ࡱ>     !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~Root EntryZ O2 CONTENTS Object 6YnL -P,P,Contents7rly stood out: the plight of those sheltered in one particular Houston stadium. Thousands of displaced and homeless refugees hoped to find some relief there but it turned out to be a disaster itself. The masses packed into the stadium like so much cattle, yet the facility could scarcely hold them all. To make the overcrowded conditions even worse, there was little in the way of food and water there either, and the sanitation system was anything but sanitary. One newscast featured a little girl showing the reporter the Astroturf: water seeped up when she pressed her small foot down onto it. The water was in fact human urine. Despite those appalling conditions, a few days later the same newscast aired a story about another group of people and their experience with Katrina. And while hundreds of news reports showed some of the vilest images, both from what the storm left in its wake to the agony - and invariable complaints - of its survivors, one reporter found a different group to interview at that same Houston stadium. In all the bleakness of their surroundings in that putrid place, there was a rather large gathering of men and women singing praises to the Lord God. Imagine that! Many if not most of those individuals had lost everything, and while they didn t know for certain what remained of their homes, families, possessions, and even their pets, they still gave glory to God! What did they have that millions of others lacked? Faith and calm assurance that God was still in control of both their lives aCHNKWKS TEXTTEXT6iFDPPFDPPlFDPPFDPPnFDPPFDPPpFDPPFDPPrFDPPFDPPtFDPCFDPCvFDPCFDPCxFDPCFDPCzFDPCFDPC|FDPCFDPC~FDPCFDPCFDPCFDPCSTSHSTSHpSTSHSTSHp4SYIDSYIDSGP SGP INK INK BTEPPLC 8a# Rejoicing in the Moment Rejoicing in the Moment by Kathy S. McBride Copyright 2005 by Kathy S. McBride All Rights Reserved While this ebook is intended as a "share" book in order that others may come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author. All scripture references are from the King James version of The Holy Bible. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One Hard Knocks Chapter Two Too Busy Chapter Three Be Still Chapter Four Attention Deficit Chapter Five Tasting Heaven Chapter Six Howling Wolves Chapter Seven Right Now CHAPTER ONE Hard Knocks When Hurricane Katrina devastated the southern coastline of the United States in August, 2005, words could not adequately describe the destruction. The city of New Orleans was literally destroyed while countless other small communities in Louisiana simply don't exist any more. Vast throngs of people were left homeless, jobless, and, for far too many of them, hopeless. Countless thousands were moved to shelters, private homes, stadiums, anywhere, to find respite from the horrors wrought by Katrina. For days on end the media bombarded the eyes of the world with the heart wrenching stories of lives lost and destroyed. Help was slow in coming even though millions of kind souls collected food, water, money, clothing, and every personal item imaginable in an effort to give the survivors at least some glimmer of hope and to let them know that others cared. During the many unfolding dramas in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one story particuland of this world. There in the bleakness of that stench - many hungry and thirsty and not even knowing the fate of their own families - they found jubilation within themselves despite their circumstances. In their blackness of night they could see the Son, and His light was shining into their hearts as a witness to others. They were rejoicing in the moment because the moment was all they had. The moment is all we have. We don t have anything but right now. Yesterday is gone, and no amount of agonizing, regret, or tears can change it. Tomorrow may never come, and no amount of planning or worry will assure its outcome. All we have is right now, this moment. It is here that we will find God and His peace.  . . .behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 The Bible tells us that  now is the time. We don t always get a chance to postpone anything until tomorrow: in fact, we may not be here tomorrow [a word of warning to all us procrastinators!]. None of us know when we will draw our last breath. In this uncertain world, we do well to live another day. We don t know when a terrorist bomb will explode, or when another natural disaster will strike. We don t know when our cars enter onto the roadways if we will ever return home again. We don t know when our hearts will suddenly stop beating or when a ruptured blood vessel will end it all. Life is tentative at best. We have the moment. All we have is right now. We must learn to live, love, and rejoice in this moment. Many have seen the little story circulating around in email about the  dash between the date of birth and date of death. Someone cleverly pointed out that the  - is our lives. It is what fills the gap between the day we were born and the day we die. Simple but profound, someone has figured out that our lives are a mere  dash between birth and death. How we fill in that space is the important thing.  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13 That is how we are supposed to fill the  dash of our lives. We are to spend all of our time thinking about God and being of service to Him. The Bible is all about relationships, chief among them the Creator God s relationship to us, His children. We need to learn how to reverence God and stay in complete obedience to Him: that is our duty  between the dashes. And the only way we can do that is to live in the moment. And by living in the moment, we can learn to rejoice in the moment. CHAPTER TWO Too Busy Life is fast and furious, full of hope and shattered dreams. It s agonizing at times, full of love and laughter at others. But too often for too many it seems that the bad times far outweigh the good times. While everyone experiences both good and bad in life, for most people it s the mundane that saps their energy and joy. The same old routine day in and day out, year in and year out have untold millions seeking (either openly or secretly) to escape that hopeless rut. And while they struggle to flee the pit of endless deja vu, they find themselves suddenly at the end of their lives wondering where all those years went and what it was all about. The key to the real meaning of life - and to true happiness - is not the life lived but how it was lived. A life filled with years of restless discontent is not a life  lived in the moment. Planet earth has plenty of hassles that will rob us of our joy if we get caught up in the big picture, but if we only think about the  here and now life gains a much rosier perspective. Instead of constant dread of each new day we should look forward to another day spent in communion with our Lord. That is the secret to a joyous Christian: living and rejoicing in the moment, forgetting what is behind and not worrying about what is ahead. Now is the time.  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus spoke those wise words some 2000 years ago and they are just as important now as then. You see, He knows the meaning of happiness and He knows that a collection of stuff isn t it. Don t misunderstand: we are not to be bums or moochers! The Bible makes it clear that we are to carry our own weight.  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 But rather Jesus pointed out that life is not about our material possessions: it s about our relationship with Him.  . . .Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15 Our Lord knows how easy it is for the human race to fall into the trap of materialism. And when we fall prey to the deceitfulness of riches and materialism, we lose sight of Him. Running the race with the rats is detrimental to our relationship with Jesus. It consumes all of our time, drains our energy, robs us of our joy, and ultimately takes God s place in our lives. None of that is pleasing to Him, and in the long run, it leaves us empty as well. We cannot rejoice in the moment when we barely have a moment to give God throughout the day. And, at one time or another, we are all guilty of neglecting our Lord because of our hectic schedules. So how do we handle this life and our duties to God at the same time? The answer can be found in one word: priorities. God should be the focus in our lives, number one at all times. When we let this life overtake His place on the throne of our hearts, then we are in spiritual trouble. Jesus told the story about a  sower, a man planting seeds.  . . . Behold, a sower went forth to sow;  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: "Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Matthew 13:3-8 What a telling tale of the human race! All of us fall into one or more of those categories represented in Jesus parable at one time or another. There is no escaping the watchful eye of the Creator: He knows our nature and He knows which of those who call themselves His followers are true to Him. We may fool others, we may even fool ourselves, but we will not fool God. He knows our hearts better than we do. A closer look at this story reveals its meaning and the parallels of our lives.  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon [immediately] with joy receiveth it;  Yet he hath not root in himself, but dureth [only endures] for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended [immediately he stumbles].  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, chokes the word, and he becometh unfruitful.  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:19-23 Now here is where we go astray and lose both our focus and our joy. Those who hear the  good news of salvation but don t understand it are immediately attacked by Satan, who  snatches the truth of God s message from them. Those gospel seeds fall by the wayside where the devil instantly seizes them from the minds of those who don t understand. The problem lies in the fact that we permit Satan to rob us of biblical truth when we neglect study and prayer. That is our choice, not God s plan. If we aren t concerned enough with God s free gift of salvation to study and learn about it then it s no one s fault but our own if we miss out on eternal life. Our next problem lies in being eager new Christians, ready to take on the world, then - oops - here comes trouble! Many of us have cowered in fear under the threat of problems or persecution [or even worse, being thought of as  different ]. Even inconvenience will knock us for a loop yet we don t stop to consider that it was mighty inconvenient for Jesus to die on that torturous cross in our place! What a point of stumbling for those weak in the faith: the slightest hint that all will not be smooth sailing will send many running back to the world, some even eager for Satan s cold embrace. The next point Jesus made is probably the biggest pitfall, the greatest stumbling block for most of us. The seeds that fell among thorns were overtaken and choked out by them just as our love of the things of this world choke out our time with God. The deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this life are perhaps among the greatest weapons in the devil s arsenal. He can get to almost everyone with those. Nothing consumes so much of our time as the every day  busyness of life. Jobs that require more and more of our time with long hours and exhausting demands, children who are overwhelmed by the rigors of stricter education guidelines yet who still pursue extracurricular activities, working parents struggling with their jobs, household chores, and the hectic pace of their children s schedules leave little time for God in our lives. Satan knew what he was doing when he introduced those rats into the race and persuaded the humans to join it. He knows that the more pies he can get our fingers into the less time we will have for prayer, devotions, Bible study, and church. More importantly, he knows that means the loss of our salvation. Going to church once a week [or less] and throwing a few bills in the collection plate is not what salvation is all about. We can t go out the church door thinking we have fulfilled our obligation to God for the week because our obligation to Him is 24/7/365 for life and all eternity. Lastly, Jesus talked about the real Christians, those who truly love Him and listen closely enough to understand what He is saying [or to study until we do!]. Then they go out and live their faith as an example to others. These are those who are fruitful and bring others to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in the moment means just that: the moment. In a world that is turning ever faster, filling our lives with gadgets galore, entertainment of every description, pleasures promised at every turn, we still work longer and harder than our parents did a generation ago. Even sadder is the fact that many have even less to show for their efforts than did their parents! Home prices are out of this world, gas prices - well, we all know - the cost of everything just seems ridiculous. In most homes that aren t torn by divorce, both parents must work to make ends meet, and for many singles, living on only one income requires that they share their living space with a roommate or they find themselves forced to move back home with their parents. Faster, harder, more -yet ultimately less. And for what? Health problems and an early grave. Far worse, the loss of the eternal life that our dear God so generously gave to us through His Son, Jesus. What tragedy! We are lost in the sea of life, not knowing how to find even a moment, much less time to rejoice in it! CHAPTER THREE Be Still So how can we  rejoice in the moment when we don t even have a moment to spare? Once again God has the answer if we would only listen.  Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 There s the answer and the secret: be still. Be still in this world? How? That s not an easy question to answer but someway we must make time for God. Somehow we must cast off the cares of this life and live our lives in the moment. With the past behind and the future uncertain, why are we literally killing ourselves now? God requires our  now and we are robbing Him of the pleasure of our company when we don t have time for Him.  For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek [ humble ] with salvation. Psalm 149:4 Can we dare imagine that the God of the universe takes pleasure in us? Vile, wicked creatures that we are, God sent Jesus to die in our place but most people couldn t care less! It s fairly safe to say that not only do most people not give God a moment, but also don t even given him a second thought. Far too many of us far too often don t think of God at all, and the sad part is that many in that sad situation call themselves  Christians.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6 We need to learn to cast off the  carnal man and put on God s coat of arms to defend us from this evil world! The only way we can live and rejoice in the moment is to be completely dedicated to God, dead to self and to the world.