Today
Does
Matter
By
Harry
Oliver
This
article
is
prompted
by the
confusion
and cry
of
desperation
from
genuine
believers
who have
contacted
me,
those
who are
trying
to get
centered
and find
balance
in
Christ
in this
world of
conflict.
Christians
are
resident
alien/ambassadors
in a
humanistic
society
infected
by the
blatant
worship
of Man.
It is a
society
that
elevates
the
potential
and
betterment
of man.
What we
must
come to
grips
with and
get
honest
about is
how the
satanic
poison
from
this
infectious
disease
of
self-betterment
has
become a
spiritual
pandemic
in the
professing
church.
Many
well
meaning
teachings
in the
professing
church
have in
some
shape or
form
been
infected
by this
disease
of
self-betterment—causing
much
confusion
in
people’s
lives.
The one
I want
to focus
on is
the
teaching
on the
“Balanced
Christian
Life”
that has
so many
believers
laboring/working
to
exhaustion
in order
to
achieve
this
“how to”
formula.
I have
read
many
articles
on the
balanced
Christian
life.
The
teachings
go
something
like
this:
“Are you
so
heavenly
minded
that you
are no
earthly
good?
Are you
so
earthly
minded
that you
are no
heavenly
good? If
so, your
spiritual
life is
out of
balance.”
In a
distortion
of the
biblical
teachings
on
completeness
or
wholeness,
these
teachings
say that
it is
only
when
individuals
are in
good
physical,
mental,
emotional,
social
and
spiritual
condition,
that
they can
be said
to be
whole,
complete,
balanced
and
healthy.
Because
we have
so many
different
parts of
our
lives;
family,
friends,
career,
finances,
health/self-care,
fun,
personal
and
spiritual
growth
to name
just a
few,
maintaining
balance
between
them can
be very
difficult.
And
then, we
have the
infamous
four
wheels
of the
balanced
Christian
life
teaching,
which
says:
One way
to think
about
your
overall
health
is by
using
the
analogy
of an
automobile.
Cars
have
four
wheels
and it’s
important
that
they be
perfectly
balanced
for a
smooth
ride,
the
physical
(rest,
nutrition,
activity,
work,
exercise,
and
recreation),
the
psychological
(emotional),
the
relational
(family,
spouse,
children,
friends,
co-workers),
and
the
spiritual
all
must be
brought
into
perfect
balance.
Evaluating
these
samplings
of the
many
teachings
on the
subject
of the
balanced
Christian
life it
is
obvious
why many
people
are
frustrated.
I cannot
see
anywhere
in the
Scriptures
where
God has
charged
us with
the
responsibility
of
balancing
or even
better
said,
“micro-managing”
our
lives
during
this
earthly
sojourn.
These
teachings
without
knowing
it are
espousing
ideas
that are
rooted
in the
Man/earth
centered,
human
potential
jargon
of this
society—where
the
spiritual
life is
viewed
only as
a part
of the
whole,
instead
of the
whole.
And it
has
caused
people
to live
disjointed
spiritual
lives,
focusing
on
primarily
themselves
to
become
successful
managing
and
building
their
lives as
Christians
in this
fallen
world.
As I
evaluate
the
lives of
our Lord
Jesus
and His
apostles,
and
faithful
believers
throughout
history,
I do not
see this
tension.
In one
of his
famous
quotes
CS Lewis
said:
“If you
read
history
you will
find
that the
Christians
who did
most for
this
present
world
were
precisely
those
who
thought
most of
the
next. It
is since
Christians
have
largely
ceased
to think
about
the
other
world
that
they
have
become
so
ineffective
in this
world.”
I am not
downplaying
the
responsibilities
of a
Christian
husband
to his
wife, or
a wife’s
responsibilities
to her
husband,
or the
responsibilities
of
Christian
fathers
and
mothers
to their
children.
But as I
evaluate
the
teachings
from
Jesus
and His
apostles
on these
responsibilities,
I
believe
that we
must see
them as
the
fruit
and end
of our
Christian
faith,
instead
of as an
end in
themselves.
We see
this big
picture
perspective
modeled
in
Jesus’
response
to His
disciples
concerning
food. In
John
chapter
four,
after
Jesus
ministered
to the
woman at
the well
His
disciples
came to
Him
urging
Him to
eat
something.
Jesus
responded:
“I have
food to
eat of
which
you do
not
know. My
food is
to do
the will
of Him
who sent
me and
to
finish
His
work. Do
you not
say,
there
are
still
four
month’s
then
comes
the
harvest?
Behold I
say to
you,
lift up
your
eyes and
look at
the
fields
for they
are
already
white to
harvest”
(John
4:31,
34, 35).
The
Lord
lived a
life of
perfect
balance.
His call
to His
disciples
was to
see food
in its
proper
perspective
and not
be
distracted
from the
real
task at
hand.
The Lord
Jesus
instructed
us in
Matthew
6:25:
“Therefore
I say to
you,
Take no
thought
for your
life
what you
will eat
or what
you will
drink;
nor
about
your
body,
what you
will put
on. Is
not your
life
more
than
food and
your
body
more
than
clothing?’
