David Kyle Foster

March 14, 2020March 14, 2020

What does the Bible say about Judgment Day?

I was recently looking into “life expectancy” rates and discovered that they are all over the map. Quotes from various websites, for example, set mine at 67, 78 and 88. (Suzie Orman says that it’s in the 90s!)

Here’s another surprise……..as you age, your life expectancy can actually increase because by then, you will have survived many of the things that could have brought about an earlier death.

Here’s an example that I found online”¦”¦”¦”¦..

In 2006 the life expectancy at birth of someone born in 1942 was about 68 years. If that person survived to 65, they could expect to live another 18.4 years, meaning their life expectancy was no longer the same as it was at birth.

The biggest surprise to me, however, was to realize that half of the people who shared the same life expectancy died earlier than their expected end.

Consequently, for those who plan to turn from sin and accept Christ’s offer of forgiveness at some point in the future, it is a foolish and perilous thing to do. It is a sign that deep in your heart, you are more in love with the world than with God (1 John 2:15; Matthew 7:21-23).

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
(Luke 12:20)

The same principle applies to believers who have decided that they will get serious about living for God at some point in the future. They say to themselves: “I’ll just be glad to get into heaven.” And certainly, we’ll all be glad to get into heaven!

However, the crowns and rewards that are on offer will be ours for all eternity! So also will the loss of such crowns and rewards — making this a far more important issue than is often realized.

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived — the things God has prepared for those who love Him — these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
(1 CORINTHIANS 2:9-10)

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us”¦”¦..
(Ephesians 3:20)

Salvation by God is a Limited-Time Offer!

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom!
(Psalm 90:12)

The Bible teaches that the number of our days are fixed and are already known by God. In other words, salvation by God is a limited-time offer!

From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
(Acts 17:26-28)

Man’s days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.
(Job 14:5)

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.
(Psalm 139:13-16)

You Have Been Designed to Win Big!

This explains why so many people who have had near-death experiences are met by loved ones who are already in heaven – who have obviously been alerted to their arrival. It also explains why some are told that they have to return to earth because their “time” has not yet come.

Based on the character of God, I believe that the number of days assigned by God, whether many or few, has been calculated to produce the greatest, eternal outcome for us on the Day of Judgment. Even the severity of a negative outcome may be lessened in this way.

It’s true that King Hezekiah begged God to allow him more time on earth. After many tears, God relented and gave him an extra 15 years beyond what had been allotted. (See Isaiah 38-39).

However, during those extra 15 years, Hezekiah foolishly invited the king of Babylon to see all the treasures of Israel, only to see those treasures stolen, his sons kidnapped, castrated and sent into exile.

This is where the exception proves the rule. God had calculated the years Hezekiah should live — I believe, in order to maximize his eternal and temporal blessings and to save him from the disasters that would come upon him should he live longer.

You see, God knows our hearts. He knows our sins – past, present and future. And He knows whether we will repent of sin and surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. He also knows the number of days that will optimize the outcome of our final judgment.

The “Bema Seat” vs the “Great White Throne” Judgment

I believe that God’s judgment for the lost will be designed to limit the eternal suffering that will be the consequence of their earthly lives. In some cases, God may shorten their earthly years in order to limit the number of sins for which they will be penalized. (This is speculation on my part, but it is based on the merciful goodness of God).

For believers, God’s criteria for final judgment, (and all the evidence that pertains therein), is based on what we have done in the body since our salvation (2 Corinthians 5:10). It perfectly flows from His omniscience (Romans 2:5-7; Psalm 18:30) and like the judgment of the unbeliever, cannot be appealed.

Again, for believers and unbelievers alike, it is likely that God plans the number of our days on earth so that we will have the best possible outcome on Judgment Day (Matthew 25:31-46; Hebrews 4:13). Yes, He is that good!

