{"id":882,"date":"2010-04-14T14:58:24","date_gmt":"2010-04-14T21:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/?p=882"},"modified":"2011-06-29T06:41:18","modified_gmt":"2011-06-29T13:41:18","slug":"living-on-the-edge-4-12-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/?p=882","title":{"rendered":"“Living on the Edge”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n[Translate]<\/a>\"\"\n
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“Living on the Edge”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Good Morning!\u00a0\u00a0God has\u00a0blessed us with another\u00a0beautiful day here in Las Cruces!\u00a0 The sky this morning is a\u00a0vibrant blue, extending from horizon to horizon, as the warmth of the sun begins to highlight God’s creation.\u00a0 It’s truly amazing how the high-desert here in southern New Mexico comes alive in the Springtime.\u00a0 Seemingly overnight, all kinds of\u00a0desert\u00a0plant life\u00a0are starting to bloom –\u00a0and what a few weeks earlier looked plain, now displays an abundance of color.\u00a0\u00a0 Although you may not live in the desert, I’m sure what is on display in your “neck of the woods” is just as spectacular!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

As you behold\u00a0God’s glory throughout the\u00a0day, realize that you are witness to His creation.\u00a0\u00a0God’s glory is on display for all to see!\u00a0 Remember that this is a day that the Lord has made, so rejoice in\u00a0it, and\u00a0take time to give\u00a0Him thanks for what He is doing in your life.\u00a0\u00a0 Praise\u00a0the Lord for all things great and small – for our God is an everlasting God, the Creator of all things.<\/p>\n

Have you not known?\u00a0 Have you not heard?\u00a0 The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.\u00a0 His understanding is unsearchable.\u00a0\u00a0He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.\u00a0 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,\u00a0but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.\u00a0 (Isaiah 40:28-31)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Today’s brief message is titled “Living on the Edge”.\u00a0 What does the term “living on the edge” mean to you?\u00a0 For many,\u00a0this imparts a sense of danger, perhaps even careless living.\u00a0 True enough, many people in this world are involved in some rather dangerous lines of work –\u00a0and the truth be known, some of us sometimes live life carelessly without concern about the consequences for what we are doing.\u00a0 How about you?\u00a0\u00a0Are you living on the edge in your life?\u00a0<\/p>\n

For some,\u00a0“living on the edge”\u00a0is a daily routine as they go about\u00a0their\u00a0job.\u00a0 When I think about this, Navy\u00a0fighter pilots comes to mind –\u00a0as they strap on high-tech aircraft and face uncertainty each time they fly off the deck of an aircraft carrier – risking their lives with each and every mission.\u00a0\u00a0I’m also reminded of the recent tradegy in the West Virgina coal mine, with so much loss of life.\u00a0 On a daily basis, these miners go into the depths of the coal mines doing one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.\u00a0 In such occupations (and others), what is “routine” can in an instant turn into life and death situations.\u00a0 Of course, these are just a couple of contrasting examples, and we are to be thankful for all those who are willing to do the “dangerous stuff” in life – putting\u00a0their lives on the line for others.\u00a0 For most of us however, life is perhaps a little less on the edge.\u00a0 That said, have you ever stopped to consider just how dynamic your life really\u00a0is?\u00a0 How very much, that\u00a0as a Christian you are – “Living on the Edge.”<\/p>\n

Often the mundane aspects of life tend to mask the challenging role we have in this world as believers in Christ.\u00a0\u00a0We make our plans and\u00a0live our life,\u00a0but the fact is,\u00a0we really don’t know what our worldly future holds.\u00a0 Listen to what it says in James 4:13-17, “Come now, you who say, \u201cToday or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit\u201d;\u00a0 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.\u00a0 Instead you ought to say, \u201cIf the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.\u201d\u00a0 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.\u00a0\u00a0Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Fortunately, we can find comfort that our path is directed by God, for as it says in Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In this regard, we must trust in God.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em>With respect to living on the edge, it is the\u00a0discerning manner in which you live your Christian life that is truly important – that is,\u00a0your faith and obedience to God, and your willingness to listen to the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 It may be hard for you to relate\u00a0this to putting your life on the line, but that is exactly what you do each and every day you walk in Christ.\u00a0 This carries a lot of responsibility for you are part of the Body of Christ, fully\u00a0understanding of God’s commandments – you are without excuse now knowing the truth.\u00a0\u00a0This is this same Truth spoken to us in God’s word and the commandments given by Jesus before He was taken up into heaven.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This “Living on the Edge” is more than just being a good Christian, it is being an obedient Christian – putting off the old self, and putting on the new person in Christ.\u00a0 Speaking of \u00a0“Living on the Edge”…\u00a0 Are you willing to die for Christ?\u00a0 There will come a time, and is already here in the world, where Christians are giving up their lives (some unto death) for the sake of spreading the Good News of Jesus.\u00a0 Let us go and do likewise, and be God’s fellow workers in Christ, that our work may be refined in the fire that will come. \u00a0<\/p>\n

“For we are God\u2019s fellow workers; you are God\u2019s field, you are God\u2019s building.\u00a0 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.\u00a0 But let each one take heed how he builds on it.\u00a0 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one\u2019s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one\u2019s work, of what sort it is. \u00a0If anyone\u2019s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.\u00a0 If anyone\u2019s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.\u00a0\u00a0Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?\u00a0 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”\u00a0 (1 Corinthians 3:9-17)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I know of someone else who put their life on the line.\u00a0 Does anyone’s name\u00a0come to your mind?\u00a0\u00a0 The person I’m talking about of course is\u00a0– Jesus Christ.\u00a0\u00a0 He paid the ultimate sacrifice as part of God’s perfect plan to make a way for the salvation of mankind – your salvation and mine – and all those who choose to\u00a0place their faith in Jesus.\u00a0 Let us be good stewards of the Gospel and take every opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus with others, such that none would be lost.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is said that life is lived forward, and understood backward.\u00a0 This is part of the finite nature of our worldly understanding.\u00a0 In this same light. it is a fact that at some point in time, we will all pass away – for we will all face a\u00a0worldly fate someday (if Jesus does not return first).\u00a0\u00a0 As Christians, we have a promise and a heavenly hope that by the grace of God, our repentance of sins, and our faith in Jesus Christ, we will have eternal life in heaven.\u00a0 With such a wonderful promise and heavenly hope, life now takes on a totally new meaning, for eventhough you are in the world, you are no longer of the world.\u00a0 In this regard, you have a higher calling in Christ.\u00a0 It is my prayer for you\u00a0that the Lord will give you strength to pick up your cross, and lovingly\u00a0accept the challenge of\u00a0 “Living on the Edge” for Jesus!<\/p>\n

As part of the theme of\u00a0living on the edge…\u00a0 Here is a galactic\u00a0view of “living on the edge” that you might find interesting.\u00a0 God’s glory on display!\u00a0 How would you like to live in this neighborhood?\u00a0 The astro-image below is of a\u00a0beautiful galaxy called ngc4565, commonly called an “Edge-On Spiral Galaxy”.\u00a0 This image was taken from my JMSM Observatory in southern New Mexico.\u00a0 This is an un-barred spiral galaxy\u00a0located in the constellation of Coma Bernices, about 30 million light years distant from our earth.\u00a0 Notice the bright central glow as one of this galaxy’s prominent features.\u00a0 Click on the image or the thumbnail above and take a tour to see some of the\u00a0many background galaxies in this medium view composition.\u00a0 If you have time, let me know what you found\u00a0in this image.\u00a0 God’s Light is truly amazing!<\/p>\n

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“The heavens declare the glory of the Lord.”\u00a0 (Psalm 19:1)<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In closing, may the Lord place someone in your path today to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.\u00a0\u00a0 H<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ave a great week, and God Bless.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Your brother in Christ,
\nMike Sherick<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[Translate] <\/p>\n

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“Living on the Edge” <\/p>\n

Good Morning! God has blessed us with another beautiful day here in Las Cruces! The sky this morning is a vibrant blue, extending from horizon to horizon, as the warmth of the sun begins to highlight God’s creation. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=882"}],"version-history":[{"count":129,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1321,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/882\/revisions\/1321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}