couldn’t Afford Truth
Pontius Pilate governed Judea the way most of us manage our lives—by compromise. A mid-level Roman official ruling a resentful province, he had learned that survival meant bending to political winds. Truth, in his world, was whatever kept Caesar pleased and mobs quiet.
Then Truth walked into his courtroom.
“Are You the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked. Jesus answered, “For this I was born—to bear witness to the truth.”
Pilate’s response exposes every human heart: “What is truth?”
It wasn’t a philosophical question. It was the exhausted sigh of a man who had compromised so often that truth had become meaningless. He had traded integrity for security so many times that he no longer recognized the currency.
The Coward Who Saw Clearly
Here’s what haunts Pilate’s story: he knew.
Three times he declared Jesus innocent. His wife warned him in a dream. His conscience screamed. Yet when the priests threatened—”If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar”—Pilate’s courage evaporated. He chose career over conscience, comfort over conviction.
Then came his famous gesture: washing his hands before the crowd, announcing, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.”
One cannot wash away guilt if one will not confess. Water cleanses skin, not souls. Pilate’s basin was as empty as his heart.
The Sovereignty in the Surrender
But here’s where God’s purposes shine through human failure: Pilate couldn’t escape his role in redemption. When he ordered the sign above Jesus’ cross—”Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”—the priests demanded he change it. Pilate refused: “What I have written, I have written.”
It was petty revenge, yes—one last jab at those who had cornered him. But beyond Pilate’s passive-aggressive defiance, God was writing truth in permanent ink. The placard that Pilate meant as mockery became prophecy. The “criminal” was indeed the King—not just of Jews, but of Pilate, Rome, and all creation.
God doesn’t need our righteousness to accomplish His purposes. Even our failures serve His sovereign plan.
The Mirror We’d Rather Not See
Pilate is us.
We know what’s right but fear what it costs. We recognize truth but won’t stand for it when the crowd turns hostile. We wash our hands of responsibility while blood stains our souls.
You and I don’t drift into heaven. Neutrality before Christ is impossible—by doing nothing, Pilate crucified Him. Every day we face the same choice: Will we crown Christ as Lord, or dismiss Him when it’s inconvenient?
What Must We Do?
Stop washing your hands. Moral evasion solves nothing. Confession begins where excuses end.
Count the cost, then pay it. Following Christ may cost you approval, comfort, or even advancement. But what profit is there in gaining the world while losing your soul?
Remember who stands before you. Jesus didn’t stand before Pilate—Pilate stood before Jesus. We don’t judge truth; truth judges us.
Act while conscience speaks. Every ignored conviction hardens the heart. Pilate’s tragedy began long before that Friday morning—it started the first time he silenced what he knew was right.
The Final Word
History remembers Pilate not for his power but for his weakness. His name endures not as a hero, but as the coward who asked, “What is truth?” while Truth stood before him.
You and I won’t face Jesus in a Roman court. But we face Him daily in every choice between comfort and courage, between what people think and what God commands.
Pilate’s question remains: What is truth?
Jesus answers: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
The question isn’t whether truth exists. The question is whether we’ll bow to it—or spend our lives washing our hands.
Halloween is around the corner! A time for dressing up and filling the pockets of Big Dentist. It’s definitely one of those holidays that’s more fun when you’ve got young kids that, as the parent, you get to decide what will make your child look the funniest.
Dale Pollard
Halloween is around the corner! A time for dressing up and filling the pockets of Big Dentist. It’s definitely one of those holidays that’s more fun when you’ve got young kids that, as the parent, you get to decide what will make your child look the funniest.
Jesus spends a good deal of time explaining to his followers about the dangers of wearing masks when it comes to righteousness, though. He preaches against practicing religious acts to gain human approval rather than God’s. He defines hypocrisy not by what one does, but by the motivation behind it (6.1-18).
Here’s a walkthrough of the first half of the chapter.
Giving to the needy (6:1–4): Jesus condemns giving with a flourish of “trumpets,” a metaphor for publicizing one’s good deeds for praise. Instead, he instructs believers to give in secret, so that only God, “who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”. The reward hypocrites receive—the praise of people—is temporary and fleeting, unlike God’s eternal reward.
Praying to God (6:5–15): Just like giving is about God, prayer is meant for God’s ears, not human ones. Jesus criticizes those who pray publicly on street corners to be seen as pious. He teaches believers to pray privately in a room with the door shut to avoid hypocrisy.
The Lord’s Prayer: Jesus provides a model (a template) for prayer that focuses on…
1. Honoring God
2. Submitting to his will (before personal needs)
3. Humility through a reliance on God for daily bread
4. The necessity of forgiving others to be forgiven.
Fasting with purpose (6:16–18): Fasting was a common spiritual discipline in Jesus’ day, but some hypocrites would put on a gloomy face to make sure others noticed their “holiness.” Jesus teaches to fast without outward display, anointing their head and washing their face as they normally would. This practice, when done for God, will be rewarded by Him.
Our relationship with God must be one that survives the privacy of our homes. It can’t be like a three piece suit that’s put on when the occasion calls for it.
Who but the leader of Sauls army, Abner, wages war with David at Gibeon.
It was a fierce battle and many died on both sides. David defeats Abner and the Israelites and at the end of the battle an interesting event unfolds.
There’s an oddly brief mention of a man named Asahel among the many men in David’s army.
Not much is really known about the man— expect that he was as quick as a gazelle! He attempts to chase down Abner but Abner spears him through and kills him (2 Sam. 2:18). We don’t know much, but we know he was fast.
What will we be remembered for above all else?
The judge, Abimelech (Judges 9), captures the city of Thebez. Inside the city is a strong tower and all the women and children hid inside. Abimelech tried to burn it down but just moments before the fire is lit, a woman drops a millstone on his head. Abimelech calls out to his armor bearer “run me through so that it can’t be said of me that a woman has slain me!”
To this day It is said of Abimelech— that a woman slew him.
When we pass from this life, we’ll be remembered for something. Let’s make it something good. Let’s make it something godly!
The tribune (commander), in charge of the Roman regiment posted at Jerusalem, rescues Paul from the Jewish mob in Acts 21. He proves an interesting character, exposed to the local plots and intrigues and familiar with the temperamental behavior of the local Jews. He could have been a foreigner in the eyes of the Empire who earned the right of citizenship through military service, or perhaps he was a slave freed by his owner and given opportunity to buy his citizenship. His story must have been pretty interesting. We learn that his name is Lysias (23:26; 24:7,22).