The “Bema Seat” judgment of believers will determine the rewards, or loss thereof, for those who gave their life to Jesus Christ and have therefore escaped eternal separation from God. (See Romans 8:1-2; 14:10c-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27-28; Revelation 14:13). They will be saved, but as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15).

Assuming that the ”crowns” given to believers are different than the “rewards” cited above, those too can be won or lost at the judgment of believers. (See 2 Timothy 2:5; 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10).

As for the “Great White Throne” judgment, which is for those who never repented of their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they face a divine determination of what their experience in Hell will be like for all eternity. In other words, Hitler’s experience of Hell will undoubtedly differ from that of the sweet lady next door who never surrendered her life to Jesus Christ. (See Matthew 12:36-37; Luke 23:41; John 5:29; Romans 2:5-11; Hebrews 2:1-3; Revelation 2:23c; 20:11-15).

So for both believer and nonbeliever, the Bible declares”¦”¦

I urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
(2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

March 14, 2020March 14, 2020

What Did Jesus REALLY Write in the Sand?

It has long been a mystery what Jesus wrote on the ground the day the scribes and Pharisees dragged an adulterous woman before Him (John 8:3-11).

One day, as I was reading in Jeremiah, I was surprised to find the answer hidden deep in the Old Testament…….

The scribes and Pharisees had demanded that He sentence the woman to death, as taught in Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24.

[The NASB Study Bible notes that “they altered the law a little. The manner of execution was not prescribed unless the woman was a betrothed virgin. And the law required the execution of both parties, not just the woman”]

If Jesus had said to stone her, they would have charged Him with hypocrisy, since He was always teaching about mercy. If He said NOT to stone her, they would have charged Him with breaking the Mosaic Law.

Spotting their trick, He stooped down and wrote something on the ground, saying…..

If anyone of you is without sin, let him
be the first to throw a stone at her.
(John 8:7)

He then proceeded to write something else on the ground, after which they dropped their stones and walked away.

What was it then that Jesus wrote on the ground?

O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away from You will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.
(Jeremiah 17:13)

This passage seems to indicate that Jesus first wrote their names in the dust and perhaps then wrote a sin that they had committed next to their name. Busted by Jesus, they walked away in shame and frustration. You see, being Yahweh, He knew what was in their hearts. (See 1 Chronicles 28:9; Matthew 12:25; 22:18; John 2:25; 1 Corinthians 14:25).

According to the Venerable Bede, (as well as St. Augustine), when Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger, He was harkening back to the time on Mt Sinai when He had written the Ten Commandments on stone tablets with His finger (Exodus 32:15-16). In other words, the same finger that had written the Law back then was also the finger that was writing on the ground now. Therefore, since He was the author of the Law, He was the One to properly interpret and execute it (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10).

Additionally, being the One who was soon to receive the penalty for the sins of the adulterous woman upon Himself, He had every right to extend grace and mercy to her.

It is interesting to note that in Luke 11:20, Jesus referred to the “finger of God” when He drove the demon out of a man who could not speak. The crowd had accused Him of driving the demon out by the power of Beelzebub – the prince of demons. In response, and for those with eyes to see it, Jesus’ “finger of God” language indicated that He was the same God who wrote the Law on the stone tablets and was therefore God Himself.

A final observation: We should note that since God had created man “out of the dust” (Genesis 2:7) – and since He had come to “write the law on people’s hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33; Psalm 37:31; Romans 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16), it is likely that in His interaction with the scribes and Pharisees that day, He had in a sense, written the supreme call to mercy in the dust – sending the message that those who refuse mercy will not receive mercy (James 2:12-13), and, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

That allows us to circle back to see one final message to the Pharisees:

Judge not, or you too will be judged.
(Matthew 7:1a)

That is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law.

