Being Thankful When I Don’t Feel Thankful

This Thanksgiving, I don’t feel particularly thankful.

My family’s going through a rough time. My wife and daughter have had long-term medical issues; my hip has been hurting for the last 2 ½ years, and I found out two weeks ago that I need a total hip replacement. We’ve been financially stressed since I left my teaching career 5 ½ years ago, and just as we were finally getting some financial stability, I lost my job last week. With the job loss goes the semi-affordable insurance I need to pay for my hip surgery. Sometimes, life just stinks.

The economy stinks, so it may be a while before I can get another job where I can make enough money to pay the bills. The prospect of going broke and losing everything I’ve worked for has left me depressed, and I’m tired of the constant physical pain in my hip. And, yes, while I realize I still have more than most people in the world, it’s not a whole lot of consolation. And yes, of course, I still have my family. But, from the perspective of a middle-aged American who sees his health and the American Dream slipping through his fingers, there’s not an abundance to be thankful for this year.

Fortunately, as a follower of Jesus Christ, there is much more to life than economic security and physical health. God has promised many things those of us who have chosen to follow Him.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” What things is He talking about? In verse 25, Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” He continues in verses 31-32: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” So, when He says in verse 33, “these things shall be added to you,” He is talking about our material needs. God promises to meet the material needs of those who “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Note that this does not say He will meet our desires, only our needs. There is no “prosperity gospel” in the Bible; there is only the promise that God will provide for the basic needs of those who are truly seeking Him.

But far beyond meeting my physical needs, God has promised to be with me through the trials of life. This is not just some pie-in-the-sky future reward after death, but a promise to walk with me, guide me, and comfort me through the trials of today. One of my favorite passages in all the Bible comes from Romans 8:31-39:

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

First, notice that this is written for the present, not just the future: God is for us; Christ makes intercession for us; we are more than conquerors; the love of God is in Christ Jesus out Lord.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, the most important thing in all of life is my relationship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. My sin separated me from God; the blood of Jesus has provided reconciliation. Because I have confessed my guilt before holy God, believed and received forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and repented of my sin, I am reconciled with God and have become an adopted child in His family. And nothing can change this. God never promises that His children won’t ever face “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.” But, He does promise that by and through His grace, mercy, and love, I am able to conquer all these things. God loves me so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sin (John 3:16). And, He promises that I can never be separated from His love.

This Thanksgiving, I’m not thankful for my health issues, or my unemployment, or the depression that accompanies these things. But, despite the fact that I don’t feel especially thankful, I am thankful for a wife and family that stands by me despite my shortcomings, and I’m especially thankful for the love and grace of God through Jesus Christ, and His promise to see me through the trials of this life.

Sometimes, Life Stinks.

Sometimes, life just plain stinks.

Last week, my orthopedic surgeon informed me that I need a total hip replacement.

Yesterday, I lost my job.

My immediate reaction to both issues was to get angry, then depressed. And honestly, I’m still more than a little upset.

How should I, as a follower of Jesus Christ, respond when bad stuff happens?

First, it’s important to understand why evil exists.

God created this world sinless and perfect. There was no death, no illness, no unemployment, and no sin. There was no anger, no depression, and no crap to deal with. It was a perfect world.

Until Adam sinned.

¹⁷ Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
¹⁸ Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
¹⁹ In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)

¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. (Romans 5:12-15)

All of the sin, death, illness, anger, natural disasters, depression, other problems, and other evils are a direct consequence of Adam’s sin. Adam’s sin changed the perfect world that God designed, and polluted it.

However, we can’t blame it all on Adam. Our sin has added to the problem.

Sometimes, bad stuff happens as a direct result of our own sin. We make bad choices that lead to bad consequences.

But sometimes, bad stuff happens, and it has nothing to do with anything we personally did; it’s a result of the sin in the world. It can be the result of demonic activity, and it can also be the result of God’s judgement for the sin of society. Evil can have different causes, but those causes all trace back to the same root cause – sin.

In any case, how should followers of Jesus Christ handle the crap that life serves us?

For me, the key is to realize the sufferings of this life are temporary. The perfection God planned for the human race will be realized in eternity.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

³ And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. (Revelation 22:3)

Life on this earth is but the blink of an eye in the grand scheme of eternity. The junk we live through in this life is only temporary. For followers of Jesus Christ, the current life is the worst it will ever be; for unbelievers, unfortunately, this life is the best it will ever be.

The other thing is that, even though we must face a lot of pain and suffering in this world, as a Christian, I have the Holy Spirit living inside me to comfort, guide, and direct me through the junk of life.

