Purpose Archives - Page 2 of 22

July 29, 2025July 28, 2025

Last Day on Earth

Take care of your life, and the Lord will take care of your death If today were your last day on earth, how would you live it? Reflect on life’s meaning, priorities, and what truly matters most. Most of us don’t get that kind of warning. But if we did, would we choose differently? I don’t mean to sound morbid—but it’s a powerful question worth asking.

James 4:14, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

“You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.” — Rick Warren

The Accident

I passed a horrific accident on the interstate after visiting family. Metal twisted like paper. Debris littered the highway. Both cars had rolled at high speed. Their roofs lay shredded and torn off completely. The wreckage screamed devastation. No one could have survived.

My first thought: Were they ready to die this morning when they woke up?

Psalm 39:4, “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.”

Today probably started like any other day for them, except for the excitement of a trip. Plans were made, all the essential things needed for the trip were gathered and stored, and life moved forward. Most of us begin each day expecting it to continue normally.

We rarely think: This is the day I stand before God. We assume today will unfold like yesterday. But sometimes, it doesn’t.

The Conversation

I remember a conversation from years ago with an inmate on death row. I was curious about how it feels to know the exact time and date of your death. To me, it seemed frightening and unsettling. He became a Christian in prison; his response was that it was comforting. He then asked, “Do you know if you will live to make it home? Were you prepared?” Life has a way of disrupting our plans. That really stayed with me.

Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Seeing this accident reminded me of his statement. Did I wake up this morning with the intent to live today as if it were my last? Do I live that way every day? Sadly, my answer is “No.” Somehow, I expect to keep living, pretty much the same way I always do. I make a few adjustments along the way, but that is about it.

The Realization

Tomorrow is not guaranteed. There are apologies we’ve postponed. People who need to hear the Gospel. Loved ones we haven’t embraced. Invisible neighbors who crave recognition. It’s easy to let the urgent override the essential. Easy to say, “I’ll get to that later.”

But what if later never comes?

“Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I want you to be prepared. Take a moment every morning to think about it and respond accordingly.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –

July 15, 2025July 13, 2025

Silence is Rarely Silent

The Sound of Silence

Silence is rarely silent. Often, it is louder than the surrounding voices. When we sit back and allow contrary and even destructive voices to drown out the voices of compassion, our silence becomes a statement. It reflects who we are and who we choose to be: apathetic.

Zechariah 7:9: “Show kindness and compassion to one another.”

When we turn away from someone in need and ignore those struggling to survive or be recognized, our inaction resonates louder than words. It suggests that their lives are less significant than ours. We proclaim that our chaotic, confusing, and busy existence is more valuable than compassion or grace, as if their stories matter less than ours.

“Sometimes loneliness makes the loudest noise.” ― Aaron Ben-Ze’ev

The Sound of Apathy

Silence is rarely silent. Not offering a kind word or an act of compassion often does more harm than harsh words. It leaves the other person feeling invisible and without value. Some argue that anger is better than apathy because at least anger still involves feeling. Apathy, however, is a void; it’s the absence of love, empathy, and connection.

Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

The powerful aspect of compassion is that it transforms us. When we choose to see others and enter their lives, we begin to perceive a richer, more understanding world. We come alive by helping others feel alive. That’s not a burden—it’s a gift. Silence eats away at the core of who God made us. It degrades the essence of who we are, created in His image.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia.

The Sound of God’s Whisper

Silence drowns out the whisper of God’s love calling us to action. God doesn’t force us to care; He doesn’t demand action. He gently whispers through love, inviting us to respond not out of obligation but out of gratitude. Loving others isn’t a requirement for earning God’s love—it’s a result of receiving it.

Proverbs 11:17. “Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.”

Yes, life is demanding. We have schedules to keep, responsibilities to manage, and our wounds to heal. But the challenge isn’t whether we’ll face obstacles; it’s whether we’ll rise above them. Whether we’ll choose the path of love, even when it’s inconvenient. Life will offer you the rationalization needed to move on in silence. But is that God’s nature? God never chose silence when we were in need. He gave His son that we may live. And if we want to reflect His heart, neither can we.

Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

July 8, 2025June 10, 2025

Happy Birthday to Me

It is how many apples in a seed. Happy Birthday to me. Yesterday, I turned seventy-five—three-quarters of a century lived. It’s hard to believe. Deep inside me still lives that sixteen-year-old small-town farm boy wondering how we got here. The truth is, it didn’t happen all at once. It was a journey of countless tiny steps—millions, billions, maybe even trillions of small decisions, each shaping the road ahead.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Twenty-One

I remember when twenty-one seemed impossibly far away. It felt like a milestone that would define everything, and for a while, it did. But eventually, it too faded into memory—just one of many great moments that came and went, each significant, each now a part of the past. A lifetime of echoes.

“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.” – Matt Chandler

My daughter—wiser than I ever was—once told me, “Everything that’s happened made me who I am, and I like who I am.” I’m proud to be her father. Me? I’m still figuring that out. Life went fast. Too fast.

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

My path hasn’t been straightforward. For nearly five decades, I concentrated on making a living. My calendar was filled with meetings and business trips, but in between were birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and family vacations. I’ve traveled the world and experienced wonders I once only dreamed of. I met extraordinary people, and in their presence, I often felt small. I was busy. Life didn’t wait.

Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Seventy-fifth Birthday

Now, at seventy-five, I’m grateful. I’m healthy for my age, I have the means to live comfortably, and I still wake up each day with purpose. I continue to explore the world—discovering places I didn’t even know existed. The people I meet now may not have formal education, but they possess deep wisdom. In their lives, it’s not material possessions but relationships that matter most. And maybe that’s the greatest lesson of all.

By some measures, being seventy-five makes me an old man. But inside, I don’t feel old. I expected to, maybe even hoped I would. But I just feel… like me. Perhaps a little wiser—not because I chased wisdom, but because life taught me through experience.

Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

I don’t fear death. I see it not as an end, but as a beginning. Sometimes I wonder why I don’t long for it—to escape this slow fading of strength. But that’s not for me to choose. God still wakes me each morning, so the work isn’t done.

I’ve lost friends, and I miss them deeply. Sometimes, I envy them—because those of us still here carry the weight of their absence. But over time, you learn to live with grief. Some pains never leave but soften, and we keep moving forward.

A Glimpse Ahead

I have a life that is more beautiful than I deserve. God has been faithful to me through it all—not because of who I am, but despite it. I am blessed with family, friends, and a life that is rich with memories. I am seen. and valued.

So today, as a gift for my birthday, I offer you this: a glimpse ahead.

Life feels like a marathon in the beginning, but in the end, it feels more like a sprint. Every moment counts. One day, those moments will become the most valuable things you own. Live each one fully. Choose a life that excites you for tomorrow, no matter what today holds.

Psalm 146:2, “I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”

If you woke up this morning, God still has a plan for you. So live it.

July 1, 2025June 7, 2025

Surviving Life in a Broken World

Anxiety Spurgeon Surviving life in a broken world can be all-consuming. It seems to me that we used to have to deal with political and economic chaos in larger, more pronounced clumps. Governments would change, and recessions would come and go over extended periods. There was always a ramp-up to change. The world has changed.

1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Now it seems as though things change almost at a moment’s notice. Along with managing our emotional baggage, we must cope with the ever-changing landscape of world change. What used to take months or years to adjust now takes weeks or days. Planning for our future has become a game of whack-a-mole. We now deal not only with all the dystopias created by navigating our personal lives, but we are also bombarded with constant world change.

“Sometimes God lets you be in a situation that only He can fix so that you can see that He is the One who fixes it. Rest. He’s got it.” – Tony Evans, Facebook, June 7, 2012

Understanding God’s View

Most of us struggle to understand God’s view of our life without also trying to integrate God’s worldview. I know I do. It has become so ever-present that I have accepted I may never know the “why,” but I can at least discover the “what’s next.” God never told Job why, so I guess He won’t tell me either. But He will guide me in the direction of what to do because of it.