You are a letter from Christ….written not with ink,

but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
(2 Corinthians 3:3)

May 8, 2019May 8, 2019

Why Some People Remain in Sin, Bondage & Brokenness

The Proper Foundations Haven’t Been Laid

It’s a problem of putting the cart before the horse. We too often launch off into man-made solutions that can never produce the interior transformation that is necessary for lasting freedom. Such “solutions” often teach us (overtly or covertly) to rely on a “system” rather than on God.

Worldly solutions are “maintenance programs” that teach us to keep ourselves from falling by our own wisdom, discipline and power. They can be helpful in a secondary way, but should never be offered as the primary solution.

In contrast, God offers a “transformation program” by which He heals the underlying wounds, transforms the will and keeps us from falling by His power and love (Jude 24; Psalm 37:23-24, 55:22; 1 Peter 1:5).

True freedom comes not from focusing on the bondage, but on the Savior. In 2 Peter 1:3, the Holy Spirit says that through our knowledge of Him, God’sdivine power has already given us everything we need for life and godliness.The solution, therefore, is not found in the wisdom of the world. It is foundthrough intimate knowledge of Him and the appropriation of the power that already resides within us by virtue of His divine presence.

Self-Deception

Some people don’t want to change because they receive too much sympathy, affirmation and attention by staying broken. Others recoil because of the pain that results from revisiting the wounds that have contributed to their dysfunctional behavior.

Our inclination is to deceive ourselves into believing that we want freedom from something when we really don’t. Our hearts are deceitful and duplicitous (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19). For example, I used to regularly cry out to God for freedom from a particular bondage. One night the power of God fell on me and I knew that He was finally answering my prayer. But to my utter shock, my first thought was “Oh no!” In that moment, I realized that I had been begging for deliverance from something that I still wanted. Hidden within the recesses of my mind, I didn’t think I could live without it. Deep in the interior of my heart, I still loved it. My pleas for help had not been coming from a desire to walk in holiness, but from self-deluded, performance-based religion.

Primary Reasons for Failure to Find Freedom

1. Failure to Make an Across-the-Board Commitment to Holiness

The Kingdom of God is not a supermarket. We cannot say that we want freedom from one sin without being willing to be freed from them all.

God wants us to commit to holiness at every level. Thankfully, He does not lay them all upon us at once, but brings them up as we are ready to deal with each one. As we forsake the things of the world and fix our heart permanently toward the things of God, He then responds with revelation and empowerment.

2. Failure to Believe In and Act Upon God’s Power to Deliver and Keep Us

Most of us haven’t a clue just how much power God has and how little power Satan has. We need to pursue God in His Word to understand and believe who we are in Christ and the authority He has given us (Luke 10:18-19).

I recommend “truth therapy” – regular meditation on the truths of Scripture,even when they seem to contradict what we feel and experience in our battle with sin (Hebrews 11:1).

Some of us are so enslaved to our feelings that we are incapable of believing anything else. When I fail to become planted in the ground of my identity in Christ, His call on my life, and His empowerment of that call, I’m a sitting duck for the lying thoughts and feelings that invade my soul.

3. Failure to Undergo a Transformation of the Will Through a Belief In and Embracing of God’s Unconditional Love (Jeremiah 31:3b-4a)

We are in a partnership with God. His part is to provide the grace, love and power that changes our heart and makes us willing to obey. Our part is to pursue His presence. As we believe in His unconditional love, we’re empowered and motivated to forsake sin.

One day, I was in the midst of committing a besetting sin when the Lord spoke to my heart, saying, “If you turn to me right now, I will love you, forgive you and embrace you.” Ignoring the voice, I continued with my sin until satisfied, at which time the Lord repeated the same words to me.

It was a moment I’ll never forget as I realized that His focus was not on my sin, but on His desire to communicate to me that all He really wanted was for me to turn to Him and receive His love. In that moment, He had so taken my heart by this otherworldly love that I now wanted to do His will. In essence, He changed my will through the repeated experience of His grace and love. For the first time, I chose to do His will, not because I was supposed to, but because I wanted to (Titus 2:14). “For it is God who is at work in us both to will and to do that which is according to His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). In essence, we just need to get under the spout where the glory comes out!

