There is a lot of wondering, in the world about what happens to us after death.
Do we get reincarnated?
Do we just end? Do we turn to dust after hundreds of years?
Do we hang around in the spiritual realm looking over our relatives as ghosts or spirits?
Romans 1:17 Living Bible
17 This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”
What is this faith?
It is the faith we have in the Lord Jesus Christ that through his death on the cross
Our sins have been forgiven
We are blameless in God’s sight
Christ stands as our mediator
therefore:
We will live with God after death.
When we accept, internalize, that God has chosen us– who choose to believe– to live with Him for eternity…then we have the freedom to live in the here and now.
Knowing that we will be fine, forever after, allows us to walk through the temporary trials and difficulties. HOW?
Well– we can keep telling ourselves that “Life will not always be this way.”
This is not some kind of mental trick.
Some may think this is a convenient way to just trick ourselves into believing that things will be ok.
But they will be okay… one day.
How does knowing that we will be in heaven effect us now? Knowing that when we die– we will live forever, transformed, with our Creator?
It is kind of like what my class discussed this morning. How would “my life” change if I truly believed That God loved me as much, and just like, He loved Jesus?
For me that is the difference between performance Christianity and responsive Christianity. In performance Christianity we do things to check them off our list in order to be (and be seen as) a “good Christian”. In responsive Christianity (I made that term up just now) we do things out of our love, adoration and honor that God loves us so much. We then naturally do wonderful things and are open to the leading of the spirit at every turn. In responsive Christianity we don’t use checklists. We follow our divine guidance which always leads us to the higher path.
Double checking vs. trust and obedience to inner promptings.
Knowing that God sees us as sinless due to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross we find life. We find life now and life eternal. Our listening to the Holy Spirit provides for us a life we that goes beyond what we can imagine. That is because we are focused on listening and going where lead– rather than setting “our own agenda”.
I talked with a lady who has this goal: “I can retire in a year and a half. When I retire, then I feel like I will have time to devote to God and where he will call me to be of use to him.” She also said she while she sometimes wonders if there is something she could do now for the kingdom, she isn’t being lead at this time.
I told her — God cannot lead you in the here and now if you have told him “I am willing in a year and a half”. You have already told him you are closed to the opportunities now. You are waiting until retirement. Why would God tell you to do something now, other than the occasional hunch He offers? She already has the mindset it will be later down the road; therefore, she is not even open to or listening for anything right now.
God is not going to KNOCK you down (not usually) to get your attention.
There are billions of us. There is probably someone else that can (and is willing) to do a job for the Lord. It is not God that misses out… it is us.
If we are willing to be open to the leading of the Spirit then the God of all Salvation can move us in various ways that go beyond our goals and plans and routines.
Real life is living in the Spirit.
Real life goes beyond our limited imaginations.
When I go to work at the office (a church, as the part time community liaison) I have fallen into the habit of thinking I am not working or earning my pay unless I am in the office at my desk.
I am paid to not only do office work. I am paid to work with people in the community that need assistance.
I am currently working, on a daily basis, with 2 schizophrenic homeless gentlemen and one non schizophrenic, who was housed in an apartment with another couple –only there is no electricity.
God calls me to work with them whether in the office or not. The idea of “the office is where I work”- does not exist in God’s kingdom.
Today I came to the library.
One of the homeless ladies in our community that I have known for 3 years was here. I am called by Christ to enjoy her and our time together. It is not about “my getting a blog post done in an hour or two so I can be home at a given time”. It is not about ” we could do this on Monday at the office– or better yet Tuesday because Monday I have meetings,”
God calls me to be available in the here and now.
He calls each of us to be available at his promptings.
And this gives us life.
It takes us beyond the push and hurry of living on demand. Of measuring up. Of achieving according to the world’s standards.
It gives us a quality to our lives that provides richness and connection to humanity.
Knowing that we are free in Jesus
That we are accepted and pure in God’s eyes
That our future is taken care of…
We can rest assured in that where the Spirit leads– it is safe for us to go. We will not miss out on life. We will have a fuller more abundant life because our future is secure with Him
That is huge…hence the huge font I chose.
When we believe the honesty of God’s love for us
That He loves us JUST like he loves( loves) Jesus
When we know that God is taking us to be with HIM…what else really matters?
His/ her opinion
The spelling bee
The temporary promotion (til we apply elsewhere)
The bigger house
Those extra 20lbs
It is done. We are HIS. We are lucky and we are blessed.
Until Next Time~
Blessings, Kate
Encouraging-Grace 
Some important words for ALL of us to remember. I ❤️‘ed the story of the woman who wanted to wait until retirement. She could be run over by a bus or die, TODAY.
Thanks, Kate!
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