My desire through Word of Life – Today is to share with my readers instructive thoughts from the Word of God that will make a positive difference in living the Christian life in a contemporary American culture that is progressively less Christian.

Jesus taught His disciples – “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock . . . But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish,” (Matthew 7:24-26 New Living Translation)  I believe the Word of God diligently studied, rightly understood and faithfully applied is the foundation for making sense of a senseless world and living godly in a fallen world.

I received Jesus Christ as my Savior at the age of eleven in a Pentecostal church in the east suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.  The Word of God had been sown into my life from my earliest memories by my loving parents, a godly grandmother, faithful pastors and Sunday school teachers, caring neighbors and even my school teachers – before the Bible got expelled.  The Christian faith was the guiding light in society back then – publicly and privately.  Neither individuals nor communities observed it perfectly (none ever have), but good and evil were clearly understood by saints and sinners alike.  Today’s moral light is so dimmed as to be virtually dark.  Even at so young an age, I knew I needed saving.  The Word of God taught me that.  It taught me also that I needed saving both from sin and to God.  My life changed for the better that night in 1969.  Jesus changed my life that night, and though I have failed Him many times, He has never failed me.  I have followed Him as a child, an adolescent and as an adult.  He has been with me as a single and married now 38 years.  I have followed Him as a husband, father of two and now grandfather of four (so far).  He has been with me as a student, as a grunt (physical laborer), as a preacher and now as a retiree (and loving it).  I have followed Him and loved Him sincerely, though I know not wholly.  He has always been with me in the best and worst of times and His love for me has been and remains perfect.  Now in the twilight of my life – I know that He is still with me and will never leave me nor forsake me.  And I know:

• Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Luke 21:33 NIV)
• Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26 NIV)

May the God who gives us His Holy Spirit, grant you the mind of Christ so that “you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 NIV)