“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

Our world believes anything about God except that which is clearly revealed in scripture.

People say, “Here’s what I believe about God,” and it has nothing to do with what the Bible tells us about who God is. In fact, most of the time it contradicts the character and the nature of God revealed to us in his word.

Hello?!?! Isn’t this a bit of a problem?

You can’t go around telling me you know me and that I am like this and I am like that based on your wishful thinking. If you want to get to know me and my character, you have to get to know me.

That’s how it works with everything.

So, if you want to know God, it’s not about what you think God is like, or what you feel God is like…None of that matters. If you want to know God, you have to go to God. You have to look at his word.

Now, here is the kicker. Not only does our world believe anything about God except what is clearly revealed in God’s word, but the modern day church is starting to go down that same pathway. YIKES!!!!!

GET IN GOD’S WORD.

There is a problem when people believe whatever they want about God. That’s a problem. That’s a really big problem. Knowing God starts with knowing God’s word.

So, good on you for starting your day with God’s word.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal glory” (Galatians 6:7-8).

So…how’s it going?

Don’t answer that nonchalantly. Take a moment to reflect on your life right now. How is it going? Take an inventory of your life. Do you like what you see? Do you like what you live for? Do you like what you stand for? Do you like the impact you’ve had on the people around you? Have you been living into God’s purpose for your life?

If you’re doing well and you can answer these questions positively, way to go! Keep going! Keep living! Keep impacting God’s world with his love and grace.

If you don’t like what you see, if you don’t like what you’rw currently reaping, you might want to check the seeds you’re planting. You are where you are because of the choices you have made and the values you have been cherishing. If you don’t like where you are, if you don’t like what you see, you’ve got to stop what you’re currently doing and start making different choices.

Don’t just make different choices…make God-honoring choices. Do what God created you for. Read God’s word and do what it says.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal glory” (Galatians 6:7-8).

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are perishing” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

We all die. Not all live.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote, “Look, you’re going to die. Death is the ultimate democracy. You don’t have anything to say about when you die, where you die, how you die. The only thing you can say is what it is you give your life for. And you have to give your life for something every day so that when you die, people will know that you were living for others and you were living out God’s plans.”

There is nothing anyone can do about death. It’s going to happen. The only thing we have control over is how we live. Living and surviving are very different things. Living has to do with purpose and meaning. And, when it comes to purpose and meaning, it cannot be about you. It is always about the other. It is always about what God created you for.

So, what are you living for? What are you giving your life to? How is the world around you better because you are present? What did God create you for? Are you living into God’s created purpose?

We all die. Isn’t it time you start living?