What Would You Give?

The doctor asks me what he can do for me. I respond, asking, "do you have a magic wand?" 
Of course he doesn't, and I don't believe in magic anyway. However, do you ever wish for something so easy? Most everything in this life that is worth having is bought with effort, with our toil and tears. 
We know this, but sometimes it is nice to dream.

On the other hand we can also be thankful we don't have to pay for some of the things we've earned. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;"
 
 No matter how good a person is, or has been they can never earn, or become good enough; we'll never be perfect. I've known some very good people, but those who are the best amongst us will be the first to tell us they are flawed human beings.

 Romans 3:24 "being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"

"The only one who was perfect they crucified." My mother would share that bit of wisdom when someone would expect perfection fromher. She was right, of course. Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, a sacrifice for us. The sinless for the sinful.

Romans 3:25 "whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;" 

Only if we take advantage of the offer that was proferred in our place will it take affect. Even the demons believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The demons know, but it won't do them any good. We have a chance at everlasting life--now.

Romans 3:26 "for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus."

What would you give to own the greatest treasure of all time?
That's why Jesus is the Savior, and hallelujah, what a Savior! 

Birds--lessons we can learn from them

The sun was touching the tops of the trees with golden fingers of light. There were varied species of birds flocking to the feeder this particular morning . At the end of May of this year we will have lived at this address for twelve years. For the first years we were treated by the appearance of an occasional Cardinal. Then we began to see the elusive bird every year. This year we have been graced to have at least four Cardinal couples.

Saucy Blue Jays are pushy and domineering. Although the feathers are pretty, during the cold snowy weather it's the red Cardinal males that stand out and their quiet russet colored females. The dark Juncos, with dark charcoal back and creamy white underfeathers are a stark contrast to the cold white snow. A solitary Flickenger makes his appearance--we only see one at the feeder at a time, so I believe there is only one. There are several species of finch including the Iowa state bird, the Goldfinch. This time of year they are a muted color, not the bright gold of summer. These are some of the more notable birds as well as the black capped Chickadees, a  Nuthatch, and a red bellied woodpecker.

What I found strange, and at first I was a bit disgruntled, was how the birds at the feeder--especially the Jays, would throw bird feed over their backs as they ate. When I saw this I felt like swatting them. I noticed however, that the small birds would pick up the seeds off the ground. It looked to work well since all the birds could not get on the feeder at the same time. The large birds were perched on the tray, and the small ones cleaned up off of the ground.

I enjoy watching this part of creation on a cold winter's day. The birds on the ground pop around like popcorn in a hot pan as they clean up. All of the different species come and perch in the bare-limbed crab apple tree, beside the feeder. They look like they could be posing for a picture.

What a beautiful world God created for us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

 "Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?  And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."
                                                                                                   Matthew 6:26, 27, 28, 29

If Tomorrow Comes

 And I said, Hear, I pray you, ye heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not for you to know justice?
  Ye who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
  Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron.
 Then shall they cry unto Jehovah, but he will not answer them; yea, he will hide his face from them at that time, according as they have wrought evil in their doings.
                                                                          Micah 3:1- 4

"Sing as if no one is listening; dance as if no one is watching."

There is all sorts of advice out there. Live as if today is your last day—and yes sing and dance as if there is no one else in the world. Have you ever wondered-- what does that advice really mean? If you aren't a believer in a hereafter, for example, an atheist, or an agnostic, it should mean something different than if you are a Christian.

If today were your last day of existence and tomorrow you were gone--poof--like a vapor. Then the phrase 'grab all the gusto you can, you only go around once' would apply. There would be no right/wrong answers because this is it. There would be no afterlife, and certainly no judgement for good or evil done in this life.

If you have a Christian belief, however, your perspective would be different. No matter how long or short a Christian's life is, there should be the knowledge of good and evil, and as it states in Hebrews 9:27 "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;". As it is there will be justice for things done in this life.

Christians need to live honest honorable lives that point to God and His Son Jesus Christ. Christians need to live as if tomorrow will come, because it will always come. There will always be a hereafter, either here on this earth, or in the next world to come. 

Hebrews 10:26 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, 27)  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries."

So, the question isn't "If Tomorrow Comes", but "When Tomorrow Comes". Live today as if tomorrow will come. Live as if you will find yourself responsible to know good and evil, to know right from wrong, and to know justice.  Hallelujah what a Savior!