Dare to Dream

 I have come to the conclusion that I will never find total comfort and security in this world. I mean I have always known that, but at times I still find myself striving to be comforted and secure while I am here. I have said this before and will say it again because it is straight out of the Word of God. " This world is not my home, I'm just a stranger in this land and I'm just passing through," I don't belong here and I know it. So why do I at times try to make it a comfortable/secure dwelling place for myself?

The Bible says that we are to be content in whatever state we are in. Even though life can be tough and bring a lot of discomfort as well as disappointments, I have concluded that the one who has the tenacity to remain content despite the circumstances is someone who has realized that this world is not their home and they are only a stranger passing through they are moving onward because they see the finish line, every now and again they will get a glimpse of their home which awaits them up ahead. They like others desire comfort and security as well, but they know it is not here but just ahead of them, thus they continue moving forward and homeward. Their eyes are fixed on the prize and they have set their face like a flint. Come what may, it doesn't matter to them for they know they will reach their true home one day and this is their mission and goal in life.

They have realized that this world is not meant for them to settle down in and get all comfy. You won't ever here them say: "aww.. this is the life, I have attained and it doesn't get any better than this. I got my nice house, food galore, all the luxuries of life, all the toys a person would ever want, now I am just going to settle in and relax and enjoy this world and all the stuff it has to offer." Nope.. you will never hear them say that, because they know that what this world has to offer is nothing compared to their eternal home. They will never settle and be limited to the meager livings and riches of this world. They know that what the world has offered is nothing in comparison to what God is offering them. God has called them to the higher things. He has dared them to dream and to dream bigger and for the greater blessing! And that is exactly what they intend to do for they know that "Eye has not seen and ear has not heard neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for them that love Him." They haven't seen the total picture yet but every now and again they get a glimpse!

This world is lacking greatly it is a deficient existence compared to our heavenly home that awaits us. I will not settle for second best and I hope you don't either. Don't be like the rich man in the Bible who said to himself in Luke 12:19-21: 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

God is daring you to dream beyond this world and begin moving onward and forward, the journey might seem long but don't give up for you will reach your destination and the reward will be worth it!

Chasing Rabbits

In Arizona are some of the biggest Jack rabbits that I have ever seen. For the life of me I cannot figure out what they eat around here that makes them grow so big. You will see them running around in the open fields where only scrub grows. I am assuming that must be what they eat, and we have plenty of that so maybe this is why they are so big!

We have one of those fields right across the street from our house and everyday we take our dog Frissee over there for her daily run. When we ask her if she's ready to go chase a rabbit, she knows exactly what we are talking about and she gets all excited with anticipation in hopes of seeing the rabbit. Of course she could never catch one, they are super fast and would leave her in the dust every time. That doesn't matter to Frissee though she just enjoys seeing the rabbit and getting the opportunity to chase it a little while. The rabbit is a master escape artist, it will zigzag while it is running and then before you can blink an eye it has made a hard turn and off it goes disappearing into the brush. It is so funny watching Frissee, just as she is going full throttle seeming to be on the rabbits heals, bam it turns hard and Frissee will begin to slow down and then stand there puzzled wondering where in the world did that rabbit go? LOL!

My animals have taught me so many life lessons, especially my dogs, it is amazing how they excitingly anticipate each new day. Even though Frissee has never caught the rabbit that doesn't matter to her, after all it was a great chase and she will sport herself as if she has accomplished the greatest joy of the day. What makes her excitement for the chase even more amazing to me is that most of the time when we take her to the field we never even get to see the rabbit. Weeks even months can go by before she gets to see the rabbit again. But that doesn't matter to Frissee because she anticipates each day as if she will get to chase the rabbit, and sometimes her anticipation pays off. Each day Frissee will enter that field with expectations that today will be the day of the "CHASE"

Watching Frissee made me do some self-examination. Do I look forward to each new day with excitement and anticipation of what the day has in store? What if that prayer still isn't answered? What if today isn't the day of that financial blessing? What if I don't get to chase the rabbit today? Do I still make the best of the day as my dog Frissee does? Did I still rejoice in the day? Did I decide to just give up hope today and never hope again? Afterall it has been weeks, months, maybe even years and there has been no rabbits to chase. No adventure, nothing has changed. It is still the status quo or even worse!

