We are living in a world inundated with media, technology, entertainment, books, magazines, radio, television, movies, podcasts, blogs, and thousand advertisements every day. We are told how we should dress, act, eat, drink, read and everything in between. The rat race is exhausting. You can’t keep up with the Jones family unless you‘re ready bankruptcy. Work demands more. Your kids demand more. No leisure time. No time to rest. Go. Go. Go…. And STOP. Just stop. For just a moment… breathe.
You don’t know if you are coming or going. It is time to take a step back to evaluate. Just breathe. Look past the noise. Beyond the list of demands. When you look ahead, what do you see? The next chore, job, or source of income? Why not focus on Heaven? Let go of the anxiety and focus on your priorities. You have to decide what really matters. You alone have control of your life. Manage your emotions. Determine your priorities. Make a plan. Give it to God.
Tomorrow we will be considering the text of Luke 9:18-27: And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”
This passage offers a personal challenge to every reader… “Who is Jesus to you?” And, what is probably more important, “What are you going to do about it?” Serious questions. They deserve a serious answer. Tomorrow we will dive into the text to see what we can do to live an intentional Christian life. Join us in person or online at the Summerdale Church of Christ.
You are loved!
Dr. Ray Reynolds
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