Theres No Time Like the Present > NetSparsh - Viral Content you Love & Share

Home
>
Religion
>
Theres No Time Like the Present

Theres No Time Like the Present

Today certainly is a present and we are to rejoice and be glad in it, because this is the day the Lord has made! Every day we rise to begin anew is definitely a gift from God.

We've all heard the saying, "There is no time like the present". When you think about this, it's true. Each and every one of us is given this day as a free gift to be used in honoring our Creator in everything we do. We are however, given the choice to use this time any way we want. This special gift is very often times taken for granted but so often leaving us empty, wanting more. What more do you want? Do you want material wealth, power, fame or do want true contentment, peace, happiness and joy?

Many times we will say that someone is, "living in the past, or living in the future". Why is it that we are everywhere but here? I believe that God intended for us to use our memories of the past to benefit our todays. We learn from experience, we learn from the past in order to make our lives better. God instructed us not to stay in the past. For one reason, that's where our sins are. Once we surrender to Christ, we give Him all those past sins, not to mention the present and future ones too. To remember these is not God's intention because Christ paid the price for those sins and when God says He has forgotten them, then we too must go forward and let them go as well.

"As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 (Amplified)

Jesus Himself warns us about not looking to the past anymore because it's not healthy for our life here on earth or the one for eternity.

Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back (to the things behind) is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 10:62 (Amplified)

When Jesus asked the man to follow Him, he replied, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury (await the death) of my father." Jesus replied by telling him to let the dead bury their own dead, but as for this man to go and publish abroad throughout all the regions the kingdom of God". Luke 9:59 (Amplified)

In other words, Jesus is telling us to leave the death of sin and come forward today with Him into Eternal Life and spread the good news to others. Obviously there is no life in sin.

Coming forward doesn't mean that we should run ahead of Him either. We tend to get in a hurry and wish our today away because..."we'll be happy when..."

A life without Christ is not knowing how to be content and happy right now. But this is where our true happiness lies. The reason we will never find happiness if waiting on certain circumstances to happen first is because we are seeking temporal things. The truth is that even when and if we do obtain these material or carnal wishes, we still won't be happy, because by then some other priority will have taken its place. When God is first in our lives, we then find happiness in any situation.

"Do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of it's own. Sufficient for each day is it's own trouble." Matthew 6:34 (Amplified)

Christ knew the secret to happiness and He told us not to worry about anything that was not in our control. Face it, there is not much that we can control, so why worry? He knew this would create anxiety and fears, and this is not what God intends for His children. Fear and doubt is a trap that the enemy sets up for us to fall into. Fear and doubt takes us out of fellowship with God and that is exactly what Satan wants from all of us.

God wants us to learn from His Words and the examples that are written in it. One example is when the Israelites ran ahead of God falling into traps of idolotry, complaining and doubting that the Lord would actually deliver them. As a result of their disobedience, God turned their wilderness journey into a 40 year trip that should've taken only days to complete. They created all their own trouble by doubting God. This holds true today, when our lack of faith and trust turns into a wilderness journey. God will keep us going around the same old mountain over and over until we are ready to submit to Him. This is how He gets our attention. If the journey seems too long, then we really need to search our relationship with God.

The true fact is that when our carnal desires take presidence over God, we will always be led down the wrong path. One that is wide and tempting and holds many detours and dead ends. This wide path holds all the sins of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Why not make today the first day of the rest of your "eternal" life by submitting to Christ and living righteously for today? Let Him lead you down the straight and narrow path.

Don't allow the enemy to tell you anything differently. Confess Jesus today as your Lord and Savior and admit that you are a sinner and need to be forgiven. If you say this from the heart, you will soon see a big change in your outlook on life. Live for today, live for Jesus!

If you are heading in the wrong direction, remember...God allows U turns!

Vivian Gordon is inspired by the calling of the Holy Spirit to write inspirational arcticles. Also has a calling for teaching the news of the Gospel. A creative person, she makes original one of a kind inspirational gifts for any occasion, called "Blessed Memories"

In The News:

Make faith great again: Hollywood celebrities finally talking about their religious beliefs Fox NewsAt a time where it seems like your career could be at stake if you publicly mention your religious affiliation, seeing celebrities come out of their biblical closet on ...

The EU's Work On Freedom Of Religion Or Belief Is Being Challenged From Within ForbesGetting the European Union (and its different mechanisms) to engage effectively on the subject of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) has always been difficult.

