sin

Your Choice

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The Israelites had been wandering in the desert for 40 years. They had left Egypt in a hurry one night, escaping from Pharaoh who had been holding them in slavery for four hundred years. God delivered them and promised a new home for them. But after they left Egypt, they disobeyed God.

What should have been an eleven day journey took 40 years. Oh. This people didn’t just disobey God once. It became a thing. It wasn’t necessarily that everyone disobeyed God all the time. But there were grumblings in the camp. There was rebellion. Distrust. They broke God’s laws. They were people being selfish people. They made gods out of gold and worshiped them. They didn’t trust God. They trusted themselves more than they trusted God.

So God used that 40 years to humble his people. They were dependent on him for their daily food. Their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t blister and swell. He tested their character to see if they would obey his commands.

Obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. Deuteronomy 8:6

God gave the Israelites a choice as they were preparing to enter Canaan.  The promised land. He reminded them of how he had provided for them for the past 40 years. Were those 40 years a waste? After all, it was just a few days journey from Egypt to Canaan. But because the people disobeyed God, their punishment was to wander around in the desert for 40 years. 40 years. That’s an entire generation.

And that generation had to die off before their children were allowed to enter the promised land.

So here they were. Ready to step over into victory. The much awaited and promised land flowing with milk and honey. Ready for the taking. It was theirs.

God reminded them of his miracles and provision and promises. He told them to repeat those stories to their children, because their kids had not lived through those experiences. Those kids had not seen God work mighty miracles. They had heard but they hadn’t seen.

God was faithful to his chosen people. He reminded them that he would continue to be faithful to them if they were faithful to him. They had to choose. A life of obedience to God. Or a life of disobedience. It was their choice.

Read the full story in Deuteronomy 8.

Choose today whom you will serve. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord . Joshua 24:15

God plainly told them what their lives would be like in this new land. Canaan. The promised land. It is a land of plentiful food and a place where nothing is lacking. Did you catch that? Nothing is lacking. They had hit pay dirt. Their ship had come in. The luck of the draw was on their side. But it was all because of God’s provision and mercy that they were entering this new territory.

God told them exactly what to expect and he gave them a warning. These people who hadn’t changed clothes in 40 years were about to become prosperous. They would lack nothing. God warned them to be careful and not forget him and his commands. Oh. He told them straight out that they would want for nothing. They would build fine homes. They would find copper and iron, pomegranates and olive oil. Honey, fig trees and grapevines were theirs for the taking. God warned them that in their time of plenty not to forget him. He told them not to become proud.

It shouldn’t have been a tough decision. He was offering them a lifetime of goodness if they followed his commands. Why would they choose any other way? It seems such a simple decision.

What does a person who’s never had wealth do when all of a sudden it’s laid at their feet?

God warned the Israelites, his chosen people, that they would be destroyed if they disobeyed him. If they followed and worshiped other gods, God would not be on their side.

God won’t honor disobedience. He wants our whole hearts. Our entire lives. Our souls. Our minds. Our strength. He wants all of our being.

But then. As humans, we sometimes think we know better than God does. We think we’re smarter. Our way is better. Or we’re tired of waiting on God, because he is sometimes really slow. And we’re in a hurry. So we make a decision. Or we do the thing. Or we worship a false god. All in the name of free will. We want what we want when we want it and we want it our way. Right now. Do or die, we’re going to get what we want. Just try to stop me. We say. So forget anything or anyone who stands in our way. We become our own god.

That’s what God was trying to keep his favorite people from doing. Because they had walked down that sinful path too many times before. 

I wonder. This year has us at a crossroads. The times are changing. Can’t you feel the tide shifting? Suspense is in the air. We have a choice. Fight for God or fight against him. Now is the time to stand for truth. Biblical truth. It should be a simple choice. God’s way or my way. It’s your choice. What do you choose?

When the Mighty Fall

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Oh. Jeffrey Epstein. How powerful do you feel now? Are you walking on streets of gold? Are you living in a mansion? Is your eternal life better than your life on earth?

Did your life end the way you had always thought it would? Did you think you would die under questionable circumstances alone in a jail cell? Were you alone? Or would you have preferred to be surrounded by beautiful women in a party atmosphere on your private island? Or in your seven-story New York townhome?

Oh. You made the news. Jeffrey. You’ve lived a questionable life. Very questionable. Was your death intentional? If so, why weren’t you unwilling to face your accusers? Were they telling the truth, and the hammer was about to come down on you once and for all? Or was it someone else’s last ditch effort to silence you? Or to pay you back? Most likely, we’ll never know.

But there is One who knows everything about you. Oh. You will never again have to stand in front of a judge to be tried for your alleged offenses. But you have now stood before the Judge and Creator of the universe. How did that go for you? You couldn’t pay your way out of your eternal destiny, now could you? I honestly don’t know where you are right now. Jeffrey. Are you living the life you’ve always wanted? Or are you in the darkest pits of hell? Are you with your Creator, God Almighty? Or are you with the enemy of your soul, satan himself? Are you basking in glory? Or are you writhing in agony and torment?

You may be sure that your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:32

Let’s imagine, Jeffrey, that with your last breath you cried out to God to forgive you. Let’s imagine that you are walking the streets of gold. Let’s imagine that when you stood before God to be judged there was a red streak of Jesus’ blood across your record of sins. And that your sins have been made white as snow. They’ve been erased. Let’s imagine that you’ve been forgiven and are now a child of God. You are in heaven. It’s possible that happened.

But then. Let’s imagine another scenario. A darker scenario. Let’s imagine that instead of crying out to God with your last breath, you uttered his name in blasphemy. Let’s imagine that you drew your final breath in hate and bitterness. Let’s imagine that your name was not in the Book of Life and that you were cast into the depths of hell. There’s no turning back from that torture.

Were you laughing at those who were gunning for you and your every dollar? Thumbing your nose at the many who have accused you of indecent and inappropriate behavior. Waving your money to buy you a mansion in your eternal home. But it doesn’t work that way. Jeffrey. You can’t buy or work your way into heaven.

The public may never know the truth. And maybe that’s for the best. Perhaps we don’t need to know how you acquired your wealth. I’ve read that the acquisition of your riches was not necessarily honorable. What was it that caused you to think you were above the law? You chose to run in social circles that many would envy. Politicians. Billionaires. Royalty. Beautiful women. Private island retreat. Private jet. But how did you accumulate what you owned? Why did you crave that lifestyle? Why unwilling young women?

Were you surprised when the cops came to your house and rammed the massive wood door? Oh. You weren’t there. You were already in jail. Did you wonder if they had finally uncovered your deepest darkest secrets? Did you wonder if you had finally been found out? Did you breathe a deep sigh of relief that now the game was over? Or did you breathe short struggling anxious breaths knowing that the true fight had just begun?

Jeffrey. You’re now in eternity. You’ve breathed your last breath. Fought your last fight. Earned or stolen your last dollar. You’ve been judged and have received your final reward or punishment. God only knows what the truth is. He’s the only one who knows the truth. But you are an example to many who are living life on the fringes. Knowing what’s right but doing what’s wrong. Looking out for yourself and pushing others to bow to your wishes. That’s no longer an option for you.

May those of us who still live and breathe choose to follow the Lord God Almighty. May we choose to bow to Him before we’ve taken that last breath. When there is still time to choose heaven. Because our sins will always find us out. We will be held accountable. Just as you have. Jeffrey.