But the man he found even more interesting whose story is equally intriguing is the apostle Paul. He was surprised when he heard this controversial Jewish man speaking Greek (21:37), and he mistook him for an Egyptian revolutionary (21:38). If he understand Hebrew, Lysias would have also heard Paul say that he was highly educated (22:3) and a former persecutor of the way he now preached and promoted (22:3-5). He would have discovered that Paul had a supernatural encounter with Jesus on Damascus Road (22:6-9), instructed by Him to go to the city and wait until ultimately a man named Ananias came and told him what Jesus wanted him to do: (1) Immediately arise and be baptized to wash away his sins (22:16) and (2) Be Jesus’ witness to everyone, but especially to the Gentiles (22:15,17-21). The Jewish mob, who understood everything Paul was saying, threatened to attack Paul upon hearing he was offering salvation to Gentiles (22:22-23). So, Lysias had to isolate Paul from the crowd in the barracks (22:24). Seeing Paul as this huge enigma, Lysias decides to chain Paul, flog him, and beat information out of him (22:24-25). This is when Paul tells a centurion that what he was about to do was illegal. He was a Roman citizen (22:25-26). Then, Lysias finds out that Paul was a free-born citizen, meaning his parents were citizens before him. That obviously impresses and frightens the tribune, since he had acted illegally against Paul. What we read next (22:30ff) shows us that Lysias is extremely curious to get the root of this riot and know more of this fascinating man’s story.
But as fascinating as Lysias was and even more fascinating as Paul surely was, the truly extraordinary man with the extraordinary story was the man Paul was persecuted for declaring–the Son of Man! This “Jesus of Nazareth” (22:8), “Lord” (22:8,10), and “Righteous One” (22:14) had changed a man so accomplished and impressive as Paul, and Paul had been transforming lives and saving souls by preaching and teaching Him throughout the known world. The story of God in the flesh, living among His creation, dying for them, and being raised for their justification, who now was back in heaven, is the most extraordinary of all. Its implications are eternal!
Perhaps you have lived a fascinating life and can wow people with your story. But, God has you here to share His story and to help transform the life and change the story of people destined to stand before Him some day. It’s a story too good to keep to ourselves!
Tomorrow may feel equally unremarkable. The alarm will ring, responsibilities will loom, and the usual tasks will await you. But here’s the secret that can change everything
Brent Pollard
“The Day of Small Things”—Zechariah 4.10
Some days unfold like pages from an unfinished manuscript. You fold laundry, respond to texts, keep appointments, and wonder whether this chapter of your story has any significance in the grand narrative. Nothing spectacular happens. The sun sets on what feels like wasted hours, and you question the impact you made. Yet it is precisely in these seemingly insignificant moments that the voice of God once thundered through His prophet: “Who dares despise the day of small things?”
The Heart of the Promise
The words emerge from a scene filled with disappointment. After seventy years of exile in Babylon, a remnant had returned to Jerusalem with burning hearts and calloused hands, eager to rebuild the temple of the Lord. However, when they laid the foundation stones, reality struck like a winter wind. What they managed to construct appeared pitiful compared to the memory of Solomon’s magnificent temple. Those who remembered its former glory wept openly—not tears of joy, but tears that cut deeper than any enemy’s sword (Ezra 3.12-13).
In a moment of deep discouragement, God communicated through Zechariah with a vision that would transform everything. The prophet saw a golden lampstand, continuously supplied with an endless source of oil—an image representing divine provision that is unwavering, never faltering, and never running dry. Then came the profound message that would resonate through eternity: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4.6 ESV)
Finally, there’s a question that redefines every small beginning: “For who has despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10 NASB95). God pointed to the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s weathered hands—not a sword or a scepter, but a humble tool for patient and faithful building. Stone by stone. True and level. The message is clear: Do not underestimate this stage. I rejoice to see My people moving forward in obedience, even when their efforts seem insignificant to human eyes.
The Logic of Divine Delight
This verse does not imply that God has a peculiar preference for smallness, as if He opposes magnificence or fears grandeur. Instead, it reveals a profound truth that challenges our entire value system: He finds immense joy in faithfulness, regardless of its scale. What we may consider ordinary often holds extraordinary significance in His eternal purposes.
Consider the divine pattern that runs like a golden thread throughout Scripture: a mustard seed grows into a mighty tree (Luke 13.19). Jesus feeds thousands with five loaves and two fish (John 6.9 ff). Twelve ordinary men from various walks of life spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. A young woman’s “yes” to God’s will changes the destiny of the world (Luke 1.38). God’s signature move is to bring forth greatness from beginnings so humble that human eyes often overlook them.
For the discouraged exiles, their modest temple could never match the architectural glory of Solomon’s. Yet, here lies the breathtaking irony that brings joy to the angels: this would be the very temple where the Son of God Himself would walk, teaching, healing, and transforming hearts. Their “day of small things” was not the end of the story; it was the necessary beginning of the most significant chapter ever written.
Living in the Small Days
How should we live when the day feels ordinary and our contributions fade like morning mist?
Measure by faithfulness, not by flash. The kingdom of God progresses through steadfast efforts—the kind that occurs when no one is watching. This includes praying when there’s no one around to hear, serving without receiving recognition, reading Scripture in the quiet of dawn, and encouraging someone who may never know your name. We often feel tempted to measure significance by numbers, visibility, or the applause of the world. However, God’s joy is found in consistent obedience that His Spirit sustains.
Refuse the poison of comparison. Those returning from exile looked at their foundation and compared it to Solomon’s temple, which led to deep despair. We often do the same with our hearts when we compare our ordinary faithfulness to the highlight moments of others or even to our own “better” seasons. Comparison is a thief that blinds us to what God is accomplishing right now, in this place, through our own hands. It is better to ask, “What has God placed before me today?” and then serve faithfully in that exact spot.
Begin small, begin now. Holiness and ministry often don’t announce themselves with grand displays or loud celebrations. Instead, they develop quietly through our daily choices: reading one psalm thoughtfully, offering one sincere prayer, or performing one act of kindness without expecting anything in return. These small acts of obedience accumulate like stones in a wall, creating something strong enough to withstand any storm.
Rest in His perfect timing. Every day, no matter how small, is significant in God’s eyes. Each moment belongs to Him. The psalmist confidently states, “My times are in Your hand” (Psalm 31.15). If this is true—and it is—then we waste no day, and God acknowledges every effort. You are not falling behind if you walk by His Spirit, and you are not stuck if He has promised to complete the work He started in you.
The Weight of Ordinary Moments
Perhaps this day feels painfully insignificant. You are caring for children whose appreciation comes in the form of sticky hugs and sleepy whispers. You diligently handle tasks that often go unnoticed, and people frequently overlook your hard work and achievements. You are enduring struggles that remain unseen by the outside world.
In that exact moment, Zechariah’s ancient question still resonates: “Who has despised the day of small things?”
The answer shines brightly in the heavens: God does not disregard it. He never has. He finds joy in seeing you take up your tools and lay down another stone in faithful obedience. Your seemingly small actions today hold more significance than you can imagine.