Religion, arts enhance STEM learning at Good Shepherd School CatholicPhilly.comGood Shepherd Catholic School in Ardsley, Montgomery County has added to its STEM initiative — which emphasizes science, technology, engineering and ...

Sex and religion | Culture The Gazette • Western University's NewspaperThere both similarities and differences among religious views on sex.

Respecting An Establishment Of Religion Above the LawForcing free and independent individuals to pay for religious displays violates the First Amendment.

Hindu monastic order is reclaiming transgender people's status in Indian society Religion News ServicePRAYAGRAJ, India (RNS) — On a warm January evening, sadhus and devotees surrounded Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, the former reality TV star, jostling to get a ...

How a national emergency order endangers the 'other' Religion News ServicePeople from Pittsburgh's New Light Congregation and Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church join members of Mother Emanuel Church to march in ...

Senate panel advances bill broadening religious freedom protections khqa.comA bill aimed at protecting religious freedom is moving forward at the statehouse, despite warnings from opponents who say it could open the door to ...

Hollywood actor puts religion to test and says it led him to a relationship with Jesus Christ Christian PostHOLLYWOOD — Actor Kristoffer Polaha revealed how exploring and testing religion led him back to Christianity and a true relationship with Jesus Christ.

Hate Hoaxes Are What Happen When Your Religion Is Identity Politics The FederalistThese hate hoax stories bear too many similarities to be seen simply as isolated attention-seeking. Progressivism is a toxic belief system.

RELIGION: Blessed are the poor ThoroldNews.comRecently, the Gospel reading for Sunday morning was a passage traditionally known as the Sermon on the Plain. It is recorded in the 6 th chapter of the Gospel ...

Does a 40-foot Latin cross honoring World War I veterans violate the Constitution? The Supreme Court will decide. USA TODAYThe Supreme Court considers whether a Latin cross to honor World War I dead violates the First Amendment.

Controversial 'religious freedom' bill gets another look at Iowa Capitol Des Moines RegisterRepublican lawmakers have reintroduced a bill at the Iowa Capitol that they say will protect religious rights but that critics warn could allow businesses in the ...

Why we studied the possible links between religion and happiness, health and civic engagement Pew Research CenterPeople who regularly attend a house of worship are more likely to be happy and civically engaged than those who do not, according to a new Pew Research ...

Trump just promised to help religious adoption agencies that won’t work with gay parents. Here’s what he could do. Washington PostAt Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump introduced a family he called “inspiring to us all”: the Bucks from Michigan, who have adopted five ...

Sociologists study the impact religion has on child development Science DailyDo children raised by religious parents have better social and psychological development than those raised in non-religious homes? In a new study, ...

Analysis | How offensive have Trump's past comments on race and religion been? You tell us. The Washington PostPresident Trump raised a few eyebrows earlier this week when he criticized tweets by freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) suggesting that American politicians ...

Grief hides in the church bathroom Religion News Service(RNS) — A friend of mine recently lost her daughter, an 8-month-old baby who was just beginning to get to know the world around her. I saw my friend at church ...

What Science Can Learn From Religion The New York TimesHostility toward spiritual traditions may be hampering empirical inquiry.

POLL: Sidhu says terror has "no country, no religion". Do you agree? Yahoo NewsCongress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been condemned for his remarks that terrorism has “no country, no religion”.

Abortion is not about religion | Letters Jamaica GleanerTHE EDITOR, Sir: For Peter Espeut, contrary to his claim, and for many church people, abortion is very much a religious issue. Their position is clearly based on ...

As Americans disengage from religion, a California institution encourages questioning Religion News ServiceOJAI, Calif. (RNS) — They come by the dozens, making their way past groves of orange trees and converging on a low-slung white house with a gnarled pepper ...

When Religion Leads to Trauma The New York TimesSome churches “weaponize scripture and religion to do very deep damage on the psyche,” one pastor says.

UP budget 2019: Religion, cows among Yogi Adityanath’s 4 point development formula The Financial ExpressThe budget aims to create a generous fusion between rural livelihood and cattle economy, women welfare, development of tourist destinations, modernization ...

Tim Tebow makes the Christian movie he's always wanted to see Religion News ServiceLOS ANGELES (RNS) — Tim Tebow, the Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback now readying for his fourth season as a minor-league baseball ...

