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Live A Life That Pleases God

How To Have The Heart Of A Champion

Our physical lives last just a short time in the broad span of eternity, and keeping that in mind helps us to keep our priorities straight. And striving to do that is another way to have the Heart of a Champion.

Live A Life That Pleases God

Developing a heart like Paul’s is a worthy endeavor, whether you are in a leadership position or not. While these characteristics are especially true for those who lead, the simple fact of the matter is that they are equally applicable for all who seek to serve and follow Christ closely.

In 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, we can how Paul reveals another characteristic of such a person. One who has the heart of a champion seeks to please God, knowing full well that one day he will stand before Him. Take a look:

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Let’s look at his passage in two different ways. First of all, Paul says that our ambition should be to be pleasing to God. The Greek terms he uses here are ones that describe one who loves honor and seeks to achieve some level of civic recognition. It is used widely outside of the New Testament in Koine Greek. Within the New Testament however, this terminology is only used two more times, and it takes a higher, more pure view of aspiration and ambition.

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Coffee Break – 08.07.2017

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1782, George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart. In 1888, Theophilus Van Kannel received a patent for the revolving door. And in 1928, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a new bill that was one third smaller than the previous U.S. bills.

Coffee Break

Seven Things You Should Never Order In A Coffee Shop – This made me laugh. Literally. Because I hear so many of these things in some of the coffee shops I frequent. So stop it. And also, stop going to chain coffee shops and think you can get a good specialty coffee (okay, rant over).

How The Man Cave Took Over America’s Basement – This is an interesting look at the American phenomenon of the man cave. It’s pretty enlightening, and some of the picture might make you envious.

10 Internet Safety Rules To Teach Children Before They Go Online – This list may seem like common sense to many, but many of our kids may not realize just how dangerous the Internet can be. This may be a good resource to go over with your kids.

How High Can You Count On Your Fingers? – The immediate answer to that question is ten. But is that the correct answer? You may be surprised at how high you can actually count using your hands.

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Memorize Scripture: 1 Peter 4:14-16

Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts

Peter is close to wrapping up his thoughts on suffering in this chapter, however, he still has a few things to make clear to his readers. You can see what he has to say in 1 Peter 4:14-16.

1 Peter 4:14-16

One of the major themes through the letter of 1 Peter is how Christians are to bear up under suffering and persecution, and in particular, verbal abuse. Peter has addressed this topic multiple times, and given some solid encouragement in each instance: the accusations of unbelievers in 2:12, ignorant talk in 2:15, insults in 2:23, malicious speech in 3:16. Peter has made it clear that believers will face such things, and in this passage, he gives perhaps his most encouraging statement concerning such suffering.

He states, quite clearly, that if we suffer because of the name of Christ, we are blessed.

That may seem to go against all logic and coherent thought. Suffering and blessing are tied together? That seems crazy. But Peter is very clear when he says this.

To be sure, he distinguishes suffering for wrongdoing in the next verse, and that kind of action brings about what it deserves. But if you suffer for the sake of Christ, you are blessed. That seems hard to believe, but it isn’t the first time this thought has been demonstrated in Scripture.

In Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus is teaching the Sermon on the Mount, and is listing the Beatitudes, when he says:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Why is this the case? Peter gives us the answer when he says, “for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” God is with his people, even in the midst of suffering and persecution.

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Book Review – The Separatists by Lis Wiehl

The SeparatistsIn the past, I have read and reviewed several books by Lis Wiehl, and I have been impressed. The latest addition to my library is no exception, and may be the biggest nailbiter yet.

The Separatists is the third installment in Wiehl’s Newsmaker series. It is by far the best of the three, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first two. You can read my review of The Newsmakers here.

In this third volume, Erica Sparks, the nations top and hardest hitting news reporter investigates the secessionist movements that are growing around the nation. One such movement, in North Dakota, is disturbing, and Erica stumbles upon something much bigger, more sinister and dark than she’s ever experienced. As she seeks to follow the threads of murder and corruption to their source, she lands herself and her family in great danger.

Paired with this plot, Wiehl describes a woman who is both successful and greatly insecure. Sparks comes from humble beginnings, and seeks to escape that stigma, and be a better mother to her daughter. And with her new marriage struggling to survive, Wiehl paints a picture of a realistic person, struggling with many of the same struggles most of us deal with on a daily basis.

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Stay Focused On The Eternal

How To Have The Heart Of A Champion

Paul had the heart of a champion, and he displayed it clearly. He understood his calling. He knew that life had ups and downs. He depended upon prayer. He let go of his grudges. He saw things with God’s perspective. And he knew where he lived.

Stay Focused On The Eternal

Paul had a very clear understanding of where he lived. He knew that this world was his home, for a time. But he also knew that this world was not his permanent destination, and he understood clearly that there was much more than just his day to day life.

He maintained a clear vision of the eternal, even though he lived daily in the temporal.

Read what he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul did not lose heart. Even though this world had thrown a lot of things at him, many of which would have destroyed someone who wasn’t secure in his relationship with God, Paul remained steadfast in his unwavering commitment.