American Disaster

And that would be the "American Dream". I have been thinking a lot about what I am doing for my wife and children. How am I coming along side them to disciple them? Am I taking the time to invest in them? Am I bowed down before God in earnest prayer for them and their souls? What is most important for them to me? If it is to give them things that I never had, then I will be wasting much time pursuing the things of this world. Its sad to find myself pursuing things of this world. My hearts desire is to hallow the God that created me and gives me breath and is why I have life. I deserve the wrath of God. I don't deserve the endless grace He gives me.

To pursue the "American Dream" is like selling the souls of my family for a bowl of stew! I have so much in Christ, and pursuing the things of this world instead of Christ is giving up my birthright for a bowl of stew. This world will never satisfy me. Christ on the other hand is the bread of life. Jesus said, " I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." Christ is all I need. Not Him plus something. It is Him and Him alone that I need.

The battle for my heart has been grueling. "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4). By God's grace the battle has been won, and that took place on the cross when Jesus Christ died for my sins and paid for my punishment that I so deserve. It is amazing grace, that Jesus Christ exchanged His righteousness for my sinfulness. It is amazing grace, that Jesus Christ exchanged His perfect obedience to His Father for my disobedience. It is amazing grace, that Jesus Christ exchanged His perfect glory for my deserving wrath.

I am amazed by God's grace and mercy towards me. The good work He started back in January 2006 He is sustaining and continuing to grow me more and more into the image of His precious and glorious Son, Jesus Christ. I can't wait to be with Him, in perfect Christlikeness. I'm pressin in like Philippians 3. God has given my heart eyes to see Christ as the supreme treasure. Because Christ has made me His own, I am pursuing Him to make Him my own.

I love 1 John 3:1-3. It says, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." What comfort I get to just ponder that I am a child of the King. He loves me, and showed me His love. My goal is all that I do is that the world around me might see how His love has changed and affected who I am and what I am becoming in Him.

May the fact that Jesus Christ is coming back soon causes me to live differently, and instead of pursuing materialism as the "American Dream", may the Lord give me a big heart to hallow His name and to raise the children God has given me in the fear and admonition of the Lord and to live out Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in my home. If your a parent please prayerfully read Deuteronomy 6:4-9: "The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

How awesome that the gospel continues to change my heart so that I can raise my family for God's name, and His Kingdom, and His righteousness! Oh how I can't wait for heaven and to be with my Lord and my God. I'm ready to die today, but as long as He has me here there is much kingdom work to be done. Thankful for His purposes and desires for my life and family.

A question and thought for you: Have you pursued the "American Dream" of materialism in exchange for the "American Dream" of hallowing God's name? If you have your living a Romans 1:28 life. It is a life that leads to hell. The choices we make for our families today have consequences for tomorrow.