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:12-18 That, friends, is how we fight the battles of the enemy in this life in order that we may gain the life to come. Our warfare in this life is continuous; we must remain diligent at all times. We can t let our guard down for even a second for surely the enemy will attack given the slightest opportunity. He is ever-vigilant, watching our every move, just waiting for us to make what he hopes will be a fatal mistake. That is the importance of remaining in the moment: now is what we have. Every second that our minds are fixed on Christ, our armor is in place shielding us from the blows of the enemy, but he has no chance of victory. We can rejoice in the moment - in every moment - that we stay in step with our Lord! Blocking all cares, concerns, problems, worries, and burdens from our hearts and minds and depending solely on the risen Christ is not easy, and if truth be told, few actually know how to do it! Many of us do it well for short periods but then lapse into doubt when the storms of life howl at our doors. We must remember that we are weak, sinful human flesh, mortal, and subject to sin. There is an internal war raging within us as well. Not only do we have to battle all the external elements, but we also have to battle our own selves. We are at war with our own emotions! "From whence wars [conflicts] and fightings among you? come they not hence, even from your lusts [desires for pleasure] that war in your members?  Ye lust and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts [pleasures].  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth [yearns jealously] to envy?  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh [near] to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted [lament], and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy into heaviness [gloom].  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy: who art thou that judgeth another? James 4:1-12 Wow! There s enough condemnation in those twelve verses to spread around to all of us! That short passage of scripture pretty much sums up the condition of the human heart and why we have so much trouble staying in the moment, much less rejoicing in it. We are so busy trying to get what we want, our selfish hearts have no room for God. Even sadder is the fact that we don t understand why God doesn t answer our prayers when too often we are asking for things that are our will, not His. In fact, frequently the answer is  No but we fail to recognize it because we are still pushing our own agendas and expecting to receive what God will not give us. God is calling us to come out of this world, to live apart from its evils and temptations, but somehow we just can t grasp reality. We still think we can do it all on our own terms and  have it all to boot. Somewhere along the bumpy road to eternity Satan has deluded us into thinking that we can have one foot in this world and one toe in heaven and that it will all be well in the end. That s just not true. We can t have it all - a mix of heaven and this world - and serve God with a pure heart. Jesus said that.  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [ wealth ]. Luke 16:13 (See also Matthew 6:24) Furthermore, Jesus had even more to say about it in the same passage of scripture.  And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches?  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man s, who shall give you that which is your own? Luke 16:9-12 Again, another scathing rebuke of human nature from Christ Himself! We can t stop scrambling for the riches of this world long enough to give God a moment! We are warring against ourselves and against God but the devil has fooled us into thinking that we are okay. God knows so many of us are not trustworthy and denies us even the opportunity to be His stewards on this earth, much less over eternal riches. But we remain blind to it all the while. How sad for us. What made the difference to those people praising the Lord in that Houston stadium? They had learned the secret of  rejoicing in the moment but the  moment is actually  eternity. You see, when we truly focus our eyes on the ultimate reward of eternal life with Christ, nothing in this world matters any more. We may be blessed with everything life has to offer or we may suffer under the curse of poverty, but, either way, it doesn t make any difference: whatever it is, it is temporary. When we can get it into out heads that life on earth is short and only a stepping stone to life eternal, then we will have learned the lesson of how to  rejoice in the moment. CHAPTER FOUR Attention Deficit Since it seems that the human race has such a hard time staying focused on eternity but instead on all of our earthly cares, why doesn t God just make it easy for us? After all, one wave of His all-powerful Hand would banish our troubles forever: attention deficit problem solved.  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [Italics supplied.]  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience. [Italics supplied.]  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." [Italics supplied.] Romans 5:2-6 In just a few sentences all our questions about the trials of this life are answered! As mentioned previously, we are, of course, under the curse of sin since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but beyond that, we are tested continually as a means to strengthen us. If our hearts are right towards God we will grow stronger with each trial that besets us. Tribulation is designed to make us patient. We have to wait for a resolution to our problems. We don t get everything we want right now; most of the time we don t get what we really want at all. That is supposed to make us patient people, but for so many of us, we are less patient.  