The post The Normal Christian Life first appeared on CHRISTIAN REP.

What I know, having been in the business world myself, is the reality that we simply don’t have enough time! Life is simply insane! We acknowledge the need to read God’s word, to pray, to spend time with family, but how do we fit it all in? We can’t, and sadly we don’t.

After my friend left the man at the next table turned to me and asked, “You’re a pastor, aren’t you? I was listening to your visit and…….”

He then proceeded to talked about how busy his life is, how hard it is to do the things I was talking about. I didn’t realize I was speaking to two men, but I was. I told him I understood, having been in his world for many years. He admitted that it’s hard to fit it all in and I know that is a reality.

I think the best victory of our enemy is to keep us so busy that we have no time for the truly important things.

Paul wrote these words, that fit best in the world we live in today, “make the most of your time, because the days are evil” Ephesians 5:16

The days dictate a different approach to time, a different way of dealing with a clock spinning so fast that we feel out of control. How do we slow this thing down? How do we recapture our lives, our time? We all have to work, but in those moments that are ours how do we live, how do we use the seconds that we claim as our own and use them well?

It demands clarity about what is most important to us. What do we want to invest our lives in? In twenty years will you be glad to say, “I am so glad I spent those hours watching The Bachelor.” It demands we decide what’s important to us and act like it!

I’m a chronic couch potato. When I get home from the day all I want is my chair, some ice tea and some time to do nothing, but is that how I want to be remembered? I think my grand kids will remember me best in my recliner. Without thinking I’ve used my moments and communicated what’s important to me. In the warp speed days we live in, at least for me, I think I need to be more intentional about how I use my moments. Might I invite you to join me in this different look at our use of time in these last days?

Visit Mike at Finishing Well.

The post Time first appeared on CHRISTIAN REP.

And the LORD said unto satan, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth…. Job 2:3

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or what financial status you achieve – YOU are going to have problems.  I realize I’m not being little Miss Sunshine with that statement nor am I spreading joy, but let’s face it, it is the truth.

The question then becomes, what are you going to do with your troubles?

When we are looking at our troubles, our hearts are tired, weak and weary.  We aren’t thinking straight because we are desperately searching for a way to escape, a way to fix what is broken or a new path because the old one is nothing more than a huge sink hole, waiting to swallow us into the belly of the earth.  Desperation is not fun. Then the horror really sets in when you think your friends will be there to help you and they decide to tell you why you are deserving of what you are receiving.  You were simply looking for some comfort, some support or even just some company and that just never happened as your friends decided to explore the possibilities of how you brought your trials upon yourself.

Troubles come at us for so many reasons.  Here are just a few.

1. To grow our faith. When we have endured the night of horrors, our faith is strengthened for the next time. Each trial, each tribulation and every victory over them increases our faith.  Have you ever really thought about what you are praying when you pray “Lord, increase my faith?”
2. To allow us to help others. I do not know the pain and grief of sending a child on to heaven before me.  I have several friends who do know this.  In the year 2000, both of my children’s best friends died.  Megan was 5 and Todd was 9.  I encouraged, prayed and helped where I could but I still had my children.  When a friend is grieving over the loss of their Dad and she happens to be a daddys girl – THAT kind of pain…I know.  There are so many ways we can encourage each other.  I’ve prayed for many people who needed jobs, but until recently, I did NOT know their frustrations in looking for one. Filling out the endless ocean of boxes and questions that take an hour to apply for one job is nothing short of a nightmare.  When I pray for those who need jobs now, I pray with more of an understanding of what they are going through in even looking for a job.
3. For God’s glory. Sometimes we have troubles just so that when God has brought us through and we sing “how great is our God” because His mercy and grace were enough, our Lord is glorified and all those around us see.
4. We reap what we sow. Then there are times that we have troubles because we have brought them upon ourselves.  Sure we may have asked for forgiveness, sure we may have stopped sowing that which would produce trouble, but the fact remains that sometimes we bring it on ourselves.  The bad part about this is that we don’t simply hurt ourselves when we do this, we hurt everyone around us.  You never just hurt your own self.  Ever.

What I really want to get through to you is, maybe JUST MAYBE the reason your troubles are mounting up one right after the other, the mountain is getting bigger by the minute and you’ve been beat down time and time again very well could be because God said…. “have you considered my servant………………?” and you may as well insert YOUR name there.

Out of everyone on the earth at that time, God PERSONALLY picked out Job and asks satan if he had considered him.  I know Job probably didn’t realize what an honor this was nor did he consider it an honor at the time, but have you ever really thought about that statement? I don’t know how many people were on the earth at that time, but God named JOB.  Can you imagine with me the kind of love Job had to have for the Lord for him to be singled out by God in that fashion? Do you wonder what Job must have done day in and day out to grab the heartstrings of the Lord so that he would call him by name, saying there is none like him on the earth?

If you feel like you are enduring the worst times of your life and you know you’ve been faithfully serving the Lord. Stay faithful, keep trusting in the One that holds your soul in His hands.  Allow him to carry you through. Just as His grace was enough for Job, it will be enough for you. Look around and see what you can learn, see what you can carry with you and rest safe in your Father’s arms. I Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that He will not give us more than we can handle.  Please do consider that the trials you are going through could be because God said to satan “have you considered……..?”

If things are going good for you right now and you are faithfully serving your redeemer, consider this – is it enough to grab His attention the way Job did?  Would you be willing to endure the trials if the Lord said your name instead of Job’s?

I don’t know about you, but I want the Lord elbowing the angels….pointing down at me and saying…hey – there she is – THERE’S my girl!!!  Essentially, that is EXACTLY what he did in Job’s case.

Have you considered……..?

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