Word the Week - Life Lessons (Continued - Part 4 final)

“We will not hide them from our descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done”  Psalm 78:4

Life Lessons with Scriptural Context Continued – The following are the final 10 life lessons that Regina shared along with bible verses that I found that reinforce the principals/life lessons that Regina discovered over her 90 years on earth.  I think there is much truth and wisdom to be gleaned from Regina.  Just FYI, the “Word of the Week” email from last 3 weeks with context is enclosed below with the first 30 life lessons and relevant scriptures.

31. However good or bad the situation, it will change.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…”.  We must embrace change and see it as a reality of life.  If we understand seasons and life cycles then they become our ally.
32. Don’t take yourself too seriously, no one else does.  Matthew 18:2 “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven”. We must have a childlike spirit toward God and this is not possible if we take ourselves too seriously, not to mention, life is difficult enough without taking ourselves too seriously.
33. Believe in miracles.  Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” God is the same today as He was in the beginning.  Since He is the creator of heaven and earth there is nothing that impossible with God.  Hope is a blessing and having faith in God to perform miracles is a wonderful gift.  Believe and receive!!! 
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.  Romans 5:8 “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” We are God’s children saved by grace not from our works and what we do.  We simply have to believe and receive the gift of salvation and walk by faith.  This is the good news of Christ Jesus!!!!!
35.  Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.  1 Timothy 6: 6-11 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it”.  Living life in the present with contentment is the life that is truly life.
36. Growing old beasts the alternative of dying young. 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” If we understand and accept that the purpose of life is to be prepared for eternity with Christ, we can see each day as a gift toward being sanctified (prepared) for our ultimate journey home.  “So to live is Christ and to die is gain”. Philippians 1:21
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.  1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love”.  God is love and thus the most important thing for us to receive and give is love.  “Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trust, always hopes and always perseveres” 1 Corinthians 14:4-7
38. Envy is a waste of time.  Accept what you already have not what you need.  Proverbs 14:30 “A heart of peace and contentment gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones”. Accepting our lot in life and finding contentment is truly a blessing that bring peace and joy.  It is our choice to focus on our blessings looking toward Christ or focus on what we don’t have and those around us, which bring strife and discontentment.
39. Life is not tied with a bow but it is still a gift.  Psalms 139: 13-14  “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.”. God created every human being unique and in His image; therefore, every life is precious and valuable in the eyes of God.  This is why we should value our lives and the lives of all, and make the most of the gift of life that we have been given.
40. The best is yet to come!!!!!  Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than you can ever ask ore imagine by His power at work in you”.  As long as we are living and breathing there is an opportunity for God to do even more of His great work within us and through us.  Se be encouraged, God has a great plan for you and the best is yet to come, even when you are 90 years old like Regina when she wrote this.

Have a blessed week,-Duane