The plane had only been in the air for about 90 minutes when the navigation system shorted out. The pilot came on the intercom to inform the passengers of the situation and to comfort them. He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry to report that we are having difficulty with our navigational system, which means that we presently do not know where we are.” He paused and then added, “However, you will be happy to know that we are making excellent time.”
Some people go through life just like that. They are always in a rush, but they are not sure where they’re headed. If we want to correct that, we must have a Divine Intimate and personal connection with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We can know we are headed for heaven one day—and live with as clear a focus as possible!
A young boy was given a dollar to spend on candy while his mother was grocery shopping.
He stood at the candy display the entire time his mom shopped for groceries. When his mom was ready to leave, he had still not chosen the candy he wanted. She asked what was taking so long, to which he explained: “This is the only dollar I have, and I want to make sure I do the right thing with it!”
Just like the little boy who had only one dollar, you and I have only one life—this IS NOT a dress rehearsal. We must make sure we do the right thing with it! As one who has a personal connection with God, how do I live to experience Christian growth and maturity? What is the primary focus of my life? I will do the right things in life if I live with purpose and passion for Him. If the focus of our life is doing the right things, we must constantly seek to Love God and Love Others.
I spent 20 years teaching about interpersonal relationships in higher education, and research shows that LOVE has NO meaning outside of relationship. Consequently, many Christian Social Scientists argue that relationship is the most significant word in the English language. In Philippians 1:9 Paul wrote: “ 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.” He was speaking about the importance of love here—love in your relationships, Love in your relationship with God and love in your relationship with others.
A Gallup poll found that 89% of Americans indicated they believed in God, but their belief about God differs completely from how the Bible depicts Him. The Bible tells us that God created man in his image, but according to that poll, we are now creating Him in our image. To have a personal relationship with God, we cannot—and we must not have a faulty understanding about Him.
The prayer Paul offered for the church in Philippi serves as a challenge for all believers. Not only should we be praying for the church, but we should use this prayer to examine our lives.
Are the elements Paul desired for the church evident in our personal lives? Are we living in a way that edifies Him and His church, reaches out with the Gospel, and brings honor to the Lord? If not, our religious lives are lacking spiritually. I trust we will all seek the Lord and endeavor to make progress in our walk with Him.
If you are unsaved, my prayer is that the Lord will convict you of your need, draw you unto Himself, and save you by His grace.
Always in His Service, Pastor Ron Fellowship Church of the Nazarene