Iran should return to ancient teachings of Islam, a religion hijacked in 1979 by a dictatorial regime Fox NewsMany experts on the Middle East never thought they'd see the day the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates would be ...

Religion's Relationship to Happiness, Civic Engagement and Health Pew Research Center's Religion and Public Life ProjectPeople who are active in religious congregations tend to be happier and more civically engaged than either religiously unaffiliated adults or inactive members of ...

Exclusion of women from temples not essential to Hindu religion: Kerala government on Sabarimala Economic TimesNEW DELHI: Exclusion of women from temples is not essential to the Hindu religion, the Kerala government said Wednesday vehemently opposing in the ...

Does Alabama Support Religious Liberty? The New York TimesBy moving to bar chaplains from the death chamber, the state has undermined the place of faith in the public sphere.

China’s disdain for religious freedoms BusinessLineIts superpower status has allowed it to get away with persecution of religious minorities. India should leverage its soft power.

Books explore Merton the writer, Religion 101 and Antarctic ice National Catholic ReporterDuring Lent, Trappist Fr. Thomas Merton was irate when the Passion was read in what he described as an "extremely trite and pedestrian English version," albeit ...

'Alien Religion': Tajik Customs Officials Burn 5,000 Baptist Calendars RadioFreeEurope/RadioLibertyA senior official in Tajikistan's Customs *Service* has confirmed that the authorities have confiscated and burned 5000 evangelical Christian calendars ordered by ...

Apparently Killer Mike Really Does Have His Own Religion VICEKiller Mike is full of big ideas. On his wild new Netflix show Trigger Warning With Killer Mike, the rapper-turned-public personality goes to extreme lengths to ...

Volunteer religion teacher accused of indecent behavior with juveniles, sexual battery KALB NewsA Prairieville man, who volunteered as a religion teacher, has been accused of indecent behavior with juveniles and sexual battery.

Listen to R.E.M. Perform "Losing My Religion," Released on This Day in 1991 :: Music :: Features :: R.E.M. :: Paste Paste MagazineAthens, Ga. alternative rockers R.E.M. released their best-known song, “Losing My Religion” on this day in 1991. It was the first single from their 1991 seventh ...

Marie Kondo and Kuyō: Is throwing things away really a religious experience? Religion News Service(RNS) — “Does it spark joy?” Since the release of the 2019 Netflix documentary “Tidying Up” with Marie Kondo, people across the globe have been inspired to ...

Cdl. Burke: Pope’s declaration saying God wills ‘diversity of religions’ is ‘not correct’ LifesiteFebruary 19, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Raymond Burke thinks the controversial statement in a joint Catholic-Muslim declaration signed by Pope Francis in ...

Religion makes America give The Week MagazineHere are three of the week's top pieces of financial advice, gathered from around the web: Burned by a hot startup. When a well-funded big company goes bust, ...

Administration seeks to fund religious foster-care groups that reject LGBTQ parents Washington PostPresident Trump made religious leaders a contentious promise at this week's National Prayer Breakfast: Faith-based adoption agencies that won't work with ...

Nebraska Lawmaker: Atheists Should Promote Religion Since It Keeps Us “In Line” PatheosNebraska State Sen. Steve Erdman recently introduced a bill, LB73, which would require public schools to display the phrase “In God We Trust” in “each ...

MWL chief receives World's Religions Peace Award ArabnewsRIYADH: The National Council on US-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) has awarded the secretary-general of the Muslim World League, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul ...

Religious studies in public schools? One Missouri lawmaker wants high school Bible classes Houston HeraldJEFFERSON CITY • A state lawmaker who is a minister and dean of students at a southwest Missouri religious college wants public high school students to learn ...

When senators ask a nominee about their religious beliefs, they should give this simple answer Washington ExaminerDemocratic senators have a new habit of asking judicial and executive branch nominees about their religious beliefs during confirmation hearings. Asking such ...

Religious superiors admit denial, slowness to act against abuse The Tablet'We want to act with humility. We want to see our blind spots. We want to name any abuse of power'. Religious superiors admit denial, slowness to act against ...

Abortion, death penalty, religion: Late-night rulings show new alliances at Supreme Court The Washington PostLate-night rulings that touched on abortion, the death penalty and religious rights provided new insight into the alliances on the reconstituted Supreme Court and ...

UTSA sociologists study the impact religion has on child development UTSA Today(Feb. 6, 2019) -- Do children raised by religious parents have better social and psychological development than those raised in non-religious homes? In a new ...