³³ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

While I’m still hurt, depressed, and scared about both my hip and my job situation, I am holding on to the promises God has given me in His word. God never promised to keep His followers from the difficulties of life, but rather promised to walk with us through the difficulties. And, while I know I’ll struggle during the next days (or weeks, or months, depending on when I find another job and/or have my surgery), I know that God is with me through the process, and that He is in control of the situation.

Personal Log, May 6, 2012

Life is full of changes.

Sometimes, change is for the better; sometimes, it’s for the worse.

Most people don’t like change. We get comfortable with the way things have been. Change interrupts our routines and comfort – it’s an inconvenience. Yet in reality, the only constant in life is change. Well, OK, and taxes.

For the last five years, I have worked for the Answers in Genesis ministry, in several different roles. I worked in the Dragonhall Bookstore at the Creation Museum; I have worked in the AiG warehouse, shipping out hundreds of thousands of books, DVDs, and other materials to thousands of people. I have written articles for Answers Magazine, and Junior High curriculum materials for the new Answers Bible Curriculum. Along the way, I’ve been tremendously blessed by the incredible people I’ve had the honor and privilege to work with. They will never know, this side of Heaven, how much they have encouraged me and how much I have learned from them. I can only hope I’ve been half the blessing to them that they’ve been to me.

May 18^th, 2012 will be my last day at Answers in Genesis, at least as a full-time employee.

God has led me to take a new job at AdvancePierre foods as an inventory analyst.

I’m entering a new mission field.

The biggest drawback of working in ministry or with a non-profit organization is that the pay isn’t all that great. It’s been a struggle for my family and I to make ends meet on the salary I’ve been earning. This isn’t a complaint; it’s a sacrifice I’ve been willing to make for the last five years, because I know that God placed me at AiG for a reason. God has always provided enough money to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, and often provided more than enough for us to have many of the things we didn’t necessarily need. Sometimes, His provision has been downright miraculous. I praise God that He has seen always provided enough.

This new position will pay significantly more than what I earned at AiG. My prayer is that this will allow me to focus less on finances, and more on ministry. My greatest desire is to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I am praying that this new position will give me more time and resources to be able to minister to people through my church, Fairfield First Baptist, and elsewhere.

Please pray for my family and me as we go through this transition. Pray also for my teammates in the AiG warehouse, as they transition as well. Most of all, please pray that God will use this new situation in my life, and that I will allow God to use me as He sees fit to reach people for His kingdom.

What’s So Good About Good Friday?

What’s So Good About “Good Friday?”

As a kid, I never understood the term, “Good Friday.”  What was so “good” about the execution of a first-century religious leader?

Before I became a Christian, I realized that the death and resurrection of a man – even a very good man – could not in any way take away my sin, or give me eternal life.  The question was, who was Jesus?  Was he a good teacher, or a prophet?  Or, was he something more?  What did it mean that Jesus was the “Son of God?”

What I came to realize was that Jesus never claimed to be a mere rabbi or prophet; he claimed to be God.  If this claim is true, then Jesus’ death and resurrection could take away my sin; I could ask Him to be my Savior, and be saved.  If this claim is not true, then Christianity is utter nonsense.

If Jesus claimed to be God, but he wasn’t God, then he was either a liar, or else he was crazy.  As I studied the record of his life as recorded in the Gospels, I found no indication that Jesus was a liar.  Nobody would be willing to die for a lie, yet Jesus willingly died for his belief that he was God, and that he could save the world.  I also found no indication that he was crazy.  Jesus made some of the most profound statements ever made.  He had a singular purpose without any signs of the erratic behavior of a delusional lunatic.  I came to the conclusion that since Jesus was neither a liar nor a crazy man, He must be Who He claimed to be – God.  As a result, I asked Jesus Christ into my life, received Him as my Savior, had my sins forgiven, and entered into a relationship with the Living God.

What’s so good about Good Friday?  Good Friday is the commemoration of the day nearly 2,000 years ago that Jesus Christ died for my sin.  As 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  God the Father took my sin, and placed it on His only Son, who knew no sin, but paid the penalty for my sin in my place.  Because of my sin, I deserve eternal separation from God; but, because Jesus paid the penalty for me, and because I have asked Jesus Christ to forgive my sin and to be my Savior, I instead have eternal life and an eternal, intimate relationship with God.

The best part is, Jesus Christ also died for the sins of everyone who chooses to accept Him as Savior.  He took the sins of the world upon Himself when He died on the cross that Friday; and His resurrection on the first Easter Sunday is the guarantee to anyone who chooses to receive Him that they will have eternal life.

That’s what’s so good about Good Friday!

BC by Johnny Hart
April 9, 2004

The Word

One of my favorite passages of scripture is from the Gospel of John, Chapter 1.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Before I received Christ as my Savior, I struggled with the question, “Who is/was Jesus Christ?”  I wondered if Jesus was a prophet and a good teacher, or something more.  As I studied this question, I realized that the Bible – and Jesus Himself – claimed he was no mere mortal, but actually God in the flesh.  I also realized that if Jesus was just a man – even a very good man – then the crucifixion and resurrection meant nothing.  If Jesus had been just a man, then he had sin, the same as all men.  The only way Jesus could take away my sin is if he was actually God, come to earth in human form, without a sin nature, and living a sinless life.  Only then could the crucifixion and resurrection take away sin and guarantee eternal life.

One night, as I tried to sleep, these verses from John kept swirling around in my head.  Somehow, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, it suddenly “clicked.”  I understood that Jesus was indeed Who He claimed to be – God, in the flesh.  And, as God, He had the ability and power to take away my sin, and to forgive me.  I re-read John 1, and came to these verses:

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own,and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I understood that all I needed to do was to receive the forgiveness God offered through Jesus Christ’s death, and eternal life through His resurrection.  At 1:04 am, on October 22, 1979, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life.  I was forever changed.  Thirty-two years later, I am more in love with Jesus than ever before.  He is continuing to change me, continuing to mold me into His image.  I long for the day when I will meet Him face-to-face.  In the meantime, I will continue to serve Him, and to grow in my relationship with Him.

If you have never received Jesus Christ as Savior, contact me.  I’d love to help you to come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

If you have already received Christ as Savior, but are struggling with your faith, I’d love to pray for you, and help, if I can.  Contact me.

Hearing from God

One of my Facebook friends recently posed the question, “Are you struggling to hear from God?” He then makes the following point:  We sometimes must wait and trust God’s timing.

I’m pretty much in the same boat as my friend.  I know God has called me to full-time ministry, and I sense that God is preparing me for a ministry that goes beyond anything I’m currently involved with, but it seems that God is silent as to what that ministry might be.  God knows that my heart’s desire is to serve Him wherever He chooses to put me.  I know He’s blessed me with gifts and talents far beyond my natural abilities, and that He wouldn’t have done so if there isn’t a purpose.  I’m having difficulty waiting for God’s direction, though.

The Bible talks quite a bit about waiting for God:

Psalm 27: 14

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalm 37: 9

For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.

Isaiah 40: 31

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

What should our attitude be, when we’ve been waiting, and it seems God is not answering our prayers?  I’ve found that there are five things that I need to pray for when I am waiting to hear from God.

1.  I need to pray for the patience to wait, rather than making a hasty decision, just because I think I’m supposed to be doing something.  Too many times, I’ve made a decision without waiting for God’s answer, and in retrospect, it’s never been the best decision.
2. I need to pray that God will prepare me for whatever it is He is getting ready to call me to do.  I need to stay in God’s Word, stay in prayer, and stay in fellowship with other believers, learning whatever God is trying to teach me, so that when God does give me clear direction, I’m prepared to do it immediately.
3. I need to pray for God’s protection from being deceived.  I need God’s protection and discernment so that I won’t listen to the devil’s attempts to divert my attention, or to do something other than what God wants me to do. I pray that God protects me from my own ambitions and my natural tendency to be impatient.
4. I need to pray for God to give me clear direction.  I pray that when He does speak to me, I will have no doubts that it is indeed His voice I am hearing, and that I will have a clear understanding of His answer.
5. Lastly, I must pray that when I do hear His voice, I will immediately obey.  I can have no reason to expect God to speak, if I am not prepared to immediately do whatever it is that He tells me to do.

I’ve found that when I pray for patience, preparation, protection, clear understanding, and a will to obey, that I am better able to wait for God.  Sometimes it’s still frustrating when my sinful nature gets in the way, and I get impatient when it seems God isn’t answering me as quickly as I think He should.  How arrogant of me!  But, when I trust in God’s goodness and omnipotence, I can wait for His answer in His timing, and I find myself better able to obey when I do hear His voice.

Yes, I am struggling to hear from God right now.  As I was writing this, my Media Player “randomly” played the song “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns:

Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of Truth

I’d very much appreciate your prayers as I seek the patience to wait for God’s clear voice, and to obey.

