God Making Treasure With Treasure

Let it rain!

“Walking with Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, is SO MUCH BETTER than anything you could do FOR God, better than any work, any art, because [in the Spirit] you become the art, you become the work.” Phil Vischer. Though the world considered us worthless, Jesus saw something valuable in us, a treasure worth the sacrifice of His life. After the cross and the resurrection, He sent the Spirit, a priceless treasure, to co-mingle with our spirits and produce a greater treasure, a greater work of art, a masterpiece, one that can bless thousands of other people. The Christian life is not about working for God, but rather, about God working through us. “Christ in us, the hope of Glory” (Colossians 1:27). A glimpse of the heart and power of God.

Worthless to the world, future evangelist and worshiper of God.

The God of “Something Better”

“Saul, I’ve planned something better for you!”

“God planned something better for us” (Hebrews 11:40)

Here’s a glimpse: In 1980, I was on the faculty of the University of Houston, and I was pursuing a great job opportunity elsewhere. I wanted it bad, but it fell through. I was devastated. A friend called me and asked how I was doing. I told him about the situation and my disappointment. “Well, the Lord must have something better for you.” That stuck in my mind. “Something better” was 18 years teaching at UMHB in Belton, and 13 years (so far) at Baylor. I think about the students, the colleagues, the friendships, the opportunities for ministry, and I give thanks to “the God of something better” who knew His plan was better than mine.