Woman claims discrimination by SC foster agency over her religion WLTX.comIn an AP exclusive story, the woman says she was told she couldn't be a foster parent due to her religion.

The Anti-Israel Religion besacenter.orgAnti-Israelism is the modern face of anti-Semitism and just as toxic. Anti-Israelism is a modern-day religion in that it demands unquestioning adherence to a ...

In Detroit, one organization is schooling Muslims on racial justice Religion News Service(RNS) — It began, as so many social justice movements these days do, on Twitter. Namira Islam, a Bangladeshi-American lawyer living in Detroit, had noticed ...

What Religion is 'The Pioneer Woman' Ree Drummond? The Cheat Sheet'The Pioneer Woman' star Ree Drummond sometimes mentions faith, but what religion does she practice? Here's what we know about Ree Drummond's ...

Minority Muslims free to practise their religion in China, says Islamic group - Nation The Star OnlineBEIJING: Minority Muslims in China are not being discriminated or persecuted by the Chinese government, says China Islamic Association (CIA) vice-president ...

Fifty years later, Catholic Church reckons again with unbelief Religion News Service(RNS) — Fifty years after it held the world's first international conference examining the rise of atheism and secularism, the Vatican is joining forces with a British ...

Launch of new resources to help companies embrace religious diversity Religion News ServiceExecutive trainings and new index prepare executives for next D&I challenge. WASHINGTON — The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF), the ...

Muslim, Jewish college presidents focus on common goals with Christian educators Religion News ServiceWASHINGTON (RNS) — Like most college presidents, Ari Berman and Hamza Yusuf care about giving their students the best education possible in the ...

Religion vs. Free Speech Gatestone InstituteCourts and government bodies still find it hard to make useful distinctions between gratuitous, racist, or violent speech about Islam and Muslims on the one hand ...

Why is Nigeria cracking down on peaceful religious protests? The Washington PostThe Nigerian government appears to be taking a hard line on religious opposition — though not against the usual suspects. Even as the Boko Haram insurgency ...

Provoked By Trump, The Religious Left Is Finding Its Voice NPRThe Trump administration has inspired a new activism on the part of liberal religious groups. Like the Moral Majority of the 1980s, they fear an assault on their ...

Harvest announces executive committee will resign, more changes after MacDonald fired Religion News ServiceCHICAGO (RNS) — Harvest Bible Chapel, an embattled Chicago-area megachurch, announced this past weekend that the executive committee of its elders will ...

Is Religious Freedom for Christians Only? The New York TimesDomineque Hakim Marcelle Ray wanted an imam by his side when he was executed. The Supreme Court said no.

Murders of Religious Minorities in India Go Unpunished, Report Finds The New York TimesNEW DELHI — The Indian authorities have delayed investigating a wave of vigilante-style murders of religious minorities, with many instead working to justify ...

Majority-Muslim Turkey Becomes Less Religious, Poll Says NPRDespite a rise in religious doctrine from the government, a recent survey shows a dip in the portion of people identifying as religious, compared with a poll in ...

Reclaiming Religious Freedom Center For American ProgressLast month, the most religiously diverse U.S. Congress in our nation's history was sworn into office. For proponents of religious liberty, this was an incredible ...

Five things to know about religious freedom in the United Arab Emirates The Washington PostWhile the freedom of worship is enshrined in the constitution, the government maintains tight control over where religious activities can take place.

Why some young Muslim women are leaning into arranged marriages Religion News Service(RNS) — Last month, Muslim matchmaking app Muzmatch hit 1 million users around the world. The co-founders of the so-called halal dating tool claim that at ...

Tulsi Gabbard: Religious bigotry is un-American Religion News Service(RNS) — I am proud to be the first Hindu American to have been elected to Congress and now the first Hindu American to run for president. While the headlines ...

Religious orders apologize for sex abuse inaction, cover-ups TribDem.comCatholic religious orders from around the world apologized Tuesday for having failed to respond when their priests raped children, acknowledging that their ...

Andrew Mackenzie finds new religion as BHP delivers on dividends The Australian Financial ReviewBHP exercised the recovered power of its balance sheet by maintaining the interim dividend, even though earnings were shaken by the vicissitudes of running a ...

Ignatius Press: Providing religious and philosophical fuel for the mind for 40 years Aleteia ENA look at the good works that Ignatius Press has conducted in celebration of their 40th year.

