The Lov3 Experiment

Here are some truths about love that I have been taught since childhood.  

• A smile toward a stranger can change their day.
• The gift of time is one of the most costly and expensive gifts one person can give to another.
• Words of encouragement to a friend cost nothing but have a lifetime of dividends.
• Grace will teach, encourage, and motivate.

I rejoice when any one of the theses things happen to me and I'm even more blessed when I'm able to give some joy to another person on their journey.  Today I was blessed by one of my co-workers.  

You see I work in a contact (call) center environment for a fairly large corporation.  It was almost lunch time and a call comes through.  The person on the other end was looking for a supervisor but instead they got me.  They asked me if I would be able to assist them.  Thankfully I was able to assist them and I thought the interaction went well just as I had with all of the previous calls today.  Lunch time came and so I proceeded to go.  This afternoon is where everything changed.

My supervisor approached me with a document I needed to look over.  I looked it over and as I waited for him to leave he handed me our companies reward and encouragement certificate called a You ROCK award.  Printed on the document is the reason for the award.  The note mentioned the call from before lunch.  The very same call that if you had asked me about several hours later I would have trouble remembering because in my mind it was me doing my job.  Those words of encouragement from my co-worker, my supervisors taking time out of their day to present me the award WOW!  WOW!  WOW!  What an amazing blessing!  

What's the point?  So often I/we go about our day and the normalcy of 8 hours slips by without taking stock of all the goodness around us.  Please join with me.  Let's keep our eyes open to what God is doing and how He is moving gifts of affirmation and grace towards us and to those around us through us.

As a Christian and for my Christian brothers and sisters know this God has been intimately interested in your life since before your first birthday!

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Time Travel: What is Your Target Part II

Thank you for joining me for Time Travel: What is Your Target Part II

Briefly, Part I was my attempted to define time from both a Biblical and non-Biblical view and at the end the conclusion was that everyone’s life on Earth ends (except for Jesus who rose again after being buried and his body guarded for three days).  Now I’d like to dive a little deeper into the “what’s next question”.  

The person who agrees with the Biblical definition of time knows that while time on Earth is limited, the time extended beyond earth goes on for eternity.  Eternity defined by Merriam-Webster as “infinite time”.  As humans who use planners and calendars it is hard to put this in perspective.  The emoji “mind blown” is what happens to me personally when I begin to try and quantify eternity. Biblically is the best way to think of Eternity.  You see God (The Trinity) created time and order. Before there was this order there was God and since the order and until the order comes to a close there will still be God in charge of all order and time.  The Bible in the book of Hebrews affirms this point.  Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.

So the obvious (to me anyway) next question is what’s next.  There are several answers to this question and this is where everyone as the human race that is begins to splinter away from the common denominator of birth and death.  The answer quite frankly is: “How do I live my life knowing that I have only a set amount of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds.  

The answer to the obvious question above is do you believe Jesus and his claims about who he said he is, namely God or do you not.  

If you agree and if you are doing so for the first time or have just recently began following Jesus and the Bible I would love to know about it.  Please send me a message from the comments or you can DM (Direct Message) me on Twitter @larryboy96.  

For those of you that are followers of Jesus and the Bible there are some amazing promises for you in the Bible.  For example, your citizenship from the moment you decided to follow Jesus was changed from that of simply being tied to Earth and moved to being tied to Heaven.  Amazing right!  Look at what Jesus said in the Gospel of John: John 14:2-3 “2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”  

What an amazing promise!

Practically what does this mean?

It means that your citizenship has changed.  Look at the book of Philippians: Philippians 3:20-21 “20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”  Those who follow Jesus aren’t waiting for death to claim Heaven as their address but rather they are living with eyes pointed to their savior and new home and all of the benefits and promises that come along with that new address.

For those who aren’t following Jesus they are staking all that they have on the address that is taped to their mailbox.  Now there aren’t any official promises or mottos but there is a fun attempt at making one for the post office: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”.  According to google though this isn’t an official motto.  What does this mean. If I’m leaving as my only address is the one taped to my mailbox?  It means you can make up your life as you go.  No promises of goodness or friendship or even family that will last beyond the grave.  

If this blog is causing you for the first time to think beyond what will happen after you die I’d love to talk to you about what you think and I would be happy to provide even more document promises from the Bible about what life is like beyond the grave.

In the meantime I would like to give you the following things to think about.  

While there is a chasm between the person who doubts God is real or denies that God is interested in them, the opposite is true for the person who lives by faith (not seeing but believing).  Jesus has destroyed that chasm and brought healing and friendship between you and God!

Listen for the voice of Jesus:

John 10:27-28: “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Know and live out the Greatest Commandment:
Matthew 22:37 - 39 “37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment.  39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  This becomes even easier to do as you read and study the Bible which is God’s love letter to you.

