Jesus Our Standard
In the sixth century, most of the world lacked a reliable standard of measurement. Townships in Germany, for example, were advised to take the average length of the left foot of sixteen men to determine a “foot.”
The thirty-six inch “yard” comes down to us from King Henry I of England. The king established a yard to be the length from the tip of his nose to the end of his right arm, and decreed it would be the universal standard by which everything else in the kingdom would be measured.
This decree of standardization effectually transformed every act of measurement in the kingdom into an acknowledgment of his reign.
We acknowledge the reign of Jesus as King every time we allow him to be the standard by which we measure what is good and right and true.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2, ESV).
"Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge" (Romans 3:4, NIV).
Living on a Cliff
Young adults are getting used to living on a financial cliff. As of February 2024, NBC News reports:
The net worth of Americans ages 18-39 surged by 80% from the start of 2019 to the third quarter of last year, Federal Reserve Bank of New York research shows, blowing past the rates for older generations.
But much of the gains are from investments that climbed alongside stock markets and largely don’t translate into disposable income. And while many millennials (ages 28-43, according to Pew Research) — and plenty of their Gen Z near-peers (12-27) — are pulling in bigger paychecks, they’re still pumping that cash into pricier everyday expenses, from essentials like rent to luxuries like leisure travel. …
That mentality isn’t exclusive to young people. A “revenge spending” bonanza driven by FOMO, stimulus checks and built-up savings helped power the post-pandemic recovery, and consumer spending has kept chugging above expectations despite higher prices.
The financial peril this FOMO ("fear of missing out) mentality is akin to building your house on the edge of a cliff. It might have be a beautiful view of the ocean, but, in time, wind, rain, and erosion will see that big, beautiful home sliding down into the crashing waves below.
Life on the edge — each day full of dazzling views, deeply inspiring, exciting, without regard for the potential failure. Each day, the cliff's edge creeps ever closer, until your house — your life — lays a pile of rubble on the ocean floor.
They had their "best life" for a moment, but the edge’s nearness drew upon them faster than they ever expected.
We are not to use this life to craft and spend our time, money and resources on earthly experiences that bring joy and pleasure in the here and now — big houses, trendy travel, lavish lifestyles. We don’t have to live our best life now. We have eternity!
Let's not invest in and spend on the things that will all too soon drop off the edge of a cliff. Our calling is to invest in the kingdom to come!
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33, NIV).
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17, NIV).
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock" (Matthew 17:24-25, NIV).
The Coming Coronation
"Coronation fever is beginning to die down here in London. I must admit, it was quite a spectacular event. So much history. So much tradition. So much pomp. The world was drawn into this ceremony that placed a crown on the head of King Charles III. But as I watched, I couldn’t help but think of the future ..."
[Amir Tsarfati is an Israeli public figure, author, Bible teacher, and Middle East news correspondent/commentator. He is known for his Bible prophecy teachings, his insight into world events, and his fiction and non-fiction books. He is founder and president of Behold Israel.]
"A day is soon coming when there will be another coronation. When the crown is placed on the King’s head, it will not just be the symbol of His authority over one nation. Instead, this person will be crowned as King of all kings. Think of the pageantry of Charles’s coronation. Now picture in your mind what we will see as we watch our King, Jesus, take His rightful seat on His throne in Jerusalem! I can barely imagine it. And I know that whatever I see in my mind will pale against the actual event. What a day that will be!" - Amir Tsarfati
"For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords" (1 Timothy 6:15, NLT).
"But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom'" (1 Timothy 1:8, ESV).