What If Jesus Did Return Today?

There is a man who has made headlines this week by stating that Jesus will return today at 6PM. (Now I'm not sure what time zone that it will be either, I'm not sure he said that part.) There have been all kinds of comments made about his prediction, and since he also predicted that this would happen in 1994 and it didn't, I don't hold out a lot of hope for him to be correct this time either.

What I have been pondering however is would I do things differently if I actually did know that Jesus was coming back at 6PM tonight? And that answer is yes. I wouldn't be going out and partying and running up credit card debts, I would be doing everything in my power to let as many people as possible know so that they too would be in the catching away of the church.

I probably wouldn't be tempted to waste my time on such trivial things as poor attitudes or withholding love from those who need it. I'm for sure that my last little bit of time here on the planet would be spent in such a way as to bring glory and honor to my Father God, not to heap more hedonistic pleasures on myself.

Why is it then, that I don't do that all the time now? I mean, I'm not a true hedonist in the sense of the word. (Definition: A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure seeker. In case you were unaware of what that means.) But I do believe that we all seek a little pleasure in our lives don't we? I'm not saying that we shouldn't enjoy a little pleasure in our lives once in a while, but are we truly living for God if we spend more time living for ourselves? It's just a thought.

I think I'll spend less time wondering if in fact Jesus will return tonight, and more time on how I can give to those that are around me. Maybe forgo a little pleasure for myself to bring a little joy into the lives of others. So while I don't believe that Jesus will return at 6PM tonight, I think I should start to live like He may. Well there's that...get 'em up folks, we've got a job to do!

What Makes You A Man?

Growing up in Muskogee, Oklahoma in the 70's, there was always talk among those of us adolescent teens about becoming a man. I was thinking about that today, and through my reminiscing I was amazed at what back then I thought it took to become a "man". Mostly it involved doing things, most of which none of us had any idea what they actually were.

I think that one of the saddest things about growing up in the 70's was that there were no men in my life that led me in the path of becoming a man. I was pretty much left to myself as to how to figure that out. So after I married my bride, I quickly realized there was much that was being required of me that I had no idea about. I asked my Pastor one day if he could preach a sermon about what it meant to be an authentic man of God, which never happened.

I moved on in my married life and as we began to have children, again I had this gnawing feeling that I just wasn't quite enough. You know, that I wasn't measuring up as a man. It seemed that I was more and more frustrated, and if you had asked me why, I couldn't have told you. I just knew that there was something missing in my life.

It was about this time that a sales rep who called on my business told me about this book he had just read. He said, "You've got to get this book called Wild at Heart. It's written by this guy named John Eldredge, and Dave it is amazing!" We talked a little bit longer about it, then he left to go to another appointment. I left right after that to go to my local Christian bookstore and buy this book. I read it that night, and in about three days I had completely finished it. I was amazed. In this book, I had found the answers that I had been looking for for so long.

That was almost ten years ago, and I have walked in the knowledge this little book showed me for most of that time. What I have learned through all of this is that what makes me a man, is the decisions that I make everyday. Decisions to love my wife and kids, to give my life for them just like Jesus gave His life for me. It's not in accomplishments, or acquisitions or conquests, it's in the day to day living and giving my life for those around me. That is what makes us men.

How about you? Have you longed for something, but just not been able to articulate what that is? If you haven't read this book Wild at Heart, then I suggest you run to your nearest Christian book store and buy it now...I promise you it will change your life. Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!