Most of our life is spent trading up. It’s kind of like the stuffed animal prizes at the rip-off games in Kings Island or Six Flags—you can keep playing (or throw your money out the car window on I-71)) and trading up for bigger, more valuable prizes. In real life (that’s not real?), it goes like this: you may have made a lot of personal sacrifices to get the career you wanted in order to provide well for your family. But then you discover that the time it takes you away from your kids is not worth that particular job, so you take a lesser paying, less lucrative job in order to spend more time with little Bobby. You traded up in value; a thing or perceived goal for a person.
Jesus also talks about trading up. In Mark 10 Jesus says: “. . . I tell you the truth, all those who have left houses, brothers, sister, mother, father, children, or farms for me and for the Good News will get more than they left. Here in this world they will have a hundred times more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. And with those things, they will also suffer for their belief. But in the age that is coming they will have life forever.” (Mark 10:29, 30)
He’s talking about a serious trade-up. The kingdom of God is worth the perceived loss of things of great value as we understand them. We have even more shocking words from Jesus in Luke 14. After a large crowd had been traveling with Him for a while, it is interesting that the scripture records that He “turned and spoke...” meaning that this large group of people was literally following Him as He traveled around. He suddenly gave them a new criterion for understanding the value He Himself must be to them. In a sobering statement, Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.”
Was He telling people to start hating their parents, their families? Of course not. Jesus knew the Law, He said He came to fulfill it—the fifth commandment says to honor your mother and father—and Paul later points out that it is the first commandment with a promise—so that it may go well for you and you may live long.
Jesus was speaking in a comparative sense—weighing those things we value, our families, and He even says life itself, against a dynamic relationship with Him, experiencing the down-payment of the Kingdom of God now. Even our very own breath is not worth clinging to in comparison to what He offers. In contrast to your love for Him, everything else will be as loss. We are again trading up those things that we treasure as most valuable, for something that is far surpassing any riches we might know.
It’s noteworthy that if we consider a simple Biblical definition of the heart as being the center of our affections, we need to remind ourselves that Jesus said “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” He didn’t say “Where your heart is, that’s where your treasure is...,” but rather, you will find your heart focused on whatever you value most. If we could see the value of this pearl called the Kingdom of God, and could see the treasure that it is, we would soon find our hearts there as well.
But how are we to know that? How are we to understand its value?
This is part of the mystery of the Kingdom of God because it is revelatory in nature. This is the hardest thing to explain. What caused all of the disciples to risk their lives, most of them dying horribly painful deaths for something that had so much value to them? What made them trade up?
And where do I need to trade up?
Dave,
ReplyDeleteYesterday my wife and I drove to Dartown, Ohio near Oxford to say goodbye to a close friend. She found that she had advanced cancer last spring. We had visited her a few times this summer and every time came away with an incredible up lifting feeling. Nothing of sorrow or being mad at her situation or asking “why Me?” I’m sure that she has some sorrow leaving her husband, 8 children and numerous grand children and many that she has yet to meet. Her attitude was always one of trading up. She was graduating into heaven not dying. Yesterday at her home, I knelt by her. She was in a coma, half in heaven, and half on earth. When I talked to her and mentioned all of my sisters by name and that we were all praying with her, there was a slight smile that came to her lips. Dave, when someone is “trading up” it is hard and it is painful and it is essential. It is also one of the most beautiful things to see and experience.
Attitude & Me
ReplyDeleteI feel that life's difficulties and troubles are not intended to inhibit my progress in a positive, spiritual life. Those things that do not kill me only test my inner strenghts and increase my determinaion to keep going.
Nothing shall daunt me for long, nor will any difficulty entirely overcome or conquer me. My feet are set upon the right path. I know the truth in the depths of my soul. I am going in the right direction. I am headed towards the light.
My future is safely in God's hands. Whatever the future holds, it cannot be too much to bear, because my Father is there. I have the Divine Power within me to carry me through everything that may happen. Although unseen, the Lord is always near me, and I trust in Him. I shall depend on the Lord for the strength to meet the challenges of life.
I will no longer escape lifes' challenges through the negative lifestyle. In my past, negativism was the unreal world I lived in. But with the morning light, my real life returned to my vision. My world was back again, and facing it was harder than ever because my resources had been depleted. Each trial at escape weakened my personality by the very attempt.
Promises have come true in my life. My thoughts continue about rewards that have come to me as a result of this new way of life. I have found that I have been id of a multitude of fears, inner conflicts, and resentments. My negativity, inferiority complexes, and self-centeredness has been washed away. That old criticism of others, oversensitiveness, and habit of procrastination has been blinded by the light. My habits of undisciplined sex, false perfectionism, jealousy, and envy of others is a fragmented yesterday.
Fret not my mind with puzzles that I cannot solve. Those solutions may never be shown to me until I have left this life and entered the light. The loss of dear ones, the inequality of life, the trials, and the tribulations, and many other puzzling things may not be known to me until I reach my life beyond. Nobody entirely escapes the negativities of this life. I must expect it and be ready for it whenever it comes. Nor am I entirely safe from such, but I must try to keep my defenses at guard. God's presence will give me clear vision and insight. I will trust in Him.
Never dissociate myself from love, and put doubt out of my mind. Anything else will only delay or destroy my positive-spiritual growth in this life and my rewards beyond. I must move on...my spiritual attitude...and me.
In closing, I will leave you with this message: "And greater works than this shall I do in my new life!"
Member of VCC since Oct./2007, Joseph Wheeler.
Unearned Gifts
ReplyDeleteThank you Lord Jesus for this very day,
And all the blessings You send my way.
From You, I feel oh so much true love,
Your love rains upon me from Heaven above.
My parents had given me the very best,
But You been there for me when my life was a mess.
As a past sinner, blessings were small,
Humble with You, my Lord, I stand tall.
Attitude & Me
I feel that life's difficulties and troubles are not intended to inhibit my progress in a positive, spiritual life. Those things that do not kill me only test my inner strenghts and increase my determinaion to keep going.
Nothing shall daunt me for long, nor will any difficulty entirely overcome or conquer me. My feet are set upon the right path. I know the truth in the depths of my soul. I am going in the right direction. I am headed towards the light.
My future is safely in God's hands. Whatever the future holds, it cannot be too much to bear, because my Father is there. I have the Divine Power within me to carry me through everything that may happen. Although unseen, the Lord is always near me, and I trust in Him. I shall depend on the Lord for the strength to meet the challenges of life.
I will no longer escape lifes' challenges through the negative lifestyle. In my past, negativism was the unreal world I lived in. But with the morning light, my real life returned to my vision. My world was back again, and facing it was harder than ever because my resources had been depleted. Each trial at escape weakened my personality by the very attempt.
Promises have come true in my life. My thoughts continue about rewards that have come to me as a result of this new way of life. I have found that I have been rid of a multitude of fears, inner conflicts, and resentments. My negativity, inferiority complexes, and self-centeredness has been washed away. That old criticism of others, oversensitiveness, and habit of procrastination has been blinded by the light. My habits of undisciplined sex, false perfectionism, jealousy, and envy of others is a fragmented yesterday.
Fret not my mind with puzzles that I cannot solve. Those solutions may never be shown to me until I have left this life and entered the light. The loss of dear ones, the inequality of life, the trials, and the tribulations, and many other puzzling things may not be known to me until I reach my life beyond. Nobody entirely escapes the negativities of this life. I must expect it and be ready for it whenever it comes. Nor am I entirely safe from such, but I must try to keep my defenses at guard. God's presence will give me clear vision and insight. I will trust in Him.
Never dissociate myself from love, and put doubt out of my mind. Anything else will only delay or destroy my positive-spiritual growth in this life and my rewards beyond. I must move on...my spiritual attitude...and me.
In closing, I will leave you with this message: "And greater works than this shall I do in my new life!"
Member of VCC since Oct./2007, Joseph Wheeler.
Heaven
ReplyDeleteI have a vision, but it seems so distant,
A life without hate, no temptation or resistance.
Everything is peaceful, everyone is at ease,
No more suffering, no more emptiness, no more unattended pleads.
No more worrying about tomorrow or what the future holds,
No more rejections and ridicule, no more lost souls.
There may be crying, however, no tears of pain,
But tears of rejoicing and substantiation, and victory obtained.
I may be living now, but there eternal awaits,
I am thankful to the Lord for such a promising place.
J. Wheeler
Do I have just cause to file a complaint against my church, when someone in the VCC/HR department[G. S.], interviews me for a job that I am well qualified for, tells me; “we have a problem hiring you because you are NOT MARRIED to your girlfriend and living under the same roof”, & “because it is standard practice of the our church to hire only individuals that are married to their loved one and not co-habiting with one another…based on the Holy Bible and the honor of marriage” [Greg S. & Dennis B. of Vineyard Community Church of Cincinnati {Sept/02/2008}]. My girlfriend and I honor the Bible and it’s laws for marriage by sleeping separately in two different rooms, and abs cent from sex until our future plans of marriage. And I did indeed inform both parties in my strong Christian standards in which I exercise completely/daily, (based on the laws of the Old Testament). We are under the same roof, but living as roommates do, just like a coeds in a Coed College Dorm.
ReplyDeleteTwo are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
The Bible
Ecclesiastes 4
This goes deeper than that…we have an associate (division) pastor for approx. 3-4 years, from England within our church, “Keith”, which this individual has two drug convictions of marijuana(1982), whom is allowed on staff, and this church does background checks, but will allow such individual to be a part of our church, in a leadership position. I have nothing against any person(s) whom choose to better his/her way of life. He was given a chance to prove himself…all I ask for is that same-equal chance to prove myself as well. I have a felony conviction(Jan./2000), myself, and the church will not allow me in any volunteer programs and/or employment within the church. In the scope of these things, the church is exercising a “double standard”. I have applied for several volunteer programs since I started attending VCC in Oct./2007, to say the least for employment within as well.
When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal.
Richard Nixon