September 12, 2025

See the Whole Board

We seem to be living in a pixelated existence, obstructed and obscured by our own ingrown eyeballs. If left unchecked, we would all be narcissists. The Bible gives us a realistic awareness of the proportion and an astute sense of the scale of life. It's so easy to get surrounded and stuck in our own issues, which are very real but a very small part of the big picture. The apostle Paul attempts to give us some perspective as he reveals that although we groan today, we are living for the glory of tomorrow. All of creation waits for the day when the Lord will renew the earth and fix and fill every quadrant of creation with His glory. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” (Romans 8:18-22) Now that is truly awesome. That is the big picture and that is the whole board we are to keep in our minds. It includes my tiny troubles, which are real enough to me now, but we are to focus on the glory of that day not simply the trouble of this day. Sometimes we are in danger of not understanding the consequences of our ignorance. It is both setbacks and comebacks together that make a life. We may be experiencing some significant setbacks. However, we are waiting, with the assurance from the Lord, for the greatest comeback ever experienced. The day of His coming. And if He tarries, let us wait well.  “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

September 5, 2025

Groaning to Glory

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a psychologist about the need for resilience, mental toughness, emotional attentiveness, and spiritual focus as we live in a world that seems to be separating at the seams. Mentality and morality are not only decaying but also dissolving in every quadrant of society. The streets of South Chicago and its routine killings, the church in Minneapolis and the slaughter of innocent kids, the antisemitic rhetoric from Harvard and Yale from America’s educational elites, not to mention the international insanity -- so I won’t mention it. This reality is nothing new. The apostle Paul, in Romans chapter eight, explains that the whole of creation is mourning and groaning as it waits to be liberated by the sons of God. We await a day of glory, a new day of a new world order when our Savior rules and sin is removed. (Read about it in Revelation 21-22 and 2 Peter 3:7-13) However, until then, we need resilience, courage, and focused attention. The word of the Lord is our focus: Romans 12:2 - and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind... Romans 13:13-14 - Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh... Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things Where are you focusing your attention? Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred