A Broken SAINT

Karen BurkettLeave a comment

by Guest Blogger Matt Giesbrecht

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines broken in various ways. In particular, it defines broken as “damaged or altered by breaking” and “made weak or infirm.” MW also defines broken as being “cut off or disconnected” and “incomplete.” In a word, to be broken is to be imperfect.

It defines saint as having to do with personal holiness and being “one of God’s chosen.”

The definitions of the former (broken) I look to as descriptors of myself and have done so for as long as I can remember. That of the latter, however, I struggle to identify with. From a worldly standard, I suppose all I have is my personal understanding of who I am and what I desire to be. The humanist raison d’être, after all, is exactly what set this standard. I cannot be more than what I am, but I can be the best of what I am. It seems like a virtuous standard, nonetheless. However virtuous, the fallout of my imperfection remains in some circumstances disastrous. I have hurt people by my choices. I have hurt myself. Surely my best has in some ways been less than virtuous.

This marks my first post on my new blog hosted by WordPress. I decided to make the change to WordPress for no particular reason other than to find out how different the experience will be. If anyone enjoys reading my posts and would like to read my previous entries, please feel free to read them here.

I figured I would start my blog by pointing out the meaning behind its name, or at least, it’s significance to me.

I am learning (I feel I must use the term “learning” loosely, as it seems I am a slow learner at things of life) to regard myself as a broken saint. Of course, this is a label I am giving myself. Let me explain its significance for me.

As a broken saint, I am both faltered and redeemed. Inasmuch as my brokenness is part of my spiritual and moral DNA, (I cannot be anything other than fallen from the heavenly standard set by an objective Creator-God) my saint-ness is bestowed upon me by a Salvific, merciful God. I have not chosen to be a saint any more than I have chosen to be broken. These are both things outside my determination.

Alexander Pope once said, “To err is human . . .,” which simply means that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, causes pain, and fails at keeping even their own standards from time to time. This is something all human beings cannot help. My brokenness comes as a result of simply being human.

Pope included, “. . . to forgive divine.” If the realization comes that we are in fact destined to imperfection (without changing some rule or set of rules to suit ourselves), it should dawn on us that there stands on objective standard or principle, and in order to allow hope beyond our failures, there needs to be some sort of pardon. Enter the cosmic plan of a divine Saviour.

From the onset of Creation, my Heavenly Father chose to make me part of His plan of salvation. I believe this plan is for everyone, whether they choose to accept it or not. Not only this, God-through-Christ has intended to include me in His Kingdom work, laying on me a responsibility to extend His rule in the world I live in. He chose this for me before I was born, before I knew Him, and while I was still His enemy. He tarried for me to accept this new identity until I did; and I believe He tarries for me still, as I continue, like Jacob, to wrestle with Him over Lordship of my life. He awaits for me to yield to His benevolent authority.

I’m a saint because God says I am and only because I have accepted my brokenness apart from Him. Without having made the choice to cling to the salvation offered me by the only One who can save me, I would remain lost in my brokenness, though still dysfunctional in make-up. I’m a saint who is being pieced together by my Maker. He fills the cracks, re-wires my character, restores my soul. For this I am thankful.

For as long as I live under the rule of Christ, I am a Broken Saint.

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Journey to Jesus: Building Christ-Centered Friendships with Muslims

Karen BurkettLeave a comment

By Mike Urton

The Pew Research Forum projects that the population of Muslims in the U.S. will more than double in the next three decades.[1]   Muslims from around the globe are moving into our neighborhoods, working in the same companies and studying alongside us in schools.  This is an amazing act of God as he is bringing precious Muslims into our sphere of influence.

Image previewIn order to be prepared to engage this unprecedented opportunity, Christians in North America need training.  That’s why we developed Journey to Jesus: Building Christ-centered Friendships with Muslims.