In a
summation
of
verses
26-32,
on why
we
should
take no
thought
for our
lives,
in verse
33 Jesus
said,
“But
seek
first
the
kingdom
of God
and His
righteousness,
and all
these
things
will be
added to
you. And
in verse
34 we
are
told,
“Therefore
do not
worry
about
tomorrow,
for
tomorrow
will
worry
about
its own
things,
sufficient
for the
day is
its own
troubles.”
The
command
to us is
to see
our
lives in
this
world
from its
proper
perspective
and not
be
distracted
from the
real
task at
hand.
The
Greek
words
for
“take no
thought’
have
been
translated
as: not
being
anxious,
careful,
or
worrying
about
our
every
day
life.
But they
are also
warnings
against
one’s
mind
being
diverted,
distracted
and
pulled
in
conflicting
directions
from the
point of
our life
in this
world,
creating
confusion
and
conflict.
The
words
also
warn
against
the
dividing
and
disuniting
one’s
life in
sections,
making a
difference
between
the
different
areas of
life
that we
see
today,
that is
causing
so much
confusion.
We know
for
certain
that the
apostle
Peter
was
married
because
he had a
mother
in law
(Matthew
8:14).
The
apostle
Paul who
was not
married
asked
the
Corinthians
whether
he had
the
right to
take a
believing
wife (1
Corinthians
9:5) as
did the
other
apostles
and the
Lord’s
brothers
and
Cephas
(Peter).”
From
this we
can
assume
that
Peter
was not
the only
one to
have a
wife. In
response
to
Jesus’
words to
the rich
young
ruler
(Matthew
19:16-23)
Peter
said in
verse
27,
“See, we
have
left all
and
followed
You.
Therefore
what
shall we
have? In
verses
28-29
Jesus
said to
them,
“Assuredly
I say to
you,
that in
the
regeneration,
when the
Son of
Man sits
on the
throne
of His
glory,
you who
have
followed
me will
also sit
on
twelve
thrones,
judging
the
twelve
tribes
of
Israel.
And
everyone
who has
left
houses
or
brothers
or
sisters
or
father
or
mother
or wife
or
children
or lands
for my
names
sake,
shall
receive
a
hundredfold,
and
inherit
eternal
life.
The
apostle
Paul in
his
teaching
to the
church
at
Corinth,
I
believe,
puts the
tensions
of these
responsibilities
in their
proper
perspective
(1
Corinthians
7:29-34).
In verse
29 he
wrote:
“But
this I
say
brethren,
the time
is
short,
so that
from now
on even
those
who have
wives
should
live as
though
they had
none.”
In
verses
31-34:
“And
those
who use
the
things
of this
world as
not
misusing
it. For
the form
of this
world is
passing
away.
But I
want you
to be
without
care. He
who is
unmarried
cares
for the
things
of the
Lord-how
he may
please
the
Lord.
But he
who is
married
cares
about
the
things
of the
world-how
he may
please
his
wife.
There is
a
difference
between
a wife
and a
virgin.
The
unmarried
woman
cares
about
the
things
of the
Lord,
that she
may be
holy
both in
body and
spirit.
But she
who is
married
cares
about
the
things
of the
world-how
she may
please
her
husband.
And this
I say
for your
own
profit,
not that
I may
put a
leash on
you, but
for what
is
proper,
and that
you may
serve
the Lord
without
distraction.”
In verse
17, Paul
had
commanded
the
believers
at
Corinth
to
willingly
accept
the
marital
condition
and
social
situations
into
which
God had
placed
them and
be
content
to serve
Him
there.
In
Ephesians
5:1-2
Paul
said,
“Therefore
be
imitators
of God
dear
children.
And walk
in love,
as
Christ
also
loved us
and
given
Himself
for us,
an
offering
and a
sacrifice
to God,
for a
sweet
smelling
aroma.”
In verse
22 of
Ephesians
5, he
said:
Wives
submit
to your
own
husbands,
as to
the
Lord,
and in
verses
25-30 he
said:
“Husbands
love
your
wives,
just as
Christ
loved
the
church
and gave
himself
for her,
that He
might
sanctify
and
cleanse
her with
the
washing
of water
by the
word,
that He
might
present
her to
Himself
a
glorious
church,
not
having
spot or
wrinkle
or any
such
thing,
but that
she
should
be holy
and
without
blemish.
So
husbands
out to
love
their
own
wives as
their
own
bodies,
he who
loves
his wife
loves
himself.
For no
one ever
hated
his own
flesh
but
nourishes
and
cherishes
it, just
as the
Lord
does His
church.”
These
words
speak of
a
husband’s
responsibility
and
desire
for his
wife to
grow and
mature
in
Christ
that she
may
perfectly
conformed
to His
image.
In
Chapter
6:1-4
Paul
said:
“Children,
obey
your
parents
in the
Lord,
for this
is
right.
Honor
your
father
and
mother,
which is
the
first
commandment
with a
promise:
that it
may go
well
with you
and you
may live
long on
the
earth.”