Religious news, notes and happenings | Community Independent TribuneSaturday, Feb. 23. Lowesville Gospel Concerts at Living Word Ministries, 1062 Hwy. 16 S, Stanley (Lowesville), presents The 3 Heath Brothers, The Waymasters ...

US Muslim leaders call on China to end persecution of Uighurs Religion News Service(RNS) – More than 130 American Muslim leaders and scholars have signed an open letter condemning the Chinese government's continued persecution and ...

Austin, Texas says religious group lacks standing to challenge LGBT law ReutersThe city of Austin, Texas has told a federal judge that a group representing churches across the country does not have standing to challenge its law banning ...

Boy Scouts In Troop 150 Earn Religious Award | Community Ste. Genevieve HeraldSix Boy Scouts from Troop 150 received the Ad Altare Dei “To the Altar of God” award on February 3 at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis. The program which.

The Problem with the Latest Predictions for 'the Rise of the Religious Left' Rewire.NewsNot only are claims that the religious left is “on the rise” as old as the contemporary religious right itself, but the framing of the religious left may actually further ...

Religious Exemption Vaccination Bill Fails KJZZA bill that would have allowed Arizona parents to claim a religious exemption for the requirement to vaccinate their children to attend school did not pass out of ...

South Carolina foster care providers can reject people who don't share their religious beliefs CNNFederally funded child welfare agencies in South Carolina can refuse to perform services that conflict with their religious beliefs, the US Department of Health ...

Orthodox Jewish nursery that sacked teacher for living with partner cleared of religious discrimination The IndependentAn Orthodox Jewish nursery did not religiously discriminate against a teacher it sacked because she was living with her partner prior to marriage, a judge has ...

NYS kawmakers propose striking religious exemption to vaccines WGRZ.comMeasles Outbreaks in State Prompt Review of Exemption.

'They have become the new religion': Esther Perel says we expect too much from relationships CBC.caCouples therapist talks about why we fail to connect and how we can do better.

Kansas bill repealing death penalty evokes moral, religious, justice arguments The Garden City TelegramTOPEKA — Sister Therese Bangert's career as a volunteer police and fire chaplain in Kansas City, Kan., took her into the heart of darkness.She witnessed fallout ...

'More merciful than Yahweh': Jack Miles on God in the Quran Religion News Service(RNS) — Ever since 9/11, Americans have been treated to a host of conflicting, often ill-informed, views about Islam and its deity, Allah. Some insist Allah is a ...

New opportunity for religious women to join high-tech in Israel! Arutz ShevaMachon Tal, Machon Lev's sister school, is opening a new computer science undergraduate degree in English for women!

Religious groups advocate 'conversion therapy' for homosexuals swissinfo.chEven in modern Switzerland, homosexuals are being bullied into undergoing conversion therapies to change their sexual compass. Thomas Lauber grew up in ...

Côte Saint-Luc says it won't enforce religious symbol ban CBC.caThe City of Côte Saint-Luc is taking a stand against the Legault government's religious symbols ban, even though it doesn't yet exist. Last Monday, the city ...

Q & A with Sr. Liliana Franco, leader of women religious in Latin America, the Caribbean Global Sisters ReportSr. Liliana Franco sees the next three years as an opportunity for transformation for religious life in the Americas. Franco, a sister of the Company of Mary, ...

Indeed, honor Walter Jones and his advocacy for religious liberty Christian PostSomeone, who was something of an institution in North Carolina, died on Sunday, February 10th. Sunday too is an institution and a sacred one at that. And it ...

KOREA Paju, religious leaders united for peace in Korea and in the world AsiaNewsThey participated in an event organized by the Korean Conference of Religions for Peace (Kcrp), which brings together the seven major religions in South Korea ...

Hungarian FM to Post: Budapest has no problem with George Soros’ religion The Jerusalem PostHungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the issue the Hungarian government has is with the views held by George Soros.

Take a walk this Saturday in Brickfields and learn about nine religious locations in the area Malay MailKUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — If you are into getting up early for a walk, try heading to Brickfields this Saturday. Religious leaders from the Brickfield district in ...

Where 'Religious Freedom' Means Avoiding a Bloodbath The American ConservativeChristians in America sometimes speak of being persecuted. They aren't. Their religious freedom is under attack, surprisingly so in a nation that once viewed ...

Theres No Time Like the Present

Religion Religion