Additional Practical Living Tips in Light of the Good News!:
1 Timothy 2:15, 22: “15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth., 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
Hebrews 12:1, 2: “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

When you have questions pray and ask God for answers and know this promise is for you:

James 1:5 “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Remember the chasm between you and God was never about your good work but it is all about a relationship built on faith;
John 15:12-15 “12 ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.’”

Conclusion
The Bible (God’s Word to Humans) is clear; God is the creator of time, time is so much more than just your short life span here on Earth.
Eternity is coming and it is closer each day.
There are choices each day for how you want to live your life.  Will your perspective be limited to what you can see on the clock or will you pursue God in the Bible, choosing his eternal plan for you, beginning today without an expiration date?

The most important person I've met!

The Character & Nature of God

Theology.  What is it?  Theology is the study of God. 

My wife Mary and I have been married since 1996.  Through the years we have gotten to know each other pretty well.  As an example today we were talking to someone about names.  I was apologizing to someone for having called them by a wrong name.  They were very gracious and said that’s fine they will answer to almost anything.  In stereo, Mary and I chimed “Just don’t call you late for dinner?”  Yes, we can finish the one another’s sentences and at times thoughts.  While this is true of Mary and I it will never be true of my relationship with God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the Word of God clearly states in Isaiah 55:8.  We can through God’s Word the Bible begin to understand who He is and what His nature is.  I’m going to point out an event and use a story that Jesus told to illustrate God’s character and nature.

First, God’s desire for humanity has always been fellowship.  Please recall the events in the Garden of Eden.  God created Adam and stayed with him until a helpmate was created in Eve.  After the two were created God walked and talked with them.  You might remember Adam knew it was God who was looking for him after he and his wife had compromised their promise not to eat of the Tree of Life.  That knowledge or realization would only have been possible because there were other times Adam had heard God and he didn’t run from him.  God continues to desire relationship with Him and while we won’t hear Him walking down the street we can hear him through the pages of the Bible. Those who read the Bible and seek God with their whole heart will find Him.  In addition, God gives the reader grace, peace, and hope as only a true and intimate friend can.

Second, God is truth and understanding, you can call Him the Light because lies and corruption don’t stand a chance where God is present.  God continually shows humanity who He is with parables like the wayward son.  To summarize the son described in this story isn’t happy living at home.  His father is a man of a lot of money.  The son says, “Hey dad, I don’t want to wait until you die to get the money you will leave me.  Can you give me the money now and by the way, I’m going to split and check out what the world has to offer.”  It breaks his heart but the father gives the son what he has asked for in both money and freedom to leave.  Isn’t that God?  God allows things to happen, even those things that break His heart in order to further develop our relationship with him.  You may remember after years of living in quote unquote freedom the wayward son returns.  He know knows all the ways that the father has loved him and he is ready to become his servant because he knows he has failed miserably as a son.  The father rushes out of the house not letting him even get to the door and celebrates his return.  The good news is that God does the same for those who return to him after their try at freedom.  God wants to have a genuine relationship with humanity.  God knows that time outside of his presence will bring pain and heart ache, but he also knows we will not fully comprehend that unless we are allowed to stray.  So, does God wish us all to stray in order to have a deeper relationship with Him?  No, No, and No again I tell you.

Think about all the comforts we forgo when we choose to live a life outside of God’s presence.  Just like the wayward son who ran out of his father’s resources and found himself broke and without hope for his next meal, we too are broken and without hope of a life after death without God.  In addition, we pick up mud and grime as we walk away from God.  As mentioned earlier God is light and no darkness is found in Him so God cannot allow us to be dirty in His sight.  Think about it.  Let’s say you just cleaned your favorite spot whether that is your room, home, car, or office.  Some who just stepped through sewer smelling mud walks in and wants to have a conversation.  Our first response is going to be “Go was up and come back when you’re clean.”  That is God’s response as well.

If you have been reading this and know that you have been places that God could never be and you are smelling the consequences of those travels call out to Jesus.  Jesus took the judgment on the cross for all of humanities wayward walks from Him.  Jesus is the only way back.  Jesus is the path and the light that the wayward son found to get him back to his father.  Likewise we can find our way to the Heavenly Father through Jesus sacrifice on the cross and the teachings that are found in the Bible.

In conclusion God is a gentleman.  He will allow us to make mistakes and He is willing to take us back when we are ready to commit to him completely.  Just as the wayward son was ready to live in the riches of his father’s house and disown all of the traps of his life outside of the home when we come to God ready to live in His house under His guidance (the Bible), and forget about all the other traps this world has to offer then relationship is restored.  The great news of the Gospel is that we return to fellowship in this life but also in the one to come. 

Not convinced?  Please I urge you to take time to do Theology.  Spend time reading God’s Word the Bible and talking to Him via prayer.  It is something all of us including this writer can do more of in order to take full comfort in the relationship I have with God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Modern day Garden?

Is it possible to re-enact the Garden Experience from Genesis 3 again in 2014?

