Teach me to number my days...

 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.      -Ephesians 5:15-16   New International Version (NIV) 

Today has been quite a different day than I expected.  My son is currently receiving treatment at the hospital for his vasculitis.  My better half is there with him.  I was supposed to go down there this afternoon, bring them lunch and spend time with the two of them..  However, everything changed when one of my children wouldn't cooperate this morning.  This left me to deal with said uncooperative child for the remainder of the afternoon.   

As it turns out, once all the errands requested of my wife were completed, my child settled down and apologized.   I accepted, forgave and we headed home.  Since we got back, I've been working on some things I haven't had time to work on in quite some time due to work, football, church and other commitments. For example, I'm working on my first Sunday School lesson when I begin teaching a young marrieds class on August 14th.  I also decided to update the blog for the first time in quite some time.  Look for the "my story" page with my testimony on it to be updated very soon.  I also needed to turn my attention to some other things that my wife normally deals with.  For example, dinner, laundry, cleaning, home improvement, etc.  The picture below depicts the choices and plans I had for my new found time this afternoon.

From bottom right, going counter-clockwise: (1) Bible, Basics of Biblical Greek
Love Dare; (2) Laundry, RE brand Chair and drill; (3) Putter and golf balls

We ALL are busy people.  We ALL have choices to make with our time, and now that I'm 33, I realize that my time, not my money, is my most valuable resource entrusted to me by my Heavenly Father.  So how does one go about choosing how to spend time?  The verse from Ephesians, Paul challenges the church of Ephesus to live as wise, not unwise.  This means we have to be very diligent about how we spend our precious minutes and seconds.  As much as I love golf, and as much as I believe God put that passion for golf in me so that He may use me in that arena to glorify Him, I knew from my experience, I needed to put Him first.  So what did I do?  Typing this blog was one of the first things.   Before that, I got dinner in the crock-pot and laundry finished up.  Working on my lesson is next and then finishing my long overdue testimony will be next.   After that, I will fold the laundry, put the chair together you see in the picture and then serve dinner.  If there is time after that, I may practice my putting inside or go outside and chip if the weather permits.  But what I'm doing is putting what God desires for me first, and then letting everything else fall in line.

Its not just in the New Testament that scripture talks about managing time.  Moses authored Psalm 90 and in it delivers a very valuable perspective.  We are only here for a certain amount of time.  We will never get that time back.  As much as my old self and my selfish nature would rather play golf, I knew that God would bless me if I put His priorities first, everything else will fall in line.   Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  I'm so grateful that God got my attention 4 years ago and that I have placed my trust in Christ.  Since then I've been made a New Creation (II Cor 5:17).  Because of that, I have gained wisdom and reading Psalm 90 now makes sense to me...So what does Moses say in Psalm 90:12?


Teach us to number our days,  that we may gain a heart of wisdom.


So I say to you, how are you going to spend your time today?

Raised to walk in newness of life...

"Buried with Christ in Baptism. 

 Raised to walk in newness of life."

This is what our pastors at our church say while they baptize a fellow brother or sister in Christ  through Believer's Baptism.  I was blessed to experience Believer's baptism on September 20, 2009 when my wife's cousin baptized myself, my wife and two oldest sons.  I was convicted during a bible study over the summer of the book of Acts.  Chapter 19 describes the acts Paul and his disciples performed while visiting Ephesus (one of my favorite letters of Paul is his epistle to the Ephesians).

  Acts 19:1-7 (New International Version)

¹While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples ²and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
      They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." ³So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
      "John's baptism," they replied.
 ⁴Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." ⁵On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. ⁷There were about twelve men in all.

 This passage and the subsequent discussion following it convicted me.  I had experienced infant Baptism growing up Catholic.  However, I had not yet professed my faith in Christ publicly through Believer's Baptism.  What has made me relive this experience in my life today, was that I just witnessed the daughter of one our friends profess her faith publicly through Believer's Baptism at our church.  I sit right now typing this blog to you from a hotel room in Washington DC preparing for a business meeting.  I got to witness this online - I love technology!  Seven words the pastor said made me reflect on my own faith journey.


"Raised to walk in newness of life"


Sometimes we don't see our own progress or the work God has done in our lives when we look at things with a short term perspective.  When I step back and reflect, I can remember where I was, living in sin, living for myself only, for my gain only - I had built an altar to "Karl" (i.e. myself).  Then I think about that day 2/3 of my family was Baptized in Christ.  When I was raised up from that water, soaking wet - it represented not only my internal decision to invite Jesus as the Lord of my life, but it also was true that I had a new life.  When I turned my life over to Christ, everything changed immediately, but it wasn't always evident.  I was no longer going to  run my own life by choice, but some of my behavior had not yet changed.  By the time I was obedient to God and professed my faith in Believer's Baptism, it was very clear how much God has changed me.  


See, when we trust in Christ, God sends the Holy Spirit down - just like the Bible says.  While we may not literally speak in tongues like they did in the days of Paul, we may sound like we're speaking in tongues to those who knew the "old us".  We appear to be doing miraculous works by repenting of our old ways and sins and trusting in God to lead us through his son, our Savior Jesus Christ.  I don't ever want to go back to the old self, to relive those old days, but I am so grateful I experienced all those things.  I wouldn't be where I am today without it.


Before Christ, I was consumed by guilt, fear, lust, greed and alcohol.  I was self-centered and my life was unmanageable.  


Since May 23, 2007, I've been sober.  I have peace, happiness, joy and a relationship with Him. I truly want what I have in life.


If God can do that in me...imagine what He can do for you?   You just have to do one thing...trust in His son, Jesus and ask him to be your Lord and Savior.