Week Forty-Eight, 2017
WHO IS YOUR GOD?
—John Grant
For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you. – Isaiah 41:13
Recently I attended a college home game of one of the few still undefeated teams in the country. Favored to win, the fans were in the stands with a ho-hum attitude. Apparently, the team was too, by the way they played. When the opposing team won with twenty-seven seconds to go the stands erupted in many expletives unfit to print.
My thoughts were: Who is your God? Is it your football team, your job, your car, your bank account? Maybe it is your ego, which is the anesthetic that masks your self-deceit.
Have you learned that even a defeat can present opportunities to grow? When your walls come tumbling down, they can form a firm foundation on which you can build, rise again and go on to even greater things in life.
The firmest foundation in life is a firm foundation on Jesus, even when you find Him in the dust of life when everything else comes crashing down. He, and only He should be your God…. your foundation. Learn to win from losing rather than losing from winning when you worship the things of this world.
I’ve never met a Christian who says they don’t love Jesus. All Christians say “I Love Jesus”. Too many know about Jesus, but that is a far cry from knowing Jesus.
So, Who is your god? Your god is whoever, or whatever you listen to and obey… Implicitly.
Sadly, many people say Jesus is my God, but their actions testify otherwise. They listen to their job, their spouse, their girl/boy-friend, or their school friends and would sooner obey them rather than Jesus. Or they may sacrifice obedience to Jesus for fashion, their education, or some other worldly pursuit.
Don’t deny Jesus in the stadium of public life, whether you win or lose.
Don’t be deceived. Jesus says: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” – John 14:15
Who is Your God?
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
Am I… Are you… are we… All in?
As I think about what that means as a Believer, I go back to what it means for an athlete and realize that commitment to Jesus is similar.
Are we committed to Jesus? Committed to walking with Him on a daily, hourly, moment by moment basis? Committed to taking up our cross and following Him?
Are we committed to strengthening our walk and our faith through prayer, Bible Study, time spent dwelling on Him and His Word? Are we willing to walk as He walked, talk as He talked, touch lives as He has touched lives?
Are we committed to being all that He has called us to be as individuals and as a church as a whole?
Are we committed and willing to go, to share, to teach, to learn, to live for Him?
Are we committed to shine for Him?
Do I really love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength? Do I love Him with all that I am?
RETIREMENT:
Recognize that retirement is not the end, but the beginning. It is a journey, not a destination. Retirement offers the opportunity of a lifetime to try new and different activities. You may not enjoy all the things you try. If an activity doesn’t pan out, give something else a try. This is a time to be adventurous. Renew your childhood curiosity. You get to start all over again without the pressure inherent for success in the workplace. Because people are living longer, years in retirement are also increasing. You have the opportunity to reinvent yourself many times over. I am not the person I was 5 years ago. I look forward to what surprises may unfold for me in the future.
Views on retirement and getting older are changing. Retirement is whatever we choose to make it. There is no one size fits all. There are as many options as there are one-of-a-kind snowflakes blowing on a winter’s day. I hope my lessons help you avoid some of the pitfalls and reap the rewards of a retired life. As always — put your dent in the universe! Kathy Merlino
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
People who try to live without the Spirit of God always end up trying to fill their own emptiness rather than sharing their fullness. —Ken Whitten
There is no such thing as life in between. Be “All In” there are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out. There’s no such thing as life in-between. —Pat Riley
The lines of morality in our society have been blurred.
You can’t proclaim what you don’t possess.
What we believe will determine our direction in life.
Behind every value we have is a belief.
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©2017 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618