Find a Happy Place; FIND A HAPPY PLACE!

Today was a warm, sunny, day here in the farmland surrounding Constantine with a slight breeze and a few cumulous clouds in the sky. The soybean field that borders the north and west sides of our lot is still green and it all looked very similar to the Microsoft "bliss picture." I wanted to just let the yardwork go, lay on the ground facing the sky, and meditate on the deep things of God. This is the labor day weekend of 2006 and it appeared that, for today, our peace and safety will enjoy continuity. Of course this picturesque situation is destined to change as autumn is approaching quickly and the end of this age is approaching even more quickly. On days such as this one it's easy to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth and stay focused. It's really easy to be in a state of total bliss when things are running smoothly. It's equally important to do the same when the world is heading for a meltdown in its economic, social, and climate structures. We have to learn to "be still and know that he is God" when the flesh pots of Egypt are empty and a baser "mob rule mentality" is setting in. (such thoughts on such a nice day) As mentioned in earlier posts, Jesus told us about the days prior to his return; that they would be more perilous than at any other time in history. I think the most perilous aspect, by far, will be deception. Believing something that is a lie, but it makes perfectly good sense and stands up to the test of logic; possibly even science. When these things come to pass, there will be no bliss on earth. In fact, if you don't know Jesus as your Savior, you have no idea of what bliss is. It's a state of pure joy and peace that comes only when you have a personal relationship with the God that inhabits all of eternity. It's a supernatural state of complacency that will allow you to weather even the darkest storm. Two years ago, I was laid off for seven months and it looked like a foreclosure on our house was unavoidable. Gods peace was really with me and I remember saying to him in prayer "Lord, I love you whatever happens; my heart is fixed upon you" I praise God that things worked out, but if they hadn't, I would still love him. This world is not my home and when your affections are set on things above, you'll have Gods perfect peace no matter what happens. I quote Isaiah 26:3 a lot because it's so true, as is all of the word of God. When things in the natural world are goming down and mens hearts are failing them for fear, we have to simply stand on the word of God; go by what we know and not by what we see. True joy is not to be confused with fun. (nothing wrong with having fun; I do it all the time) The difference between fun and joy is as significant as the difference between an apple and a baseball. From a distance they look similar. Fun, however, requires a physical conduit, such as biking, camping, painting or whatever your pastime of choice may be. When the pastime isn't available, neither is the fun. Joy, on the other hand is constant; you can have it in good times and in rough times, when the bank account is full and when the cupboard is bare. It's there when you're working over sixty hours per week in a factory full of people who want nothing to do with the Holy One of Israel. It will remain when the factory is closed down because after the "North American Corridor" is complete, the parts that you make can be fabricated in Mexico and shipped up here in a matter of hours instead of a matter of days. (The North American Corridor is under construction now and will be over a quarter mile in width. It will run from Mexico to Canada and have multiple lanes along with a rail system, designed to move goods. Incidently, I understand that truckers are now being issued tags that are good in all three states-er-I mean COUNTRIES! Things are moving fast.) When your heart is fixed on Jesus, things just wont get to you down here. It doesn't mean that you don't care, it only means that you have your priorities straight. I know that in previous posts this theme has continuously come up, but it's really important that we all grasp it. When you and I are in eternity it will be understood just how irrelevant most of the things are that we concern ourselves with are. If you go into eternity in Christ you'll be forever praising God and thanking him for his great salvation with eternal bliss. If you die in your sins, you'll be going "AAAAAAAAGH!" for all of eternity. I pray that, if you have never asked the Lord Jesus into your heart and to be your Savior, that you would do it now; even before you finish reading this. None of us deserve eternal life and it's only through the shed blood of Jesus that we can be made whole. His precious blood can make you whole if you'll only ask. Nobody has to die in their sins; they do so by rejecting the Son of God and trying to enter in through a window. I'm going down a rabbit trail here, but do you remember recently how Bill Gates told that he would devote his time to his charitable efforts and later Warren Buffet told how he was giving seventy five percent of his wealth to charity. Those are very generous gifts, but they wont get them to heaven. Only by accepting Jesus as your Savior can you have eternal life. (Remember, the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof. It's already his; he holds the very atomic structures together by his word.) I remember the old saying "Know Jesus-Know peace. No Jesus-no peace." It's a very clever and indeed VERY ACCURATE play on spelling. When you know Jesus not just as a historical figure, but know him as Savior and Lord you'll no longer have to "find a happy place." Your search will be over.