My patience is out is the catchphrase for most of us nowadays. Now, if we could ever come to grips with our self-centeredness and take a long, hard look at ourselves, we would be amazed and disgusted at the revelation. How puny and pitiful we are yet all of us at some point in time go around with puffed up egos and think,  Woe is me. I have so many problems and I just don t know why God won t help me. How we must grieve God's heart! We prove daily that He is indeed infinitely wise and wonderful or He would do away with us all pronto! But it is because He is so wise and wonderful that WE should wake up and get with the program, His program. When problems come that is our opportunity to prove our faith not only to the world but also to God Himself. Notice the sequence: tribulations produce patience, which, in turn, produces experience. Any place that sells books has multitudes available on the topic of the human experience in one form or another. Topics include addictions, romance, sex, all types of interpersonal relationships, spirituality, finances, and a gazillion more. Name it and somewhere the human heart has experienced it. But the thing about experience is that it is supposed to help us. When the hard times come and our patience develops as a result, then we can learn from that experience. We will be better prepared for the next  windfall from the devil and be a witness to others as well. At least, that is the way it is supposed to work. Somewhere along the way from the time the Apostle Paul wrote those words in Romans to our day, things have gone a little askew. No, make that a lot askew. We live in a world that Paul never dreamed of, and somehow in all that hurry and hubbub, we have lost sight of living and rejoicing in the moment. It was different for Paul back then some might say, and they would be right. They didn t have all the modern conveniences that give us all this spare time that none of us have, or the gadgets that make our lives a breeze. All they had was news that could travel only as fast as a horse could gallop or a ship could sail, food that had to be eaten quickly before it spoiled, two strong legs that carried most people where they needed to go [which, by the way, wasn t very far], and work that ended before it got dark. Quite a life or quite a different life, depending on perspective. But few of us in this world would last long if something unforeseen took away our modern life and thrust us into times equivalent to those of Paul! We would wilt under the pressure and die from lack of convenience (not to mention the hard labor). And think of poor Paul imprisoned in dank, dark dungeons, shackled to cruel Roman soldiers, not to mention all the perils he endured [read about them in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28]. And on top of all his afflictions - ship wrecks, beatings, arrest, imprisonment, stoning, ridicule, hunger, thirst, and more, Paul had the care of all the churches (verse 28). That kind of makes our problems pale in comparison, doesn t it? Despite it all, Paul rejoiced and gave glory to God. He rejoiced in the moment! Paul s outlook was towards eternity, not on the here and now. He allowed Christ to carry his burdens - all he did was patiently endure. That is what we are called to do as well. When trials come, we are to bear them patiently, then learn and grow from the experience. By the way, that word  experience is translated  character." This world is sadly lacking people with character; strong moral integrity seems to be waning more every day. But by allowing hard times to befall us, God is trying to build His character into us. He wants us to be children He can be proud of, a reflection of Him to the world. If we submit to Him and patiently endure our problems, we will develop patience, strong character through the experience, and hope. Yes, hope. Hope is what strong character brings. Isn t it ironic that many people lose hope when times are tough? It is supposed to be just the opposite. That speaks volumes about our spiritual condition. We re fine as long as things are going well for us, but hit that speed bump in the road of life, and our  religion flies right out the window. That s the danger of not fastening our  spiritual seatbelts - we must be anchored to the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. Any profession of faith or belief that doesn t last through the test of trials is worthless. Now notice Paul s summation of these things: Tribulations = patience = experience ( character ) = hope = ? What does hope bring about? Hope  does not make ashamed or we can say that it  does not disappoint. Do we disappoint God, and others, and even ourselves? Of course we do, countless times. But it doesn t have to be that way: living and rejoicing in the moment is the answer. And even before we covered this much scripture, virtually every one of us already knew how hard that is. But notice again what Paul said in Romans 5:6,  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. There it is - the answer! Look closely: for when we were yet without strength - What? - Christ died for the ungodly. That s our answer! WE HAVE THE STRENGTH IN CHRIST TO BE THE PEOPLE HE WANTS US TO BE! It s all about Him and not about us. If we will but live in the moment most certainly we can rejoice because Jesus is more than able to give us the strength we need to endure our sufferings!  