As we approach the anniversary of the tragic day that changed our nation forever, just a decade ago, every American is forced to relive that sad moment. I love the way former football coach Joe Gibbs spoke of it. He wrote:

There are few symbols of bravery more compelling than that of New York City’s first responders streaming into Towers One and Two on this cloudless day in 2001. If not for those squadrons of emergency crews, heavy with rescue gear, bounding up ring after ring of suffocating stairwells, the tragedy that claimed thousands of human lives could have easily killed tens of thousands.

We can hardly fathom such extreme levels of heroism. We don’t quite know how to express our awe and gratitude toward those who risk their lives—every day, just as on this one horrific day—to save others.

But even with their daring sense of courage and self-sacrifice, even with hours of rescue training and contingency planning, these modern-day heroes are not able to save everyone. There are limits to what they can do. Time runs out. Gravity outweighs them.

How much awe and praise, then, should go to the Lord Jesus Christ, who’s never encountered a life he couldn’t save? No matter how black the sin or how impossible the situation, no matter how late the hour or how heavy the damage, he is able to snatch men from life’s ultimate danger zone, saving them from eternal death.

In the light of this we need to think of what Jesus said in John 6:40,”And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

If you’ve never received Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so this very moment. He is willing and able to rescue you from your sins, giving you everlasting life and eternal hope!

“…I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3

The love of Christ is unending; it is not a passion of His humanity–but a perfection of His divinity. He has always existed–and He has always loved His people. His people . . .
always had a place in His thoughts,
have ever been before His eye, and
have always been loved by Him!

He has loved them–ever since He knew them–and He foreknew them from eternity! His love ran through the boundless ages of eternity past–and fixed upon poor sinners who were to appear during the existence of time; and having fixed upon them–His love maintains its hold!

When He created the earth, spread abroad the Heavens, and gave His decree to the sea–His love was fixed upon His people! Their welfare, in connection with His Father’s glory–was the object which He sought in all things.

Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth! That Jesus should have fixed His love upon such poor, depraved, insignificant creatures–and that from eternity past!

When we meditate upon eternity past–we can say in reference to the most distant periods, “My Savior loved me then! He loved me from all eternity!” Glorious truth! He always loved me–and He always will love me! He loved me . . .
before angels existed,
before devils appeared,
before sin was committed!

He loved me–when the Godhead dwelt all alone! O the depths! Surprising mystery! It seems almost too good to be true! But God has said it, and my soul shall rejoice in it and praise Him for it!

His love to me is as eternal as His nature–without beginning of days, or end of years. From His love, as from a mighty ocean, flows . . .
all the acts of His power,
all the displays of His benevolence,
all the manifestations of His grace, and
all the provisions of His gospel.

It is sweet, to silently meditate upon the thought, of such a vile and insignificant creature as I am–that Jehovah-Jesus not only thought of me–but eternally loved me with all the strength of His Deity! He so loved me, as to be willing, when it became necessary–to take my nature, and to save me by His humiliation, sufferings, and death!–By James Smith

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.…–Psalm 37:7

I don’t have to tell you–we are living in tough times! If we continue doing “business as usual” we will end up out of business. Something has to change, and that “something” is us. It’s foolish to suppose that that things will get automatically get better without effort on our part. Time doesn’t heal all wounds. Too the contrary–the passing of time often makes matters worse. If left untreated, a minor wound can get infected and threaten our life. It’s time to act. However, sometimes the best thing we can do is to do nothing–just wait and watch God work. This recent article from Turning Point gives us good advice:

We’ve often heard that it is wise to live  within  our means. But today financial advisors everywhere are saying this is no longer good enough–we need to live  below  our means. According to a recent study on the phrase, “Good things come to those who wait,” people are making great strides. They are willing to pass up the immediate, smaller reward to wait for the bigger, more satisfying one.

As Christians, many of us are willing to pass on the immediate “thank you” for our service if we could just see people’s lives changed as they come to know Christ. So the days, months, and even years pass without seeing any fruit from our efforts. And the truth is, as discouraged as we may become, we have to remember that God times the harvest, and we will reap in due season if we do not lose heart. And what, at times, seems futile here on earth is used by our Father. He sees our acts of service, He knows the intentions of our heart, and He will reap the harvest…in  His  perfect time.

” God aims to exalt Himself by working for those who wait for Him.”
John Piper

Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:7

Have you ever heard of a farmer who planted corn, yet harvested wheat? Or have you seen tomato seeds grow into watermelons? Few things in life are as certain as the agricultural principle that whatever seed you plant, that’s what you’ll reap. The same is true in technology: garbage in, garbage out. Finance: If you don’t invest, you won’t get a return.

The same, of course, is true in the spiritual life. Through the books we read, the company we keep, the movies we watch, the music we listen to, we are sowing either to the Spirit or to the flesh. When we sow to the Spirit, we set our affections on things above–seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. By praying, studying God’s Word, sharing our faith, and bearing one another’s burdens, we sow to the Spirit. But if we sow our lives and money to the flesh, according to the apostle Paul, we reap corruption.

Holiness is a harvest gained by careful sowing. Will you reap the reward of holy sowing? Or will you be surprised by what your harvest yields?–From Turning Point

There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.
John Wooden

Numerous times I’ve heard people say, “I hate my job. The people I work with are so ungodly, I just can’t take it anymore. I’ve got to find another job!”. That’s why I was so impressed with the following article by Charles Spurgeon. Although he did not write the article with “Labor Day” in mind, it couldn’t be more appropriate.

Psalm 120:5
Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.

 

As a Christian you have to live in the midst of an ungodly world, and it is of little use for you to cry “Woe is me.” Jesus did not pray O that you should be taken out of the world, and what He did not pray for you need not desire. Better far in the Lord’s strength to meet the difficulty, and glorify Him in it. The enemy is ever on the watch to detect inconsistency in your conduct; be therefore very holy. Remember that the eyes of all are upon you, and that more is expected from you than from other men. Strive to give no occasion for blame. Let your goodness be the only fault they can discover in you. Like Daniel, compel them to say of you, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Seek to be useful as well as consistent. Perhaps you think, “If I were in a more favourable position I might serve the Lord’s cause, but I cannot do any good where I am”; but the worse the people are among whom you live, the more need have they of your exertions; if they be crooked, the more necessity that you should set them straight; and if they be perverse, the more need have you to turn their proud hearts to the truth. Where should the physician be but where there are many sick? Where is honour to be won by the soldier but in the hottest fire of the battle? And when weary of the strife and sin that meets you on every hand, consider that all the saints have endured the same trial. They were not carried on beds of down to heaven, and you must not expect to travel more easily than they. They had to hazard their lives unto the death in the high places of the field, and you will not be crowned till you also have endured hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Therefore, “stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

There might be a lot of things about your job that’s unpleasant, even difficult, but that doesn’t mean you’re not where God wants you to be. You didn’t get there by accident, so instead of complaining about it, learn to love it. Think of it as your mission field. Instead of looking at it as an obstacle to your happiness, consider it as an opportunity to serve God by ministering to others, then you will love it instead of leaving it.