Only one life, ’twill soon be past, truly only what’s done for Christ will last.

To reminisce and hanker after the good old days is a vivid sign that we have given up on today’s journey, and the path that God has laid before us. It is a subtle way to ignore the command that: "This is the way; walk in it (Isa. 30:21)."

To ignore that command is a vital mistake, for the fact of the matter is that God never changes directions for us, that we do ourselves. So, to make up for our lack of decisiveness we offer sacrifice—the sacrifice of the good old days, instead of obedience. Forgetting, of course, that sacrificial tokenism is never acceptable in God’s economy. For where a man’s treasure is, there also is his heart (Matt. 6:21). Our life is like a vapor, a puff of smoke. Literally, we are here today, gone tomorrow; and only that which we have done for Christ will last, as C.T. Studd reminds us in his poem:

“Only One Life”—

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill,

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say,” Thy will be done;”

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all;”

Only one life,’ twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Christ has in so many words, reminded us of the same, when he said:

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62.”

May the truth of these words sink deep within to the resources of our soul, our very being; and may we purpose never to look back for comfort in the past, but to hope for the future towards which God has directed us, and with the Psalmist understand that: God’s word is a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105).

Blessings, each step of the journey; better yet bless others along the way!

JimR/-

No New Years Resolutions for me . .

Dear Friends, prayer, and financial partners,

Well, by now the tinsel is drooping, the Christmas lights have stopped blinking, and the cat has broken the low hanging baubles. It's almost New Year's Day 2018. Can you imagine? Where has all the time gone?

There is no greater time to remind ourselves that the past is the past, and only what has been done for Christ will last.

Nothing could be truer. 

I don't know about you, but I quit making New Year's resolutions years ago. Couldn't – or didn't I should say, keep them, so why bother. Me? I prefer daily resolutions. Each morning when I wake up, I renew my determination to do better than yesterday, so that I will be a better man for tomorrow. Better for me, means to become more like Christ. That, of course, is a big order. So, I am not foolish enough to go it alone. No, Jesus became my partner in life a long time ago. Longer than I really can remember, to be honest with you.

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to please God—or at least knew that I should; and when I didn't—which was often, I felt rotten. 

Feeling rotten, however, I discovered a long time ago gets you nowhere. Getting right with God in those moments is the only cure for rottenness. That should never wait for a New Year's resolution to do so, either.

Each day is a new start, so why wait for December 31^st?

So, this New Year may we all resolve once again to please Christ, and each day thereafter, as well.

May you have a blessed and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2017 & Happy New Year 2018!

Dear Friends, financial and prayer partners,

The birth of Christ will be celebrated around the world. People will exchange gifts and prepare a big sumptuous dinner. It is a fun time. A time of joy. Peace on earth is wished for all. It is my favorite time of the year. This year Bonnie and I will celebrate Christmas in Vietnam with part of our China family— Gary, Sandy, Kirsten, and her good friend Tommy. 

Christmas, however, is more than a fun time to get together with family and friends or a manger scene with Mary and the Baby Jesus, with Joseph and the stable animals looking on. Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ, the time that God the Father, as scripture says, “So, loved the world, that He gave us His Only Begotten Son (John 3:16).”

33 years later, that same Son, was crucified on a Roman cross, and treated like a common criminal. That death signifies a punishment that we deserve, but He took it instead. But, thank God that is not all, 3 days later He rose from the dead, and later ascended into Heaven with the promise that He would return for all who believe the story, and asks forgiveness for our sins based on His merits, not ours.

And, furthermore, that forgiveness also has latent within it a promise that we, too, shall rise from the dead when he returns and be with Him forever. It is free, too. You cannot buy it. Jesus has the power to promise that, too. For the Bible, God’s holy word says,

For in Him resides the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and we are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9).

This, in part, is what it means to be a Christian. It is the true meaning of Christmas. So, I trust that today you will enjoy the festivities; but even better, may you experience a new joy and appreciation for Christmas more than ever before.

So, may my wife, Bonnie and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Once again be blessed; better yet, remember that it is more blessed to give than receive,

JimR/-

Shame on you . . .

 "His Omnipotence means power to do all that is intrinsically possible, not to do the intrinsically impossible. . . . Nonsense remains nonsense even when we talk it about God." — C. S. Lewis: The Problem of Pain

At first glance: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5),” reads like an oxymoron.

How on earth can hurting someone bring about peace? However, don’t ask the military that question because they will tell you that the brave men and women who keep our nation safe do just that. Military violence, however, is born out of revenge, to get even, and countless other political reasons. Not so with Jesus—that violence the Lamb suffered was for the healings of the nations (Rev. 22:1), who like a lamb, was led to slaughter, yet did not protest in the least (Isaiah 53:7)—which was, of course, in face of the fact that:

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. [And even] when they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to [God] who judges justly (1 Peter 2:22-23).”

The truth is, at Calvary nothing changed except our guilt. God did not—not, not one iota. The Cross simply revealed His heart. Jesus is the same as He always was, and is, and shall forever be (Hebrew 13:8).

Thank God, that this man who was despised and rejected by humankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain, who was despised as one from whom people hide their faces, and held in low esteem (Isaiah 53:3) remains the same now as He always was—that is, the Savior of the world.

Now, I am well aware that Isaiah 53:3 has many interpretations, but to me the obvious is that shame is strongly at work here, and that the Amplified Bible got it right when they translate that is was they who hid their faces from Him—not the other way around. How could they bear to look upon one so badly disfigured against whom they had cried, “Crucify him, crucify him;” although he had done no wrong? So, no, it was not Christ who hid His face from them, but they from His. 

Interesting, isn’t it, the first thing Adam did after sinning was to hide himself. After which he had the audacity to blame it on "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate (Genesis 3:12-13)."

The world hasn’t changed much at all, has it? Still men hide their faces. Shield their conscience, as it were, believing as it were that they can get away with it. Yet, he bore the Cross as a triumphant trophy for all to see.

Men are guilty of the same today. Some hide behind ignorance (2 Peter 3:5); others behind pride (Obadiah 1:3); still yet others behind a thousand and one excuses (Luke 14:18-20). None, however, can, indeed, hide from God who sees all, knows all, and is the reason for our existence in the first place (Psalm 139). There is no reason. He has already exposed sin for what it is, and Scripture says that sin no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14); and that includes the shame of the sins of the past.

The Communion table bears this out. Take eat he says, this is my body which was broken for you. Drink, this is my blood which was shed for you. Do this to remember that it was I who redeemed you from the awful fiery pit of Hell and destruction (1 Cor.11; et. al.). No hiding of His face from us there. No, not at all. We remember it as it was, men hid our faces from Him.

The very thought, should liberate us. Wipe away all guilt complexes, shame, and tinges of a dissatisfied conscience. For if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is free, indeed (John 8:36). 

Once again be blessed; better yet, bless others,

JimR/-