What Do You Live For?

There is this great old Dudley Moore movie called Arthur. Arthur was a rich 30 something drunk who was taken care of by his butler, Hobson, played by Sir John Gielgud. When asked to run a bath for Arthur, Hobson responds sarcastically, “It’s what I live for.”

Ever since then, it has been a running joke between Julie and I when either of us ask the other to do something menial. Would you like to take out the trash? It’s what I live for. Usually said with a snear.

But, seriously, what do we live for? What is it that moves us? What do our energies focus on? This is the central question that Jesus asks us. What are we living for?

Most of the time we don’t even have to think about it. Life just demands that we live for so many things. Our children. Our jobs. Our houses. Our sports. Our bodies. Our wives or husbands. Our friends. Our music.

We acknowledge that these are good things but they don’t seem to fully fill that part in us that needs filling. You know that part? You work and play and do the right thing and still there feels like there is something missing.

The wealthy and the famous seem to have it all and yet they medicate themselves to death (literally), or drink themselves into oblivion. The middle class family with a mortgage and 2.5 children seem happy but when you scratch the surface you find this black hole of dissatisfaction or despair.

Jesus says that this feeling comes from each of us not living up to God’s purpose for us. Read Matthew 6. Yes, the whole chapter. What else are you doing? He says that you don’t find your fulfillment in the good things in life. He says that you find it in living for Him.

Notice carefully the following words of Jesus. “… If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:24,25).  

We are designed to serve God. We are His children. We are His creation. He knows what the best life for us is. He says clearly that if you want to find life you have to lose it in submission to Him.

What are you living for? God says that it should be Him. When you start living for God, the things that you used to think were good get even better. Why? Because that is the way God designed it.

Church even gets better. When each of us is serving God rather than our own interests then church changes from and a religion into a family. Churches are full of Christians who are just proud, self-interested egotists. Yes, they are. Why else are there so many disputes? Read James 4:1-10 if you don’t believe me.

What are you living for? If it’s not God you have missed the point of being a Christian. If it’s not God you don’t stand much chance as a Christian. Rededicate yourself today to your Father. Choose to live for him and not yourself. Repeat with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20). That is God’s plan for every single one of us.

Appendix Speaks

For as long as I can remember my appendix has been maligned as useless. It was said we may have used it once but now it was useless. Somehow this was used as a proof that our bodies had evolved from another species. Here is a fascinating article from Newsweek that reveals the use for this ugly little organ.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/211981
In the final analysis its apparent uselessness is due to our improving diet and health. That makes a lot more sense than believing a distant ancestor was a very smart ape.

Fire

The fires in the Los Angeles area are really getting out of hand. So glad that the wind is not too bad. Julie works in La Canada which was threatened but seems to be OK now.

Latest coverage

We have a couple of our church members (Sunnie and Sylvia) in the Tujunga area who need our prayers.

Great Free Software

I came across a great company that has great software, all with free version for both Mac and Windows. It's called NCH Software. Terrible name but great software. Check it out at http://www.nchsoftware.com/software/thanks.html?software=Scribe&version=4.30

God is Always Working

Why does it surprise us when it becomes so evident that God is working? God spoke to me today a few times through the lives of people at church.

There was a young couple visiting for the first time. They had recently moved to downtown LA. They visited with a church in Orange County and someone there said they should come a visit with us. They did and they said they liked it. They were young adults and one of them works at Warners Bros. I didn't know anything about them before today but God did. He was working. God was saying to me, "Just because you didn't see me working doesn't mean I am not at work. Walk by faith."

That was just one of the stories that came to life for me today. There was another that was too amazing to even tell right now. I hope I can tell it one day.

You Got Questions? God’s Got Questions.

Something goes wrong. You lose your job. Your income drops. A close friend learns they have cancer. The things that can go wrong form a pretty long list, don’t they?

When the hard edge of life hits you, you are immediately shocked out of your peace (or complacency) and you cry out in pain. For Christians this pain is doubled. We thought God was Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. We knew the Hebrew word and everything and still its seems like God’s provision for us has dried up.

We start to question God. That’s a nice way of putting it. Sometimes we start to get angry at God, feel sorry for ourselves and question our faith in one pathetic rant after another.

I know you have questions about God. I’ve got them as well. However, in your disappointment with God’s performance, God has some questions for you. I love these questions. They bring me back to where I really am, rather than that pretend place where I thought I was (often called the “You expected God to do what?” land). God is not going to hold back with these questions. He will confront you with the truth and it may hurt. Are you ready? Brace yourselves.

“Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” Job 38:3, 4. Where were you when God created the universe? That’s right. You weren’t anywhere. You weren’t even a thought in any human heart. You have come late to this party and you need to understand that one who created the party knows a whole lot more about that you do.

“Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?” Job 38:5. Who did that? Who created the seas? Who gave orders to the sun and it obeyed? That’s right. God did. And what can you do? That’s right. Not much. God is not holding back. He isn’t being nasty. He is just trying to give you some perspective on your situation. You asked questions. If you can question God, certainly He can question you. And His questions haven’t finished.

“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth?” Job 39:1, 2. What do you really know about your environment? Maybe a little if you watch the Discovery Channel. But do you care for the doe as she goes through her pregnancy? No, you don’t. Because you can’t. God can and he does. He even knows the number of hairs on your head and you question His concern for you.

“Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings towards the south?” Job 39:26. Come on, you are pretty smart. Does your intelligence (or that of all people) give rise to something as spectacular as a hawk in flight? No you can’t. God can and does it a million times a day with the millions of creatures He created.
God has one final question for you. “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”” Job 40:2. Now that you have seen who you are questioning, do you still presume to correct Him? I love the answer of one who had suffered so much pain and loss.
“I am unworthy--how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer--twice, but I will say no more.”” Job 40:4, 5, NIV.

God is in control. Even, when it looks like He isn’t, know that He is. That’s what faith is. Believing in the invisible and the unbelievable.

Your suffering is not an insignificant thing to God. He loves you more than you will ever know. Don’t turn from Him just when you are about to learn the next and most important lesson in your journey with Him.

I'm Back

I'm back to blogging. Facebook doesn't give me enough therapy or enough space. Either I'm too crazy or too verbose or both.

Check out my church's website. It is great, the church and the website. http://www.glendalechurchofchrist.org

You can still find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/glittle1

I am working on a few projects at the during the hazy days of summer
1. Website designed to help people learn how to preach the message of Jesus
2. A small book on the God of All Comfort.
3. Eating right!

Can only do it with His strenght