Let your life here not be an exercise in futility.

 

There is a harsh truth –well, harsh until you accept it—that states that without surrender to your Creator, you will chase the ultimately pointless things in life. I’ll sum up before I dissect: nothing material is greater than the spiritual; the greatest of the spiritual things is love; all the other beautiful things in life without love are no longer beautiful; and God IS love. Without God you can enjoy nothing to its fullest. Most importantly, without God you can’t enjoy Him.

Forever with Him. Isn’t that what we’re playing for?  Life here forever might not be as tempting, but a perfect existence, with the Lord? One short life of earthly pleasure, one eternal condemnation, or one life lived for the Savior, and eternity with Him?

GUYS.

One can’t choose both.

But wait. You kind of can. I hope words don’t fail me here: with God you can’t lose. You can’t lose. With Him there is guaranteed peace (“that surpasses understanding”) regardless of circumstances/in spite of circumstances for your life here and guaranteed “forever” where the lion and the lamb don’t have a battle to fight.

I was talking to my best friend today. Our friendship consists of 15% recounting of life, 5% discussion of dreams, and 80% gushing over a God so awesome that we could talk about Him forever. We’re sitting there on the magic that is a cell phone talking about how we won’t worry over our long-term. Because our long-term is forever. And we already have an idea of what that looks like. And if we don’t have to worry about our ten-year plan, since God leads and we answer, then what does today have on us? Nothing. We hustle. We try. Then we do our very best to forget about those things in the world that don’t have real pull on us anymore, those shiny things, those accolades that people give. Because what God has to offer is so much better, and His living in me is already more than I could ever ask for.

But let me tell you what He says. Because these ideas of mine aren’t really mine. The solace I find is never really in myself. He’s given me a book of life and I can’t describe to you how life-changing it is to soak in its words. Getting to know someone is always about learning. You don’t get to know God until you listen. He’s given you a book of His character and deeds. Open up.

Now I’m talking about life with God, and life without Him:

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Not everything that feels good is good. Your feelings don’t dictate reality. Don’t only trust your gut! I promise that God values your heart, but it’s not the world’s view of love that will save you. It’s Jesus’ death on a cross.

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.

Above, above, above. All the best things are above. Temporary pleasures are just that – temporary.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

He sees! He cares.

Proverbs 16:6 In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

He’s real. And you only get to Him one way. By His free gift of grace, through faith in His sacrifice and resurrection. Through His work in causing you to turn from sin, and to cling to belief and faith in His work alone.

Proverbs 16:20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

Happy is he! Faith in the one who formed my soul before the womb, that’s where my happiness comes from.

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin.”?

Nobody. This is so important! We need saving. We need a Savior.

I John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

This is what I mean when I say you have to choose. It’s God and eternity or this dying flesh, its insatiable appetite, and a fallen world that we’re all aware is fallen.

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Will you read that again, real quick? Coveting the world is futile when God is giving you eternity instead. He will never leave you. Never.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

This is a real promise made by the real God. Give up this life for Him and I PROMISE YOU you will never ever regret it. *This is not me telling you that God promises earthly prosperity. His great gift is salvation.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Oh, my friends. Believe this. His strength is made clear in our weakness. With Him, all things are possible. He is the ultimate hero. Isn’t that a relief? That you don’t have to be the hero? Because let’s be honest. You can’t be.

Matthew 10:39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

This is straight from the mouth of Jesus. The King of Kings. Surrender, surrender, surrender.

And last: Matthew 19:29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”

 

Eternity. With Him.