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13 Jesus can give us strength and grace to endure anything that life throws our way: all we have to do is ask for it, and then live in the moment. Forget the troubles of yesterday, don t worry about what tomorrow may hold, and don t fret over today: just rejoice in the here and now. Look to Calvary and the victory already won there - the race is almost over and we are champions with Christ! CHAPTER FIVE Tasting Heaven What exactly does it mean to  rejoice in the moment anyway? And how can we do it? Of course we all know that the word "rejoice" means to "to be glad" or "happy." A quick look into any concordance will show a very long list of scripture verses for "rejoice," "glad," "happy" and their variances. To say that "rejoicing" is a common theme in scripture is a terrific understatement. With that established, we can presume that the writers of the Bible wanted us to know that there is something to be happy about, even in this sinful world. What is it? Of all the related verses in the Bible perhaps Jesus Himself said it best. ". . .but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20 That's what real Christians have to be happy about: our names our written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 13:8). If that isn't cause for joy and celebration then we truly don't know what it's all about! If we can keep our minds focused on Christ and eternity rather than on this life and our current problems, then our faith will grow as we patiently endure whatever trials come our way. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TO REMEMBER THAT, IF WE ARE TRUE CHRISTIANS, OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS OF HEAVEN! How wonderful is that! What more do we need to know in order to overcome this world? Even if that was all, that one fact should sustain us come what may, but there's more. The children of God who inherit eternal life will meet Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father face to face! Think what it will be like to walk hand in hand with our beloved Savior or perhaps even to sit at the feet of the "Ancient of days (Daniel 7:9) and learn from the Father Himself! How marvelous to ask the Holy Spirit just how He worked in our lives and thoughts, convicting us to confess and forsake the very sins that otherwise would have denied us access to that glorious place. Think of endless days of total bliss with no problems, no heartaches, no disappointments, no sickness, no death, and no end - ever. Now that is something to celebrate! We can rejoice in the moment with ease when our minds our focused on that future! What we need so desperately in this world today is a taste of heaven itself. And we can have it by rejoicing in the moment. By keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and the eternal life He offers, we can live just for now, this minute, and rejoice in it. If only we could get past our "woe is me" mentality and dwell on the future with Christ the Eternal, then whatever plagues us here would become much less significant. "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach ["revile"] you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." (Luke: 23,24) Jesus spoke those reassuring words 2000 years ago. They still ring true today. All of us, by virtue of being born into this world, will go through various trials, but if we are followers of Christ and thus suffer as a result, then we should indeed be glad! We have a treasure in the heavens that far exceeds anything this world could ever offer. That should be the source of our joy. When we know that eternity is more than just carefree life that never ends - it is time without end in the physical presence of the Holy Trinity - then we can rejoice in each and every moment! Those glad folks who lost it all in Hurricane Katrina had their eyes focused on the eternal reward and that gave them the strength to praise the Lord in their darkest hour. No one need ever be without praise who knows the significance of Calvary. Without Jesus' sacrifice for us on that horrible cross we would have no hope and no reason to celebrate. In light of what He has done on our behalf, we should fairly shout to the world the abundance of His mercy and grace. No matter what comes our way there should never be a moment that we aren't praising God and rejoicing in the salvation He so freely offers. And that's another thing: we can rejoice every moment when we bear in mind that our eternal life is a free gift from a gracious God Who loved us enough to die in our place while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8) We need to get our thoughts off of ourselves and our problems long enough to think about what we have to be grateful for really. Sure, we need to be thankful for our families, friends, homes, food, employment, and so many other necessities of life, but most of all, we should be overwhelmed and on our knees in gratitude for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Do