Author: theLifeBlog

Hi, my name is Caden Arendt and I am a sophomore at Regent University pursuing a degree in elementary education. I belong to the greatest family ever to exist with two amazing, hardworking parents; my 21-year-old brother whom I consider my best friend and biggest mentor; my 14-year-old sister, who is the best encourager you’ll ever meet; and my crazy, goofy 10-year-old brother who never fails to make me laugh (I sure am blessed). We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country in northeastern Pennsylvania. My two biggest hobbies are going on outdoor adventures (backpacking, white water rafting, hiking, rock climbing, zip lining, etc.) and learning (anywhere from learning about God's amazing creation through studying science to learning about His amazing qualities and how to serve Him better by reading His Word). My Testimony: I accepted Christ at a young age and since then God has continued to grow me and mold me into who I am today, shaping my mission to further His Kingdom by helping others set up a game plan for making disciples and encouraging others to match their potential with God's Power in order to accomplish mind blowing things for His glory. "...of which I, [Caden], have become a servant... to present to you the word of God in its fullness... which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." - Colossians 1:23, 25, 27 If have any questions about me or my testimony please do not hesitate to ask.

Steadfast Love and Faithfulness

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This month, I am entering into my last semester of college at Regent University. In light of this, I have been reflecting on some of the greatest lessons I have learned from my time at college. My greatest takeaway has been growing in the knowledge of and experiencing God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

The steadfastness of God’s love and the attribute of His faithfulness are two clearly important themes in scripture. During my freshman year, I read a Psalm everyday. As I read, I circled the phrase steadfast love each time it was written (a total of 127 times). In twenty-five of those instances, the word faithfulness is also present in the same verse. Below are twelve of my favorite psalms regarding God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. These passages are so beautifully written and, together, they describe how God’s steadfast love and faithfulness impact every part of our lives. I’ll provide a brief commentary after each passage, however, if you do not have time to read it all, please just read the verses. Those words are way more powerful and I truly believe that if you pray about the steadfast love and faithfulness of God like the psalmists do, you will begin to experience God’s presence anew and afresh in your life. 

"Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, 
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."
- Psalm 90:14; ESV

The perfect start to a day is one that meditates on and soaks in the steadfast love of the LORD. This is a morning saturated in grateful, praise-filled prayer to God and one that dwells on the life-giving truth of His Word. Mornings like this lead to joyful days abundant with recognition of God’s hand in everything that occurs throughout our day.

"For the LORD is good: 
His steadfast love endures forever, 
and His faithfulness to all generations."
- Psalm 100:5; ESV

Not one year, not one week, not one iota of time goes by without the nature of God remaining consistent. In love for His Creation (us), He holds the universe together. His steadfast love and faithfulness are qualities that always remain the same. He is always always good. He is always love. Need proof? The earth is still orbiting around the Sun so He must not have changed!

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, 
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
...For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does He remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children, 
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him. 
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust."
- Psalm 103:8, 11-14; ESV

Do you ever get overwhelmed with trying to do everything perfect in order to please God? Sometimes I  do which is why I love meditating on this passage. This reminds me that God is the one who created me from dust and stood there in the garden when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Therefore, He knows that I am a fallen human-being who make mistakes and selfishly chooses things of the world before Him at times. He knows that there is a battle within me between flesh and spirit and He knows that at my core, because of the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in me, I love Him. He knows my inadequacies but He also knows my truest desire is to glorify Him and enjoy Him. Therefore, He has compassion on me. This means that in my times of greatest regret, I need not hide my face from Him. Instead, I can come to Him seeking repentance and He will give it for the sake of His steadfast love. In this, God is faithful- when we are weak, His grace abounds. 

"Let them thank the LORD for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!"
- Psalm  107:8, 15, 31; ESV

Psalm 107 is a psalm that recounts the times the LORD redeemed those in distress. Those who had lost their way in sin; others who were hungry and forgotten and in need; some who were prisoners; some who were fools; and those who had turned from the LORD in doubt. But God, being rich in mercy sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for their sins, that all who believe in Him may have life and fellowship with Him, who is seated at the right hand of the Father. We once were separated from our Heavenly Father because of our innate, sinful nature but because of His steadfast love and faithfulness demonstrated through Jesus we can have life with Him and have it to the fullest. Let us recount the wondrous work that Jesus did on the cross. Let us thank God for His steadfast love!

"Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; 
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD."
- Psalm 107:43; ESV

Only fools deny the steadfast love of God. His steadfastness towards us is the only reason blessings may come to us. Fools deny this. Fools say their own effort has achieved their place for them. Fools accuse God when trouble befalls them and forget God when prosperity comes there way. But the LORD is righteous in all His ways. He is both judge and defender and His steadfast love and faithfulness is toward those who fear Him. Let us be wise and consider how God’s steadfast love and faithfulness is being shown to us right now. On the day of judgement, I want to be acknowledged as a wise man who feared the LORD.

"I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples; 
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
Your faithfulness teaches to the clouds."
- Psalm 108:2b-4; ESV

The psalmist paints a beautiful picture here of waking up before the rising of the Sun to praise the LORD. Rather than the light of the Sun awakening him, he awakes the Sun. If you’re like me, waking up early can be hard. I often need an obligation or some exciting adventure in my day to get up before the sunrise. But, for the psalmist, God’s steadfast love and faithfulness is enough reason to rise early and praise Him. May God’s steadfast love and faithfulness excite us as much as it did King David.

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory,
for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness!"
- Psalm 115:1; ESV

This is one of my all time favorites and there is so much to breakdown within this two-line verse. In most occurrences, the writers use the phrase, steadfast love and faithfulness, to describe God’s attitude towards us. But in this verse we see the writer asking God to give glory to Himself for the purpose of His steadfast love. This implies 1) that we are incapable of bringing glory to God outside of the work of His love within us and 2) that His glorification is an act of love toward us. God’s glory maximizes our enjoyment of Him and there is no joy found apart from Him. May our prayer be “give Your name glory, O God, that Your steadfast love and faithfulness may abound in our lives!” 

"For great is His steadfast love toward us, 
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!"
- Psalm 117:2; ESV

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible. The message hear is clear and simple, yet, so profound. If we are to say anything, may it be of the steadfast love and faithfulness of the LORD. May people know us by our praise. 

"Consider how I love Your precepts!
Give me life according to Your steadfast love."
- Psalm 119:159; ESV

Psalm 119 repeatedly talks about how lovely God’s words and commandments are (it took writing the longest chapter in the Bible to only begin describing this). The psalmists feeds on them for life as he would food. Life is given according to God’s steadfast love. Apart from His love, there is no life. 

"Hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love, 
and with Him is plentiful redemption."
- Psalm 130:7; ESV

What greater thing is there to hope in? If God is truly who the Bible claims Him to be—the awesome Creator God who has authority and power over everything and judges the living and the dead—then we ought to have hope that God is abounding in steadfast love and is faithful to His nature. We ought to hope that He holds redemption for our souls. The good news is that Jesus has already proven this, God is faithful to His word, and He is coming back again. 

"The LORD will fulfil His purpose for me; 
Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. 
Do not forsake the work of Your hands."
- Psalm 139:8; ESV

THE LORD CREATED YOU! He has a purpose for you! He will NOT forget His own work! Patiently hope in the purpose of the LORD. He loves you and He has never forgotten you. 

"Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love,
for in You I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to You I lift up my soul."
- Psalm 143:8; ESV

This prayer is a beautiful acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty. For the psalmist, if God is loving, then he could trust Him with what the day holds. No matter the mistakes he made the day before, if God’s love was steadfast each morning then he would not need to fear that God would forsake him on his way today. No matter what mistakes you have made, know this: God’s love is steadfast. He has not forgotten you and He will not forsake you on your way if you lift your soul up to Him and trust that He will lead you in the way you should go.

It really is amazing that God should be all-knowing and see every part of our lives, yet, have incredibly steadfast love for us. He not only sees what we do in every moment but He also knows our heart’s motive behind each action. It doesn’t take long to realize that we should have no place with our perfect God and Creator. But according to God’s steadfast love He sees our sin, yet freely gives grace. He redeems us in Christ that we may be “hidden in Christ with God” (Colossians 3:3). “You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence (Psalm 90:8). “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:3, 4, 7).

My prayer for you is that you may make the LORD your steadfast love. That you may hope in His steadfast love and cling to His faithfulness as you would cling to your most treasured possession. In the morning, awake the dawn by singing of His steadfast love. Encourage your soul by delighting in it. Go through your day proclaiming it. Smile because of it. Trust that because of His steadfast love and faithfulness He has a plan and a purpose for you and nothing that happens is outside of His hand. Rest in His grace, know you are loved, and rely on His faithfulness. No matter how far gone you feel or how long it has been since you have acknowledged Him in prayer know that He is standing with arms open wide as He was from the very start. 

