Living Each Moment

Sometimes amazing things can happen from things that are slightly less than amazing. It's a good reminder that God is in control, not man.

I'm down in Fresno at the moment, for a Promise Keeper's conference, the first I've been to in several years. The venue is smaller, there are fewer people (about 7,100 instead of 50,000), and the whole thing - yes, it feels somewhat like it's become a "thing," a "slick" thing even, complete with marketing - but God is still present - you only have to look down at the floor when 500 people or so come to Christ and about another 300 rededicate themselves.
This event...God was there this evening. You could feel him moving, bringing to fruition seeds that were planted and have been growing for some time. Even in our own group we had someone make a choice for Christ. He first came to our church just about a year ago after an invitation and attending our first motorcycle rally (our second annual rally is coming up September 15th). He's been coming fairly regularly for most of the last year, but that was it - just coming, not really deciding where he stood, I don't think. God was working on him though, and tonight that work resulted in a harvest as he decided to give his life to Jesus. I took a picture of him right after the prayer, and you can just see the difference on his face - he was shining.
Yet even in the midst of this my thoughts go to Diana, who I believe is right in the middle of going to Scotland to try that radical treatment for her cancer. I think she flies out tomorrow. I'm just praying that she will get better - I really want to see her again. I don't know where she stands with God, and I want to see her again at least in heaven if I don't see her here. Like one of the speakers shared tonight, it's like Noah's ark (he is an archaeologist - well, more amazing than that - more like a living, breathing Indiana Jones - finding all kinds of amazing things, using the Bible as his treasure map of sorts - no seeking "treasure" per se, but physical, historical evidence of Biblical events - and he's found some amazing stuff). Noah's Ark - it's like our life here on earth - we only have a choice what we're going to do as long as that door is open, as long as our heart is still beating. When that door closed, when we die --- our choice is gone. His father had never understood why his son traveled all over the world, risking his life many times over, looking for the things he did. When he was dying, he shared with him that illustration about the ark's door closing, how you had to believe and get aboard *before* the rain started, before death came. And in the last of his time here on earth, he finally understood, and make that choice to get aboard the ark, to accept Christ's sacrifice for himself.
I have so many people I pray this for, and so many more that I should. Right now though, my thoughts and prayers are with Diana - the door for her is possibly closing very quickly.

But life goes on, either way. Another friend called last night to ask for prayer (in itself a big thing), because her work situation was just switched all around, and she's not sure how she's going to make her bills this month. She loves God, but has gone away from the church, and lives across the country. She has had an incredibly difficult life - I'll leave it at that - but she has learned to have faith in God. She is being tested though, to not take the matter into her own hands, but to have faith. I pray for her as well, that God will work miraculously in her life, to show her His love, care, and providence.

Tomorrow is the second (and final) day of this Promise Keepers conference. God has done great things through it tonight, and I expect Him to do more tomorrow. The thing that matters though, is what we all, as men, do when we go back to our home churches, our everyday lives, to our families, wives, children, workplaces, and private lives. We are being challenged to be more, to be men, warriors, brothers. That only happens in the everyday, in consistency, in endurance. We must be like Christ, who "for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). We must remember what Paul said in Corinthians:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
Corinthians 9:24-27

We must remember that we are to put on the full armor of Christ as commanded in Ephesians 6 - remembering that we are never told to take it off. As long as we are on this earth, sojourning here, we are in a battle - a spiritual battle, with spiritual consequences. In ourselves, in our own flesh, we can not help but fail; in Christ, we can not help but win. Romans 8:31 - "If God is for us, who can be against us?" and Romans 8:37 "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" and John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" and I John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." On and on, over and over and over again, we are reassured, we are encouraged, we are commanded...but are we yet convinced?

The only thing that matters from all this, the only way of knowing what's true, and what's real, is in what happens next, in the fruit that we bear in our lives, as men, as Christians. If we are only words, we are only green leaves that make the vine pretty, but are not doing what we are meant to do - produce. Grace is free, salvation is free, love is free - but the only real evidence anyone in this world, in ANY relationship, has of love, is what the person does. Do our actions match our words? That is the hard question that we all must face, that we must ask ourselves. And if the answer is no, then why not?

Look in the mirror today, and ask yourself, are you who you say you are? Are you who you want to be? Do just wish and dream. BE the man you were made to be. Today.

Overcome the world, be more than a conqueror, bear much fruit. Be able to say "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Strive for the prize of hearing one day. "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Grace lets you run the race, love makes you run faster. Think of Eric Liddell, known on earth for running fast, known in heaven for running for the Lord, for living for the Lord, and eventually for dying while working for the Lord. We can also take the lesson of 1 Samuel 2:30 from Liddell's life: "Those who honor Me I will honor."

Words, even mine, can go on forever. The thing that matters, is what we choose, now, today, this very moment. Stop reading this, and examine your life. Where are you, where do you want to be, and how are going to get there. You will not get there on your own, and you will not get there without prayer. Pray now, and go with God.