Expect Great Things; Attempt Great Things

Recently, on the anniversary of Chuck Yeager's historic jet flight that broke the sound barrier for the very first time, Felix Baumgarten, also broke the sound barrier traveling at Mach1.24 or 833 mph. Yet, Baumgarten did it without a supersonic jet or space shuttle.  

From 24 miles above the earth, Baumgarten skydived from 24 miles above the earth, wearing a pressurized flight suit.  His jump shattered the speed of sound during his four minute and twenty second freefall before he opened his parachute and gently landed on the ground. 

What drives men like Baumgarten and Yeager to risk life and limb to do what never has been done before?  Are they just thrill seekers or adrenaline junkies?  Are they just crazy?  Maybe, but their courageous exploits capture our attention and our admiration.

"Expect Great Things From God; Attempt Great Things For God!"

William Carey boldly challenged Christians to believe God enough to take a leap of faith which launched the modern missionary movement with those words in 1792.  He was "crazy" enough to believe God's Word and then acted upon it.  What about you?

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."    (Philippians 4:13)

"Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." (Luke 18:27)

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen"  (Ephesians 3:20-21)

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  (Joshua 1:9)

Baumgarten trusted in aerospace science and technology to take his big leap.  You and I have the promises and resources of Almighty God to equip us, encourage us, and empower us to do great things for His glory. What do we really have to be afraid of?   So unbuckle your seat belts.  Step out on the edge. Take a leap of faith!  It will capture the attention of an unbelieving world and bring glory to God.

Expect Great Things from God; Attempt Great Things for God!

Living On Borrowed Time

While a freshman in college, I was involved in a wreck, that totaled the car and seriously injured a friend of mine, who was my passenger. Though, my friend fully recovered from his injuries and has no personal recollection of the accident.  I have vivid memories of the accident.  The sights, sounds, and even the smells are etched in my memory.  It was the first time in my life, that I really thought I was about to die.  Since then, I guess you could say, I have been "living on borrowed time."  

Have you ever wished that you had more time?  More time to finish what you started.  More time to spend with loved ones.  More time to make up for what you didn't do.  

In the Bible, there was a king of Judah named Hezekiah, who at age 39, became gravely ill.  God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell him to put his house in order, for soon he would die. (Isaiah 38:1-22)  Hezekiah prayed to God, "Remember me, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes."  And Hezekiah wept bitterly."  In his fourteen years as king, Hezekiah had honored God with his life and reign as ruler over Judah.  He begged God for more time.

God heard Hezekiah's prayer and again spoke through the prophet Isaiah, telling him that God would add fifteen years to his life and deliver the city of Jerusalem and Judah from an Assyrian invasion.  Hezekiah praised God for his "borrowed time,"

"But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this.  I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul...the living-they praise you, as I am doing today: fathers tell their children about your faithfulness."  (Isaiah 38:15, 19).

Sadly, Hezekiah's final fifteen years were not his best.  In 2 Chronicles 32:25, we find that Hezekiah did not keep his vow to God.  "But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown on him or on Judah and Jerusalem."

As time went by, Hezekiah took God's gift of "borrowed time" for granted.  He began to regard God's blessing of  his health, the security of Jerusalem, and the prosperity of Judah as his own personal accomplishments.  Though God kept his promise to the king, Hezekiah's "borrowed time" and pride would have dire consequences.

When an envoy from Babylon came bearing gifts, Hezekiah welcomed them. His pride led him to "show off" all the treasures and wealth of the kingdom of Judah to his foreign visitors and bragged of "his" successes as a leader.  Oblivious of the fact that he was entertaining spies of a foreign enemy, who would come years later to conquer the nation, destroy Jerusalem,and take all the treasures.

During his "final fifteen years," Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, was born.  He who would succeed his father as king of Judah at age twelve and reign for fifty-five years.  "He (Manasseh) did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites." (2 Chronicles 33:2)  All the good that God had accomplished through Hezekiah would be destroyed by his son's evil.

We have all wished that we had more time.  Hezekiah got his wish, but he took it for granted and wasted it.  God gives us all the time that we need, we just need to acknowledge that it's a gift from God and strive to use every moment of it wisely.

"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  (Ephesians 5:15-17 NLV)

Shoring Up Sandcastles

Sandcastles just don't last.  Huge elaborate sculptures created by talented sand sculptors who labor for hours nor simple structures built by children with pails and little shovels don't last.  When the tide rolls in, the waves of water will eventually wash the any sandcastle away.

According to national statistics, many homes are proving to be only sandcastles.  Tragically, Over one third of all marriages over the past two decades have ended in divorce.  Today, one third of America's children are living in single parent homes.  Another unsettling statistic is that the homes of those who claim to be Christians are not faring any better.

George Barna, who directed the study, noted that Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life.  "There no longer seems to be much a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage," the researcher indicted.  "Interviews with young adults suggest that they want their initial marriage to last, but are not particularly optimistic about that possibility."

Financial pressures, intimacy issues, frantic schedules, cultural changes, and lack of commitment are among the waves that relentlessly pound today's families.  Even families who claim to be Christians and who are active in their churches, are not immune to the erosion of their homes. That's why Jesus shared with his followers the story of two men who each built a house.  In Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of Matthew 7:24-27, (The Message), we find the word picture that Jesus painted which really hits home.

"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowners improvements to your standard of living.  They are foundational words, words to build a life on.  If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock.  Rain poured down, the river flooded, tornado hit - but moved that house.  It was fixed to the rock.

"But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.  When a storm rolled in and the waves came up.  It collapsed like a house of cards."

What is the foundation of your home?
Love...good answer but if it emotional feeling kind of love, that can rise and fall like a roller coaster.
Financial security...that's good, too. Yet, finances is listed as one of the top issues that couples fight about.
Family activities...the constant movement of being involved in school, church, social and recreational activities is that the centrifugal force holding your family together.  What happens when you stop spinning?

Those who have built their lives on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, have discovered that His words are true and when applied to our daily living our successful.  With God's Word as your blueprint, we have "his divine power that has given us everything we need for life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:3)  Those who take seriously their Christian faith and apply Biblical principles to their marriage and family life do survive the storms of life.

Couples who regularly practice any combination of serious religious behaviors and attitudes - attend church nearly every week; read their Bibles and spiritual materials regularly; pray privately and together; generally take their faith seriously, living not as perfect disciples but serious disciples- enjoy significantly lower divorce rates than mere church members, the general public and unbelievers.

Jesus said that knowing and applying the truth of God's word to our everyday living will enable us to withstand the assaults on our homes.  Building our lives and our homes on God's truth will provide the stability we need.

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge."  (Psalm 18:2)