Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Hebrews 13:8  HCSB

I have promised myself that this year, I will do what I did many years ago.  I will go out in January and go to the sales and buy most of the Christmas presents for those on my list.  Years ago, my mom and I did this.  We would hit the clearance sales in January and get really nice gifts for great prices and have most of our Christmas shopping done.  Then maybe August-October, we would pick up a few extras here and there but for the most part we were done in January.  Now the problem with that today is that technology is ever changing, clothing styles are ever changing, so what is a great gift in January may be old news by Christmas time.

We live in an ever changing world.  Some changes are good and some not so good.  And of course it is all matters of opinion.  I, for one, am not happy about the fact that for years now some of my favorite restaurants have had these huge televisions installed in every corner.  I mean, honestly, if I want to eat in front of the television, I will eat at home or go to a sports bar.  I applaud the restaurants that have held out and actually provide less distractions while we eat and fellowship with friends and family.

Cell phones have become a necessary evil.  Many years ago, I bought my first cell phone due to the fact that I had been stranded on a desolate stretch of interstate for a  couple hours after traveling four hours from my home.  Cell phones had just come out and once I got through that trip, I immediately purchased my first cell phone when I got back home.  Now back then they were the old bag phones which worked great.  But today we have these hand held computers.  You can not only call and text, but you can get the news and weather.  You can play games.  You can express yourself through social media.  You can take pictures and send them.  In my opinion, they are a blessing and a curse.  While it is great to have all of that at your fingertips even while you are riding in your car, it is also dangerous.  They provide yet another distraction for drivers as if eating and applying makeup weren’t distractions enough.  People are dying because they can’t put their phones down.  People have actually been walking and texting and fallen onto subway tracks.

While times and technology continually change some for good and some for bad, it is comforting to me to know that God remains the same.  He is always there for us, He always loves us, He always wants what is best for us even if He has to bring us through hard times to get us there.

The problem we face in society today is that we have become so fast moving and ever changing that we have little time or patience for things that don’t change.  We can’t make room in our lives for those types of things. And what’s really odd is that while we soak up all this constant changing going on in the world, we are afraid to change. We are afraid to turn to God. We are afraid to give up the things that separate us from Him. We are afraid to admit that we are lost without Him. We are afraid to speak to others about our need for Christ in our lives. While we live in an ever changing fast paced society, we are afraid to change ourselves. What will our friends think? How will our family view us?

I know because I had all these fears. I had worked in a job where Jesus was rarely, if ever, mentioned. I had seen the worst society had to offer. I had grown very comfortable living in the flesh but very uncomfortable at the same time. You see, God had begun to deal with me and my sin. God was encouraging me to leave my sin behind and follow Jesus. But, I was afraid of what I would lose or who I would lose from my life. But within a few months the discomfort of my sin became far more prevalent than the comfort I had living in the flesh. I had to do something. So I cried out to God. I literally just handed it all up to Him. That was over 9 years ago and since that time, I have never regretted letting go of my sin. I have been freed from that bondage. Romans 8:8 tells us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Can I share a little secret with you? If God isn’t happy, then you won’t be happy, just sayin’.

Since that time, I have had joy and peace in my life. From time to time the devil tries to distract me, but praise God, God gives me wisdom and discernment to see those distractions for just what they are. He will do the same for you.

Have a great weekend!