Never forget, there's life after death...and taxes

I can tell you there are two things that are certain in this life: Death and Taxes. For some, one might lead to the other, but we'll save that for a day when I feel like giving tax advice, right now it is about Kingdom Business.

As a tax accountant, I can tell you that you will have to pay taxes. It is inevitable. In fact, I don't even have to be an accountant to tell you that you are going to pay taxes. It is an absolute in today's world. There is a second absolute: death. When I say death, I mean ceasing to exist in this body. Not living, not breathing, nothing. The first death (for me and hopefully you, the only death). I can't tell you when you'll die, but studies have shown, ten out of ten people will die. When, well we don't know, but I will tell you this much, and I apologize for the cliches, today could be your last day.

So what if today is your last? Think about it for second, then think about what you would do if you knew it was. What would you do? Twenty-four hours to live. What would you do with them? Skydive? Buffet time? Drive a fancy car? Tough to think about to say the least. Sorry to get so serious on you, but God really put it on my heart today to talk about this.

I have been thinking about it for a while now, and I got a verse the other day to support it. My search for this verse came from a status of a friend on facebook who complained of having been stuck in an elevator. Unfortunate. Getting stuck in an elevator. But then I thought to myself, "Getting stuck in an elevator. Gotta call someone to tell them where I am, and then, what? That would be a sweet opportunity to open the word and read while I wait." Could you imagine? Life gives you an otherwise crappy situation, and you seize the opportunity and it becomes a divine appointment. Maybe in that moment of silence, you are able to focus on Him, and He gives you some sweet confirmation. God works in mysterious ways. Mysterious to us because His ways and His thoughts are beyond us. (Isaiah 55:8)

An opportunity. What my friend had in the elevator was an opportunity. It's what we all have when an unsaved person comes our way. It is what happens when a trial or a tragedy comes our direction. It is what happens when Satan comes and sits right next to us and begins to try and chip away at our very being. It is an opportunity. Every opportunity we get, is a point in time where we are presented with a decision: Please God, or Please self. Glory to God or Glory to self. Submit to God or Submit to self.

The verse I found in response to my thoughts of opportunities was this:

Ephesians 5:15-16

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

I liked the way the NLT version put it: 15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Make the most of every opportunity. We live in evil times. You are not promised tomorrow.

Every opportunity. Every single one. Imagine what the world would be like if we made the most of every opportunity. I mean this can apply in the simplest of situations as much as it can in the most complicated. Your boss asks you to stay late, respond in anger or discontent, or respond in obediance? The latter would require you to set aside your selfish ambition, however, if your boss knows your a Christian, it would strengthen your testimony.

Ultimately we can't forget that everything laid out before us is what God wanted for us. Eph 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." He has us where He wants us, and trust me when I tell you that if you're not where you ought to be, He will let you know. What we have to do, myself included (do I ever) is in all things focus on what it is that situation or that opportunity can do for His glory. Everything we do for Him does not go unnoticed, He remembers it. He honors our submission, honors our willingness and honors our sacrifice. We have to make sure we are in His will constantly.

We have to focus less on the internal and focus more on the eternal (Bob Coy, 2 Cor 4:18)

There is life after death and taxes. That is where our focus should be. As Christians we have already guarenteed our present state. Let's now do as much work as possible to invest in our eternal state. To store up treasures in heaven, not on earth. And don't let the devil own you, he lost when you said yes to God. (Gal 2:20)