Romans 13:1, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. God has established the authorities that exist.”

I now sometimes find myself overwhelmed with the dysfunctionality of world events. I layer those events on top of my life events, and it seems everything is out of control. And, by the way, it is outside of my control. God is executing His plan for His kingdom. God looks at people, not governments or country boundaries. Most of us view the world in terms of people groups, where some will win and some will lose. God looks at us as individuals, each with the ability to win through acceptance of Him as King.

God’s Control

I know that I often look at current events and project their occurrence onto the people making the decisions, but that is a false narrative. God is in control. He put all of this in motion before the foundation of the universe.

John 17:5, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

None of this is a surprise to God. All of it is part of His plan for humanity. We can step back from the chaos and gain a unique perspective on eternity that allows us to suspend judgment until we see God’s plan. The world may be out of our control, but it is never outside of God’s control. This has always been true of our personal lives. What has happened to us or is still happening has intent. That intent is to expand God’s Kingdom. Our reaction should not be asking why the past was the past, but what do you want me to do about the future?

Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

We should take the same perspective on world events. What do You want me to do? I’m not going to pretend that there will be no adverse impact on Christianity, but that impact is likely to be temporary. We ultimately know the end, it is outlined in Revelations. The question is how and when we get there.

Surviving

First, as best you can, let go of the contemporary hype surrounding everything that’s happening in the world. God is doing great things that are outside of our understanding. Pray that God’s will will be done. Pray for protection for you and those God has put in front of you. Continue to follow your faith, not as it pertains to current events, but as it pertains to God’s Kingdom.

Remember, in the end, He wins.

Colossians 1:17, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

May 27, 2025April 11, 2025

You Are a Child of the King: Embracing Your Royal Identity

We are made in the Image of God You Are a Child of the King: Embracing Your Royal Identity. That is a fantastic statement of self-worth. It is a statement most of us can’t internalize. We can’t see ourselves as royalty; we see the failures, shortcomings and defects, not the purple robe of royalty. We know, intellectually, that we are descendants of royalty. But that knowledge doesn’t filter down to our consciousness.

Genesis 1:26–27: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

We are made in the image of the creator of the universe (Imago Dei). Think of this: You are created in the image of the most omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, Most High, All-loving, Transcendent being in all the universe.

Romans 8:29, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Past Performance

Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

We judge ourselves using two flawed measurements. First, we judge ourselves based on past performance. Past performance is just that—past performance. It is not an indicator of future worth. Our worth is not determined by what we’ve done—good or bad—but by what God has done for us through Christ. God has wiped the slate clean from past performances. Past performance is only good when you give your testimony of redemption. Past performance is only about how far God will go to redeem you. That’s it, nothing more.

1 Timothy 1:16, “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him.”

Worldly Performance

The second measurement is worldly performance. This measurement is significantly flawed because it adopts a short-term perspective and is based on an ever-changing foundation. We are unique, shaped by different passions, skills, experiences, and motivations. Our cultural backgrounds shape us in many ways; where we grow up, the values and morals our families instill in us, our economic environments, and the influences of the world around us all contribute to who we are. Therefore, it is impossible to accurately evaluate a person’s worth according to contemporary world standards, as these criteria are too volatile and fleeting.

So, where do I look first when I look at myself and want an honest and fair evaluation? Go to the scriptures. Look at yourself through God’s eyes. It is the only accurate measure of worth. What does God think of you? You are His offspring, His child, and His love.

The more a person loves, the closer he approaches the image of God. – Martin Luther, “What Luther Says”

Living with the Image of a King

Colossians 3:10 – “…put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator.”

What does it mean to bear God’s image? God has endowed us with these characteristics:

Moral Likeness – Our conscience guides us with an innate sense of right and wrong.
Relational Capacity – God designed us for relationships, reflecting the relational nature of the Trinity.
Creative Ability – Just as God creates, we express creativity through art, invention, and innovation.
Authority and Stewardship – God calls us to govern and care for creation as His representatives.
Value for Human Life – Every person holds inherent worth, regardless of race, status, or ability.
Justice and Compassion – God calls us to protect the vulnerable and care for the marginalized.
Unity and Reconciliation – Because we all bear God’s image, this truth should inspire us to pursue peace and reconciliation.

