Let’s start with an undisputed fact that doesn't change whether you believe in Jesus or not. You will be dead a lot longer than you will ever be alive. For example:  in Punxsutawney where I live, there are graves that are over 200 years old. Those people have been dead a lot longer than they were ever alive.

If your perspective on life is, "this is all there is", then anxiety, depression, and hopelessness will abound. No matter how advanced we become as humans, we cannot defeat the fact that you will be dead longer than you are alive. Clinical cases of anxiety and depression are at an all-time high, based on just the reported cases. Yet humanity as a whole is more advanced, wealthier, and has access to more pleasure than at any time in all of human history.

What if we had a different perspective? Another option? What if there is something more to this life? What if there was something better to come? What if one day, all that is wrong with this world will come to an end, and we can truly leave that behind? Wouldn’t that be worth looking into?

That is what Jesus offers us. Hope for a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Not just any future, but a glorious one where there is no death, no tears, no sickness, nor any pain. A future where Jesus is waiting to welcome you and then provide for your every need for all of eternity. Heaven is not made for Jesus, but for us.

What is the price? Just ask Jesus and you get in. How do you know you are in? Jesus will begin to have a real relationship with you, so that you will know. Jesus wants you to know.

JRR Tolkien who is most famous for writing, "The Lord of the Rings", which almost everyone is familiar with. What you may not know is He was also the person who led C.S. Lewis to Jesus. He was a born-again Christian. JRR Tolkein has this quote: “The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus means that one day everything sad will come untrue.”

There is a lot of sadness in this world, but with Jesus that does not have to bother you, because one day it will all be gone! This is absolutely true. If there is nothing more beyond this life, then sadness will be gone, because you will simply not exist. However, if there is something more, you have a choice to be in a place where every kind of possible sadness is not just gone but is replaced with a happiness that is unimaginable.

Unimaginable is truly the right word. If we could imagine how great Heaven will be and how much Jesus actually loves us, then we would be disappointed. Jesus gives us glimpses of what that will look like, to wet our appetite and let us know that is only the beginning!

Which perspective leads to a happier life? This is it, or there is something more that is way better?

The undisputed fact is, you will be dead longer than you are alive.

If there is nothing else, how hopeless we all are, but if there is something more, then all that happens in this life is really no big deal.

What is the price of this hope? Start a relationship with Jesus today, not a religion, a real loving relationship. You will know that you are in one because Jesus will become real to you.

Any time we enter into a relationship we are awkward about it, so if you need help, just pray the words in the following paragraph and mean them. Jesus will do the rest and your perspective on life will change.

"Jesus, thank you for wanting me in your life. Thank you for coming to earth to die for me even though I don’t deserve it. Thank you for coming back to life to prove to me that there is hope for a future. Jesus, I want to have a real relationship with you today!"

Remember Jesus loves you; I love you, and you are awesome!

“Well, I did my good deed for the day” or worse for the week. Have you ever heard that phrase? Have you ever thought about what that means? It means someone has done something good and now they are free to do things that are not good. They are hoping that that one good deed will outweigh all the bad they have done.

This actually spills over into Christianity. We think when we do something good for God, that it entitles us to be blessed by God. Well, I will do this one thing God and now God owes me something in return. Then nothing happens. They wonder why. They get discouraged and they wonder if God still does the same today. Jesus does, Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus is the same all the time so Yes Jesus wants to bless you. This can also lead some to wonder if God is really real. Many Christians are there because they do not go to church as much, they do not read the Bible as much, and they don’t pray (talk with God) as much. Why, because it doesn’t seem if God cares that they did a good deed for Him.

The world sees this and goes, see I told you that God is a fairy tale or that God does not care.

God is looking for a relationship with you where He can bless you simply because He wants to because He loves you. When someone goes well, I did my good deed for the day, they are keeping score. They like to tell others and they like to remind God.