"For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not afflict from his heart
    or grieve the children of men."
- Lamentations 3:31-33

Surrender to the Light

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“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” – Colossians 2:6-7

Many people believe that walking in the light means living perfectly. They fall into the trap that they must outweigh the bad in their lives with good deeds in order to be made right with God. However, while striving to do good is not wrong, it is not the solution to walking in the light. In my last post, we discussed who the only source of light is– Jesus. We explored that walking in the light means living a lifestyle of walking in Jesus. So what is this lifestyle?

Surrender. This lifestyle is not about living a perfect life, crossing every t and dotting every i. Walking in the light is a life of surrender. It is a recognition that you cannot do it on your own. Surrendering begins with leaving everything you are and everything you have ever been behind for the sake of following Jesus.

In Luke 5:1-11, Luke records the story of Jesus calling his first disciples: Simon (later known as Peter), James, and John. The three fishermen had just spent all night out in their boats attempting to catch fish. Exhausted after a long, unsuccessful night, they brought their boats to shore and began cleaning their nets to wrap  up their work. Jesus was speaking nearby to a large crowd. Seeing Simon Peter’s boat, he told him to put it back out on the water a little way from shore, where he sat down and continued to speak.

“And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” – Luke 5:4-7

Simon, James, and John were astonished by this miracle that Jesus had performed. Their eyes were opened to the majesty of Jesus and they pleaded for Him to leave, confessing to be sinful men. Jesus responded with reassuring peace and a call to follow Him. “They left everything and followed Him” (v. 11).

This is surrender. Even at the point of exhaustion, these three fishermen respected and obeyed Jesus. Perhaps they had heard the stories of His miracles and teachings or maybe they just recognized His authority. Regardless, they selflessly offered what they had to Jesus (a boat to sit in). Then, in front of a large crowd, they humbly obeyed Jesus by doing something that even the non-fishermen in the crowd may have thought to be crazy. However, because of their willingness, the glory of God was shown. Upon discovering who Jesus truly was, they could do nothing else but confess who they were. They did not try to talk themselves up nor did they provide a list of every good deed they had ever done. They started with confession. Finally, these three fishermen demonstrated the ultimate act of surrender: they left everything they knew for the sake of following Jesus, who turned out to be someone they were willing to be martyrs for. The disciples soon found that in leaving everything they owned (even their lives), they received everything in Eternity.

Walking in the light is not about living a perfect life. We could never achieve that. Rather, it is recognizing who Jesus is, offering our lives to Him, confessing who we are, and leaving everything behind to follow Him. Next week we will discuss the action of following Jesus and what this means for our daily life in the lens of living for eternity. Walking in the light is investing eternally. We give up what we have and He makes His home our home.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21

L.I.F.E. – – – Live Intently For Eternity

Life is not about living for ourselves, it is about living, earnestly, in light of what He did for us.

God is Light

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The LIFE Blog has reached its one year anniversary! A special thanks to YOU for continually reading and keeping us writing! Last year was a great start to exploring what it means to Live Intently For Eternity. The posts from 2018 lay the foundation of what this blog is all about, and now, at the start of this new year, the LIFE Blog has made some revisions. The next new change will be themes. Now that the foundation has been set, we will be evaluating one key idea at a time of what it means to Live Intently For Eternity over a series of posts. Along with each theme we will be answering common questions that Christians face when living for Eternity and solving alleged problems that arise from exploring God’s Word in the context of how we ought to live. Additionally, with each theme there will be one guest post from someone who has invested time into studying the specific topic at hand. I am excited to see how God leads the conversations that will take place on this blog in the coming year. As frequent readers of this blog, please feel free to leave feedback and post questions/comments that you would like to see explored further.

Our first theme is Walk in the Light. To Live Intently For Eternity we must “walk in Jesus.”

The key verses for this theme are Colossians 2:6-7:

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

This verse is my prayer for you. I pray that we will learn what it truly means to walk in Jesus and that the benefits of walking in Him will be an inspiration to continue in Him. I pray that the Word of God will be our firm foundation and that its mysteries will be made known so that we may learn the character of our Father and how to live in light of that.