1 John 3:2, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

Live like you reside in the Palace of the King.

Your past failures? Redeemed.
Your past successes? A gift, not a measure of your worth.
Your future? Defined by God’s grace, not your track record.

May 13, 2025March 26, 2025

Blessed are the Persecuted

Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

I’ve always thought the caveat to this is the statement “because of their righteousness.” If we go around with a holier-than-thou attitude, we probably deserve to be slapped around. I know a good number of Christians who want to start a holy war to feel persecuted. I don’t mean a literal war, but a skirmish with non-believers, a little dust-up. Then, they can proudly proclaim that they are defending the faith.

Witness Complex

Charles Spurgeon said: “There seems to be no need to defend a lion. All one has to do is to let it loose, and the lion will defend itself.” (“Christ and His Co-Workers,” March 7, 1886)

Acts 1:8, where Jesus tells His followers, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses…”

You will be my witnesses; that is an important differentiator. We are to live blameless lives that reflect the compassion and love of Christ. Earlier, I said that the Beatitudes were not a collection of people but different aspects of the same person. We are to be poor in spirit, mourning the status of the human condition, humble, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, and a peacemaker. If, in doing all of these things, we are persecuted, then we can legitimately say it is holy persecution, not just the natural outcome of pious behavior.

Why is our witness or testimony so compelling? First, many people claim to know the scripture, even when they don’t. Only a fool argues with a fool. But our testimony is unique to us. No one is an expert on Christ’s actions in our lives but ourselves. No one can debate or cast doubt on what we have experienced. We are the ultimate source of who we are, what we have done and seen, and what God has done for and through us. They can debate scripture, but they cannot question the story of our lives.

C.S. Lewis once said, “I do not want to reduce the riches of our experience to a few propositions, nor do I want to substitute theology for God Himself.” (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer)

Persecution Complex

I was on a mission trip to a Muslim country a few years ago. One of the new participants had brought a few Bibles and Christian Literature with him to distribute in the market. He knew it was illegal. His stated goal was to be persecuted by the local Muslims. We tried to explain to him that if he did this, not only would he be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, but the government would close the Christian schools and the University because of him. He didn’t care. He assailed us for being cowards by not standing up for the Gospel in the market.

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) – “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

We did convince him to at least think of his wife and child, even if he could not think of the local Christians who would be subjected to persecution for his sake, not Christ’s. That was an extreme case of shortsightedness, but it brought the point home to me.

We are to be living testimony to the goodness of Christ, even to the point of persecution. We confront and confuse evil through kindness, compassion, and love, not passive-aggressive arguments.

Revelation 12:11 – “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

April 15, 2025March 10, 2025

Blessed are they who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”

Many of us were raised in the church believing that if we follow the proper practices, associate with the right people, participate in Bible study, and attend church, we will gain God’s favor. While salvation is a gift, it comes with a cost. We are taught you cannot be passive and expect God to love you; some form of transaction must occur. Nothing in life is truly free, not even salvation.

The Wrong Hunger and Thirst

Deuteronomy 8:6, “Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.”

We are led to believe every sin and every transgression is an indictment against our worth to God. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness isn’t about doing the right things but about aching on the inside for a worldwide revival. To hunger and thirst is to feel the vacuum left by worldly desires and want it filled with God’s love.

John 6:35, “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God. It is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. – John Piper

Hunger and Thirsty for the Lost

One of my biggest daily challenges is seeing the injustice in the world and maintaining my sanity. I become emotionally hijacked every time I read the news. The number of people who deal with injustice and foundational needs is staggering, as is the world’s wealth. Why do we still have these problems? Why do certain people gravitate to a position of power just to use it to gain more power? When is enough, enough?

