You’ve probably heard it said, “This is the first day of the rest of your life”. That then begs the question, “How shall I spend it?” Interesting! If you knew this was the last day you might call your family and friends together to say,”Good-bye”, or you might make your funeral arrangements ASAP, or you might want to just get alone with the love of your life without any interruptions. But we don’t know how much time we have left. It might be a day or a decade. So what shall we do? Here’s an idea—

Maybe we ought to just simply move on to the next thing on our list. What do you normally do? What does your duty demand of you? What’s next on your list? If our priorities are right the right thing to do is business as usual. Since we cannot see the future there is no reason to throw everything in a state of panic just because we might die. Surely it would be foolish to live every day like that. Just because you might die it doesn’t mean you will, so why should you ignore your duties and make yourself more miserable by imagining the worst.

It is for good reason that God doesn’t allow us to know the future. Instead of worrying about what you would do if this was your last day on earth, it would be better to make sure you spend this day and everyday doing the will of God. What that looks like for you is between you and God. It isn’t exactly the same for everybody. However, as Christians there are some things that ought to be a part of our daily activities–things commonly called “the spiritual disciplines”, such as Bible study, prayer, etc. Make room for them and do whatever else needs to be done. That’s a day well spent. Repeat it everyday and the result is a life well lived.

If you’re a child of God in the will of God, don’t let anyone throw you into a state of panic concerning the fact that you could die today. I love the story about the zealous preacher who was trying to impose guilt on an old farmer by asking, “What would you do if you knew Jesus was coming today?”. Without any hesitation the old gentleman replied–“Plow”. Instead of fretting so much about what might happen maybe you ought to just go ahead and get dressed and go to work today. A hard days work or even a few hours fishing is just as honorable as any thing else if done at the right time and in the right way. Too often the upright are too uptight. Relax! Take a few deep breaths and enjoy the day. Remember what Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:17— God “giveth us richly all things to enjoy”.

Once there was a husband and wife who really didn’t love each other very much. He was very demanding of her, so much that he gave her a list of things he wanted done, and he insisted she read them every day and follow them to the letter. The list included demands like what time she should get up, when his breakfast should be served, and exactly how the housework should be done. After several long years of unhappiness, the husband died. After some time, the woman fell in love with another man, who dearly loved her. They were soon married, and her new husband did everything he could to make her feel happy and loved. He continually showered her with compliments and tokens of his love. One day when she was cleaning house, she found the old list from her first husband tucked away in a drawer. As she read through the list she realized even though her current husband hadn’t given her a list, she was doing many of the things on the list anyway. She realized she was so devoted to her husband that she was doing those things out of love instead of out of obligation. That’s the reason we should obey Jesus.

The devil wants to push us to extremes. But there is a wonderful balance to grace. Don’t sink into far extreme of license, thinking that since you’re under grace anything goes. Don’t get petrified into legalism, reducing your faith to a list of rules and regulations. Stay centered on love as your primary motive!–By David Dykes

Give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people– Psalm 105:1

Cultivating a thankful heart is the key to overcoming discouragement, grief, pain, or discontentment. If we develop the habit of counting our blessings then we, like Paul, can learn to be content—even joyful—in the darkest of times or most difficult of circumstances.

However, the psalmist here reminds us that the greatest benefit of a grateful heart, and therefore the greatest motivation to a thankful spirit, is not the blessing that it brings to us but the witness it is to others. Anyone can be happy and thankful when everything is going well; but what a testimony it is when God’s people are rejoicing among the ruins of their temporal pleasures!

When a child of God is seen searching through the wreckage of shattered dreams, lost loved ones, or debilitating pain for reasons to praise their Lord it is an unparalleled proof of the power of Christ to transform and to satisfy His people. When they publicly call upon His name, making His deeds known among the masses, the gratefulness of God’s children redounds to the glory of God’s grace.

We are nowhere as able to shine for Christ as in the darkness of our own heartache and loss. In that moment we have the greatest potential to fulfill the greatest purpose of our lives — to exalt the name of our Lord Jesus.

So, no matter what your current circumstances, give thanks to the Lord, calling on the name of Christ as your joy and sufficiency. Make known His goodness among the masses.–From “A Good Thing”

A good way to start the day is by reading James 1:22-25, where James reminds us that we are to be doers of the Word. Every Sunday morning millions sit in church, hear the Word, and then walk away just as they came. That is both sad and dangerous. Jay Adams wrote:

James talks about the man who looks into a mirror, sees his face is dirty, but then goes away and forgets all about it—as a result, he still has a dirty face. What was he talking about? People who look into (study) the Bible, find out what is wrong with them, but go away and do nothing about it. Dirt is one thing; for neatniks, possibly everything. But suppose he sees signs of skin cancer, and still walks away? That could be deadly.

Yet, people do what James describes all of the time. They read, they hear a sermon, they remember a Scripture verse—any one of which facts demonstrates the need for change—but no, they go on, unperturbed, just as if they hadn’t seen the spiritual dirt or signs of cancer evident in their lives.

In some ways, it’s more dangerous to hear and neglect (or refuse to obey) than not to have heard at all. The responsibility for continuing in sin is greater. When your preacher holds the Bible mirror to your face in a powerful message, do you immediately go the Lord in repentance for His washing? Or do you go home, have a good meal, turn on your HD wall mounted TV, and forget all about it?

If we Christians were more conscientious about this matter, the impact of the truth upon our lives and our testimony to the community would be greatly extended. How about it? Am I right, or wrong?

Make no mistake about it, the world considers Christians as fools—deprived of pleasures and deceived by vain promises. But, they’ve got it wrong! Many years ago, William Mason responded to their silly charges like this:

You worldlings disdain us–but we pity you!

As you are now–so once were we.

Far too long–we enjoyed your carnal gratifications, and feasted on your vain delights. We confess it–and grieve for it. Now we have found Jesus! We have another and a better life. We have divine pleasures, spiritual joys from Christ, and sweet communion with Him! We anxiously wait for future glory. We enjoy a heaven of comfort, in this world of sorrow!

He who walks most by faith, will be the happiest, and most comfortable Christian. He who lives nearest to Christ in faith–will follow Him closest in love. Consequently, he will keep at the greatest distance from the world’s vain pleasures, and the carnal delights of the flesh.