In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. Titus 2:1

Kinda backtracking a little from previous posts…but scripture is so cool that every time you go back, you have infinite potential to go back and see something you didn’t really appreciate before.

Take a second to digest this single sentence.

So often, you hear the question, “Why would a loving God send people to hell?”

Answer: He doesn’t. People chose to go there.

OR

“If God is so loving, then why are there people suffering with cancer or starving?”Answer: We live in a fallen world.

Simple truths found in this scripture:

1. God CANNOT lie.

His word is truth.

2. God promised hope in eternal life before the world began.

This life that we know of is NOT God’s original design. It’s not the life he intended for us to live.

God’s intent for us before the world began was for us to live in eternity with Him. That was His plan.

What went wrong is that Adam and Eve used their free will to cross the ONE boundary that God set in place for them. That choice has affected every living person that followed after them.

TRUTH: God set specific, clear, and understandable boundaries for us to follow in order to receive His blessing. As people, we tend to want to push the envelope and very often step outside of those boundaries. Is there any wonder why we miss out on His blessing?

Final story: The San Diego Medical Examiner chaplain was on the scene were a young man had committed suicide. The young man’s gay boyfriend was there and upon seeing the chaplain, the boyfriend challenged the chaplain asking, “What is he doing here? If your God is real, then why would he let this happen?” Without flinching, the chaplain looked around the room and noticed the Satanic symbols along with other anti-God paraphernalia and answered with his own question: “Well judging from the things you keep in your home, God wasn’t a welcome influence here. Why would you blame him?”

Meditate on these truths today: God cannot lie and he has already promised us hope of eternal life. For those of us who are in Christ, we are ALREADY living in eternity. So let’s live like it.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

There is often this transitional period between wakefulness and sleep where I often find myself praying or hearing God speak to me. It almost feels like a dream, but I remember it vividly.

This verse was running through my head this morning; over and over.

Piggybacking on yesterday’s reflection, I’ve had three weeks straight of just heavy ministry. The next two weeks aren’t going to let up either. This Saturday I have the privilege of performing my sister’s wedding. Next week, we are doing our annual Thanksgiving Outreach . I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tired. I haven’t had a day off in weeks.

Thankfully, these daily reflections have kept me in the word, and little encouragements like these verses have kept me going. Our half day expedition to Disnleyland after church on Sunday helped a little too. =)

If you’re tired like me, don’t lose heart, “for in due season we shall reap”. Paul encourages us further in Romans 8:18:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us“.

I cannot even begin to imagine the things that Paul endured for the sake of the ministry. Beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, etc, etc…

And finally, I leave you with this:

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” Acts 3:19

There is a great promise here for those who have repented and have been converted: that as we simply abide in His presence, there will be times of refreshing.

Seek His presence in His Word. Don’t lose heart!