Our house

Growing up as a young boy was a strange thing when it came to living in a house. Because of circumstances and financial reasons, we were not able to live in one place for a long period of time. In fact, we moved around for most of my teenage life. What I remember the most was that there was no permanent place that I could call home. Many people today live in houses and perhaps are even more permanent then the ones I lived in as a young boy, however a lot of people do not welcome the Lord into their home. In Joshua 24:15 it says, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." When God is welcomed into your house, then it becomes a loving home. The places that we live in should not just be places that we lay our heads at night. But they should be places where we pray continually, read God's Word, and worship the Lord.

Love not!

The world that we live in is an interesting place. The people that live in the world are quite alluring as well. One of the most striking things about human beings today is their love for the world itself. There are some who want to save the planet, there are some who want to save the animals, and there are some who want to save themselves. They will do this by eating the healthiest foods, getting plastic surgery, or even taking certain supplements that would increase their life. John, in his epistle, tells us: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the father but is of the world." (I John 2:15,16) We may live in the world, but we do not have to act worldly. The people that we know and friends that we have want to find happiness and fulfillment. It is our job as Christians to show them our genuine love for the Lord and how they too can have a personal relationship with Jesus. This is the right kind of love!

The greatest demonstration

People today demonstrate love in many ways. Some will demonstrate their love for a person by verbalizing it, some by buying gifts, and some by doing nice deeds. What if you were to show someone love who didn't deserve it? What if you did something nice for someone who wasn't nice? Paul writing to the church in Rome says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 God shows us how much he loved us by sending the greatest demonstration of His love to the world. Jesus was sent to die on the cross for our sin and give us new life. The funny thing about it is that we didn't do anything to deserve it. In fact, we really don't deserve His forgiveness either, but he forgives us. That, my friend, is the greatest demonstration of love that anyone can give to anyone.

Making preparations

A friend of mine, who recently passed away, went to be with His Lord in heaven. What I remember most about this great man was that he was a man of preparation. He was the type of guy that would always show up on time for an appointment and was constantly thinking of the future. His greatest preparation was the relationship that he had was in Jesus his Savior. Jesus too was a man of preparations. In John 14:1-2 Jesus says, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you." Are you prepared to meet your Maker? Jesus has gone to prepare a place for those who have put their trust in Him. Making preparations is vitally important, especially when it comes to your eternal destiny.