Think about that for a moment, do you want God to keep score? Because if you point out your one good deed, how many bad deeds proceeded that, and if you are done with you good deed, are you about to go back to your old bad ways? That kind of is the implication with this statement.

Good wants us to do good because we love Him. And God is not looking for a good deed singular, God is looking for a life that just does good because they are in love with Him.

Too many Christians put God into a business relationship. Trust me, you do not want that. If you were God, would you want to be in business relationship with God? We can’t keep to His standards. We would break the contract all the time.

God does not want to be in business with you, God wants to be in a real loving relationship where we do things out of love just because, and God does things for us out of love just because.

God is looking for a people that will simply start every day falling in love with Him and doing things because of that. When we do that, God will begin each day thinking about how He can do amazing things for you, simply because He loves you and He wants to bless you!

You want revival in your life, in your family, in your church. Stop keeping track of what you do for Him and just live your life showing Jesus you are in love and see if things do not change for the better in your life in radical ways.

That is the life God blesses, and you want Him to bless your life, not your moments. That is where a lot of people fall short of getting all they can from Jesus. They live for the moment; hence I did my good deed for the day (that is moment). Life is forever, moments fade away. Allow God to work on the big picture in your life, a life that is meant to last forever!

Remember Jesus loves you; I love you, and you are awesome!

Do you have faith?

Many say that faith is a crutch. Faith is not real. Faith is weak. Faith is not real. Faith is not enough to give God a chance. Faith is for whimps. The thing is that everyone has faith in something or someone.

In every personal relationship we have faith that the other person actually cares for us and won’t hurt us. No matter what they say, in the end you have to have faith they will do what they say.

In our business relationships we have faith that the other side will own up to their end. No matter how many contracts you sign, how many confirmation emails you send, in the end you have to have faith that what was agreed to will actually happen.

We have faith in our leaders that they have our best interests in mind. We are in an election year and those running will say a lot of things so will put our faith in them and vote for them. I have a question how often is that faith rewarded?

We have faith in a lot of things we don’t even think about. For example, when you turn on the water in your home you have faith that the water is safe. We have no control over the water company, but we believe it is safe.

Everyone has faith in something. Faith is part of every person’s everyday life. Hebrews 11:1 is a great definition of faith, whether you believe in Jesus or not, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is trusting that something you have no control over, and hoping it is working for your benefit.

Jesus says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. On earth we see that faith does not seem to work out in our favor in our relationships, business decisions, and politics yet we still have faith in a lot of things.

Jesus asks us to have faith in Him and see if He does not have your best interests in mind. Jesus even gives us a promise to go with it, and if He does not complete His promise, then don’t believe in Him. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Many times, people will say well God did not come through with this or that, so faith in God is useless. Are you so sure God was not working in your best interests. Remember life is so short and we cannot see or anticipate everything, however God can. God says can you trust me, can you put your faith in Me.

Many times, people leave God when things get tough and say God is a liar. But we see so little, and He sees it all and has an amazing plan, but for the plan to work we have to have faith in the person who has the plan and see it through.

We do that all the time on earth with personal relationships, with jobs, business deals, with politics and give them a chance to work out. But with God, we do not give Him that same amount of respect and trust.

God says He never fails to do anything He has promised. Why not give God a chance to see you through. I have learned when I do, the end is always better than the beginning.

Yes, there were and there still are times when I go God are you sure this is for my benefit. God has proven to me, it always is, and He has never let me down. I have been through some pretty rough stuff. But I have found out that if I place my trust in God, even when it does not make any sense it always works out for good.

As I write this I am going through another time in my life where I am like God are you sure, and God is Ok to have that conversation, the question is at the end who will you put your trust in?

Three choices

(1)    Yourself – if you are honest, you know that rarely works out in the long run.

(2)    Someone else – How many times has that not worked in your life?

(3)    God – Who is the only one who truly has the power to do the amazing for you.

Remember Jesus loves you; I love you, and you are awesome!