4. Failure to See Healing as a Process with a Purpose

As we live in intimacy with Him, God shows us the root causes of our behavior, the needs that we have been trying to meet, and His more perfect provision to meet those needs. Through our pursuit of healing, we develop a relationship of love and dependence on God because we have need to turn to Him often for power over temptation and healing from brokenness.

Bondage is essentially a problem of broken relationships — first with God, and second, with human beings. We must come to know Him as He really is and forsake the fiction that our minds have created that has convinced us to run from Him and not to trust Him.

5. Failure to Develop an Intimate Relationship with God the Father

Many of us fear intimacy. It is where we’ve been hurt. But intimacy with ourperfectly loving Father is another matter. Jesus said that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father (John 14:9). Do you love Jesus? The Father is just like Him!

Another fear is that we intuitively know that intimacy with someone means commitment and a loss of independence. But we soon learn that intimacy is the deepest level of knowing, of loving and of feeling. It produces the fruit of inner joy. Foundationally, it has to do with our response of love to the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

6. Failure to Humble Ourselves in Absolute Dependence on God

The pride of self-sufficiency and independence is the fruit of ignorance. The truth is that we are already, completely dependent on God’s power and wisdom in order to have any kind of meaningful existence.

In our culture, humility is considered a weakness. We think that life’s problems are challenges that God expects us to deal with on our own. However, without continual dependence on God, we’re like infants left outin the middle of a freeway. We are completely dependent on God to reveal to us what is true as distinguished from what the world says is true (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).

Jesus said that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Consequently, the closer I get to Him, the longer I sit at His feet and allow Him to uncover the depths of my heart, the more I am going to grow in the humility of understanding the grace that I stand in, and I will love Him even more. And so, our first response to bondage, brokenness or temptation must always be one of utter dependence that turns to God for power, wisdom and strength.

7. Failure to Learn & Practice Spiritual Warfare

The Bible teaches that the weapons of our warfare are mighty to pull down strongholds — but only when employed in the ongoing reality of these first six pillars of incarnational relationship and empowerment. In other words, spiritual warfare involves using the power of God, the wisdom of God, the discernment of God, the peace of God, the faith of God and the love of God to proclaim the will of God at any given moment.

Those of us who live in the defeat of habitual sin have not yet fully fallen in love with Jesus. We have not received the depth of the revelation of His love and awesome beauty that transforms the heart and mind. Once that has been accomplished, without even realizing it, we will find that we are already wearing the weapons of our warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18) and have beenmarked by the evil one as dangerous.

First Things First

The primary reason that so many of us do not experience victory over the sin and brokenness that so easily besets us is that we do not put these spiritual principles first when attempting to find freedom. In fact, one second of revelation from the God who loves us is worth a lifetime of therapy. This is not to say that therapeutic approaches are unimportant in some cases. It is simply a matter of placing first things first so that any help that we receivefrom men will bear fruit that will last (John 15:16).

Adapted from the Sexual Healing Reference Edition by David Kyle Foster.Dr. David Kyle Foster (M-Div, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; D-Min, Trinity School for Ministry) is the author of Transformed Into His Image and Love Hunger and is the founder/director of Pure Passion Media.

May 2, 2019May 2, 2019

The Purpose of Life is Intimacy with God: What Is It & How to Pursue It

Did you know that the purpose of life is to pursue and live in an intimate relationship with God? Salvation is our rescue from the sentence of death because of sin, but intimacy is to define our life with Him.

First, in a world that regularly defines “intimacy” as something sexual, it is a difficult concept to fathom when it comes to God. God is spirit, however, so there is nothing sexual about having an intimate relationship with Him. Isn’t it just like the evil one to take a word that describes something so vital to be something so uncomfortable to pursue.