There are many resources currently on the market which offer training and equipping for reaching Muslims living among us.  What makes this particular training tool unique is that it is centered on three true-to-life dramas, each of which demonstrates how Christians can invite Muslims into their relationships with Jesus. Each of the three Muslims depicted represent three types of Muslims Americans may encounter here in North America. The three dramas are:

  1. Kate and Saalima: mommies who meet at a local park. Saalima is a recent immigrant from Egypt.
  1. Larry and Azim: men who work for the same tech company and enjoy conversations over lunch. Azim is a liberal Muslim from India.
  1. Brian and Abdul: fellow students who meet on campus at an American university. Abdul is a conservative Muslim who likes debating apologetics.

These scenarios are accompanied by teaching curriculum in the form of narrated power points.  The teaching sessions explore Christian attitudes towards people of other faiths, the importance of extending Christ-centered hospitality, an introduction to Muslim beliefs and culture, as well as how to deal with barriers that Muslims have in trusting Christ as Lord and Savior.  Each teaching session also provides questions and significant small group discussion time so that participants can process what they are learning together.

Journey to Jesus is designed for group leaders to have minimal preparation time.  Each session has a leader’s guide outlining the flow for that particular week.  Printable student handouts are provided for each session.  Leading a group through this curriculum is really as simple as reading over the leader’s guide, printing the relevant student handouts, inserting the disc and hitting play on a DVD player.

It is our prayer that this highly accessible and quality resource will encourage many Christians to step out in faith and build Christ-centered relationships with Muslims, so that they too can know the joy of following Christ!  Begin your journey today by getting this resource here.

[1] Besheer Mohamed. 2018. New Estimates show U.S. Muslim population continues to grow. Pew Forum. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/03/new-estimates-show-u-s-muslim-population-continues-to-grow/ (accessed July 9, 2019)

Many thanks to Rev. Mike Urton for doing this guest post. To learn more about this much needed ministry and how you can get involved, please visit COMMA: Reaching Muslims Together.

Truth Matters Too

Karen BurkettLeave a comment

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29  ESV)

Image result for image jesus is the way, the truth, the lifeThese days, if you watch the news and read about many main line churches, or what’s going on in many college campuses, the great passion of today is not what John, the Baptist, is saying here.

There is an overwhelming pressure for social justice, diversity, full acceptance of many minority identity groups, and the idea that “you are not a Christian church or a good person if you don’t love, promote, celebrate, and endorse just about every lifestyle and identity plea that is thrown at you.” Inclusion! Inclusion! Inclusion!

The Apostle Paul emphatically states in 1 Corinthians 14:1 to “pursue love” (ESV). Another version says, “Make love thy great quest.” The KJV renders it, “Follow after charity.” Paul, earlier in 1 Corinthians 13:3 says, “. . . but have not love, I gain nothing” (ESV).

God is love and God is for love. We dare not forget that!

But He is also the God of eternal, unchanging, inerrant truth. I believe John the Baptist knew about this never-to-be-separated duo of love and truth.

Image result for image proverbs 3:3Proverbs 3:3 states this essential connection: “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tablet of thine heart”  (KJV  Bold added).

These two, mercy and truth, are never to be found separate. Yes, Jesus was, is, and always will be about love. But as John declared here, may we never forget the eternally important truth that Jesus came to save sinners from being damned and lost forever!

I guess in these days of the watered down or forgotten Gospel, I’d like to see us all return to a more healthy balance of mercy and truth.  Concepts like conviction, repentance from sin, and a holy reverence for the Word of God are desperately needed in our churches, our campuses, and our culture. Please join me in praying for this if you are led.

Many thanks to Jim Grunseth for contributing this guest post. Jim and his wife, Barbara, are the authors of numerous materials on marriage, marriage preparation, family, dealing with past emotional wounds, and discipleship. People from over 93 countries have visited their website, www.marriageanchors.com . Couples and churches from over 50 nations have downloaded their free ebooks. They have sent free of charge their materials to 186 local pastors, missionaries, seminaries students, and orphanages their materials to strengthen families, build up local churches, and advance the Gospel. They have 7 children and 11 grandchildren and live in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

Jim has been on staff with Campus Crusade for 37 years. He is a graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point and also has a Masters in Counseling – Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Barbara is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and taught 13 years at Faith Christian School in Williams Bay. She has been on full time staff with Campus Crusade for 18 years.

