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In one sense it sounds right. And I\u2019m sure there is some merit to it, in the sense of focus. One must stay focused on the most important target if he or she is to have any chance of hitting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But even the phrases \u201cfinishing strong\u201d or \u201cfinishing well\u201d seem for me today in some early morning moments of clarity to bely pride in me. Like I can do something significant for the Lord, or that He needs me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s be clear, and honest. He doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nNow He may want something from us, or enjoy it when we are walking in truth and healthy relationships. We\u2019ll perhaps get to that later or another time. But He doesn\u2019t need us. He tells us many times in Scripture He\u2019s quite Self sufficient, Other from His creation and created beings, Whole and happy and content within Himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several verses of Scripture and thoughts flood my mind to support those thoughts. But at the top of the list is Isaiah 66:1-2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThus says the Lord: \u201cHeaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,\u201d Says the Lord. \u201cBut on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.<\/em>\u201d (Isaiah 66:1\u20132, NKJV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are among the last words recorded of Isaiah, perhaps the greatest Hebrew prophet, certainly the greatest writing prophet. From the last chapter of his amazing book and life in a rather dark time for Israel and Judah, 700 years before Christ and the New Testament. It was a time of idolatry, spiritual blindness and apostasy in God\u2019s people. It was a time marked by unhealthy relationships with their God and with each other. Sound familiar or pertinent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nSure it does! If you have any spiritual sight or senses left. If you compare the mores of our culture to those that please the Creator from His Word and those of the USA today. It\u2019s cause for alarm, and perhaps panic, if you have any sense from human history of what follows when this situation exists in a nation or among nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The American way, the humanistic way, is to start trying to fix it! Let\u2019s analyze how we got here, or maybe just analyze the problems and tackle them until we fix them. It sounds so right, and it\u2019s who we are and what we do, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But this trait can also show us who we\u2019ve become. Man trying to be like God, or believing he is like God? This is a simple definition of secular humanism, perhaps the oldest religion, originating in the garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026 in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.\u201d<\/em>\u201d (Genesis 3:5, NKJV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Humanism is subtle and it is a part of who we are from creation. God\u2019s people are to be humans but not secular humanist, saying \u201cWe have no need of Him,\u201d or like a two year old, \u201cI can do it by myself!\u201d These are lies; substantiated in the Bible and in human history. We do need Him. It was and is always a part of His plan for us. To come to some maturity, yes, but to always need Him, trust Him, and be in relationship with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are created in His image, but we are not like Him. He is totally Other. He\u2019s the God of all He created and we are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nOne of my favorite and most important spiritual mentors, Charles Simpson, recently said,\u00a0 \u201cThey tell us now there are about one hundred billion galaxies, containing about one hundred billion stars each. I don\u2019t know who counted them? And isn\u2019t it like human beings, we discover something, and we act like we made it. \u201c Telling isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also had the privilege and honor of visiting with Charles for a couple days recently with three other brothers, for friendship, fellowship, and spiritual counsel. In a private time with him, I mentioned this thought of \u201cfinishing strong.\u201d He quickly said something like, \u201cI\u2019ve never preached a sermon on it or thought much about it.\u201d That\u2019s telling. About me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it brings me back to how I should be living, and my focus, in this chapter and maybe all chapters of my life? Not like I have to fix big cultural or church problems, or do something significant for God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Compare the lie giving birth to secular humanism in the garden to what David said in the Psalms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cO Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me.<\/em>\u201d (Psalm 131:1\u20132, NASB95)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThis was \u201ca man after God\u2019s own heart\u201d who \u201caccomplished God\u2019s purposes in his generation.\u201d He was also Israel\u2019s greatest king, save One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that King, would say that becoming like a little child would be very important. Little children are very trusting, and learning, and humble, and know they have needs. They also know the relationship with the people who gave them life and care for them is precious and most important. So then, the way up appears down. Perhaps living life and seeing life from the height of a bended knee? Or like a little child?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, \u201cWho then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?\u201d And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, \u201cTruly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. \u201cWhoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.<\/em>\u201d (Matthew 18:1\u20134, NASB95)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be continued\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think I\u2019ll go outside and play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Finishing Strong! As I\u2019ve entered the so-called retirement years, this phrase has come to me several times, and at times has become my mantra for trying to plan or order my life, especially spiritually, which is to me the most important, meaningful, and rewarding field of endeavor. \u201cFinishing well\u201d is another phrase I\u2019ve heard kicked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,10,9,12,11],"tags":[17,22,20,19,21,16,15,18],"class_list":["post-2083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-friendoftheking","category-be-a-leader","category-be-a-man","category-bread-for-the-spirit","category-understanding-our-times","tag-bible","tag-childlike","tag-christian","tag-devotional","tag-jesus","tag-living-fully","tag-spirituality","tag-truth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2083"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2100,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2083\/revisions\/2100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}