In verse
4, he
sums up
the
responsibility
of a
Christian
father:
“And to
you
fathers,
do not
provoke
your
children
to
wrath,
but
bring
them up
in the
training
and
Admonition
of the
Lord.”
That the
children
also may
grow and
mature
in
Christ
and be
perfectly
conformed
to His
image.
The goal
of God’s
predetermined
purpose
for His
own is
that
they be
made
like
Jesus
Christ.
This is
the
prize of
the
upward
call
seeing
this
life in
this
world in
its
proper
perspective
(Roman
8:29;
Philippians
3:14).
Today
Does
Matter
The 33
years
that
Jesus
lived on
this
earth
was
lived
toward
one hour
of time
in John
12:23-28:
[Jesus
said,]“The
hour has
come for
the Son
of Man
to be
glorified.
Most
assuredly
I say to
you
unless a
kernel
of wheat
falls
into the
ground
and
dies, it
remains
alone;
but if
it dies,
it
produces
much
grain.
He who
loves
his life
will
lose it,
and he
who
hates
his life
in this
world
will
keep it
for
eternal
life. If
anyone
serves
Me, let
him
follow
me; and
where I
am,
there my
servant
will be
also. If
anyone
serves
Me, him
My
father
will
honor.
Now my
soul is
troubled,
and what
shall I
say?
‘Father,
save me
from
this
hour’?
But for
this
PURPOSE
I
came to
this
hour.
Father,
glorify
your
name.”
Just as
the Lord
Jesus,
we are
to live
our
lives on
this
earth
toward
one hour
of time.
Our hour
is the
consummation
of His
hour:
“Therefore
you also
be
ready,
for the
Son of
Man is
coming
at an
hour you
do not
expect”
(Luke
12:40).
“And if
I go and
prepare
a place
for you,
I will
come
again
and
receive
you to
Myself;
that
where I
am you
may be
also”
(John
14:3).
Your
future
is the
fruit of
your
TODAY OR
RIGHT
NOW.
If you
are not
focused
on and
prepared
for the
coming
of
Christ
TODAY/RIGHT
NOW, AT
THIS
PRESENT
MOMENT
you will
not be
READY
(in
position)
on that
DAY
AND HOUR.
Prepared
means to
be fit,
adjusted,
and set
in
order.
To be
set in
order is
to be
living a
balanced
Christian
life,
which is
a life
that is
lived in
remembrance
of
the
price
that
Jesus
paid to
redeem
our
lives
from
destruction.
It is
being
forever
mindful
of the
greatness
of the
sacrifice.
It is
constantly
calling
to mind
our
condition
when
Christ
died,
remembering
that we
were
enemies
of God
because
of sin,
cut off
from the
life of
God,
damned
and
sentenced
to hell
for
eternity.
And
worst of
all we
were
totally
helpless
to do
anything
about it
(1
Corinthians
11:24-26;
Isaiah
53:4, 5,
10;
Romans
5:6-8; 2
Corinthians
5:21;
Galatians
3:13;
Ephesians
2:11-13).
In
gratitude
we are
to live
a
godly
life,
which
means we
are to
live
reverently,
loyally,
and
obediently
before
God and
Man.
That
includes
husbands,
wives,
children,
family,
friends
and
co-workers
(Matthew
5:16;
Titus
2:11-14;
1 Peter
1:13-16;
2:11,
12). We
are to,
faithfully
share-earthly
minded
in the
Lord’s
work in
a manner
that is
worthy
to be
believed.
Pursuing
Jesus,
the Holy
Spirit,
and the
souls of
men,
women,
and
children
should
consume
our
lives
(Matthew
25:21; 1
Corinthians
15:58; 2
Corinthians
5:10;
Ephesians
5:15-16).
And
lastly
we are
live
expectantly-heavenly
minded,
preoccupied
with,
fixated
on,
watching,
waiting,
longing,
looking
for, and
loving
the
Lord’s
appearing
which is
the
blessed
hope of
the
believer
(Matthew
25:13;
Luke
2134-36;
John
14:1-3;
1
Corinthians
1:7;
Philippians
3:20; 1
Thessalonians
4:17;
5:6; 2
Timothy
4:8;
Titus
2:13;
Hebrews
9:28).
A
balanced
Christian
life
is
living
the
life,
working
on
earth,
and
watching
the sky.
There is
no room
or time
for
distractions
from the
point of
our
lives in
this
world.
If you
are not
prepared
(fit,
adjusted
and set
in order
NOW,
you will
not be
READY
(in
position)
to be
satisfied
on
THAT DAY
AND HOUR.
Satisfaction
is the
fulfillment
of a
longing.
Whatever
your
preoccupation,
fixation,
and
longing
is
NOW
it will
be on
THAT DAY
AND HOUR.
The real
question
for us
all is
this: If
you knew
exactly
what
DAY AND
HOUR
the Lord
was to
return;
how
would
you be
living
on that
DAY
AND
HOUR?
COMMITTED
TO
AUTHENTICITY.
Harry
Oliver
holiver11@yahoo.com