Making the Most of Every Opportunity

I'm encouraged by this quote from John Piper on Psalm 19:7 ... “Even on days when every cinder in our soul feels cold, if we crawl to the Word of God and cry out for ears to hear, the cold ashes will be lifted and the tiny spark of life will be fanned. For ‘the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.’"

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2  Here Paul says we can know God’s will and know what is good and perfect (only Christ) only by being renewed (a consistant habit) through the Word.  “the non conformity to the world does not primarily mean the external avoidance of worldly behaviors. That’s included. But you can avoid all kinds of worldly behaviors and not be transformed”- John Piper Paul says it’s not just a “don’t conform”, but an action of being transformed. “Oh, how crucial this is! If you long to break loose from conformity to the world, if you long to be transformed and new from the inside out, if you long to be free from mere duty-driven Christianity and do what you love to do because what you love to do is what you ought to do, if you long to offer up your body as a living sacrifice so that your whole ...

praying through this... and realizing I've made heaven something it is not and have missed the true treasure: Jesus. "The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there? " - God is the Gospe l, John Piper

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus"-  Philippians 2:1-5 This week, I have been re-listening to a sermon from John Piper * that I heard years ago to remember the truths of loving others that I've forgotten. I remember the first time I heard this sermon, called  “ The Mind of Christ: Looking Out for the Interests of Others” . I was on my elliptical (not a convenient place for note taking). I wept and wept. I just couldn’t believe how clear that passage was as he preached. I was crushed (in a good way) by how litt...