You’ve probably heard this story. A missionary returned home after many difficult years. Also onboard was a famous person, whose arrival was celebrated with welcoming crowds, and bands, and balloons, and cheering. When the missionary disembarked into silence, with no one to greet him, he asked the Lord about it. The Lord said, “Son, you’re not home yet.”

And so we aren’t.

We are soldiers in an age long battle between good and evil. We are citizens of heaven, but are assigned to His service here on earth.

When we arrive at our true home, heaven, either through death or Christ’s coming again, then we are welcomed home.

I don’t know about the bands and balloons, but there will definitely be rejoicing.

Yet, death is an enemy, the last enemy to be defeated.

“The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26)

While death is an enemy, God says the death of His children is highly valued.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” (Psalm 116:15)

We appropriately recoil from death, an enemy created by sin. And God will, one day, destroy death.

“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14)

Seeing death as “precious,” highly valued, is only understandable from the point of view of heaven.

The death of God’s children means we have entered heaven.

God is glad to see us!

“Welcome home, Beloved.”

You, beloved child of God*, will be holy and blameless when Christ presents you to the Father. (Ephesians 1:4, 5:27; Colossians 1:22)

Now read that again, capturing this truth for you personally: “I will be holy and blameless when Christ presents me to the Father.”

You are loved:

Loved by the holy and all-powerful God (See, for example, Ephesians 2:4-6; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

Loved by His sovereign choice (Ephesians 1:4)

Loved with the same love as the Father loves His Son, and the Son loves the Father (John 15:9, 16:27, 17:23, 26)

His love promises:

No condemnation for the child of God (Romans 8:1)

He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Nothing can separate you from His love. Nothing. (Romans 8:35-39)

He watches out for you, and, whatever happens, He’ll work it into good. (Romans 8:28)

You are always on His mind:

He has inscribed you on the palms of His hands. (Isaiah 49:16)

You are the apple of His eye. (Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8)

But what about sin?

We sin. And we’ll continue to sin until God takes us to heaven and removes us from the presence of sin (our own and others).

We are responsible for our thoughts, words, and deeds. We must confess our sins, remembering God promises to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Our goal should be to walk in a manner worthy of Him, pleasing Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10; See also Ephesians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:2)

But, remember, sin does not separate the child of God from the love of God. (Romans 8:35-39)

God promises to keep working on us until the day of Christ Jesus. We’re still being perfected! (Philippians 1:6)

We forget

God’s love for His children is true. There are many, many statements about the magnitude and permanence of His love.

But we forget, letting our own self-critical comments and the criticism of the world drown out the truth of His love.

What to do

1. Decide to believe God’s love.
2. Decide to believe Him instead of your self-critical nature.
3. Locate and memorize verses about His love for you.
4. Repeat those verses and meditate on them.
5. Be conscious when you say something to yourself that isn’t consistent with what the Bible says about His love for you, and substitute the truth for a lie.

When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready? elaborates on God’s love and sovereignty. We need rock-solid trust in Him, His love for us and He control of what happens in order to be ready for the storms coming our way. I encourage you to take a look at the book.

* Be sure this means you! See Becoming a Child of God.

We live in a fallen world, as sheep among wolves. We are to be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:6)

In ancient days, serpents were used as a symbol of wisdom. Being shrewd as serpents includes accurately assessing people and situations, anticipating events, and handling situations with good judgment. Now, our symbol is more likely an owl.

If we act on a quick evaluation of a situation, we may create unnecessary conflict and lose the opportunity to honor our Lord. We often need to reframe our perspective of reality in order to have a healthy point of view or take a godly action. Healthy reframing is a skill we need to live life well, both temporally and spiritually. It is a skill that helps us see a more constructive interpretation, helps us forgive, and helps us see the Lord in the midst of our mess.

“Cognitive reframing is a psychological technique that consists of identifying and then disputing irrational or maladaptive thoughts. Reframing is a way of viewing and experiencing events, ideas, concepts and emotions to find more positive alternatives.” (Wikipedia)

The Word of God is Filled with Healthy Reframing

James tells us to consider it joy when we encounter various trials. (James 1:2). We’re not to misconstrue the trial itself as joyful, but, rather, consider it joy because of the good that will come out of testing our faith.

Paul tells us the Lord will use all things for good for Christians. (Romans 8:28). That’s not because “all things” are, themselves, good, but because the Lord is sovereign and He will bring good out of the bad. (See What’s So Good About Bad? and When a Loss is Really a Win)

Here’s another: Someone’s action caused you great harm, yet God tells you to forgive him or her. If you focus on the action, on your hurt, it may seem impossible to forgive. But if you reframe your perspective to see the person as a flawed human being, rather like yourself, forgiveness is much easier.

Honest View of Reality

We must, however, start with reality. We’re sunk if we act on a very inaccurate view of what is happening. Even worse, we can be led astray spiritually.

If we use reframing to remake reality, we are on the wrong road!

“Everyday, in everyway, I’m getting better and better.” Oh oh. Really?!

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

Hezekiah

Hezekiah is a great example of how to forthrightly view and react to reality and reframe your perspective to include God. (2 Chronicles 32)

When Hezekiah saw that the Assyrians intended to make war on Jerusalem, he cut off the supply of water from the springs outside the city, rebuilt the wall, erected towers on it, built another outside wall, and appointed military officers.

Hezekiah acted on his clear view of reality.

Then he encouraged the people:

“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 32:7–8)

Hezekiah acknowledged the reality of the horde of Assyrians, and reminded the people that God is greater.

What we are to do

Be realistic about your situation, and the people in your life. Ask the Lord to help you accurately see.