we truly understand what it meant? Do we understand the cost? Do we? Do we really? We say we do and we think we do, but if we truly understood the seriousness of sin and its consequences, we would have praise on our lips every second, not just the moment! All of us are sinners but every single one of us has had the ransom for sin - eternal death - paid in full by Jesus at the cross of Calvary. Forgiveness and life eternal are free gifts to us from God the Father. Jesus, the Son of God, came down from His Throne in Heaven to become a human baby in order to grow up sinless in this despicable world only to be the slaughtered atoning lamb. And it was done for each one of us as individuals. Consider this: Jesus would have come down here and gone through that passion for just one person. He saved every person ever born who accepts His free gift of salvation but He would have done it all for just one. He died for each of us. All of our sins hung Him on that cross yet He stayed there and endured the shame and agony so that we might live with Him in eternity. Friends, we truly have something to celebrate and rejoice about in every moment. CHAPTER SIX Howling Wolves While we may be able to admire people like those rejoicing in the Lord in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it's hard for most of us to put that kind of faith into practice. It's easy to say, "Okay, God, come what may, here I am: I'm Yours no matter what," but when the wolves come howling beneath the windowsill, we turn into the Apostle Peter. Peter was a great leader, a great person of faith, or so he boasted. He told Jesus in so many words that He would stick with Him regardless of what happened. Or so he thought. "All of ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. . . . "Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended." (Matthew 26: 31,33) How much we are like Peter! Our hearts are full of love for the Lord yet our sinful flesh is so weak we just can't follow through on our good intentions! No doubt Peter loved Jesus as his friend but even more as his Savior and Lord, and was sincere when he spoke those words. In fact, when the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter even drew his sword and sliced off Malchus' ear! (John 18: 10) Drastic perhaps but Peter put his loyalty into action. However, that boldness faded only a few hours later. "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night before the cock crow (rooster crows), thou shalt deny me thrice (three times). (Matthew 26:34) That was Jesus' response to Peter after his daring statement in the previous verse (33). Jesus knew Peter like He knows each one of us. He knew Peter meant well but didn't have the faith to deliver on his promise, just like so many of us. And did Peter indeed fail? "Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel (servant girl) came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. "Be he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. "And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.  And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth (betrays) thee.  Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew (the rooster crowed).  And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26: 69-75) Peter was the prime example of human weakness. He spoke boldly yet lacked enough faith to follow through on his words. We are so much like the him. Human nature has not changed since the time sin entered this world through Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). From the first humans to Peter the Apostle to each of us today, we all too often fail miserably despite our best intentions. Then with bitter self-reflection and guilt we are given over to grief and self-loathing. It doesn t have to be that way. The secret to victorious Christian living is that ever-elusive live in the moment concept. It is only by a moment-by-moment relationship with the Lord that we will be able to rejoice no matter what happens. It's not what we think, feel, believe, or talk about that matters: we must have a real relationship with the Living Christ in order to stay spiritually connected to Him. We can't let the cares, burdens, and disappointments of this world wear us down. We can't throw in the towel when setbacks come. We can't give up when life seems unbearable. We can't flee the battle when the devil engages us on every front. We must always remain in the moment, and when we train our spiritual nature to do just that, we won't be able to keep from rejoicing in the moment. In fact, we won't be able to stop! When we are convinced deep within ourselves that now is all we have, that neither the past nor the future has any bearing on our lives at this moment, then rejoicing will come naturally. When the Son of Righteousness dwells in our inner being, we have the calm assurance that everything is in His hands. He is in control, even when we don't understand some of the difficulties. But we must keep our eyes on the eternal prize: the everlasting future is gained only by those who learn the secret of living and rejoicing in the moment. The past is gone. The future is uncertain. Eternity beckons. But now is all we have. Rejoice in this moment. CHAPTER