My Philosophy of Ministry

1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear

This is probably my favorite verse in the Bible.  This verse sums up what I believe my calling from God in ministry is to be.  There is a tremendous amount of truth packed in this verse, so I’d like to break it down, so my readers can understand the power it contains.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…

The word “sanctify” comes from the Greek word hagaizo, and it means to set aside, make holy, consecrate, or purify.  Other translations render it as revere (NIV) or honor as holy (ESV).  The phrase tells us that we must begin by keeping God in His proper place as the center and focus of our hearts and lives.  This is impossible unless we first have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  God cannot be sanctified in a person’s heart unless he or she has first been reconciled with God by receiving forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Salvation through trusting Christ is the first step in the life-long process of growing in our relationship with Him.  Submitting our minds and wills to God’s authority is something we must learn to consistently strive toward, and making God our highest priority is part of that process.

…and always be ready…

The word always means, “all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly.”  The word ready means, “completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use” (Dictionary.com).  So, for us to “always be ready” means that we are be in an uninterrupted state of complete preparedness;  to be in a continuously fit condition; and be ready for immediate action all the time. Such a state implies deliberate and extensive preparation.  The Boy Scout motto, be prepared, is a motto that Christians should adopt as well.  As a soldier prepares for battle, or an athlete trains for competition, so we must prepare ourselves for the work God commands us to do.

…to give a defense…

The Greek word apologia means “speech in defense of a reasoned statement or argument” (BibleStudyTools.com). It is the root of the English word apologetics.  It is a term that describes what a lawyer might do to defend the innocence of their client.  We are to do more than just tell people about the truth; we are to defend the truth. We are to give rational reasons and arguments for why we believe and act as we do.

…to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…

As Christians, what is the hope that is within us?  It is the hope of Jesus Christ.  It the hope we have because God has demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).  It is the hope that through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are fully reconciled to God.  It is the hope that through the Resurrection, we have a future life in eternal fellowship with our Creator and King.  It is this hope we must always be prepared to defend to everyone we come into contact with.

…with meekness and fear

This phrase is often overlooked, but I believe it is probably the most important, if we want those with whom we interact to actually hear what we’re saying.  It’s also the part I struggle with the most.  Other Bible versions translate this phrase as “with gentleness and respect.”  It means we must not argue arrogantly, or try to cram the truth down people’s throats.  Our attitudes, both before other men and before God, must be one of humility, honesty, and love.  The most eloquent, rational defense of the Christian faith will mean little to most people, if they can’t see in our lives the way God is changing us and transforming us to His Image.  The goal is not to win an argument, but to be used by God to radically change the hearts, souls, and minds of those around us.

This is what I believe God has called me to do:  to set God apart in my heart; to continuously be prepared to rationally defend the Gospel to everyone I have contact with; and to do so with the right attitude.  Although I still have much work to do, this is what I am working toward, and what I am called to help others work toward attaining.

How I Became A Christian

For my first blog, I have decided to describe how I came to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

I was raised in a religious family.  I attended the same church my father and his parents had attended for many years.  I more or less believed in God, but never really gave it much thought.  I considered myself to be a Christian; I figured was a basically good person, and had done a lot more good deeds than bad.  Surely, I was acceptable to God.

When I began my freshman year of college, I started hanging around with the Christians on campus.  At one of the Bible studies, another freshman named Chuck stated that he was not a Christian, because he was unsure who Jesus Christ was.  Was he a prophet, a myth, or was he God?  He didn’t know, and because he didn’t know, he could not be a Christian.  I came to the realization that I didn’t know who Jesus Christ was, either.  I realized for the first time that I was not a Christian.  If Jesus Christ was not in fact God, then his crucifixion could not pay for my sins.  One man dying cannot remove the sins of another; only if Jesus was God could the crucifixion and resurrection mean anything.

For the next few weeks, I searched for the answer to the question of Jesus’ identity.  I read a book called More Than A Carpenter, which explained logically why Jesus Christ was not a mere man, but is in fact God in the flesh.  For the first time, I also actually opened my Bible, and read it.  I was struck by the introduction to the Gospel of John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-4; 14; emphasis added).

On October 22, 1979, while lying in the bed in my dorm room at a little after 1:00 AM, I finally understood that God came to earth as Jesus, in order to die to take away my sin.  I didn’t answer any alter calls, pray any special prayers, or do anything else.  I simply believed.  At that point, Jesus Christ became my savior, and I have never been the same since.

The most noticeable immediate change was a sense of peace.  I sensed that a transformation had occurred within me, and for the first time, I sensed God’s presence in my life.  It was as if a light had been switched on; I became aware of God in a way I had never experienced before.  In the years since I first believed, I have never had any real doubts about my decision.  In a very real way, Jesus Christ has become my best friend.  He has been slowly transforming my attitudes, beliefs, and actions.  I’m certainly not perfect; there is a life-long process that God is accomplishing in me.  He has loved me and been with me through good times and bad; when I have followed Him, and when I haven’t; and I have continued to grow closer in my relationship with Him over the years.  I know without any doubt or hesitation that when I eventually die, I will spend eternity in a close, personal relationship with Him forever.  God loves me as no person ever could, and I have learned to love Him more and more all the time.