Reframe your interpretation to bring God into your circumstances.

Act in a godly way.

I wonder: Do they sell pendants of the empty tomb?

He suffered for us on the cross, died, and was buried.

He rose from the dead.

The cross is empty.

The tomb is empty.

Jesus Christ is, and was, and is to come. (Revelation 1:8)

Because He lives, we also have a past, present, and glorious future.

In the past

He died on the cross, and we were saved from sin’s penalty.

In the present

He lives, interceding for us with the Father, and we are learning to walk in freedom from sin’s power.

In the future

He will reign, we will be saved from sin’s presence, and He will present us to the Father holy and blameless.

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

I want to live thrilled with the knowledge of His life and the life to come.

Where is my empty tomb pendant?

This website, Pressing On Together, is based on the goal all Christians have: To grow in our Christian life, and become more like Jesus Christ. (See Welcome.) God guarantees He will make us in the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). He is working in us to make that happen. At the same time I, and you, have the responsibility to strive for holiness and resist sin.

Here is what I am saying to myself. You might want to listen in.

I can do it

I’ve been given everything I need to live a life pleasing to God, to walk in a manner worthy of Him.

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3)

in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge…so that you are not lacking in any gift, (1 Corinthians 1:5,7)

in Him you have been made complete (Colossians 2:10)

It is not I, but God

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. (2 Corinthians 3:5)

I might do it

I am able to live as He wants me, but I have a choice.

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

“Might walk” is an aorist subjunctive, which is an assertion about which there is some doubt, uncertainty, or indefiniteness.

I can do it, but will I?

But will I?

The truth, of course, is that sometimes I walk in newness of life and sometimes I don’t. Worse, sometimes I don’t even want to. Alas.

Thank God, He is working in me to want to. And to actually do what He wants.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

My responsibility

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. (Hebrews 12:4)

These are challenging verses!

Am I working so hard to live out the fact that I am God’s child, saved by Him, that I tremble?

Do I resist sin to such as extent that I shed blood?

Do I even close the refrigerator door?

The glorious good news

I am so far from what I want to be. I want so much to hear my Lord say “Well done.” I want to please God.

Unfortunately, these important “wants” do not necessarily result in action.

But the glorious good news, the fact that gives me hope, is that it is GOD who is at work in me. He is making me, more and more, want to do everything His way, and then actually to carry out His will.

It comes down, as everything does, to GOD.

Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

I periodically wake up at night and anxiously open my eyes to see if I can see.

Until a little more than a year ago, I didn’t worry about my sight, but then I suddenly had a significant problem with my vision and had four eye surgeries. God was so merciful to restore my vision. (See Practical Exam for the beginning of this trial)

And He was so gracious throughout the journey, answering my prayers for direction, teaching me about Himself, and helping me trust Him.

I worry now because I forget

So why in the world would I worry now?

I forget what God has done.

I know I must consciously refresh my memory.

Remembering cures scared.

Here is what is true:

1. God is sovereign; He is in control of my eyesight (and everything else).
2. God loves me.
3. God has a loving purpose for what happens to me.
4. God is trustworthy.
5. God is with me and for me (whether or not I have my sight).
6. God will accomplish His purpose for my life (whether or not I have my sight).
7. God uses my circumstances to make me into the image of His Son.

Remember

Throughout the Bible we are constantly told to remember, because God’s faithfulness in the past confirms He is faithful in the present, and will be faithful in the future.

Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. (Exodus 13:3)

Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? ….Do you not yet understand? (Mark 8:18–19, 21)

The next time I wake up scared, I am determined to:

1. Remember who He is
2. Remember what I am to Him
3. Decide to trust Him

When I’m scared, it is a symptom of forgetting. Remembering cures scared.

When you (men and women) want to look your best, you are apt to wear a specific color. Probably you wear a color others have admired on you, and have said something like: “Blue becomes you,” that is, you look great in blue.

You pay particular attention to that comment if it’s said by a special date, or the one you hope to marry, or your spouse.

What if God said that to you? What if God said: “Blue becomes you”? Suddenly, your entire wardrobe is blue!

Well, He has said something close: “Praise is becoming to the upright.” (Psalm 33:1).

Praise is proper, suitable, and fitting.

Praise is comely, beautiful, and seemly.

Praise Becomes You

When we, His children, praise Him, it is becoming. We look great when we praise Him.

GOD says we look great to Him when we praise Him!

If we want to look our best, let’s do what becomes us: let’s praise God!

Many years ago, my mom told me about a visitor from Romania. When the visitor went to the grocery store and saw the huge array of fresh fruit and vegetables, she burst into tears.

Fresh fruit and vegetables were in short supply in her country. Seeing such abundance was overwhelming.

When was the last time?

When was the last time you were awed at the choices available to you in the grocery store? When was the last time you deliberately gave God thanks?

We have so much, and we tend to expect those riches. “Plenty” has become “normal.” However, abundance is a gift, not an entitlement.

Be intentionally grateful

Take a moment and look around wherever you are. Give God thanks for your situation, and what is available to you. Be intentionally grateful.

In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for [your name] in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18. See also, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:16-17, Hebrews 13:15)

The challenge

I am sitting in a beautiful spot, looking out at the water, hoping to see a dolphin. The refrigerator/freezer is running and has quality food inside. The house is dry, my computer is behaving, the TV works… and on and on.

Am I going to grumble because I don’t see dolphins? Or am I going to stop what I’m doing and give thanks to God for His many blessings?

How about you? What are you grateful for right this minute? What should you be grateful for?

The challenge to myself, and to you: Be intentionally grateful.