Having An Eternal Mindset In Today's Have It Now Society

For riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations. Proverbs 27:24

Maintaining an eternal mindset on a daily basis is probably the most challenging task in my Christian walk. Not that it's difficult to think about eternity, the challenge is in constantly thinking about eternity in every decision I make. I think Jim Elliot said it best...

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot loose."

What a statement!

I've heard it said that in one hundred years it's not going to matter what kind of house you had, what kind of car you drove, how expensive your clothes were or that you ate at the finest restaurants... Because you'll be DEAD!

Lets face it, the Christian walk is not about how God can bless us or comfort us or even provide for us. It's not about our experience. It's about our service. So many peaple are seeking God's glory in their own lives, what they fail to realize is that God doesn't share his glory with us until we're dead and thats not until we're on the other side of eternity. Here's a point to ponder, what did Lucifer seek when he rebelled against God? Wasn't it essentially God's glory?

I've been privilaged to have much, I've also been privilaged to have little. The more I journey in my Christian walk the more I see the hand of God move, especially in my need. Currently through a series of events my wife and I have lost essentially everything with the exception of the clothes on our backs. It's a very difficult position especially when you can't afford food for your children and you MUST rely on God's provision. I secretly vowed not to enter vocational ministry because of this fear. Now my fear is a reality and I have not vocationally served God. I'm learning to trust... It's a difficult proposition but you either trust voluntarily or God will place you in a position where you MUST trust Him. Lets face it, this life is not about making money, getting glory and then dying. The Christian mentality should be giving money, giving glory and then recieving life. Someone once said that...

"The world lives to die, but we die daily to live."

Life is a journey and like myself, you may be treading through the valley of the shadow of death. But fear not, God is with us. Each experience is a learning opportunity from the hand of God. It certainly doesn't seem like it, but believe it or not God is guiding you through your circumstances and the finished product will be outstanding.

See you on the other side!

This is the first photo taken of my wife (Stacey) and I the day I asked her out on June 3, 2008. Prior to us "dating" I was in a depressed state, having lost my mother (grandmother) the year before and trying to find myself in the world that I was in, all I felt was emptiness.

I grew up in a very affluent family and was raised by my grandparents. I was trying to figure out how to live for God without having my past corrupt my future. I didn't want my idealistic to mess with God's plan. I knew that I was viewing God through the lens of my past and current experiences. At this point in my life I had just sold my penthouse condo in Maple Ridge, was working part time for Starbucks in addition to being a property manager for my dad (grandfather). I viewed the world as something to conquer with my dad's money. I felt powerful because I managed my dad's assets and was in control, to some degree. I firmly believed in the Prosperity Gospel. I now realize how flawed this philosophy really is and how perverted my thinking was. I was left in a state of constantly seeking the "experience" of God rather than actually seeking God's will.

June 3, 2008 was the beginning of something special. Up until this point I had been praying that God would send me a wife. I was depressed because I was alone, and worried about my future. Financially I felt secure but socially I was a disaster. Now here is a WARNING, when God moves it seems that most of the time its slow, but sometimes its faster than anything you could ever anticipate and that's just what happened. We now know why which I'll discuss in another post.

To make a long story short, we agreed to go out sometime on June 3, were engaged on June 26 and married on August 31. Prior to June 3 we had met only a few times. Isn't God amazing. We've never regretted our decision (even for a moment), praise the Lord!

House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD. Proverbs 19:14