Living in the Present Tense

I am writing this contemplation to encourage myself —since this remains one of my biggest challenges. I am increasingly aware that if I am to experience the righteousness, peace and joy of kingdom living, I can no longer live in either the past or the future. It would startle us to know how much of our time, energy and thought life is spent on regretting the past (what we have done or what someone has done to us) and worrying about the future. Even the scientific world is acknowledging that almost all illnesses (both mental and physical) are stress related. And stress is nothing more than emotional tension caused by concern about the past or future.

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“In” the World, But Not “Of” It

Just as we Christians do, the Scriptures refer to the world rather loosely to mean the universe (God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth — Acts 17:24 (KJV)), but most often as something we don’t want to be a part of. When speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus said, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world (John 8:23). And of His disciples He said, They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world (John 17:16).

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What Is Faith?