OCTOBER 24, 2017

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” 
― John Bunyan

JEREMIAH 11-13

I said, ‘Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. (11:4)

1 TIMOTHY 4

4For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

6If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^a you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

JOURNAL 

This morning Eli and I were getting breakfast after working out and I had a thought...it was a thought I have had before but it clearly was a reminder that our mindset can really be a game changer. I asked him, "what if yesterday when you went to bed, you were in an ISIS prison and it had been determined that you were going to be executed this morning. However...instead of waking up to that nightmare, you woke up to your present life instead.  How would you view today, would it make a difference in how you lived it?" The answer of course is yes...I think of all the movies, from Family Man to It's a Wonderful Life to all the Christmas Hallmark movies...then there is Les Miserables and the scene with the priest when he forgives Jean Valjean in stealing the candlesticks. All of these are perspective altering and as a result behavior altering.

Why? That's just the way God wired us, which is why we have the Bible and all the stories instead of just a set of rules. I think of Paul, the disciples, Moses, Noah, David...the list goes on and on, all of which had a perspective change and then a life change. To me that is a clue that being open to changing my perspective is part of the way God speaks to me. My life is such a blessing and if I view it through a certain lens then it really is wonderful and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to live it. 

God help me to keep this perspective. Take the filter of apathy away so that I see life and the opportunities in front of me in all the wonder and opportunity that they actually possess. 

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19