Today I Will Make a Difference

So often we can get our minds “stuck in a rut” by unhealthy thought patterns that lead us down “Self-Doubt BLVD. or Depression Lane”.  This in turn give the evil one opportunity to attack us right where we’re feeling the weakest. We need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, put His armor on and set our minds on eternity.

Be encouraged knowing that you are making a difference for Him and that you are so important to your loved ones, friends, and Christian Family as well! We’re in this together! Let’s lift each other up!

I wanted to share a brief bit o’ inspiration from Max Lucado that I think really simply speaks about changing our perspective and purposing to make a difference each day!  

 

I hope you find some encouragement from this brief article. Check it out below!

Be encouraged in Him today!

In Him,

rlk

Today I Will Make a Difference

By Max Lucado

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. 

Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening.

Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.

From Shaped by God (original title: On the Anvil)
Copyright (Tyndale House, 1985, 2002) Max Lucado

Vapor

The Word:

Read: James 4:13-15
Additional Reading: Hebrews 3:12-15

As quickly as the spring rain evaporates from the ground once the sun shines on it, so does life itself evaporate. Life is short and we don’t know if we will see tomorrow. Why? Because mankind does not know the number of our days, only God does. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow let alone five minutes from now. Our lives, our own bodies are temporal and will not exist in current form forever.

In most cases we live in a fast paced world where our priorities can easily become out of balance and we may not have time or make time for the important things and people in our life.

In reality, we may not have time to repair the broken relationships or correct the mistakes we make although; we should make every effort to repair these things if at all possible. We may not have as much time to serve and bring more glory to God, as we’d expect, yet, we should make every effort to do so. We may not have another chance to tell our family that we love them and that they are important to us or more importantly show them we love them, which is so important! We may not have a second chance to tell a loved one, a friend, or even an acquaintance about their need for the Savior even though Jesus commissioned us to do so.

With all of these things said, we shouldn’t shrink back from the challenge, from life and say, “so what’s the point in doing anything if life is so short!?” Rather, we need to cherish the days our gracious Father gives us and live the life He gave us to the fullest – for Him!

As a believer, your life should be characterized in such a way that you build and leave behind a godly legacy where you’ve made a real difference in this world for God. Wouldn’t it be great to be marked by others who see you and proclaim, now there’s a person of integrity, they were friendly, they cared, they loved, and they lived their life well!

To be even more transparent for a moment, let me share some of the things I'd like to be remembered by through an excerpt from a plan I wrote as part of a class several years ago:

At the end of it all...

Randolph L. Koch
Born July 9, 1970 - Died?

Remembered by his friends and family as . . .

• A faithful Servant.
• Someone Known by God
• Someone who truly loved God
• A dedicated and loving Husband and Father
• A true friend
• A Man of Integrity, Character, and Hope.
• Someone who strived to make a difference in this world.
• Someone who strived to help himself and others live up to their potential and most importantly to be and live in the center of God’s Will, Purpose, and Plan.
• A Man who lived, built, and left a legacy for his family, friends, etc.

These may seem almost lofty but my prayer is that at the end of it all, I will have attained most of these goals and be remembered at least by those close to me in this way.

What about you? How would you want to be remembered? What would your plan, your memorial look like?

Life is a vapor and from one vapor to another, let me encourage you in the remaining days you have to live, to live your life to bring glory to God and share His love with others.

Questions to Get Started With:

-How should you live your life according to the scripture?
(See selected scripture as well as the many other references in God’s Word.)
-Do you share His love with others through your words as well as in how you live your life?
-How would you want to be remembered?
-What changes will you make starting today so you can make better use of the life God gave you?

If you're reading this and have put off thinking about what will happen when you die, don’t put it off any longer, as you don’t know what tomorrow brings. Give your life to Christ. Click on the following link to find out more about how to do this.

The Bridge to Life


Your Brother and Servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch