Only a Vapor

My blog, agree to disagree..

Go write your own.  

4500BC to 1990AD

1976AD to 1990AD

I watched a documentary last night that broke my heart, not for the contents of the documentary but for one of the commentators. I just recently learned of a really awesome theologian, R.C Sproul, and have been watching a lot of his lectures on YouTube. A lot go back to the 1980s when I was just wee brat! He was very young(ish) - born the same year as my mother - as I watch his lectures and sermons, he gradually ages, passing away in 2017. The documentary I saw last night he was on oxygen, and was probably his last documentary. I literally saw him age from a healthy young man to sickly man. How frail these earthen vessels are.

Above is one of my favourite books I bought when I was in high school, I love history, it goes from about 4500BC to 1990AD (the dawn of time to almost high school for me) I singled out 1976 to 1990 for y'all...14 yrs - it's amazing that this book holds a chronology of *known* at the time human history.

Million of lives, lived and died within the pages of this book,  most lost to time, but not lost to God.  Isn't it cool,  Good knows everyone who has every lived and we have no clue. 

I showed my daughter the book as she wandered on by, in the hopes that it would spark something for her like it did me. My oldest sibling was born 1961, he died 1981. I can literally hold his entire life in the pages of the book.

The Bible does say in James 4:14, that our lives are a vapor, we are here for a moment and are gone the next. Some of us will leave a mark on the world for the good like Mother Theresa and others bad.

Me? I hope that the mark I leave is on the individuals that I met. I hope that you will all know me as some one who is the same wherever I go, in church or out of church. I don't want to lead a double life.  

I want my friends to know that I am a imperfect person just like everyone else, who is trying my best everyday to do a little better than I did yesterday.

Sure, I'm not going to be walked on.  And I'm not going to allow toxic people from the past to have the same influence over me as I once did, it doesn't make me a bad person, it makes me a person with new boundaries now. Try it, it's a good thing 

I also decided that I am going to openly live for Jesus. No more hiding because I "may lose friends". If I lose them, we're they really friends?

I don't know how long I have to live this life.  How long is a vapor? All I know is I'm closer to 50 than I am 40 and Jesus said He could be back any time soon. 

Tomorrow is not promised - get right with Jesus, today. 

Is Jesus your secret?

Matthew 10:32-33 ESV 

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Welcome to my blog,  we agree to disagree,  I'm not always right and neither are you.  Spelling and grammar errors are my gifts to you, you're welcome!

In today's world,  everyone is so willing to share almost everything about their lives that it is to the point of over sharing.  

Currently,  in today's world,  the biggest issue is labels of gender and pronouns. Gone are the days when we met people and they were what they presented as, with a name.

So,  my dear Christian,  how do you present your title as Christian? I'm genuinely curious about this.  I was taking with my brand new adult (18) new adult smell... vanilla...pumpkin spice... about this, to see if she meets any overtly Christian people inher sphere (other than me). 

Online,  yes she sees hundreds of keyboard Christians, but how many Christians live that boldness in the real world? In the real world, she has met a couple people, but they were "scary" to her. She has never met someone who spoke to her with an agenda of love and sharing the gospel.

Truth be told, in my town, I have never been approached by anyone either. 

Moving along...

I'll be honest,  I get it,  it's hard being a Christian, and even harder broadcasting it. Being a Christian is one of the hardest lifestyles that one can live.  

When you live a life free of religion, you have no morality to measure your life against. You don't have to be a good person.  You don't have to be honest,  you don't have to be giving,  you don't have to do good things.  You go and do you, no one cares.

Now claim Christ, and see how things change for you.  

•The moment you decide not to drive someone somewhere, that's not very Christian of you. 

•The moment you lose your temper, that's not very Christian of you. 

•The moment you cuss, that's not very Christian of you. 

•The moment you have a glass of wine, that's not very Christian of you. 

Things become just that much harder when you decide to step out and witness for Jesus.

Even better,  those who knew you before Jesus, will hold the old you against the Saved you.  Just waiting for you to screw up! 

It's wúnderbar! 😑

Let me give you some hope,  even great men like Martin Luther, the father of Reformation found being a Christian difficult and so did John Wesley the father of Calvinism.  It's an uphill battle, it's a war, and there are days it really sucks! But good news, you're not alone and there is an end in sight with great reward!

2 Tim 2:12 If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;...

Everyday, in everyway, it is a literal work of progress. From how you speak, to how interact with EVERYONE, to how you think, to what you think about, what you watch, what you read, what you allow, disallow, everything! 

1 Tim 4:12-15 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

It is a call to Holiness, and holiness is not an over night thing. It is a life time achievement, work, hard work, that you need to work on.  But it starts with very simple things and one of them is a confession of faith in Jesus.

Romans 10:9-11 If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,  you shall be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the scripture says, that everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. 

Never,  ever,  be ashamed to share your love of Jesus with the people you met. I know it's hard and you will met people who are hostile towards you,  but understand,  it's not them,  it's the spirit in them that is hostile towards God's Holy Spirit in you. 

Sure people are going to distance themselves from you,  but keep the doors open, because when the time to pray comes,  you're number is going to be at the top of their list, mine is, and pray daily for them too. It's a dark road they are on,  and you may be the only Jesus they get to see.

Share Jesus. Be Bold in Faith. He died for you. Live for Him.