Help and Encouragement for Spousal Caregivers

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Today’s guest post is by Elizabeth Shulman. She shares her personal story about caring for a spouse with mental illness. While caring for him, she met others caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and learned that many of the challenges are similar. She eventually wrote a Bible study addressing those challenges.

Please click on the book image (left) to learn more about Elizabeth’s Bible study. “Sanctuary in the Midst of Alzheimer’s” is the only Bible study specifically designed to help churches provide support to now the largest group of dementia caregivers – spouses. Experiencing scripture through the lens of personal stories, participants get to ‘walk in the shoes’ of husbands and wives caring for a spouse with dementia. The result is a greater understanding of the caregiver’s role and a deeper empathy upon which an effective ministry can be built. You may visit Elizabeth’s website here.

And now, Elizabeth’s story . . .

I was married for 20 years to a brilliant, kind and loving man who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia 12 years into our marriage. The depression related to trying to manage my husband’s behavior and adherence to his medication regime, along with raising four children under the age of 8 was overwhelming. I had sought help from support groups such as those sponsored by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness); however, I did not meet other spouses in these groups, only siblings and parents of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia, and their issues and concerns were not the same as mine. My concerns centered on the commitment of marriage, questioning God’s presence in the midst of my turmoil and finding meaning in a relationship where my husband’s ability to function as a spouse, father and professor was dependent upon medication that he would repeatedly discontinue taking because in his mind, “he was fine and did not need it.”

A few years after his diagnosis, I realized we could not depend on his employment at the university as a guarantee for income, and I went back to work as a healthcare chaplain. I eventually became the pastoral care director for a 600-bed skilled nursing facility, and that is where I found my purpose in life that has directed my work the past 14 years.

What inspired me during this time was observing the husbands and wives who came to the nursing home where I worked to visit their spouses in the Alzheimer’s unit. Just to differentiate: Alzheimer’s and many other forms of dementia are a brain disease, whereas, schizophrenia is a mental illness; however, many of the symptoms such as disoriented thinking and speaking, paranoia, personality changes and forgetfulness manifest similarly, and so caregivers of both types of patients may experience comparable circumstances – which is why I identified so strongly with these dementia caregivers!

I will never forget Frank, a husband who visited his wife in the Alzheimer’s unit every day. One day he walked in and found his wife sitting on the couch holding hands with another man, and as Frank walked over to her and introduced himself (she had long since forgotten who he was), she smiled and introduced Frank to “her husband.” I could tell Frank was taken aback from this, but he quickly recovered and when I asked him about this encounter later, he said, “this disease may be robbing my wife of how she is, but it can never take away who she is: my wife and God’s child.”

Frank was just one of many spouses that I met while working in the nursing home. After some time, I began working in hospice and also encountered caregivers whose loved ones still lived at home. Their struggles were often compounded by the physical challenges of caregiving. I discovered that spouses’ approach to caregiving was as diverse as the caregiver. However, most struggled with coming to terms with how they viewed their commitment to marriage and all expressed profound feelings of isolation.

It was during this time that I decided to go back to school for my doctorate. My dissertation was on the experience of marriage for Alzheimer’s patients during which time I reviewed literature and interviewed spousal caregivers. As with the spouses I met in hospice, the theme of isolation came up in every interview, and – probably because I lived in the Bible belt of Tennessee – feeling isolated from their church in particular was a significant issue. In talking with pastors about this, it became obvious that church members wanted to help, but they didn’t know how. So, I used the findings from my research and wrote Sanctuary in the Midst of Alzheimer’s: A Ministry for Husband and Wives Caring for a Spouse with Dementia.

This book can be used many different ways. It is a written in the format of a Bible study using personal stories to guide discussion.  Anyone can lead it because the directions are embedded within the lessons. It is made up of two parts, one section for spouses and the other section for those who want to “walk in the shoes” of spousal caregivers to better understand their needs and discover ways they can provide support. In a church setting, a congregation ideally conducts this weekly program with both groups running simultaneously for 4 weeks, and then in the 5th week both groups come together to create a dementia ministry for their church using information gathered during the previous four weeks.

