{"id":806,"date":"2013-01-06T17:39:09","date_gmt":"2013-01-06T17:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=806"},"modified":"2013-01-06T22:57:42","modified_gmt":"2013-01-06T22:57:42","slug":"sunday-january-06-2013-live-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=806","title":{"rendered":"Live Today!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Message by Chad Kelly<\/strong><\/p>\n

rec0106-113551<\/a><\/p>\n

Time has a way of getting away from us, doesn\u201d\u2122t it? (clock with wings slide)<\/p>\n

Regina Brett is a bestselling author, an award-winning columnist with the Cleveland Plain Dealer.<\/p>\n

On the day that she turned 45 years old, about a decade ago and after surviving breast cancer, she wrote a column entitled, \u201c45 Lessons Life Taught Me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLife isn’t fair, but it’s still good \u201d\u00a2 When in doubt, just take the next small step \u201d\u00a2 Life is too short to waste your time hating anyone \u201d\u00a2 You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree \u201d\u00a2 It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it \u201d\u00a2 Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present \u201d\u00a2 Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks \u201d\u00a2 Over prepare, but then go with the flow \u201d\u00a2 What other people think of you is none of your business \u201d\u00a2 However good or bad a situation is, it will change \u201d\u00a2 God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do \u201d\u00a2 If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back \u201d\u00a2 Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

What has life taught you about TODAY?<\/em><\/p>\n

LIVE TODAY!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Psalm 90:12 (NLT)<\/strong><\/p>\n

12<\/sup> Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
\nso that we may grow in wisdom.<\/p>\n

NIV<\/strong><\/p>\n

12<\/sup> Teach us to number our days,
\nthat we may gain a heart of wisdom.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

St. Austin <\/strong>said, of this verse:<\/p>\n

We can never do that, except we number every day as our last day<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n

We REALLY should live today as if it is our last!\u00a0 THAT is true wisdom!<\/em><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ronnie McBrayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is always the temptation, as Frederick Buechner says, \u201cto believe that we have all the time in the world, [but] the truth is we do not. We have only one life, and the choice of how we are going to live it must be our own\u201d\u00a6For each of us there comes a point of no return \u201d\u201c a point from which we no longer have life enough left to go back and start over.\u201d<\/p>\n

No longer enough life left to start over: There is a ruthlessness to time that demands we spend what we have while today is still called today.<\/p>\n

(train tracks\/clock slide)<\/p>\n

We\u201d\u2122re on a train that is ever moving through today\u201d\u00a6don\u201d\u2122t miss the ride today!<\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

The life of the apostle Paul teaches us how to live today.\u00a0 Paul gave his last 30 years of life showing\/telling the world about the love of God in Jesus Christ.\u00a0 He suffered unbelievably to get the word out about Jesus.\u00a0 And he ended up spending his last year in the infamous Mamertine Prison in Rome before being executed in the spring of 68 AD at the hand of Nero, one of Rome\u201d\u2122s most vicious Emperors in his treatment of Christians.<\/p>\n

From the bottom of that 400 year old (at that time) cistern turned into a dungeon-prison, Paul wrote his last recorded words to his apprentice, Timothy, a young pastor in Ephesus.<\/p>\n

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 9, 13, 16-18, 21 (NLT)<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

1<\/strong>.\u00a0When it comes to God, don\u201d\u2122t hold anything back.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

6\u00a0<\/sup>As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7\u00a0<\/sup>I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.<\/p>\n

Can you and I honestly talk like that about our relationship to the Lord?<\/em><\/p>\n

8\u00a0<\/sup>And now the prize awaits me\u201d\u201dthe crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.<\/p>\n

Maybe it\u201d\u2122s serving a friend that you know needs help\/encouragement\/listening ear today, maybe it\u201d\u2122s forgiving someone that you\u201d\u2122ve held a grudge against, maybe it\u201d\u2122s giving time regularly to help others less fortunate than you through some avenue close to home.<\/em><\/p>\n

When it comes to God, don\u201d\u2122t hold anything back.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>2<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Being with those you love is the best place to be.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

9\u00a0<\/sup>Timothy, please come as soon as you can\u201d\u00a611\u00a0<\/sup>Only Luke is with me.<\/p>\n

Paul wasn\u201d\u2122t afraid of dying\u201d\u201din fact, he longed for heaven.\u00a0 Paul wasn\u201d\u2122t even panic-stricken, as some of us would be, to be alone in that awful prison\u201d\u201dfor, as we\u201d\u2122ll see in a minute, he was very aware of Jesus\u201d\u2122 presence with him.\u00a0 BUT\u201d\u00a6he still wanted and needed those that he loved and that had proven their love for him\u201d\u00a6and he wanted them physically close to him.<\/p>\n

Someone said:<\/p>\n

Never say good-bye without saying I love you, as the last time you spoke to them might be the last time you speak to them.\u00a0 Let them know how much they mean to you while there is still time.<\/p>\n

Don\u201d\u2122t forego the chances you have in life to be with those you love and those who love you!\u00a0 Why is it that sometimes we neglect those who matter most in the name of work or just \u201ctoo busy\u201d or\u00a0 something that\u201d\u2122s more fun?\u00a0 Even if it\u201d\u2122s a little inconvenient, spend as much of the time you have with those closest to you<\/em>\u201d\u00a6and you won\u201d\u2122t have to live with the regret of not spending more time with those that really matter in life.<\/p>\n

