Erich Stauffer

Tag: sacrifice

  • The Way

    In the midst of a storm its hard to see how you’ll ever get out of it. There are times when it seems like all is lost and you may want to give up. Sometimes all is lost and you don’t get out and there is no one left to tell your story. How vain your life must feel at that moment! How you’d wish you would have some things differently: loved more, worked less. But there are those who like Job go through times of trouble and turmoil only to come out ahead. Victorious.

    There is a choice that we all make each day in how we spend our time here on earth. Each one of us has gifts and a purpose. Are you using the gifts you have been given? Are you fulfilling the purpose in your life? What do you seek? You won’t find what you aren’t looking for. The bible says to seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. What do you want? Are you in a storm? Who will save you? Where is your hope?

    My hope is in Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. I believe that there is no way back to everlasting life with our creator except through him. I believe Jesus died and our creator supernaturally healed him, fulfilling the prophecies set forth in the scriptures. I believe Jesus was there when our earth was formed, will be with us in heaven, and is with us today in Spirit.

    Though the storms rage, your house crumbles, your spouse betrays, a loved one passes away, the job is lost, the collectors call, a child is lost, know that you are important to God. He made you. You have a purpose. You have a choice. Life may happen to you, but its your choice in how you react. Do you turn to God who loves you or to the one who lies, steals, and destroys. The sacrifice has been made. Repent and turn to God. If you don’t know how, just say in your mind, Father, I am here. I don’t want to live without you in my life anymore. I want you on my side. I’m tired of the enemy always winning. I don’t want to live that life any more. I want more of you. God please show me the way.

  • Sacrifice for the Greater Good?

    I saw a film last night about sacrifice.  Sacrificing the lives of a limited number of people in order to save an even greater number of people.  President Obama also lifted the stem cell reseach ban which prevented human stem cells from being destroyed and researched for possible future organ growth.  Again, sacrificing the lives of a limited number of people in order to save an even greater number.  They both raised some interesting questions in my mind.

    Why can’t we just have everything that we want, all the time?  Why must there be a cost associated with such a great good as saving human lives?  What other costs do we have with the good that we want for ourselves and our loved ones?  Well, if we decide to get married, then we put away the complete freedom to to what we want with our time.  We now have to share our time (among other things).  The same things happens when we have a child, and another child, and another child.  For every new relationship that is added into the family, there is a trade off of the kind of time that can be spent with other members of the family.  For many people, having children is the goal of the marriage, but that same goal can end up poisoning the marriage, since the kind of time spent working on the marital relationship changes so drastically.

    Time is limited.  We cannot just add something new without subtracting something current, in most cases.  Any changes that we make to our live will be adding or subtracting something.  When we subtract something, usually we see the replacement as greater than what was subtracted.  But, that doesn’t mean that thing that was subtracted is without value.  In fact, it may be something of HUGE value.  We just have to understand what is truly important to us on a core level and always work toward the greater good.

    Be careful sacrificing things for others, it may not be your place to do so.  Even so, we have to be willing to accept the consequences.  Go on and see what your changes will cost, and if it is worth it.