Tomorrow may feel equally unremarkable. The alarm will ring, responsibilities will loom, and the usual tasks will await you. But here’s the secret that can change everything: In the nail-scarred hands of the One who takes joy in humble beginnings, even your smallest day is intricately woven into His magnificent, eternal purpose.
Take heart. Do not despise the day of small things. In the economy of heaven, they are often the most significant things of all.
To find a good place to eat, you need a trusted source—someone who’s tasted the food themselves. You wouldn’t trust a guide who’s never fished to lead you on a fishing trip, or let someone who’s never experienced childbirth lecture you about it. They might know the theory, but they lack the experience. You can’t lead others where you haven’t been.
Carl Pollard
To find a good place to eat, you need a trusted source—someone who’s tasted the food themselves. You wouldn’t trust a guide who’s never fished to lead you on a fishing trip, or let someone who’s never experienced childbirth lecture you about it. They might know the theory, but they lack the experience. You can’t lead others where you haven’t been.
Leadership isn’t about titles, power, or recognition, it’s about walking with God and inviting others to follow. To lead others to Christ, you must first walk with Him.
But why do we even need leaders? First, God demands it. He’s never left His people without guides. When Moses’ time ended, God chose Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land. When the early church needed direction, Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus. God establishes leaders to guide His people toward His will. Without them, we wander; with them, we find purpose.
Second, leadership makes us effective. We all have talents, but a leader, like a conductor waving his little stick around, brings harmony to the chaos. Jesus’ mission was clear: “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Imagine 30 Christians, each leading one person to Christ yearly and teaching them to do the same. In 10 years, that’s nearly a million souls. In 25 years, over a billion. That’s the power of leadership multiplying God’s kingdom.
Third, leaders strengthen faithfulness. Studies show up to 90% of new converts may drift away within a year. Heartbreaking. Why? Often, there’s no follow-up, no leader to nurture their faith. But with intentional guidance, 93% of converts stay faithful. Hebrews 13:7 tells us, “Remember your leaders… imitate their faith.” Leaders model steadfastness, helping us stand firm.
Fourth, leadership trains for service. Ephesians 4:11-14 says God gave leaders to equip believers for ministry, building up the church. Leaders don’t do all the work—they empower others to serve, strengthening and uniting the body of Christ. Worldly leaders can’t guide spiritual people. A president might lead a nation, but only godly leaders point us to Christ. It’s tough, requiring sacrifice and surrender, but 1 Corinthians 16:13 calls for vigilant, faithful leaders.
Two key points: First, leadership must be pursued. God designed the church and family to function under leadership, like a husband and father under Christ. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, bring [your children] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Your home is your first ministry. Lead with love, patience, and prayer—not pride or frustration. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Fathers, model faith through your actions. Even if you’re not an elder, embody their qualities (1 Timothy 3:1-7). Leadership begins at home and ripples outward.
Second, leadership must be praised. Leading is tough—imagine shepherding an entire congregation’s souls on top of life’s stresses. Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls.” Elders aren’t managers; they’re shepherds, called to serve, not dominate (1 Peter 5:2-3). Honor them by refusing gossip (Titus 3:2), supporting their efforts (1 Corinthians 15:58), and giving grace (Colossians 3:13). As the wise Hiram Kemp once said, “Like Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ arms in battle (Exodus 17:12), support your leaders.” Leadership is servanthood (Matthew 20:25-28), and every member plays a role in the church’s mission.
Leadership must be pursued and praised. Pray for our leaders in the church and focus on the future. As a Christian man in the church, you may become an elder one day, but today, lead your family.
God demands leaders because the lost need reaching, faith needs strengthening, and service needs equipping. Leadership isn’t about being flawless but faithful. Go to the cross, the Word, and prayer daily. Lead your family by loving like Christ, serve in the church, and shine in the world.
This is a break from Origen’s First Principles. I’m slow: it takes me a long time to wrap my head around something. Romans 7 and 8 are about our constant battle against our sinful nature. We have the side that wants to be holy and serve God, and we have the side that betrays our human weaknesses. It’s an awful existence in many ways. Even Paul said, “What a miserable person I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death?”
Then we get to 8.17 where Paul talks about suffering. I always assumed this was a shift in topic because he gets into stuff that won’t happen until Jesus returns. But since he spent the previous several paragraphs talking about our constant, sometimes-demoralizing struggle against sin, I don’t think this is necessarily about physical suffering.
God’s Spirit helps our spirit — our mind, emotion, intent, any aspect of being that can’t be measured — in that fight. There are outside influences in our struggle against sin, of course, but Paul really focuses on the stuff that hurts: our own sinful weakness. We hate that we’re weak. We’re ashamed of our failures. We’re “waiting for God to finish making us his own children…we are waiting for our bodies to be made free.”
In the meantime, we suffer. Maybe not physically — though in some places on this earth that’s a reality — but certainly spiritually. We know our faults and failures better than anyone. Our spirits, burdened by the knowledge of our own weakness, groan to God with pain too deep for words. And he helps us!
“We are very weak, but God’s Spirit helps with our weakness. We don’t know how to pray like we should, but the spirit speaks to God for us, begging on our behalf with groaning too deep for words.”
Guilt is a powerful weapon in the enemy’s hands, and we all have too much of it. The struggle and the pain is normal — it’s guaranteed for anyone who wants to be like God. It’s never going to happen in this life! We can’t ever be good like God! But we can try, and we can at least ensure that sin isn’t the master we serve. If you feel that pain, odds are you’re on the right track.
Right after this section, full of empathy and hope and reassurance and warning, Paul says,
“Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right.
Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all.
He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love?”
The struggle and its pain is normal. It’s a sign that our hearts are set on something we won’t achieve until our bodies have been freed. God helps us, he understands, and we cannot let the enemy demoralize us into giving up. It’s harder to keep struggling against our sinful weakness, but it will be so worth it!
“But in all these troubles we have complete victory through God, who has shown his love for us. Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
There is no greater achievement than to embody the believers we read about in Acts 4. How did they act, and what did they do? While they were not perfect, they were shaped under the guidance and leadership of inspired apostles. What we need today is to become the church of the past in the present.
If people truly understood the Church, no one would ever leave it. Many today express valid concerns about those who have departed and continue to leave. It appears there is a significant lack of appreciation for the Lord’s church. I believe this stems from misunderstanding. If people grasped what the Lord’s church represents and recognized God’s work within it, we would cultivate a much deeper love for the church.
The longer I spend among the body of Christ, the more I recognize the church as essential to my life. As you know, the church isn’t merely a building or an institution; it is the living, breathing body of Christ, designed by God to fulfill His eternal purpose. Unfortunately, many misunderstand or undervalue the church’s role.
The church was not conceived in the mind of man; it is God’s spiritual body, composed of those who have obeyed the gospel of Jesus. Christ reigns as the head of that body. 1 Peter 2 describes the church as a temple, a nation, and a royal priesthood—this is the Lord’s Church.