Do you find yourself growing weary and losing heart? I have at times. But I am reminded of scriptures to Hope thou in God, to not grow weary in well doing for you will reap if you faint not, and that His plans for me are good.

Do you know that our hope should go beyond this world? Really now, just think about that for a moment. Our Hope should go beyond this world but a lot of times we can't seem to see past what is in front of us. We limit our hope by keeping it held close to our hearts to only be used for here and now. When we can look beyond this world and hold hope in our heart for the eternal things a supernatural peace and rest will invade our souls, because at this point we will begin to see that the suffering that we go through here is nothing to be compared to the glorious day that awaits us. Understanding that will lift the heavy burden of this world off your shoulders! (Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest)

When we can get a glimpse of the finish line and the reward that awaits us it makes the chase an enjoyable one. And unlike chasing rabbits this chase will end with apprehending the goal! So in the meantime may we anticipate each new day with great expectations!

1 Cor. 15:19 If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.

Eternity is Calling You

Do you have a true hope? A true hope looks beyond this world and places hope in something greater than what this world has to offer. The things of this world are only temporary. The life we live here is but a vapor, it's here then it's gone! We have a Creator and He has placed within each one of us a desire to hunger for something that is solid, something that can be depended upon, something permanent. Our searching for completeness in this world will never be fulfilled because this world offers only temporary gratification and fleeting fulfillment.

So many people are longing for happiness, peace and contentment and so they run from one temporary high to another to try and fulfill that longing. They might feel good for the moment, but then the emptiness hits them like a ton of bricks and once again they run to try and find fulfillment for themselves, and the viscious cycle continues but to no avail. Stresses of life can breed discontentment, how will we respond to it, or for some how will we react to it?. The Word of God says that this world is not our home and we are as strangers/pilgrims that are just passing through. To have total contentment "in this world" is impossible, and this our soul knows very well. Our soul searches to find our promise land, that place where we can call home and finally have that ultimate rest.

There is a knowing in each one of us that there is something more, something that goes beyond this world. Because of this knowing there births a longing to attain the "more" which our soul knows. This is Eternity calling! In the book of Ecclesiastes 3:11 King Solomen said this, "God has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a devinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Those who try to convince themselves that this world is all there is, will only become more frustrated and discontented because they are trying to live a life that suggests finite living and they close their minds to the truth that eternity is calling them. There is an eternal life that awaits each one of us.

Living in denial of the Truth that there is more and that this world is not our final destination will only cause ongoing turmoil in one's life. Whether some want to acknowledge it or not, we have a Creator, and He designed us to know fulfillment, and that fulfillment is in Him and Him alone. All our hopes, joy, peace and contentment lies in our Creator. Jesus is the only Way, the Truth and the Life, and we will not have a full filling life outside of Him, or an everlasting one. We have Everlasting Life in Him and only Him. We will never know true joy or peace outside of Christ Jesus both here and now and for all eternity. Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." Giving us a hope and a future with Him.

If you are reading this, then you have yet to see your Salvation/Jesus. Even though by faith we have made Jesus our Lord and Saviour, we still long to see Him and be with Him. JESUS, is our all sufficiency, our total fulfillment (Jesus the Hope of Glory). In the meantime we can find ourselves trying to hold onto things that this world has to offer because our souls are still longing for completeness. Eternity pulls at our hearts, hold on to the eternal things. Our souls long for the eternal things, but our flesh keeps us hindered and grasping for completeness in  temporary things.

I believe I understand the words of Paul now when he proclaimed:
"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Rom. 7:24-25).We all groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to know the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it (Rom. 8:23b-25).

Eternity is calling you. You are destined for an eternal life. Do you know where you will spend eternity? Embrace eternal life in Christ Jesus today and rest in the hope that you will someday have a place where you can know true fulfillment and call home.