We’re Landing with the final three lessons:

We’re Landing  with the final three lessons:

I trust you have benefited from my lessons – I am still learning – and may add to the list at a future point – but here are the last three:

15. Don’t be afraid of an examined life. I don’t know about you – but I have this reoccurring dream that I am at the end of the semester in High School and there is a class that I didn’t attend all year, and know it doesn’t look like I am going to graduate. In my dream I am frantically running around trying to figure out how to fix this problem.

For many of us, that is how we have lived life. We have spent years trying to “fix” life rather than allow Christ to BE our life. We fear condemnation and judgment, while He longs for us to know that there is no condemnation for us who are IN CHRIST. (Romans 8:1).

Because we fear His condemnation and wrath – examination scares the snot out of us. Praise God that when He took our place on the Cross, He took the wrath that you and I should have received. What we got was the great exchange – He took my sin and He gave me HIS righteousness.

Having said that, it is good for us to keep short accounts. It is good to have people in our lives that will hold our feet to the fire so that we will not be a casualty. We need to pray that God will put into our life a Nathan that won’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. I know dozens of men who wished that they had done that. Today they might still be in ministry. Accountability and examination go hand in hand.

16. Purpose in your heart to finish well. I read a verse yesterday that I don’t think I ever saw before. Dumb thing to say because I am sure I have read it during my read through the Bible. I guess it just jumped off the page yesterday:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24

Wow. Isn’t that powerful? I want to burn that verse in the hard drive of my mind – I want to finish the race and complete the task that the Lord has given me to do! All of the previous lessons shared help me to get to this one! Is your desire to finish well?

17. Don’t sweat the small stuff. In light of eternity, does “it” really matter? Sometimes we just have to step back and ask ourselves “in light of eternity, does it really matter?” Some of the junk we get hung up on, that spins us out of control, that robs of our joy – is really just that – junk that we should just let go.

When my kids were young I would never let them drink out of my soda bottle. I hated “backwash!” Yuck! My grandkids have grabbed my heart. They all drink out of my soda bottle and backwash and they get away with it. It drives my KIDS crazy! “Dad, would have never let us do that!”

Yep! You’re right. I learned that it was just small stuff – I can be free to really enjoy life when I don’t let the small stuff rob me of today! Don’t let the junk eat your lunch. Ask yourself the question – “In light of eternity does  _______ really matter.

Thanks for letting me share these lessons. I have some cool devotionals from Chris Hughes for next week, and then I will give you some of the lessons you have sent to me. I love having you on this journey with me. Your feedback is important. So every once in a while, please throw me a bone! Have a great weekend. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: 2 Chronicles 15-16; Proverbs 1; John 12:27-50

Motivations: The true measure of spirituality is not how angry we become toward sinners, but how Christlike; our mission is not to see men destroyed, but redeemed.

Francis Frangipane

Practice to Remember: Level 1: Ephesians 6:18; Level 2: Ephesians 6:21-24

Powered Up:  Prayer projects faith on God, and God on the world. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer moves God.—E. M. Bounds