How can you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ?  In order to do this, just talk to God.  You can do this aloud, or silently; alone, or with a friend.  You must admit to Him that you are a sinner, and ask Him to forgive you.  You must believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away your sins, and that He rose again.  You must tell God from your heart that you want Him to change you and direct your life, and ask Him to be your Savior.  That’s all you have to do.  Begin your new life by finding a Bible-believing church to attend, reading the Bible, and talking to God on a regular basis.   As you do this, God will begin the process of transforming your life, and you also will never be the same again.

Matters of the Heart

For the majority of my life, I have enjoyed excellent health and an active lifestyle.  I have enjoyed running, hiking, cycling, and other sports, and rarely have missed work due to illness.  A few years ago, I injured my foot, stopped running, and gained a bit of weight, but I was still in excellent health – or so I thought.

On December 31, 2007, while visiting my parents in Indiana, I suffered a heart attack.  Other than elevated cholesterol, which was well controlled by medication, there were absolutely no warning signs.  At about 4:00 AM, I had severe nausea.  At about 6:00 AM, I started having chest pains, with the pain moving from my chest into my shoulders and arm.  Mom called 9-1-1, the paramedics came, they loaded me onto a stretcher, and into the ambulance.

As I lay in the stretcher, with sirens blaring, I came to the realization that I might be dead in a few minutes.  I hadn’t really thought much about death for a long time.   Death is a fearful thing that most people don’t want to think about.  It always seemed so far away, and as a Christian, even though I knew where I would end up when death finally arrived, I still feared the unknown.

However, death was now imminently staring me in the face.  The amazing thing was, I wasn’t afraid.  An incredible peace came upon me as God calmed my fears.  I thought about my wife and kids, and knew that if I died, God would provide for them, and since they also know Jesus, I would see them again in a few years.  As I wondered if the tunnel with the white light at the end would appear soon, it suddenly struck me that I there was a very good chance that I would be meeting Jesus Christ face-to-face in a few minutes.  I began to wonder what I would say.  As I considered the possibilities, I realized there would only be one thing I could say: Thank you.  Thank you Jesus for dying in my place, so that I can spend eternity with you.  Thank you that I don’t have to face Hell, the place I rightly deserve to spend eternity.  Thank you for also saving my wife and children.

To make a long story short, I never did see the tunnel and light.  God chose to allow my heart attack to happen only a few minutes from one of the best cardiac units in Indiana, when one of the best cardiologists in the state happened to be on duty.  Coincidence?  I think not.  From the time Mom called 9-1-1 until the time the stent was implanted in my heart was an amazingly quick 90 minutes.  As a result, there was no permanent damage to my heart from the attack.  By the grace of God, I was out of the hospital in 2 days; back to work in a week; and back to unrestricted activities in five weeks.

God allowed the heart attack in order to draw me closer in my relationship with Him, and to teach me several things.  First, I no longer fear death.  When God decides it’s my time to go home to be with Him, I’m ready to go.  I now fully understand that, as a follower of Jesus Christ, death is not the end; death is only the beginning.  Second, I have learned that life is but a brief moment; and every moment God gives me in this life, I need to live for Him.  And third, I have learned that God is in control of everything that happens in my life.  He loves me, and has a plan and purpose for my existence.  My task is to seek His will for my life, and live my life in obedience to His will.  I now have much more meaning, direction, and peace in my life than I had ever experienced before the heart attack, because my focus is now on God, not myself.

How can you have this kind of close relationship with God through Jesus Christ?  In order to begin the process, just talk to God.  You can do this aloud, or silently; alone, or with a friend.  You must admit to Him that you are a sinner, and ask Him to forgive you.  You must believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away your sins, and that He rose again.  You must tell God from your heart that you want Him to change you and direct your life, and ask Him to be your Savior.  That’s all you have to do.  Begin your new life by finding a Bible-believing church to attend, reading the Bible, and talking to God on a regular basis.   As you do this, God will begin the process of transforming your life.  As you begin to learn to trust, follow, and obey Him, He will give you a similar kind of peace, meaning, and direction He has given me.  You can also know, without a doubt, that when you eventually die, you will spend eternity in the very loving presence of God Almighty.  The choice is yours to make:  either receive Jesus Christ’s offer of eternal life with Him, or reject it, and accept eternity without Him.