What does it mean to walk in Jesus? Walking in Jesus is different from walking with Jesus because it is not merely walking next to Jesus but in His footsteps. However, it is not merely following in His footsteps––it is taking the steps simultaneously as Him. We are not only following Jesus, not only walking with Jesus– we are walking in Jesus. Additionally, walking in Jesus is not a one-size-fits-all path to walk on, but a lifestyle to live by. The preposition usage is important. Walking in Jesus is walking in the light.

The light of the world. There are many verses where the Son of God is referred to as light. In John 9:5, Jesus states, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

The phrase, “I am the light of the world,” implies that this world is not foreign to the light. Yes, the world has strayed towards darkness, but at the beginning of time the light created the world and because darkness cannot overpower light, the world will be illuminated again. Jesus will reclaim the world. This is our hope to live by.

“All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:3-5

One source of light. Not only is Jesus the light, but He is the only source of light. It is crucial to understand who this source of light is because it is a matter of life and death. Apart from walking in Christ, there is only darkness which leads to death. There is no other light to walk in. In other words, we choose light or we choose darkness: Jesus or death. There is no third party. Living Intently For Eternity is living our earthly lives with our minds set on eternity. In light of this we see that LIFE is walking in the light. If we choose light now, we inherit life for Eternity. If we walk in darkness now, we will receive eternal punishment.

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12

Walking in the light is a lifestyle that is lived in the presence of God. Jesus is the only light and the only hope for Eternal life. Walking in the light is a decision we must make today (and everyday for that matter). It is a decision that will change the trajectory of our eternity. For the next couple of weeks we will explore how to walk in the light through our daily lives. As my brother T.J. would say, “stay in the light!”

L.I.F.E. – – – Live Intently For Eternity

Life is not about living for ourselves, it is about living, earnestly, in light of what He did for us.

Breathe

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In my last post, we talked about the glory ahead of us that is so beautifully unimaginable. We began to discuss how to live in eager expectation for eternity. The benefit of this is not only that we achieve glory in the end, but also that we begin to see, taste, admire, and enjoy the glories of God today. While full completion of the gift of glory lies ahead, the Lord allows us to share in His glory even now. Continue reading “Breathe” →

Swim!

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Have you ever reached a point where you felt that you were all out of hope? Maybe you realized that you were headed in a downward spiral, so you tried swimming out of those emotions and thoughts. However, you quickly realized that, though putting forth much effort, you were only swimming in circles. Maybe this sinking was because you lacked hope for someone else or yourself. When we lose hope in someone or something, our own hope begins to deplete and we can sense waves rising up around us. In these times, we can try so hard to muster up our strength and say, “I’m coming to You, God!” but until we realize our dependence on Him we will get nowhere at all. Continue reading “Swim!” →

Ripple Effect

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A couple weeks ago my family went to visit my older brother who works as the Equestrian Program Director at Three Springs Ministries in Wellsboro, PA*. One of my favorite parts of visiting him is hiking the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon which is practically in his backyard. On our last trip, my younger brother and I were skipping rocks in Pine Creek at the bottom of the canyon. After tossing a pebble in the creek he tried counting how many ripples he could make. This got me thinking about the ripple effect our actions cause in life. Continue reading “Ripple Effect” →

The Sustainer of All

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I love playing the piano; it ranks as the top thing to do in my leisure time and worship time. I am fascinated by the acoustics and musical science behind how it works. However, last week the sustain pedal on my piano broke. In case you are unfamiliar with the piano, the sustain pedal is used to hold notes out while playing other notes; it releases the hammer, allowing the strings to vibrate freely, creating a smooth, connected, legato sound. Finally, I have it fixed, and it is back to making those smooth and free acoustics it is familiar with playing.

This made me think about how God holds and supports us. Continue reading “The Sustainer of All” →

Rooted Deep

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Grass. You see it everywhere. From beautiful pastures to the annoying times it grows in your landscape or between your patio. But have you ever stopped and thought about how incredible it is? Imagine your yard without it. Imagine a mountainside without it. A golf course with no grass. How about Scotland, grassless. And finally, imagine Greenland with no blade of grass in sight (right, Greenland has no grass). Perhaps up close one blade of grass doesn’t leave a huge impression but after thinking about how bare our world would be without it, it’s quite the sight. Now, what can we learn from this crucial aspect of God’s Creation?
Continue reading “Rooted Deep” →