life... thru Ivey's lens..

So I’ve been reading bits and pieces of the first chapter in the Great Controversy.. Enough to keep going, but not enough to be inspired, impressed and changed. So I decided to take this Sabbath to read more in depth, this book and a few chapters in the Ministry of Healing..l still have yet to get to the latter, but I wanted to share some of what I learned from GC..

“A homeless wanderer, reproach and penury His [christ’s] daily lot, He lived to minister to the needs and lighten the woes of men, to plead with them to accept the gift of life. ” GC p.20

When this life is all you know who’d want to make it eternal. So we’ve got to know of another life, a better life, that’s real and reachable, but that life is only attainable with the recognition of Christ. When you’re willing to give up this life for that life, at any cost and help as many people as you can get there too, you’ve found Christ and understood the gospel.

“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25 NKJV)

BOOM

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
(I John 2:15-17 NKJV)

Don’t find yourself so attached to the things of the world, that when offered life eternal, apart from the attractions this world has to offer, you turn down Christ’s offer.

if you believe God exits, then you should also believe that events will occur, situations will come about, people will come into your life that will consistently provide you opportunities to express the character and love of Christ to them, to love them, as you love Him and as you love yourself. we need not look much farther than our home, family and immediate circle of friends to find an opportunity to love.

Many times i think we believe PEOPLE won’t give to us or make a return on our christ-like “it is more blessed to give than receive” (acts 20:35) because it’s always been assumed that PEOPLE will be the ones who have the will, desire, power and resources to decide to give back “so much blessings that you will not have room enough for it” part (Malachi 3:10). i believe if we really left it in the hands of God…. HE’S the one who is watching, HE’S the one who knows what you’ve done both outwardly and inwardly, and only HE knows how to reward you for your acts of love.. so stop limiting God to simple human responses to your Christ-Like Giving, expect a move from God, and expect your mind to be blown…

Sometimes I think we mistake the bible for what it really is. It speaks of itself when it says it’s been given for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in right living, all things that at some point go directly against our natural human desires and tendencies.. Who wouldn’t give resistance to something that challenges the way you’ve grown to believe is the right, comfortable and rewarding way of living.. We’ve got to realize that although it may go against all of what you MAY know to be right, hearing, understanding, accepting and living by it will not only enhance your life for now and eternity, but it will also positively affect the atmosphere that you keep to that of a engaging, uplifting, and heavenly atmosphere preparing us for the that perfect character to reach that perfect destination. 2 timothy 3:16 

our job in this life is not to worry about ourselves… God’s ideal for our day to day life is to consider others above ourselves, but more than that to work and do whatever our duties are as unto HIM first with the reward of heaven, and eternal life in mind, and as you give yourself fully to christ, He then can work more fully in you and through you to be a blessing to other far more beyond what you may have thought possible, and then he’ll prosper you far more than you thought possible too!

you worry about you, and your end will be no where… you worry about them, and he’ll get you everywhere…!

Colossians 3:17, 23-24, philippians 2:4