However, I have found that the parts of the book can be separated and used as either discussion guides for dementia support groups or educational programs for assisted living facilities or other communities that want to provide education as a form of outreach with a spiritual component. Additionally, spouses can go through the spousal section on their own, using it as a personal workbook to help them process their feelings and hopefully, find inspiration.

Jesus’ words, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32) has been my foundation as I work with spouses to find meaning in their marriage and to help them make sense of a situation that often makes little sense. I have found that when spousal caregivers are honest about their feelings and their goals for caregiving, it allows them to express their love in the most honest way possible. (For example, when making decisions that they know is best for them and their spouse even if their children or friends disagree.) My hope is that Sanctuary in the Midst of Alzheimer’s will help guide spouses through the difficult terrain of dementia caregiving while also educating others on how they can best support these caregivers. When we are able to love openly, honestly and completely, we truly do experience the freedom that Jesus promises.

Taste and See

Karen BurkettLeave a comment

My favorite Persian dish is Khoresh-e-Fesenjoon, a chicken stew with walnut and pomegranate sauce. With the proper ingredients and right preparation, it tastes out of this world. The flavor is like no other. It’s tangy and sweet at the same time. I believe one of the dishes served at God’s Banquet Table will be Khoresh-e-Fesenjoon served over Saffron rice.

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Photo by Artur Rutkowski on Unsplash

The recipe consists of two super foods, walnuts and pomegranates. In a rich sauce, the walnut adds a wonderful nutty taste to make all the flavors come together. However, all the credit goes to the pomegranates’ thick syrup or as we call it in Farsi, Rob-e-Anar, which gives the stew its amazing tangy sweet flavor. Having several Pomegranate trees, we make our own syrup. It takes several hours, and it takes a gallon of Pomegranate juice to make about 18 ounces of syrup. But it’s worth every minute of the labor.

This is how the stew is prepared.

The following is taken from Persianmama.com

INGREDIENTS

1½ large yellow onion sliced thin and fried golden brown in 3-4 TBSP vegetable oil 2 pounds skinless chicken drumsticks or thighs (4-5 pieces)

8 ounces walnut halves (about 2 cups)

¼ cup cold water

1 cup pomegranate concentrate

¼ tsp kosher salt

⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pick through the walnuts for any shells and add to a food processor and process until it turns to a tan-colored paste.

2. With the food processor running add ¼ cup cold water through the feed chute. Continue processing until the paste becomes uniformly beige in color.

3. Fry the sliced onions with 3-4 TBSP vegetable oil in a 6-Qt stockpot until golden brown. Remove from the pot.

4. Add chicken to the same stockpot and top it with the walnut paste evenly over the fried onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Drizzle the pomegranate concentrate over all the ingredients.

6. Bring to a boil over medium heat. The pomegranate concentrate tends to stick and burn fairly quickly so avoid high heat.

7. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

8. Now reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for an additional 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is fork tender and falls off the bone.

9. Stir every 15 minutes or so to make sure the sauce does not stick to the pot. If at the end of this time period the sauce has not thickened enough, leave the pot uncovered for about 10 minutes on low heat for a thicker sauce.

Transfer the Fesenjoon to a serving dish and sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top as garnish.

Serve over Saffron rice.

And this is a photo of the final product.

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Can you feel your nostrils tingling and your mouth salivating? Are you licking your lips wondering what kind of amazing dance Fesenjoon might do on your taste buds? Why are you wondering about that? Everything you need to know about Koresh-e-Fesenjoon is in writing in front of you. You know its ingredients, you know how to make it, you know how to serve it, and you even have a photo of it.

But all that means nothing when it comes to actually knowing what the dish is all about. So, what’s missing here? You have not eaten the food. You have not experienced its TASTE.

