Transient

TITLE: TRANSIENT
DATE: March 19, 2019[
TEXT: Philippians 3:8-9 – ESV - 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--

There was a time when I remember sitting down with my parents and watching the Academy Awards.

​It was spectacular, There were famous individuals who were dressed spectacularly. They were featured in films which entertained, which instructed, which had a moral and usually the good guy won and the bad guy was punished.

Those were the days when the Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore) Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd), Roy Rogers and Gene Autry felt that since they influenced so many boys and girls they ought to live a circunspect life off screen as well as on screen.
Well, a few weeks ago they had the Academy Awards. Can you remember the winners….Did you ever know the winners.

​What was the Best Picture:

GREEN BOOK,  BLACK PANTHER,   BLACKKKLANSMAN,     BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
THE FAVOURITE,   ROMA,   A STAR IS BORN,   VICE

Who won Best Actor
RAMI MALEK, CHRISTIAN BALE,  BRADLEY COOPER,  WILLEM DAFOE, VIGGO MORTENSEN

Who won Best Actress
OLIVIA COLMAN,   YALITZA APARICIO,   GLENN CLOSE,  LADY GAGA,   MELISSA MCCARTHY

Folks, if you don’t know the answers, don’t feel badly. I got none of them..

Now don’t get me wrong., I’m not longing for the good old days when everything was better; I’m just yearning for the good old days when some things were. And if you want to know what was better about those days I could trot out a lot of qualities: honor, integrity, hope, responsibility, and respect.

But the real change, the ongoing change is that ,since those days many individuals have written God out of their lives. They live as if there is no sin, no judgment and no need for a Savior. Sadly, they will find out when the Redeemer comes to judge the  living and the dead.

Even sadder is so many of these are influential people and they are pulling other souls into hell along with them. Which is why we need to point to the Savior. Not to bring back the good old days… but to help souls be prepared for eternity. St. Paul had it right: “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that I might see things clearly. Help me differentiate between the transient and the eternal; the temporary and the permanent; the earthly heroes and the heavenly Redeemer, Then, when I have seen clearly, help me share Jesus with others. In His Name. Amen.

Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by Jim Denison for Christian Headlines on February 25, 2919.  Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: https://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/denison-forum/what-the-oscars-teach-us-about-significance.html

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He with his extended family have a great witness. This song comes from the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html