SEVEN Right Now In a different newscast featuring yet another natural disaster, a reporter interviewed an elderly couple after the ravages of the storm. They stood in front of the pile of rubble that only moments before had been their home. The man told the reporter that they had lost every thing they owned but they came out of it alive and unscathed. "God is good," he said as the woman, tears flowing and unable to speak, nodded her head in affirmation. That elderly couple lost their home and its entire contents. Every personal possession they owned was in that house. Think of the years of little personal treasures accumulated throughout a lifetime of birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and other special occasions. Think of the photographs and other trinkets lost that no insurance policy could ever replace. All of it gone, wiped out in a matter of seconds. Is it any wonder that Jesus warned us that the material things of this world don't last? Remember, He told us to store up heavenly treasure instead of putting our confidence in the things of this life. (Matthew 6:19,20) While certainly no one is at fault for enjoying the little things that we collect throughout the years that mean so much - a treasured photograph, a momento of a graduation, an award of some type, etc. - those things are not the substance of our lives. They are not what life is all about. And while it hurts deeply to lose those things suddenly and unexpectedly, we should always know deep within ours that when we die, that s it: those things will mean nothing. Sentimentality will account for nothing when our eyes close in death. The only thing that will count when we come to the end of our earthly lives is our relationship with Christ. That poor aged man and woman who lost it all in the fury of nature knew that their purpose was far greater than what they had collected in perhaps fifty years of earthly memorabilia. They knew the secret of living in the moment. Everything they had in this world was gone in an instant, at the whim of a violent storm, yet they were able to rejoice in the moment.  God is good. The man spoke the words that he and his wife believed and lived. Their calm assurance in their grief showed the genuiness of their faith. They quietly affirmed that God was still in control of both their lives and of this world when they surveyed the loss that moments before was the epitome of their earthly lives, yet they still stood firm in their notion of the goodness of God. That is the essence of rejoicing in the moment! We all have seen so many wretched and heartrending images on our television screens lately with such terrible things in the world now. Wars, violence, bombs, terrorists, hurricanes, floods, mudslides, earthquakes. It just seems endless and it is. As we approach the end of time, we can only expect things to get worse instead of better. Jesus spoke of a time just before His Second Coming that would cause  men s hearts to fail them for fear of things coming on the earth. (Luke 21:26) The time is coming - if it is not here already - when truly nothing will be dependable but our faith in God and knowledge of salvation in Christ. We need to exercise our faith now in order to learn how to live and rejoice in the moment, as well as to prepare for the terrible things coming on the earth. (Matthew 24:21) If we aren t rejoicing in the moment now, most certainly, we won t be rejoicing when unforseen evils encroach us! Now is the time. It is now that we are living, breathing, laughing, playing, loving, losing, working, giving, taking. The moment is all we have. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow is not promised. Eternity is for those who have prepared for it in this life. Now is all we have. This moment, right now. Right here, right now, find peace with God. Know that He is the reason for everything. Accept the fact that life is hard and bad things happen that we can t explain or understand. Know, that despite it all, God is in control and ultimately He will prevail. When Jesus walked out of that tomb alive and by His own power, He won the war for all of us right there. Satan is already defeated. Nothing that he can do has any power over us if we will keep our eyes steadfastly on Jesus and know that we are His. Live for each moment. That is all we have. Our lives our but a collection of moments, and if we take each one sixty seconds at a time, then we will know our Creator God in a new and invigorating way, in spite of life s many pitfalls. And that is the secret to rejoicing in the moment.  Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. (Philippians 3:1) (End) es on our television screens lately with such terrible things in the world now. Wars, violence, bombsL   "$&(*,\^`bdfhjlnprtvxz HJ.` >@BDFHJLNPR ". "t"t "t"tKRTlp H!R"'&+@,0000 0"0$0&0(0*0,0.00020406080:0<0>0@0B0D0F0H0`0r0t05:;<d=?@ABG"JJJKLpMNO:RRpT|UV`XZ$_cg oqyy ". "t"t ". "t"tKyyyyyyyzz.z0zB{*|nxĉF&ڋ<`șԜvzplT,0 2VX ". "t"t ". "t"tD`P$@R*&< 4RTR:~>   H|2"""""""""" ". "t" ". "t"t ". "t"t2""# #"#%>'()-.001h233$56b7n;b>AEFFFFFFFlJMfTdWZ^a`d.jjjkk&k*k,k0k2k4k6k(2"'( ) @S  ". "t" ". "t" (\HJBnBf< "" $$ ."8 "" $  ."< "" $$ .", "" $.", "" $."6 "!" 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