One term used to describe the church signifies the universal body of believers. From the beginning, the church has been part of God’s grand design. It is not a human invention but a divine institution established by Christ Himself. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus states, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” Here, we learn from the Son of God that the church is a divine creation, birthed from Christ’s authority and sacrifice.
The family we join through baptism originated in the mind of God. We need the one true church—not a cheap imitation. This family began with God’s vision, was fulfilled by the sacrifice of His Son, and was established in Acts 2 through Peter’s preaching. We need THAT church!
This family consists of all kinds of people; it is a melting pot, as God designed it to be. Within the church, Satan attempts to isolate and polarize individuals based on these differences. Paul reminds us in Galatians 3:28 that, in the one true church, distinctions such as male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile do not matter. We are all ONE in Christ. What some may view as a weakness is, in fact, our strength—if we can embrace it.
Acts 4:32 states, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” They were unified in purpose, prayer, and perseverance. They shared the same goals, prayed for the same needs, and faced challenges together.
When confronted with threats and opposition, the early church responded with fervent prayer, coming together to seek God’s strength and guidance. They prayed for resilience in their faith—an essential prayer for us all to share TOGETHER. The early church exemplified unity, and our goal as a body of believers today should be to cultivate that same unity now and in the future.
How does one argue human value without the existence of God?
Gary Pollard
“What makes human life valuable?”
A purely naturalistic answer is not adequate. Life begets life, which is true. Self-preservation is built into our programming, that’s true. Life is valuable because of its potential to contribute to future generations (the reproductive success aspect of biological imperatives), which is also true. Humans rely on each other for survival, that’s true. We have a unique capacity for empathy, true. We have consciousness and recognize the value of others, true (kinda). And there are cultural narratives that emphasize the value of human life (depends on the cultural narrative).
But what stops a society from devolving into the practice of eugenics? If some have superior genetics in the mental and physical health department, why not be more selective about who gets to reproduce? Why would we allow the survival of those who don’t or can’t contribute to future generations? Why would we allow/desire the survival of those who don’t or can’t meaningfully contribute to society? What about empathy’s subjective nature? We don’t usually show empathy (as much anyways) to those whose experiences or values are very different from our own, not without a transcendent directive that calls us to aim higher than self. We have consciousness and recognize the value of others…until we decide that they aren’t valuable any longer (see all militant religious conflicts over the last fifteen centuries). And those cultural narratives that value human life are primarily religious in their nature, with none emphasizing absolute selfless love more than Christianity. By Christianity, of course, I mean actual Christians. Not godless pagans who use iconography and distorted narratives to manipulate others for personal elevation. They are not — and cannot by definition be — Christians.
So what does make human life valuable? We have to posit their value from a transcendent point of view.
We are the only life on the planet that looks like God (Gen 1.27). While there’s been much debate over what “in his image and likeness” means, it’s not exactly ambiguous in scripture. Genesis 5.1 and 5.3 make the best case for this: “When God created people, he made them like himself.” And, “After Adam was 130 years old, he had another son who looked just like himself. Adam named his son Seth.” Same exact wording. Genesis 9.6 says, “God made humans to be like himself. So whoever kills a person must be killed by another person.” The value of human life comes from our resemblance to the Creator.
As Jesus affirmed, the two most important laws are to love God with all of our being and to love other people like self (cf. Mt 22.36-40). If we love God, we’re going to love other people — including people who hate and hurt us (Mt 5.44). That isn’t a natural reaction to hostility! Human life has value because God gave it value.
Human life is valuable because the Creator sacrificed himself to give us life. If God “Doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed, but for everyone to change their lives,” our view of people should be the same (cf. II Pt 3.9).
From a naturalistic point of view, there’s no utility in ensuring the survival of people who can’t contribute to society. Drawing from the reasons we’ve listed James says, “Pure, genuine religion is this: providing for orphans and widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence” (1.27).
Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other, and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too (Phil 2.1-4).
Scripture offers deeper insights into the nature of truth. When you choose to integrate faith into your everyday life, you will find meaning and you will be fulfilled.
You will find a purpose driven existence that the world longs to have. With God, life has meaning.
Notice with me 5 biblical truths that shape our worldview. There are many more, but these five have been the fundamentals of our faith. These are the ones that the apostles taught to the world after the ascension of Jesus. I am thankful that God has given to us a framework as Christians, a framework through which we are supposed to interpret the world.
We don’t rely on opinions, or feelings, or traditions, or our families, to tell us these truths. These truths were laid upon us by the Lord of Lords. He tells us these truths so that we would have a lens through which we can interpret the world. Without them we are Velma from Scooby Doo. We NEED these glasses to see the world properly.
Pillar number 1 in the biblical worldview…
We Were Created
How does the world say that we got here?
In the beginning there was a cosmic boom.
This is what our children our taught, and what more and more people are believing.
This is totally contrary to the words of Scripture. We say “In the beginning God created.” The world says, “In the Beginning nothing created.” It takes more faith to believe evolution than it does the first five words of the Bible. Pillar number 1 of a biblical worldview contradicts the very nature of modern historical scientists.
In the beginning God said, “Let us make man in our own imagine, in our own likeness” Gen. 1:26
We were created and molded after the Creator. From this first pillar we learn many things. Because we have a Creator we better understand the world God placed us in.
The knowledge of a Creator helps us understand ourselves better since we were made in the image of God. Because we were created we learn of the Creator who shaped us out of dust and breathed life into our bodies. We were created to ENJOY fellowship with our God.
Pillar number 2…
We Fell
In Genesis 3, man rebelled against God and as a result of that, sin entered into the world. This sin caused
Spiritual separation: Adam and Eve and their children were separated from God, both physically and spiritually. They could no longer walk and talk with God face to face.
Physical changes: Adam and Eve became mortal, and they and their children would experience sickness, pain, and physical death.
Cursed environment: The ground was cursed in the Garden of Eden and throughout the earth.
Loss of righteousness: Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness and knew that their former perfection was gone.
Guilt and shame: Adam and Eve felt guilt and shame they had NEVER felt this before.
Judgment: Satan was judged with a divine curse. The woman would experience pain in childbirth, and her husband was to rule over her. Man must now labor for his existence on a cursed earth.
And if that wasn’t enough, Paul says this in Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” From the moment we fell, all people are born into a sinful world, and with a desire to rebel against our God. No matter who you are, you will have sin in your life (Romans 3:23).
There are so many people who don’t believe in God because of the consequences of the fall. They’re angry because there is suffering and death in the world. They think if God exists, why is there so much death and pain? Either He doesn’t exist, is too weak to fix it, or just doesn’t care. In their minds, they don’t believe in God because of these things. Why do so many feel this way? They fail to have a biblical worldview. Otherwise they would realize that all of this death and suffering and sorrow is a direct result of the fall. We recognize through a biblical worldview that we live in a fallen world.