Being with those you love is the best place to be.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3<\/strong>.\u00a0Simple comforts are the greatest.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

13\u00a0<\/sup>When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers.<\/p>\n

Now\u201d\u00a6for Paul, that coat was about to be really important because winter was coming fast.\u00a0 And he had no money to send someone to the Wal-Mart to buy one.\u00a0 That was his only coat in the world!\u00a0 And he loved his books and papers.\u00a0 Probably all related to Jesus somehow\u201d\u00a6maybe his version of the Bible.<\/p>\n

We just came through the Christmas season\u201d\u00a6and it seems the older I get the less I really want.\u00a0 All I wanted this year is a new and comfortable pair of running shoes.\u00a0 And what really is important day to day is laying down on MY pillow at night after reclining in MY chair for awhile\u201d\u201dboth are \u201cjust right\u201d for me and affect my life every day, almost without exception.<\/p>\n

It really doesn\u201d\u2122t take much to be happy when we slow down and enjoy the simple things, does it?<\/p>\n

Simple comforts are the greatest.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a04. People will do you wrong. Get over it!\u00a0 Know that GOD will never leave you\u201d\u00a6and that\u201d\u2122s\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong>enough!<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

16\u00a0<\/sup>The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. 17\u00a0<\/sup>But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death. 18\u00a0<\/sup>Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.<\/p>\n

People will do you wrong. Get over it!\u00a0 Know that GOD will never leave you\u201d\u00a6and that\u201d\u2122s enough!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>5. Do what you have to do, and do it now \u201d\u201c do it today.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>21\u00a0<\/sup>Do your best to get here before winter.<\/p>\n

Do what you have to do, and do it now \u201d\u201c do it today.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>What a powerful word that is, but a word we don\u201d\u2122t think near enough about. We know it as the current date on our calendar \u201d\u201c the pop-up screen on our smart phones \u201d\u201c the heading that rises just above our to-do list. It\u201d\u2122s a lot more than that.<\/p>\n

It\u201d\u2122s an Old English word \u201d\u201c two words actually \u201d\u201c with Germanic roots: To d\u00c3\u00a6ge. <\/em>\u201cTo\u201d means toward or \u201cas far as,\u201d to go. D\u00c3\u00a6ge <\/em>meant \u201clifetime.\u201d So when our ancestors spoke of \u201ctoday,\u201d as in \u201cI will do it today,\u201d they were not speaking of a 24 hour period or 1,440 minutes. They were saying this: \u201cToday \u201d\u201c To d\u00c3\u00a6ge <\/em>\u201d\u201c this is as far as my life goes.\u201d Or, it could be understood this way, \u201cI will do it (whatever it was) today \u201d\u201c I will go at it with my lifetime.\u201d I will give it my life. My momentary life is all I have.<\/p>\n

We are talking about all we actually have to give. We no longer have yesterday to give.\u00a0 And we don\u201d\u2122t yet have tomorrow to give.\u00a0 My life today is all I can really give!<\/em><\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/em><\/p>\n

Friday, January 4, 2013\u201d\u00a6two days ago\u201d\u00a6less than one hour from where you sit\u201d\u00a6in Gordon County (Calhoun), Georgia\u201d\u00a6the following happened:<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0A friend of ours, Peggy Fogarty, who is in her 70s found out that she has masses in both lungs and in her liver.\u00a0 There will be very little that doctors can do.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A pastor of a church where my friend Ronnie pastored for several years, a married man with 2 children, following years of emotional and psychological struggles, committed suicide.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A friend of one of my friends in Calhoun, Greene, who works as an EMT in Gordon County, responded to a call for an accident at Ralston\u201d\u2122s Corner, where 136 intersects 411.\u00a0 He was the first on the scene\u201d\u00a6where he found his 2 children already dead and his wife barely hanging on to life\u201d\u201dand, as far as I know, she\u201d\u2122s still in critical condition right now.<\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

We cannot turn back time!<\/strong> (turn back time slide)<\/p>\n

Ronnie McBrayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

What will you do NOW, that needs to be done, while today is still called today?<\/p>\n

I\u201d\u2122m talking about action that must take place before it is too late \u201d\u201c not spending your days on yourself, but on what will count.<\/p>\n

Spend your life, don\u201d\u2122t store it away. Don\u201d\u2122t make your existence a museum built to what used to be, make it a mission to bring about what can be. Life is not about preservation of the past, but purposeful living today. Today. If there is one lesson to learn it is that: Your lifetime is only good for today \u201d\u201c that\u201d\u2122s as far as it goes \u201d\u201c take it as far as it goes.<\/p>\n

Life is short, eternity is close and loving God\/others TODAY is what matters!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Message by Chad Kelly rec0106-113551 Time has a way of getting away from us, doesn\u201d\u2122t it? (clock with wings slide) Regina Brett is a bestselling author, an award-winning columnist with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. On the day that she turned … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-messages"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=806"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":815,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806\/revisions\/815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}