The Bible is clear that reading about God, studying theology, or even becoming a Bible scholar is not enough when it comes to knowing God. That is just like studying Fesenjoon to death, knowing its ingredients, knowing the nutritional benefit of every ingredient, the calories per serving, how to prepare and serve it, or even get a PhD in Khoresh-e-Fesenjoon (I believe there are some schools that hand out PhD in Khoresh), but never know the depth and the richness of the dish because you never tasted it. That is why the Psalmist says,

“TASTE and see that God is good.” Ps. 34:8

In order to know the Creator, one has to experience or taste him and if you don’t agree with me, the next time you come to my house for dinner, your meal will consist of a picture of Fesenjoon with its ingredients and how to prepare it written underneath the photo.

Many thanks to guest blogger Shah Afshar for today’s post. Please visit his website.

ABOUT SHAH

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Shah Afshar

Shahkrokh “Shah” Afshar is an original. He founded and pastored the first Iranian Christian organization in the United States. Shah has been instrumental in reaching the Muslim world with the gospel. His work as a professor and as a Muslim world mission coordinator for Foursquare Missions International expanded his influence worldwide. As a former Muslim and seminary-trained leader, Shah shares unique insights with humor and wit. His passion is to communicate the relevance of Christ’s message to a skeptical generation. Shah is available to speak at conventions, churches, schools and for TV/radio interviews.

God Loves You! How God Commissioned Me

Karen BurkettLeave a comment

It was a hot, sunny day in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987. I was standing behind thevan-rensberg sliding door in our lounge, watching the birds enjoying themselves in the birdbath that I have installed that afternoon, together with a bird feeder, filled with food, nearby. They were flying backwards and forwards, feeding and then going to the birdbath to enjoy themselves in the cool water. Lots of noise as they coo-ed and chirped, and the water was splashing everywhere.

Behind them I can see the amazing view of verdant valley where a river flows through the Glenvista golf course. The people who designed the course created a few dams and waterfalls in the flow of the stream as it meandered through the valley. “How blessed we are to be able to live in such a beautiful place, “ I thought to myself. Lainie and I bought the stand years before and then took quite a while to develop it and build the house we wanted, with a view that went on forever. “God has been so good to us, “ I thought.

A sudden flapping of wings and wild squawking from the birdbath brought my thoughts back to the pigeons, sparrows and finches in the hot sun. I smiled and was very pleased that I had installed the bath and feeder for them and had an irresistible urge to move the lace curtain and go out there to tell them how much I love them and how I was enjoying seeing them enjoying the cool water. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they would fly to me and land on my shoulders or hands to thank me for what I have done? Yet, I knew that if should even move the curtain a little bit so that they would see me, they would take off and fly away in fear of their lives. And how silly is that? Did I not buy the birdbath and feeder and install it for them? It is my money that pays for the water and purchased the birdseed! And yet, they would flee from me in fear?

As I was thinking this, the voice of the Lord came to me: “Meyer, now you have an idea how I feel,” He said. “I created the earth and everything in it and I provide in all man’s needs and yet, they are constantly fleeing from Me in fear of their lives! I want them to come to Me and thank Me for what I have done for them. I love them and want them to enjoy the gifts I have given them! Now, I want you to go out into the world with this message: Tell them how much I love them. I love them with a Father’s agape love and they don’t need to be afraid of Me!”

God had previously confirmed my calling as a teacher of His Word, but since that day, I have been endeavouring to fulfill that commission. In the Old Testament, the people were so afraid of God that they told Moses: “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear…” (Ex.20:19,20). Amazing: God delivered them out of Egypt and brought them safely through the Red Sea: He provided a cloud by day and a fire by night to keep them from harm, He gave them food in the desert and yet they were afraid of him!

Today, my friend, we are the same: people run away from God instead of to Him. He loves us so much He came and died on the Cross for as so that we can be saved and come into His presence boldly!

Like I did with the birds, it is God’s desire for us to come to Him and not run away from Him: to accept Him as our Father who loves us and cares for us. My message to you today is: “God loves you so much more than you can ever think or imagine, therefore run to Him, not away from Him!”

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb.4:16)

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Many thanks to Dr. Meyer van Rensburg for this guest post. Please visit his website!

 

 

About the author:

Dr. Meyer van Rensburg was born again in 1982 and has been studying God’s Word ever since. He attended Bible School in 1985/6 and then continued his studies to obtain various degrees: Bachelor of Theology and Master of  Christian Counselling and Master of Divinity from an American Institution as well as Master of Theology from Wales, Bangor and Doctor of Ministry. God has called him as a teacher of the Word and told him to “go and tell them how much I love them.”

In 1987 he was ordained as a minister of God by the International Federation of Christian Churches. After establishing various Bible schools in South Africa, he accepted the post of Senior Lecturer with a Bible Training Centre in Bristol, England, in 2004. After two years he accepted the position of Senior Lecturer and Dean of Students from a London university college. He travels to teach all over the world, especially in the UK, South Africa and Poland. He holds various degrees: Bachelor of Theology and Master of Christian Counselling and Master of Divinity from an American Institution as well as Master of Theology from Wales, Bangor and Doctor of Ministry.

In South Africa he was well-known with Radio Pulpit listeners for programmes such as “Running the Race” on Friday mornings where he used to interview Christian sportsmen, as well as “Music & the Word,”  “Mosaic,” “Light before Midnight,” and others.  He writes extensively, regularly contributing articles for Lucerna and other magazines, as well as being the author of seven books: “Brother to Brother: A Handbook for the Study of Covenants,” “A Dwelling Place for God, A Handbook for the Study of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness,” “God & sons: A Study in  the Fatherhood of God” and “Images of Christ in Genesis, Vols. I, II, and II, and “The Cure for Today’s Dying Church: The Wellspring of Life.” The books are available from the Amazon or one can order it directly from the author. drmeyervr@yahoo.co.uk

Dr. Meyer is married to Lorraine and is the proud father of five daughters. He also paints in oils, does sound engineering, writes poetry, and loves doing woodwork and gardening. His favourite Scripture is Galatians 2:20:  I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet, not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Website: https://www.meyervanrensburg.com/

 

Keeping an Eternal Perspective in a Temporal World

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This post courtesy of JesusOnLine. I encourage you to visit their site to read other posts and learn more about their ministry.

One of the greatest challenges for Christians is maintaining an eternal perspective.

Life goes by so quickly. And yet we often get caught up in the day to day tasks and forget that we are not promised tomorrow.

James 4:14 refers to the human life as a vapor: it appears for a while and then vanishes.

Perhaps if we remembered this truth we would have an easier time also remembering our purpose on earth.

Life isn’t about accumulating money, power, or fame. Life’s about fulfilling God’s purpose for us. We must focus, therefore, on His eternal perspective.

Colossians 3:2 tell us, “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”

Although we live in time now, God created us for eternity. As Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “[God] has also put eternity in their hearts.” We may live in time, but eternity must be the backdrop of our life. We must learn to live for eternal purposes.

So what is this eternal perspective? What is God’s way? His thoughts that are higher than ours?

An eternal perspective affects our priorities and actions. Here are some of the ways believing and relying on God’s eternal truths will affect your life:

– You will realize that suffering on earth is momentary. 2 Corinthians 4:17 tells us that our afflictions here on earth are “light and momentary” and are “achieving for us an eternal glory” that will far outweigh anything else. In other words, the things we experience here on earth are shaping us and preparing us for eternal life.

– You will find it easier to love others. Every soul is eternal, and each is in desperate need of knowing God and his mercy. When this is at the forefront of our mind it helps us extend love and mercy to those around us. The way we relate to others is inevitably influenced when we believe that eternal closeness or separation from God hangs in the balance.

– You will not be fearful. People are afraid of many things, and especially of death. But 1 John 4:18 tells us that there is no fear in love and that perfect love drives out fear. We have perfect love from our Savior. It was through his perfect act of love on the cross that sin, suffering, and death was defeated (1 Cor. 15:55-57). He has made available to us eternal life. This means we no longer have to be fearful of anything, not even death. God wants us to embrace and embody the love he has extended to us.

In what ways can you reflect on God’s eternal truths today? How will it change how you think and act? Remember, though heaven and earth pass away, God’s truth will never disappear (Matt. 24:35).