And because of this, although God is good and He exists, suffering also exists because we live in a SINFUL world.
Do you see how these worldviews can start changing your attitude? Every tear you’ve ever shed. Every graveside you’ve ever attended. Every hospital you’ve been in. Every NICU a child is taken to. Every war that is fought. Every cancer treatment you take. Every grey hair or lack of hair. Every divorce, every death, every diseases. Every failure, every insecurity, every struggle ALL exists because we LIVE in a fallen world!
What is the point if there is no God to save us from our sin?
Pillar 3…
We Are Redeemed
We are currently living in the Christian era or dispensation. We exist in a time, after the fall, but before the end. We are in the last times. No newer covenant, this is it.
God has given His Son, we either accept Him or reject it. What more could God give?
How else could He prove to His creation that He loves us? He chose us after the fall.
We are now redeemed through Christ. We are living in a time after the resurrection and before the second coming. God is working on this earth to redeem those whose hearts are soft so that we can escape judgment.
We are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and God is going to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to respond.
And that is where we are now. God is redeeming for Himself a people who will spend an eternity with Him. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” This word redeemed literally means, to release from a captive condition, to deliver. What are we being released from? What holds us captive? The SIN we find ourselves in as we are living in a fallen world!
Christ is our redeemer who saves us again and again. God has regained His prize possession through the payment of His Son.
Not everyone will be saved, only those who have come in contact with the blood of Christ. This is why call Him our redeemer.
Those who are redeemed will be taken to paradise and saved from the destruction of this world. We live in the era of redemption.
If you don’t have this biblical worldview, you will see no reason to stop sinful behavior.
You will be just like those in the days of Noah, MOCKING the ones who are getting in a boat on dry land. This worldview should shape our perspective of life, to its CORE.
Pillar 4…
We Are A Part of The Kingdom
The Kingdom of God is the reign and rule of God in our lives. We were redeemed to be a new creation in Christ. We are a part of the reign of God in the world. As citizens in this Kingdom, we are called to live in a way that reflects His values and priorities.
We are called to live out the principles of our King in our daily lives. Jesus came, according to Mark one, preaching the kingdom of God is at hand.
It’s here now! Our worldview, that is, our jobs, our families, our friends, our words, our thoughts, our actions, our attitude, our perspective, must ALL be shaped by our citizenship. We. Belong. To God. “But our citizenship is above, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:20).
We are here, but don’t belong. Live like you are in God’s Kingdom.
Pillar 5…
We Will Be Restored
This final pillar looks forward to the ultimate restoration of all things. We are promised that God will make everything new, just as it was in the beginning. Pillars 1 and 5 are connected by redemption and a kingdom.
Through these things we will be restored to God’s original perfection. This is hope greater than any earthly thing. This promise of restoration helps us persevere through this fallen world. This promise helps us live as citizens of the Kingdom. The promise of restoration provides hope for the future.
It encourages the redeemed to work toward godly love, to show mercy and forgiveness.
Have you ever felt worthless? Or at the very least unimportant?
These are very human thoughts and feelings. It doesn’t take very long in scripture to find numerous examples of how God values the people in his kingdom.
Just a few examples being:
Matthew 10:29-31, ESV “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Or Jeremiah 31:3 NASB2020 “The Lord appeared to him long ago, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you out with kindness.”
And last but not least, Psalm 139:13-14 NIV, NASB “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
With that in mind, I want to tell you about a movie I used to watch as a young boy.
The Prince of Egypt is an animated children’s movie that attempts to tell the story of the Exodus. As a kid I just thought it was a good movie and never really understood the biblical aspect of the story. Watching it again with children of my own now gave me a fresh perspective.
Here are the lyrics from one of the musical numbers in the film, and I want you to think about how this might apply to your own life.
THROUGH HEAVEN’S EYES
“A single thread in a tapestry
Though its color brightly shines
Can never see its purpose
In the pattern of the grand design
And the stone that sits on the very top of the mountains mighty face
Does it think it’s more important than the stones that form the base?
So how can you see what your life is worth or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man.
You must look at your life, Look at your life through heaven’s eyes
A lake of gold in the desert sand Is less than a cool fresh spring
And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy is greater than the richest king
If a man loses everything he owns, has he truly lost his worth?
Or is it the beginning of a new and brighter birth?
So how do you measure the worth of a man?
In wealth or strength or size? In how much he gained or how much he gave?
The answer will come to him who tries, to look at his life through heaven’s eyes
And that’s why we share all we have with you, Though there’s little to be found
When all you’ve got is nothing, there’s a lot to go around
No life can escape being blown about by the winds of change and chance
And though you never know all the steps, You must learn to join the dance
So how do you judge what a man is worth, By what he builds or buys?
You can never see with your eyes on earth,
Look at your life through heaven’s eyes
Through Heaven’s Eyes: By Stephen Schwartz.
Another way of saying this is that it’s about perspective. We all have a purpose, whether we have found it yet or not. We are made in the image of God. The alpha and the omega, the one who spoke everything, literally everything, into existence. No matter how broken this life becomes nothing in this world can take that away from you.
Don’t count yourself out on any grounds. Just because you can’t see how you are supposed to shine in this brightly colored tapestry of Gods people doesn’t mean you aren’t as important as any other of those threads around you.
An early second-century Latin satirist named Juvenal is credited with giving the world the phrase, “bread and circuses.” In context, he wrote, “They shed their sense of responsibility long ago, when they lost their votes, and the bribes; the mob that used to grant power, high office, the legions, everything, curtails its desires, and reveals its anxiety for two things only, bread and circuses (Book 2, lines 10.56-89). The predominant idea in this now-famous line is that the populace lost its interest in political freedom and civic responsibility, being numbed and lured most by physical satisfaction and entertainment. In modern times, the phrase has been used to speak of food and entertainment being used by the government to keep people happy and submissive.
What makes this such an effective strategy? Perhaps it is a human tendency to favor pleasure over hard work and laziness over critical thinking, among other things. A love of ease and the illusion of peace can cause a person to surrender things of far greater value to keep them. Those things might be absolute truth, God-given moral values, personal sacrifice, care of and connection to community, charity, and similar building blocks of society. When we reduce our existence to placating our baser desires, we let go of what is much more valuable and this is to our ultimate harm.
No doubt we see this increasingly in our national political environment, but can we succumb to the mindset of yearning for “bread and circuses” in the religious realm? Apparently so. Paul warned about “difficult times” when men would be “lovers of self, lovers of money…and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1,2,4). In such times, they would “not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). It seems easier to follow the flesh than to live by faith, but it is spiritually fatal. It is described as going from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. 3:13). In the first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives” (1 Tim. 5:6).
This isn’t to suggest that being a foodie or that watching TV shows and movies is sinful. That misses the greater point of Scripture. It is possible to let life become more about gratifying our bodies and putting our greater focus on the things of this world, and that is sinful. Paul tells us how to put all of that in its proper place, urging, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). “Bread and circuses” can be legitimate ways to build connections with people whose never-dying souls will live somewhere, but they can never become an end in themselves. We were created for infinitely more!
Another one of the most commonly asked questions is, “What is humanity’s goal?” This seems to be a “purpose” question, but one that specifically asks if we’re pursuing some kind of unity. Many have tackled this question, and most of them are far more qualified to deal with it than I am. But the ancient writings God gave humanity have proved reliable for millennia, so I’ll lean on its principles in this abridged look at our unifying goal(s).
The concept of a “unity” has been explored for a very long time. It serves as the foundational principle for many world religions because we all have an intuitive sense that we’re connected somehow, or that we all come from a common source. We understand that all of us together are greater than any one person, so our destiny must be just as awesome!
The short answer (from a believer’s perspective) is: Humanity’s goal is to see God.
We believe that the Logos created our planet and made it habitable. The universe is the creative expression of his nature and power.
Humanity’s original goal was the explore the Earth and enjoy it (Gen 2.1-15).
We were in a state of perfect harmony with the Creator and his creation.
We lost that when we chose to pursue forbidden gnosis.
All of history (and what remains of our future) is a story — its unifying narrative is our journey back to that initial harmony. This story is only possible because the Creator sacrificed himself to change our inevitable destiny!
Our immediate goal is to emulate the Creator’s character as much as we can. This necessarily means we acknowledge his existence and primacy. He is light and love, so we try to be the same. Done properly, this benefits all people (especially people who struggle). Why voluntarily pursue other peoples’ needs over our own? Why struggle against the body’s impulses? Why view other people as more important than self? Why hold on so tightly to a belief in a God no one has seen? He promised us a return to perfection, an eternal life without any suffering, and a fully-repaired, personal relationship with the Creator (cf. II Pt 3.13; I Jn 3.1-3, Rv 21.1-2).
Now I am coming to you. I will not stay in the world, but these followers of mine are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name — the name you gave me. Then they will be one, just like you and I are one (Jn 17.11).
A person has only one body, but that body has many parts. Yes, there are many parts, but all those parts are still just one body. Christ is like that, too (I Cor 12.12).
There is one body and one spirit, and God chose you to have one hope. There is one master, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God and Father of us all, who rules over everyone. He works through all of us and in all of us (Eph 4.4-6).
Among the dozens of the-most-commonly-asked-questions Carl compiled for me, most fall into one of maybe three fundamental categories. Most of them also betray a sense of chaos in how people view reality. How do I know something is true/accurate/best practice? Is it always true? What about when a person stops being alive? Is it all nothingness? What is happiness? Is it quantifiable? What is my responsibility to other people? Do I have one? What makes me different from non-human life? Is there a significant difference? What is real? How do we know? Is it possible to be absolutely positive? What is my destiny? Do I have one? Why am I conscious? Am I, or is this a construct?
Chaos and the abyss were frequently described in the ancient world as having nothing below and nothing above. You can’t look up/forward to some goal, and you had no solid base to stand on. No fixed point to compare something to. No metric to organize information into a usable hierarchy. It was conceived of as the worst possible existence, all of hopelessness and despair realized. It was seen as the destiny of those who deserved the most severe punishment, as no experience could possibly be worse than this.
Ironically, the “freedom” promised by social/moral liberation proponents almost immediately devolves into this nightmare. People in general seem to feel lost and unable to know what’s real. Even much of our humor is now dark, existential hopelessness! So many are addicted to short-term euphoria, and each crash is a fresh wave of meaninglessness. We look everywhere for answers, but don’t always know if we can trust those answers because they’re so often subjective. There are too many threads to chase and knots to untie, and we don’t even know where to start.
To a seeking person, the division so prevalent in Christianity can be discouraging. How can anyone trust something that no one seems to agree on? Where people are, problems are. That’s true of literally every human enterprise, and doesn’t warrant discounting it entirely. And most of those disagreements are because of ignorance, not because of faulty source material.
So if you’re looking for meaning and hope, give the Bible a chance! This might seem reductive or cliche to non-believers, but its teachings have brought so much good to the world. That alone makes it worth pursuing! Most importantly, it gives tangible hope for the future and a solid, reliable base to stand on. It helps us understand reality like no other source! At the very least, give it a shot.
Here are some (hopefully) helpful tips for beginner Bible readers:
Bias is impossible to avoid entirely, but keep an open mind (believer and non-believer alike). An open mind prevents legalistic or liberal extremes, which are no bueno. Come to the text with questions and a desire for accurate answers. Be willing to adopt, adjust, or discard your beliefs when the narrative requires it.
If you haven’t yet done a deep dive into its divine origins, presuppose absolute reliability. You’ll come to that conclusion anyway, and this lessens anxiety when seeing something that challenges a current belief.
Stick with the New Testament at first, and avoid commentaries like the plague (I’m writing one, don’t read it). Don’t give up on a passage that’s hard to understand — try harder. Use a good, easy-to-read modern translation primarily, but have a couple others on hand too. I love the ERV, but also use NIV, GW, and NET Bible.
Look for the narrative in each section you’re reading. What main idea does everything else seem to support or illustrate?
John’s writings are a great place to start if you’re looking for the most fundamental building blocks of meaning. Don’t just read the words, look into the concepts he presents.
Ask questions. So many answers to the fundamental questions listed above are in the scriptures. They work so much better than any of the subjective secular answers offered today.
Highlight, underline, and otherwise mark up the text. Look for connections and for ways to bring out each concept. You’re not looking for a code or some kind of religious experience, you’re looking for meaning. It will eventually become the lens you look through to understand reality, and the hope you have of humanity’s destiny. You will gain a deep appreciation for who God is and what he does for humanity and what he will give us when he comes back!
Read all of it. It’s all good stuff — and there’s nothing wrong with starting at what resonates most with your interests or questions! Those interests only become moreinteresting once you have a better understanding of all the other stuff, too!
God expects us to treat each other with love and humility. He holds us accountable for the ways that we interact with our neighbors. Every command from God is essential to follow, but Jesus identifies two of the greatest commands in Matthew 22:36-40. “Love God with heart, soul and mind.” And, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All are worthy of love, but we are called to love and value others the way we love and value ourselves.
However, a problem that many struggle with is how to love others if we don’t even love ourselves? God sees each one of us as valuable and worthy of love. He expects us to treat each other with respect, dignity, and honor. How will we fulfill the second greatest command if we don’t even love ourselves?
Your view of yourself directly impacts how you will treat others. If you struggle with loving others it is often as a result of low self esteem or an unhealthy dislike of who you are. Hurt people hurt people, and if you can’t see the value of your soul, how can you see the value in others?