“The greatest disease in the West today is not tuberculosis or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but love is the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness. Many in the world are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love.” – Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light.

Psalm 43:1,” Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked.”

Because I love God and want to please Him, I try to live according to His will. I will fail again and again, but I will keep on trying—not because it is a pathway to salvation, but because I want to please Him. My hunger and thirst are not about gaining His love but about spreading His love throughout the world.

Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Be Satisfied

I need to yearn for the salvation of others, To be desperate for the unsaved, and to lament the plight of the underserved and downtrodden. My prayers should be numerous. I pray for a world where God reigns with love, compassion, and grace. I pray that authorities and governments listen to God’s voice and respond appropriately. Let us pray for the impossible and rejoice in what God accomplishes.

John 4:13-14, “Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

March 18, 2025March 10, 2025

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

At first glance, this may seem like an odd statement. Who would consider depression to be a blessing? But in the gospel context, being poor in spirit refers not to emotional poverty, but the recognition of our spiritual insufficiency. It’s about understanding that, without God, we are spiritually bankrupt, utterly incapable of saving ourselves from our sin. We should all consider ourselves poor in spirit for we have all sinned.

Acknowledging Our Sinful Nature

Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

To be poor in spirit begins with the painful but necessary acknowledgment of our sinful nature. The Bible teaches that we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. This means that, apart from God’s intervention, we are separated from Him and under the weight of sin. We may try to live righteous lives, but at the core, we are broken, our hearts are prone to selfishness, pride, and rebellion. We all have a desperate past of sin that we want to forget, but can’t.

“Our yesterdays present irreparable things to us; it is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future.”— Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Recognizing this spiritual poverty is the first step to true humility. It’s when we come to terms with the reality that we have nothing to offer God in terms of righteousness, and that we cannot make ourselves right with Him on our own. This is a sobering realization, but it is also a liberating one.

Seeking God for Relief

Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Once we acknowledge our brokenness, we face the crucial question: How do we find relief from this self-incrimination? How do we stop beating ourselves up over past transgressions? The answer is simple yet profound—by seeking God. To be poor in spirit is to recognize our need and turn to the One who can provide what we cannot. It’s an invitation to humility, surrender, and a desire to be transformed by God’s grace.

In seeking God, we acknowledge that only He can heal our brokenness. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, cleansed, and made new. The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who recognize their need for a Savior. This is why Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Recognizing our sin and dependence on God opens the door to the richness of His grace and the abundant life He promises.

A Humble Posture Before God

Being poor in spirit also means taking on a humble posture before God, free of self-righteousness. It’s easy to look at others and think we are better or more deserving of God’s favor, but the reality is that we are all in need of His mercy. We are all beggars at the foot of the cross.

True humility comes from knowing we cannot stand on our merits. Our salvation is entirely God’s work, not our own. When we recognize this, we can experience the freedom and peace that come from trusting in Him fully.

Conclusion

Proverbs 18:14: “The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”

The blessing of being poor in spirit positions us to receive the kingdom of heaven. It’s an invitation to let go of self-incrimination and embrace God’s grace. By acknowledging our sinful nature and seeking God’s relief, we are drawn closer to Him. As we walk in humility and surrender, we find that God, in His mercy, is ready to forgive and transform us, making us new creations in Christ. This is the true blessing of being poor in spirit—recognizing our need and finding our fullness in God alone, erasing the past and looking toward the future.

March 4, 2025February 13, 2025

One Person Can Make a Difference.

One Person can make a difference. I know many of us don’t believe it can be us. We believe we have an impact on our families and friends, but that is not a real difference in the world. It seems like one more drop of water in the ocean, one more grain of sand on the beach.

Matthew 17:20, “He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

The Star Thrower

The 1969 essay by Loren Eiseley entitled “The Star Thrower” described a man who didn’t look at the totality of his effort but the importance of making an effort. A concluding statement says, “ Only then have I allowed myself to think. He is not alone any longer. After us, there will be others.” What gives me hope is not that I would change the world, but maybe, through my actions, there may be others who can and will.

