A time to understand

Greetings:
We live in a time-controlled, time-shaped, time-driven world.
Some of us more than others.
Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines.
There is a time to get up. There is a time to go to bed. There is a time to eat. There is a time to go to work and a time to leave work. There is a time to get this done or that done. There is a time for everything we do.
Reading through the Gospels, I am reminded that time in our future won't be so important anymore.
In the first verse of book of John in the Amplified Bible, it reads: “In the beginning (before all time) was the Word…”
That means before God created the world and you and I, there was no such thing as time.
That was Paradise for sure.
How many of you know from experience that our timing is very different from God’s timing?
Sometimes, we don’t like it. We are seldom aware of why God doesn’t work in our time frame.
Our vocabulary is full of time references. We can be early or late or right on time.
Will there be time in eternity?
How will we pass the time?
Since there will be no time there, I think we’ll just be happy to be there and consumed with the presence and majesty of our God. It will be a constant time of praise and worship – a never-ending tent revival of jubilation.
We would all be wise to throw away our watches and unplug our clocks occasionally to get back in touch with the real concept of time and prepare ourselves for our eternity trip.
That is not easy for me, even after retiring after living in a deadline world as a journalist for more than three decades. I still want to know what time it is.
Regardless of what time it is, Ecclesiastes Chapter 3:1-8 is still one of my favorite passages to read:
It says:
“For everything there is a season,
    A time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace”
The passages say so much about life, the world, the things all around us as well as the lessons we can learn from something as simple as time.
I am reminded that God's time is always the best time.
God's time is on time, every time no matter what time it is.
Be blessed.

Be wise and follow him

Greetings:
We must never forget to call upon the Lord for guidance and wisdom.
It's important to realize that no matter what we are facing on this day and other days, we need to understand that we are not alone and we are just walking through a particular situation.
God's not a crutch, but a source of power, strength and comfort.
I often have to remind myself that we don't have to stop and dwell on the tough times. We need to understand that this situatin is only temporary.
Importantly, we must not allow fear to paralyze us into immobility in the middle of walk through 'the valley of the shadow of death', the valley of despair, the valley of illness, the valley of disappointment, the valley of hurt, the valley of pain, the valley of no answers and waiting, the valley of whatever might be troubling us and keeping us from enjoying the wonderful promises of God.
We must keep walking and trusting God.
God is always there walking with us hand in hand. He is strengthening us. He is lifting us up. He is making a way for us where our eyes and minds say there is no way.
He is lining up people, opening doors and putting into motion situations to bring us out of that tough place into a place of overcoming victory.
Much of the time we cannot see or even feel his presence, but he is there with us, fighting with us, fighting for us.
We need to put 2:Timothy 1:17 (New Living Translation) deep in our heart and stand on it when the mountains seem too talk to climb, when there looks like there is no hope, no answer, no way out or up.
The passage reads: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
We must speak life and peace when we are going though a rough stretch in our walk, and all on your faith to be strong.
We must call on the virtue of hope in situations where it looks like there is no hope.
We must speak victory.
We must speak the Word.
We must speak the power that we have in the name of Jesus to the situation.
We must command it – don't ask it – command it to leave.
I'm also reminded that we can glean much good life advice and wisdom from a ship. A ship is designed to take us places. So, if our friendships, companionships, relationships, partnerships are not taking us anywhere that is pleasing to God, then we should abandon ship.
We must be like the disciples in Matthew 8:23, which reads, "When he got into the boat, His disciples followed him."
Only on God's ship will we sail to a place of victory and happiness.
Be blessed.