If you had a friend that talked to you the way you talk to yourself, how long would they be your friend? This article isn’t supposed to be a self-help, life coach lesson, but at the same time we are going to dive into what makes us worthy of love.
This article is all about why you matter, not just to God, but to the church, your physical family, and to the world.
Every person on earth is unique, but you will never talk to someone that God doesn’t love! That’s why we are expected to treat each other with love. When you turn away from someone in need, you are turning your back on someone God values. When you speak hateful things to someone, you are saying these things to someone God loves. When you gossip, insult and belittle someone, you are doing it to a human that God sent His Son to die for. Every human soul is precious. Anyone who says otherwise contradicts our Creator. His opinion of you matters most.
Why treat God’s pride and joy of creation this way?
Do you see why you matter? In The Declaration Of Independence you read the phrase, “we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.” If all are created equal, why do we treat others as if they are any less valuable? Is it true that all are created equal? According to God the answer is a resounding YES!
The joy of the gospel is that no matter how you may feel, or what others say, no matter how good or bad your life is, YOU MATTER TO GOD. I’m not just saying this as an opinion, it is the truth. Problem is, society today has some difficulty with this truth. Let’s imagine that there is no God. Imagine that we all came from a singular source of matter that evolved throughout time. Imagine that in order to become humans we had to be smarter and stronger than other species.
Imagine that existence is simply a battle of survival. If you are one of the weak ones who dies, nothing exists beyond your death.
Your life was ultimately meaningless when all memory of you dies with your lifeless cells. If all of that were true, would you matter at all? Or are we just a product of chance and time?
Theres no value found in that! According to secular science we are where we are today because we survived in a brutal fight with all other species. That doesn’t lead to valuing life at all. If there is no God, no one can say with certainty that life is of any value.
Thankfully, there is a God. And because of HIS goodness we are able to have full assurance that our lives matter.
Our view of whether someone is valuable or not is usually superficial. Our value doesn’t come from the success we’ve had in life, it comes from something far greater than anything we could do on our own. Our value is ascribed to us by God Himself. Genesis 1:26 God says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Before we ever did anything, our origin began with God making us in His image. The value of your life isn’t based on how much money your family has. It’s not based on what physical features you have. Your value is not based on what talents or skills you have to offer. You are valuable because in the beginning God made you in HIS image! Not just a select few. ALL of mankind is made in the image of God! That’s why we are valuable and why YOU matter!
The passage Ecclesiastes 9.1–10 explores themes consistent with the philosophies of “seize the day” or “you only live once.” It reflects a perspective emphasizing the value of living in the present moment and making the most of life. In this passage, Solomon highlights the unpredictable nature of life and the certainty of death, encouraging people to enjoy life’s pleasures fully.
Key Verses Explored
Here’s a brief breakdown of some key verses:
Verses 2–3: Solomon observes that everyone faces the same ultimate fate of death, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad. This observation could lead to a view that suggests nothing has inherent significance.
Verses 5–6: He highlights that the living is aware of their mortality, unlike the deceased, who are unaware and do not receive further rewards, signaling the end of earthly experiences after death.
Verses 7–10: Solomon advises relishing in eating, drinking, and enjoying life’s pleasures with one’s spouse, whom he views as the ultimate reward for toiling under the sun during life’s fleeting days. He says there is no work or planning in the realm of the dead, where everyone is going, so one should do whatever comes to mind with all their might.
On the surface, this advice to enjoy life contradicts the larger Judeo-Christian ethical framework, which emphasizes restraint, morality, and the consequences of one’s actions.
Harmonizing Perspectives
However, we can consider several points to harmonize these views:
Context of Vanity: Ecclesiastes frequently mentions “vanity” (Hebel, meaning “vapor” or “breath”), suggesting that much of human endeavor is fleeting and ultimately futile in the face of death. This definition doesn’t imply life lacks meaning; instead, it indicates that life’s true worth goes beyond material accomplishments or pleasures.
Moral Framework: The call to enjoy life in Ecclesiastes isn’t a call to hedonism or moral recklessness. It’s based on living a life in reverence to God, as indicated in Ecclesiastes 12.13–14, where the advice is to respect God and follow His teachings. Enjoyment in life is seen as a gift from God, not as an end in itself.
Balance: Solomon’s advice recognizes the balance between enjoying life and maintaining moral and spiritual discipline. It proposes appreciating life’s gifts while avoiding becoming overly attached or compromising one’s ethical values.
Ecclesiastes 9.1–10 underscores the importance of enjoying life responsibly while recognizing one’s accountability to God. It promotes a balanced and moderate approach to seizing the day, respecting human existence’s ethical and spiritual aspects while embracing life’s lawful pleasures as gifts from God.
Good evening, Today before church I was working on cleaning a house out; the lady that had lived here passed two years ago, and in the meantime the objects in the house sat and gathered dust. And after taking countless trash bags out to the dumpster, it got me thinking about how none of the earthly possessions we collect in this life matter. They’re not coming with us nor will we need/miss them when we’re gone. Let us turn our attention to Matthew 6:19-21, which says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
These words offer a powerful reminder that our earthly existence is not meant to be permanent. God, in His infinite wisdom, has instilled within each of us a deep yearning for something beyond the boundaries of this temporary life. Our souls are eternal, but we are on a temporary trip. We have a longing and sense to be with him for eternity because that’s what He had intended from the beginning when He was walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve. Making the right decisions in life by focusing on what’s truly important is the only way to get back to him though.
Now, before we jump to the wrong conclusion, Jesus didn’t say that …
You can’t own a phone
You can’t buy a computer.
You can’t purchase a home.
You can’t drive a car.
You can’t buy gifts for someone.
You can’t save or invest money for retirement.
You can’t buy more than one shirt or a pair of jeans.
What Jesus did say was, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth …”
Said another way, stop focusing on accumulating money and things and set your heart pursuing “treasures in heaven,” which leads us to the next question. What does this mean?
Consider the seasons of life mentioned in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. A time to be born, a time to die, a time to weep, and a time to laugh – all encompassing the spectrum of human experiences. Each phase serves as a stitch in the tapestry of our existence. However, it’s crucial to recognize that this earthly journey is not our final destination. There’s a longing for eternity within us. In acknowledging our impermanence, we can take a look at the apostle Paul, who in 2 Corinthians 4:18 encourages us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. This shift in focus beckons us to consider the eternal significance of our actions, relationships, and faith. Everything that we do in this short life counts, but the possessions we have won’t affect our judgement day determinations, there’s no Forbes list in heaven.
Our temporary journey on Earth prompts us to seek a deeper connection with God. It’s an opportunity to align our lives with His divine purpose, and spread his word along the way. That’s one of the most important parts of our walk in this life, and as we navigate the complexities of life, let us remember that our existence here is just a sneak peak to the everlasting reality promised through faith in Jesus Christ.