There are people like Micheal J. Fox who have raised billions for Parkinson’s research. Jane Kristen Marczewski (Nightbirde) used her short-lived fame from AGT to proclaim that we all have a loving God, even in bad times. These are contemporaries who used their circumstances to change the world. They exposed people to needs and provided hope. But most of us don’t have that stage. Our sphere of influence is small; our accomplishments are mundane.

After Us Will Be Others

Eiseley’s “After Us, There Will Be Others” should be our rallying cry. Helping one person a day, week, or month might catalyze world change. Even in our suffering, we can provide hope. There is not even one of us that will not leave a legacy. The question is, what will that legacy be? God has given us everything to stimulate the “Butterfly Effect” for eternity. We can set in motion the dominoes that create change for generations to come. It is our actions that save a life for eternity. It is not the totality of our effort but the importance of making an effort. We don’t know what God has in store.

1 Corinthians 2:9, “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

If you spend the rest of your life impacting just one Person for Christ, you may save millions. That Person may save two, and those two each save three. This ripple effect continues until Christ returns, potentially saving millions. One Person can make a difference.

We Each Have a Story

We each have a story. Our lives ebb and flow with the effects of a fallen world. Unfortunately for the teller but exuberant to the listener, great stories start with great tragedy. The definition of a great tragedy is different for different people. As North Americans, we do not see a tragedy like South Americans might. Many people live everyday lives that I find hard to comprehend.

Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

But all these stories must be lived and told. The overcoming must be passed down from generation to generation so that others might have hope. The overcoming, Christ’s intimate intersection with our lives, must be kept alive. When we see the tragedy as tragedy, we lose sight of God’s great plan for our lives. We come alive when we see tragedy as the genesis of a great story of salvation and redemption.

James 3:4, “Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.”

The tragedy is a tragedy, deep, dark, and depressing. But the outcome, the final scene, does not have to be. It can end as one of the greatest stories ever told, and that story can change the world.

One Person Can Make a Difference

One Person can make a difference in the life of another. God planned it that way. Have hope. Seek compassion, love, and grace from the creator of the universe, and he will give you a mighty story that will comfort listeners long after your passing.

Matthew 25:21, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

February 25, 2025January 31, 2025

Change: What You Are Not Changing You Are Choosing

God is a God of Change What You Are Not Changing You Are Choosing is a quote from Laurie Buchanan. It suggests that you are implicitly accepting it as your reality by not taking action to change a situation.

We face choices daily—some we make actively, others through inaction. Yet, the truth remains: what we refuse to change, we are choosing. Scripture teaches us that God calls us active participants in our faith and lives, not passive bystanders.

Deuteronomy 30:19, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live.”

This verse reminds us that choosing to remain in unhealthy patterns, toxic environments, or spiritual complacency is still a choice—one that can keep us from the abundant life God intends for us.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis.

Are You Settling for Less Than God’s Best?

Are you staying in a situation that drains your spirit, hoping it will somehow change on its own? Are you waiting for the “right time” to grow spiritually, mend a broken relationship, or pursue the calling God has placed on your heart?

James 4:17, “If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin.”

Inaction is still a decision when we know we need to act.

Faith Requires Action

Jesus often called people to step out in faith before transformation happened. The blind man had to wash in the pool (John 9:7), Peter had to step out of the boat (Matthew 14:29), and the woman with the issue of blood had to push through the crowd to touch Jesus’ robe (Mark 5:27-28). Each had a choice: remain the same or move toward change.

“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.” – Oswald Chambers.

So ask yourself:

What area of my life am I waiting for God to change when He is waiting for me to take action?

What fear is holding me back, and am I trusting God’s strength over my own?

Am I praying for change but resisting the steps God is prompting me to take?

God’s Promise for Those Who Choose Change

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

God does not call you to change on your own—God equips, strengthens, and walks with you.

If you’re not actively choosing growth, renewal, and obedience to God’s direction, you may choose stagnation, fear, or comfort over calling. But the good news is, today is a new opportunity to choose differently.

What will you choose?

Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”