Do you think it is possible this modern day of 2014 to relive the Garden experience as Adam and Eve did?  I think the answer may surprise you.  Yes, as it happened to me last night and each time I’m confronted with a choice to do the right / healthy option or to pick one that isn’t.  Let me describe to you what happened.

I spent the day enjoying the Word of God at church through preaching, teaching, and worship.  It was really a wonderful day.  Then it happened.  I was literally not a few feet away from the wonderful experiences of the day when I was confronted by a box of cookies.  I must confess these weren’t ordinary cookies.  These cookies were fresh from the store chocolate chip cookies.  The box of cookies in and of themselves were a harmless sweet treat.  So what went wrong????

You might remember in Genesis 3 Adam and Eve were walking through the Garden when they came across the one tree that God had told them not to eat of.  What were they doing so close to it?  Why were the cookies in my house?  And then it happened.  Adam and Eve took their mind off of God and began to examine the possibilities.  It didn’t help them that along with this really great looking fruit there was the Serpent.  The Serpent asked them to hedge around the truth of what God had commanded.  “You will not certainly die” from verse 4.  The cookies while they are sweet will not make you unhealthy, you may need to do a little extra walking that’s all.  The cookies are so small and tasty.  Just like Adam and Eve the minute I took my eyes off of God and the truth which is more than a serving of cookies really will make me unhealthy I had hurt my relationship with God.  You see I believe that God knows everything.  That my present and future are in God’s memory.  That being said I forfeited the closeness with God by finishing the box of cookies last night. 

Now you might be thinking, Larry, that is really said.  Are you worried about God being mad at you?  Taking away your health?  Striking you with lightning at any point today?  The answer is no.

How can you be so confident that you haven’t ruined your relationship with God forever?  There is only one reason, and that reason comes by way of my Savior Jesus Christ.  You see I’m not perfect.  I will try not to hurt my relationship with God by eating too many cookies again but the truth is I might.  And the disobedience that God sees in me has already been dealt with on the Cross at Calvary.  You see when Jesus was on the cross God put the penalty of my disobedience on him.  If I were to die today and stand before the almighty God and was asked ‘Larry, why should I let you into heaven?’ the only answer I can give is that Jesus paid the price for me.  Romans 5:8, Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, and 1 John 4:10.

As you read this today I hope you’re not shocked to find out that I’m not perfect!  But instead I write this to you as an encouragement.  It might not be cookies that have caused you or someone you know to lose sight of God.  Truthfully it doesn’t matter what it is.  But as I’ve said this should be an encouragement to you.  Please if you haven’t done so please confess your disobedience to God, tell Him that you would love to start over, to have a mulligan, and to experience re-birth.  Acts 4:12  I’m not sure how it happens but I do know that when we confess our sin and admit to God that Jesus is the only way back into relationship with Him we are granted the Holy Spirit to come live in our hearts and minds and nothing is the same.  All past, present, and future disobedience has been paid for by what Jesus did on the cross.  You and I are finally free to live by the Holy Spirit and seek after what pleases Him.  

No Detail Escapes His Eye!

Amazing & Wonderful is my God!

For those in and around Chicago land this weekend you know that we saw some snow fall.  Snow falling by itself is a beautiful thing.  It is clean and damp and will on it's own clean off your windshield.  Through in some street dirt and other things from the cars on the road and your window can get pretty dirty.  Imagine that dirty window for a moment and then reaching for the windshield wiper button to dispense the windshield wiper cleaning fluid.  Now let's leave the world of make believe for a moment and that is where you will find me Sunday morning.  I was traveling down the road pressing the windshield cleaner button and nothing came out.  Not even a bubble from where the cleaning solution had once lived.  I immediately became nervous because it was becoming increasingly more difficult to see out the windshield.  Just then I saw the sign for a gas station!  I pulled in and was thanking God for this oasis and thinking I would soon have a clean windshield again.  As I exited my car the empty shelves of windshield wiper cleaner stared at me head on!  I wasn't worried because I hadn't yet checked the inside of the station.  I went inside and more empty shelves where windshield wiper cleaner should be looked back at me.  The sinking feeling in my stomach was back.  I went up to the cashier and asked if they had any more windshield wiper fluid left.  He looked back and said I think there is some at the end of this isle.  I went back and found one remaining bottle of windshield wiper fluid.  A peace that I couldn't understand began to settle over me and while I didn't hear the audible voice of God I know doubt felt his peace and began to sense his telling me, "Larry, I know the future right now seems a little unclear but trust me.  I can provide windshield wiper fluid when there doesn't appear to be any so imagine what I can do with the other issues in your life."  God knew exactly what I needed, not only did I need the windshield wiper fluid when I began driving again but I needed to know that I was still being taken care of.  This is what makes my relationship to Jesus so much different than any other religion I have read about.  I know for sure that my God and Father knows my name and my every need.  I just need to be willing to call out and wait on him for He has my very best interest in mind!
I hope this entry is an encouragement to you along your journey.  You to can have this peace when you find yourself in a relationship with Jesus Christ.