The transient nature of life doesn’t diminish its value; instead, it underlines the importance of living purposefully. In Psalm 90:12, we’re encouraged to “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This wisdom involves recognizing the brevity of life and using our time wisely, investing in eternal treasures. These eternal treasures don’t care about your credit score or any debt to income ratios but rather of the spiritual score, are you living the way you know you should. Having the spiritual wisdom and maturity to get through this life will be what matters in the end.
Our journey on Earth also invites us to share the love and hope found in Christ with those around us. Matthew 28:19-20 compels us to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In doing so, we participate in God’s redemptive plan, extending the invitation to eternal life to others. While on this earth we were instructed to be fishers of men, and we are meant to use draw people in by showing them the love of God that is pouring out of us. We have been given an opportunity to show the everlasting mercy and grace of God that has been shown to us.
In conclusion, as we contemplate the temporary nature of our earthly existence, let us be inspired to live intentionally. May we find purpose in aligning our actions with God’s will, nurturing deep connections with Him, and sharing His love with a world longing for eternal hope. For in the tapestry of life, our temporary moments find eternal significance in the hands of our Creator.
I learned something from dad a while ago: when you’re sick, exercise. It was rare, but whenever he got sick he would run back-to-back marathons or something crazy and would be fully recovered the next day. I decided to try his mad method and found that it really does work! Today was one of those days — I got the bug and didn’t skip the gym.
When I got there I saw one of our lifting buddies. He asked if we had a good Christmas, and I said, “It was awesome, but this year felt different for some reason. It was almost weird, and I can’t put my finger on why.” He said, “It really did! I don’t know why, but this year felt weird. The time is near.”
Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Peter wrote, “The time is near when all things will end. So keep your minds clear, and control yourselves. This will help you in your prayers. Most important of all, love each other deeply, because love makes you willing to forgive many sins” (4.7-8). He said that two millennia ago! From our perspective, that’s not exactly “near”. For those Christians, though, it was.
Whether the end of this earth is imminent or not, Peter’s reminder is relevant. We don’t know when our lives are going to end! Having clarity of purpose, self-control, and selfless love will keep us ready for Jesus’s return.
“Everything that God made is waiting with excitement for the time when he will show the world who his children are. The whole world wants very much for that to happen. Everything God made was allowed to become like something that cannot fulfill its purpose. That was not its choice, but God made it happen with this hope in view: That the creation would be made free from ruin—that everything God made would have the same freedom and glory that belong to God’s children” (Rom 8.19-21).
Usually, people fall into 1 of 2 categories: List makers and everyone else and I don’t know what their collective is since I’ve never seen it written down. Now, myself being an introvert, I fall into the list maker category. I’m not obsessive about keeping a physical list, but a mental list is always there to almost a point of paranoia. But this list is necessary.
Me being an introvert, I need to have mentally prepared myself for what is going to happen. If there is a surprise I could freeze up. In order for me to be productive and effective I have to be prepared and anticipate all that is going to happen that day. This leads us into the lesson of being prepared for our future, specifically, by our past planning and future execution with our decisions at a high level overview.
Look with me in 1 Corinthians 15:12-18. [12] Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? [13] But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. [14] And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. [15] We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. [16] For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. [17] And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. [18] Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
The part that I want to key in on is in vs 17. Now let’s look at vs 17 again with another lens. vs 17, if Christ has not been raised then your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. The other lens would say that a life of sin and without Christ is futile. Our whole existence, purpose, importance, any other strong words that you would want to add to that list, is futile.
Mounce defines futile as idle, ineffective, worthless, 1Co 3:20; groundless, deceptive, fallacious, 1Co 15:17; useless, fruitless, unprofitable. Reinforcing the idea throughout Scripture that without Christ what we do is useless.
If we continue reading the rest of 1 Corinthians 15 we see the importance of being baptized in 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” And in verse 29 we see Paul asking the question if Jesus was dead what would be the benefit of baptism. It is Christ’s resurrection that gives us victory over death as we see Paul saying in 54 and 55 which is also a quote from Hosanna 13:14. Verse 56 explains briefly the relationship between law and sin, but Christ gives us victory.
So back to verse 17. If we believe in Christ then our life has and is a purpose. Whether it be our past selves or our current selves we know how our plans and preparedness set us up for our future. Are we prepared and ready? Have we done what is needed to secure our plans and not be surprised by our eternity. The great thing about this is we hold all the control in what we decide to do. We are running the race and all we have to do is finish, not be first.
In 1978, Thomas Hansen of Boulder, Colorado, sued his parents for $350,000 on grounds of “malpractice of parenting.” Mom and Dad had botched his upbringing so badly, he charged in his suit, that he would need years of costly psychiatric treatment.
I grew up in a family that was fully devoted to Christ. My parents created a home that in every way glorified God. The principles they taught us, the love my parents had for each other, the desire to love and serve God, were seen for as long as I can remember. They both helped create a God-fearing Home. Recently, my wife Emily and I had our first Child. He was born January 27th, and he is the cutest little chunk. I never thought babies were cute until Rich was born, and then everything changed.
Having a child really makes you think about the future. It puts everything into perspective.
I want to have a family that glorifies God. Mom and Dad both set the bar high, and I want to do the same for my own family. I want to glorify God through the way I love my spouse, the way I raise and teach my children, and through the influence we have on others. Glorifying God in the family is one of life’s greatest pursuits. Numerous verses teach us the importance of family, more specifically the importance of a family that glorifies our Father in heaven.
The family was created by God.
From the beginning Gods design has been one man and woman for life. Genesis 2:22-24, “The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.’ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
A family unit is established by the joining of a husband and wife, and this is God’s design!
The only way for a family to glorify God is to accept and follow HIS design. Since the family was created by God, we need to recognize that we exist for the glory and purpose of God.
God is speaking to the nation of Israel when He says this in Deuteronomy 6:2-3: “So that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. “O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.”
The Israelites had a purpose for their family, fear God and keep His commandments.
Notice that they kept these commands for their own good. God is the Designer of the family, and His commands will not only glorify Him, but will benefit us as well. Obeying God’s commands will result in a peaceful and unified family. Everything created by God exists to glorify Him; therefore, since God is the creator of the family, the family exists for His glory (Isaiah 43:7).
Christian families are now in submission to His Son. Each person in the family is given a role in Christ and we do so to the Glory of God. Glorifying God in the family is essential because the family was created by God.
But the question is how? How do we glorify God in the family? Very simply, we glorify God by fulfilling our purpose. We can bring glory to God if we obey His commands. We don’t have to guess what or how to bring Honor to Him. We just need to fulfill our purpose. Sadly, the world today has twisted and perverted the home. Many struggle in their relationships with family members, and children grow up in a divided home. Now more than ever, we should be showing the world what a God fearing home can achieve. The Goal of the family is to be unified in submission to God.
If we will return to fearing God in our homes, the world will become a better place.
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