A second problem is that intimacy with God takes a lot of effort. Most believers won’t take the time that it requires. After all, He might demand too much of their attention or might ask them to do something they don’t want to do. They’ve got their ticket to heaven but want to keep their day-to-day life separate from God. Pursuing Him compromises their autonomy. Blinded by their own selfish independence, they don’t know what they’re missing.

A third problem is that we have been groomed by the media to expect quick results from little effort. We unconsciously put a stopwatch on God and His promises and when He doesn’t live up to our expectations, we move on to something else. The concept of “waiting on the Lord” has become an anachronism.

A fourth problem is that many people assume that being intimate with God is a special call for special people — that the average person can’t go there because they’ve been compromised by their lackluster or sinful Christian life. This is simply not true! It is a trick of the enemy to keep them from the solutionto their sin and compromise. It is a diversion from knowing the glories of eternal life, which began when they gave their life to Jesus Christ, who said to the Father”¦”¦”¦

This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
(John 17:3, NIV)

A fifth major problem with this concept is that although many talk glowingly about having an intimate relationship with God, few describe how to get there. Some of my favorite authors describe the glories found in His presence – writers like A.W. Tozer (The Pursuit of God& The Knowledge of the Holy), Mike Bickle (Passion for Jesus), Henry Blackaby (Experiencing God), Francis Frangipane (I Will Be Found by You), J. Oswald Sanders (Enjoying Intimacy with God), Gary Wiens (Bridal Intercession), Sandra Wilson (Into Abba’s Arms), Jack Frost (Experiencing Father’s Embrace), and for our Catholic friends, Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen(Divine Intimacy), but few outline the path to intimacy. In my book, Transformed Into His Image: Hidden Steps on the Journey to Christlikeness, I try to explain how intimacy with God is the indispensable foundation for being made holy. It underpins the sanctification process and is the path to loving God at deeper and deeper levels.

What Does It Look Like?

People’s experience of intimacy with God varies because He tailor-makes His response to fit the uniqueness of each person. In my years of pursuing Him, there have been words of love released into my heart; dreams, visions and revelations of His power, glory and love; secret insights given that unlock the roots of my besetting sins while illuminating and empowering the way of escape; warnings and encouragements; healing and transformation; deeper understanding of His Word; and so much more.

Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.
(Isaiah 40:31, NASB)

How to Get There

Although minor details vary, the fundamentals of this pursuit are easy to understand”¦”¦”¦

Repentance: This is fundamental to beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, (Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:21, 4:12; Romans 6:23, 10:9), but it needs to be characterized by genuine, heartfelt sorrow over sin and serious and ongoing attempts to turn away from it (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Appropriation of God’s Power: Many people aren’t aware that God wants to impart the power to resist sin. However, we need to maintain a genuine desireto both receive and use it once given. This is a “transformation of the will”that can only be achieved through a revelation of God’s grace and love (Titus 2:11-14; Philippians 2:13, 4:13; Galatians 2:20; Romans 2:4, 5:17, 8:5,28; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
Motivation for Obedience: The thing that motivatesyou to obey God is vital. If it is love that compels you, (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Romans 2:4, 16:20; John 14:23; 1 John 5:3-4), then the power of God will manifest in your life to keep you from falling (Jude 24; Romans 6:15-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 2 John 6).
Renew & Govern the Mind: It is not just God “keeping us from falling” (assuming we have faith in His promise to do so). We must also do our part by following His instructions (James 4:7-10). The Christian walk is a partnership – God doing His part and we doing ours (Romans 8:5, 12:1-2; Galatians 6:7-9; Ephesians 4:22-24; Philippians 4:7-8; Colossians 3:1-10; 1 Peter 1:13-16).
Reckon Yourself Dead to Sin: To “reckon” means to accept as a fact for yourself and in your own experience. The Bible tells us that sin shall not be our master (Romans 6:8-14). If that weren’t possible, then God would never have said it! Our task is to find out and appropriate how that is possible.
Live by the Spirit: Galatians 5:16-18 tells us that if we live by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 2 Peter 1:3-10 tells us that as believers, God’s divine power has already given us everything we need for godliness (see also Romans 8:4-15). Our tendency, even when we know better, is to take the reins from God and try to achieve holiness under our own strength (Galatians 3:1-5).

The Puzzlement of Wilderness Periods

Temptations and troubles can sometimes cause us to believe that God has abandoned us. They test and temper our faith (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). But God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can withstand (1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 2:18) and He will never abandon or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Wilderness periods of the kind where God seems to have disappeared from our lives can also be periods where He is teaching us to seek Him not for the consolations that He gives, but for Him alone. However, He is never as close to us as when He seems to have vanished. We need to build ourselves up in this holy faith during such wilderness periods (Jude 20).

Practical Steps to Intimacy with God

When God rescued me from a life of great sin, I was left alone to find my way. I didn’t trust Christians and so didn’t have a good Bible-believing church to guide me through the temptations that easily beset me (Hebrews 12:1-3). So initially, it was just me and God – a good thing because I was forcedto seek Him diligently and with all my heart (Hebrews 11:6; Jeremiah 29:11-14). In total reliance on the leading of the Holy Spirit, here’s what I learned about developing intimacy with Him.

1. Decide to Obey No Matter What the Cost or How Difficult the Journey

Forsake the Things of the World (John 14:15)
Believe in His Goodness and Obey Him Even When There is No Evidence of It
He who loses his life for Jesus’ sake will find it (Matthew 10:39)

2. Immerse Yourself in the Word

Follow the lead of Jesus and believe every word He says (John 5:30, 10:30; 15:10; 17).

3. Spend Copious Time Pursuing God– Hebrews 7:19

Be Brutally Honest with God
Ask the Hard Questions
Wait on Him
Do Everything He Tells You to Do (Luke 22:42)
Learn to Believe in His Grace, Love and Transforming Power (2 Corinthians 3:18)

4. Immerse Yourself in Intimate Worship of God

Sing Love Songs toGod, Rather Than Songs AboutGod
Avoid the False god of Christian “Entertainment,” Where your Fleshis Stimulated Rather Than Knit to God

5. Find and Dive Into the Life of a Church That Believes the Word and Operates in the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-21)

Regularly Attend Home Fellowship and Support Groups
Spend Copious Time Receiving Prayer at the Altar
Learn to Imitate Seasoned Believers Who Have Overcome (1 Corinthians 4:15-16; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 6:12, 13:7)

6. Seek Direct Healing from the Father and the Impartation of the Missing Pieces of Your Childhood

God will surprise you with badly needed revelation while you are in the midst of seeking Him. If you ask Him for it, He will supernaturally impart vital things, such as: a sense of well-being; a knowledge of being loved, lovable, worthwhile and valuable; a knowledge of the goodness and rightness of His having made you male or female; a certainty that you are wanted and that you have a Father in heaven who adores you, etc.

7. Minister to Others

Learn How to Serve and to How to Love (1 John 4:10; John 14:15)
God has given us an amazing promise – that if we seek Him with all our heart, He will reveal Himself to us (Jeremiah 29:13-14). “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Often, someone who is dying will express deep regret that they did not spend more time with their family. As their life comes to an end, they lament over discovering too late that life was to be found in intimacy with those they loved — that in fact, all the money, possessions and career successes were worthless in comparison. Don’t let that happen to you!
Friends – intimacy with God and others is the intended purpose of life, both here and in heaven. It may require time and effort but will prove itself in a transformed life and the intense joy of experiencing God’s presence. How can we neglect so great a salvation? (Hebrews 2:3)
* * * * *

Dr. David Kyle Foster (M-Div, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; D-Min, Trinity School for Ministry) is the author of Transformed Into His Image and Love Hungerand is the founder/director of Pure Passion Media.