When we focus on the blessings more than the One Who blesses or on our hopes for ourselves & loved ones well-being in the physical realm more than praying for and encouraging their spiritual growth toward a healthy, loving relationship with our Savior, we are not as at peace & healthy mentally & emotionally than when we are choosing to seek 1st the King and His Kingdom and becoming more and more spiritually healthy (AKA “Christ-like” by the power of Holy Spirit with us!) Well said! Wow Yohanan what a powerful reminder. "We were not born to this time to be comfortable or to chase after materialism. We were put here in this time to shine the light of Christ to a dying world." -- I spent most of the first 40 years of my career striving for a 7 digit bank account, working 100+ hour weeks, year after year. When my company was about to go public I looked at my stock valuation and was proud of the fact that I had eclipsed 7 digits and went into 9 digits. All that hard work was about to pay off. And then 1998 happened, my company didn't go public and in fact we went bankrupt in 2000 as the market dried up and we were left with 975 people on payroll that we couldn't pay. To most of those around me I was living the good life - a 6,500sqft house in the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city, a new Mercedes, a new Suburban, fancy furniture, fancy clothes, expensive vacations -- to some "I had it all". But, money doesn't buy happiness and those 40 years were the most miserable years. In 2001 all of those possessions went back to the banks who had financed them and I was left with the clothes that I could fit in my car. Through that disaster an amazing transformation happened -- due to all of the stress I struggled with health issues and while laying on the gurney waiting for surgery - all alone - having had to take a cab to the hospital - I reached up and said "Jesus you are all that I need - if all I have is rags to wear and I have to eat the grains that I gather as I wander around this world then I will be the richest one on Earth." I went from anxiety, fear, and depression to an amazing level of peace, joy, and happiness. I was content with my 10 year old VW, my broken down hand me down furniture, and living in a small rental house in the not so nice neighborhood. While my friends all distanced themselves, I had the one friend who never left my side - Jesus. While things have changed a little since those dark days, I still drive a 15 year old Ford truck and wear the same Costco jeans that I've had for the past 3 or 4 years, and my shirts are a little worn, and my 7 year old dress shoes are a little scuffed up, but I have peace, joy, and happiness. Today I'm more concerned about becoming a soul millionaire and I'm working on building my storehouse of treasures in Heaven. Everything that I worked so hard for to achieve over those years is rusted and buried in the landfill - and your post Yohanan was a good reminder of what's most important in our short time here on this planet, thank you for that gentle reminder. Wow, Todd! That is an AMAZING testimony! The most wonderful part is that you chose to chase after the Right treasure, Jesus, and not the fleeting things of this world once your eyes became opened. It's only natural to put our trust in our friends, our bank accounts, our successes but didn't you find it interesting that those "friends" evaporated once you were no longer useful to them. Such a sad commentary on the unsaved. But you found you true Friend in the One Who will never leave or forsake you! What a testimony you have! Thank you for sharing it with us. I know it will impact someone who is reading it either now or in the future to turn from worldly things that will rot and rust and disappoint and turn to the True One, Jesus Christ. Thank you for sharing Todd. An amazing turn of events from "riches" to giving your life over totally to Christ! He got your heart, and you got His! Peace in Him is everything. Joy comes every morning because you/we know we are His, and He is ours. We belong to the Lord and not the world, and He will take us Home! There is no pressure upon us in this thread. The Lord has many ways to share His truth. Some go to the mission field, some love street ministry - I don't - some host bible studies, seminars, some do online ministry, some go door to door, some strike up conversation, and some just pray overall. God can use us all, from the small to more public ways depending on what He lays on our hearts, and where our passions and strengths lie. It's just good to know that we can be instrumental however we are individually led, to be bringing the lost in, in these last days. There is no pressure upon us in this thread. The Lord has many ways to share His truth. Exactly! Wow Todd, very inspiring testimony! So sorry you had to go thru that painful ordeal and the hurtful experiences of losing those “friends”. Just shows how shallow people can be and in the long run, we realize they are not worth having, if they are that materialistic. So glad you want to serve the Lord and earn eternal rewards that nobody can steal. There is GREAT satisfaction in being in God’s will and wanting to serve Him. The enemy will ramp up those attacks because you are a threat to the underworld. But never fear … because He that lives inside you is far GREATER than he that is in the world. Plus Jesus will gives you joy and a purpose in this life. Then when we reach our eternal home … we will receive that dream dwelling place with the gorgeous gardens/beach views/mountain views. Perhaps you will have that favorite sports car or truck or will you like traveling with a flying horse instead? 😆 Its a win win situation no matter what. The will of God for all His children is to share our faith with the lost … even if we hold a secular job … some think its solely the responsibility of the pastor or youth leader or Sunday School teacher when in fact it’s everyone’s responsibility to go and tell. Matt 28:19-20 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Thank you brothers and sisters. Life is so good now. Being a preachers kid's kid I watched my grandfather and grandmother live in near poverty but they were always happy. Through my career I've had the opportunity to travel and work in nearly every corner of the planet and an interesting observation is that the people who have the least have always been the ones who are the happiest, and it was those people who's faith was incredibly strong. Working in China in the late 90's I befriended a man who shared that his most prized possession was a single page out of the Bible. I sit here in my office with a stack of study Bibles and commentaries on my shelf and I often think of that man - I have thousands of pages yet his single page was so valuable to him it was like he had won the lottery. Its all about perspective. The church that I was a member of 18 years ago put on "The Bema Seat" play -- so powerful -- it reminds me every day that someday soon I'll be standing before Jesus at the Bema Seat and what will the words that He will speak as I stand before him. He won't praise me for my material possessions or how big my raise and bonus checks were, but what did I do on this planet to further His Kingdom? Time is short, but there is more than enough time to: Turn your eyes upon Jesus the people who have the least have always been the ones who are the happiest, and it was those people who’s faith was incredibly strong That is so true! They are not bogged down with the trappings of materialism. Isn't interesting that it's all right there in the very word, trappings, and yet we simply gloss over it and keep wanting more. Same with tv shows, or more appropriately, programming. Still, people don't see it or simply don't care. Thanks for this marvelous song, Kolleen; in my opinion one of the most relevant and applicable worship songs around. "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3) In this verse 'perfect peace' translates in Hebrew to 'shalom shalom, shalom shalom' (that's 4 shaloms!) And we know that 'shalom' means so much more than just 'peace'. The word 'mind' is 'yetser', which means 'imagination'. Our imaginations are extremely powerful! Turn your 'mind's eyes' to Jesus!
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace
