A Truth to Believe

What does it mean that God is Immortal?

The Lord God is an everlasting God. To say that God is immortal means that he possesses life in and of himself and can never cease to exist. God is self-existent and independent. He transcends time and creation. He has an eternal nature, was never created, and will never die. He is the ultimate source of reality, giving life to whom and what he chooses, and then sustaining it.

God's immortality is an essential characteristic of his being. He depends on nothing outside of himself. He is infinite and incapable of diminishing in any way. By contrast, the immortality of the human soul is a result of God's creation. It is a derivative characteristic that flows from God, who possesses life in and of himself, to his creatures. While our immortality is a gift, God's immortality is part of his very essence.

God has no beginning and will have no end. In fact, God is the beginning and the end. He alone possesses immortality in and of himself. Only he is the everlasting God. God's immortality assures us that he always has been, always will be, and will never cease to be and do what he promises–not even for a smidgen of a second.

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:13-16

Something about Living

Summer is off and running! Yet, time goes quickly, and before we know it, the leaves will begin falling, and a chill will hit the air.

Summer has a way of sneaking up on us and quickly passing by. Because our four kids are at an age where they are growing and changing so rapidly, and specifically because our oldest son's needs are ever-evolving, we seek to plan and recalibrate life about every quarter.

Here are some of the practical questions we ask and discuss. If you are looking to make the most of this summer and use your time wisely, these questions may help.

(1) What are my top three responsibilities that I need to give space, time, and energy towards over the next three months?

(2) If tomorrow were September 1st, what would a successful summer have included? How can I reverse-engineer those ideas into my summer at the start?

(3) What activities, people, or habits will help me love and treasure Jesus more this summer?

(4) In what ways can I slow down and give myself rest this summer

(5) What are three primary relationships in my life that I can prioritize this summer, and how can I deepen those relationships?

(6) If this was the last summer I ever had to live, how would I wish I would have spent my time?

(7) In what areas of life do I need to pull back, and in what areas of life do I need to press in?

(8) What healthy habits do I need to cultivate better this summer that might include things like sleep, nutrition, and exercise?

(9) In what ways can I more boldly live to glorify God this Summer

(10) In what ways can I cultivate a love for God, whether that is through listening to the Bible, reading good books, or deepening my prayer life at a specific time each day?

Happy Planning!

A Quote

"Good wishes and good resolutions, I believe, ruin thousands of souls. They wish and resolve, and then they think the work is finished, and they are very good Christians. And when conscience stings them with remorse, they wish and resolve again; and there the work always ends, and not the smallest progress is every made. 'As the door turneth upon its hinges,' saith Solomon, 'so doth the slothful man in his bed.' In the turning of a door on its hinges there is some motion, but no progress; it is still in the same place. So it will also be with us, whilst spiritual sloth prevails, and we rest in vain wishes and resolutions. We shall make no progress; but where we are one day, there we shall be the next; and where we are one year, there we shall be the succeeding."

Thomas Charles - Spiritual Councils

A Resource

We love getting outside as much as we can in the summer. One of the things our kids have loved using while exploring outside is a variety of Fandexes. These handy little field guides have been a family favorite!