salvation

Book of Names

~ mercyfortheday ~ 2 Comments

Court documents were unsealed this week. Previously unpublished names were released. Trouble is. These people want to remain anonymous. But a judge has ruled that their names are to be published for all to read. Oh. Some names had already come to light, so they were no big surprise. But others have remained hidden from hungry eyes. Unless someone stopped this from happening, all signs were a go earlier in the week to the release the names. And the documents are slowly trickling out for public eyes to see.

The people called out most likely never thought their names would become public knowledge. But then. They probably never thought that the owner of the list would ever be brought to trial. Or imprisoned. But here we are. The parties who were found guilty are either dead or in prison. And the names have remained behind lock and key until now. And those people are probably thinking that some people just can’t leave things well enough alone. Hopefully, no one will be killed because of the exposure of names. After all. The names reveal privileged and wealthy people who were associated with a man who partook in illegal activities. Let’s just say. Young girls were involved. And some of those girls, now women, have come forward because of the activities they were required to perform.

It appears that some of those named in the lawsuit are doing everything within their legal power to keep their identity from coming to light. But since it’s already in the light, they want their names to be darkened. As in redacted. Oh. Their names can never be fully expunged. Only blacked out. And even then, there’s always a possibility that their names could be revealed in one way or another. Because once you’re named, you’re named. 

And just to be straight. This isn’t a list that anyone should desire to be on. We know there are lists that people clamor to join. The list of most beautiful women. The sexiest man of the year. Athlete of the year. Billionaires of the world. But this list is much different. This is the list no one named in it wanted to be published. And it isn’t even a list. It’s documents of court testimony uncovering people who associated with those found guilty of crimes. The actual list of names has never been found. Some wonder if it even exists. We may never know.

I wonder, though. If these men knew back then that their names would someday become public, would they have done anything differently? Would they have still associated with the man of ill repute? Would some of them still have been willing to travel on that private jet? Would some have still gone to the exotic island to do unspeakable things? Are they smiling and laughing and happy now? Are they still toasting each other, or have they turned against each other? Have any of them gone into exile? Is anyone being paid to remain silent? Have private threats been made to anyone willing to publicly expose them? Is the judge under protection? Should she be?

The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear! Luke 12:2-3

If you haven’t heard, books are being written with each of our names in them. This has been going on for centuries now. Books that list all our activities, good and bad, are being written.  And these books will one day be opened. The seal will be broken, and the contents revealed. The only thing is. These books will never be published for all to see. You’ll only know what’s been recorded about you when you stand in front of the Judge of all times. Your account will be made known to you alone. 

Before the books are opened, though, we are living our lives. And we’re being watched, quite frankly. God knows everything. There is no hiding. Oh. We can try to hide our actions from God, but it’s futile. There’s no way around his all-seeing eye. He knows everything. He sees everything. And he’s everywhere. It’s foolish of anyone to think they aren’t seen by God. 

What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord , who do their evil deeds in the dark! “The Lord can’t see us,” they say. “He doesn’t know what’s going on!” How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? Isaiah 29:15-16

You can bet that Someone is keeping track of all our words and actions. Even our intentions are being recorded. Yes. He’s a mind reader. And you want to be in his good graces when the books are opened. Because. The records don’t lie and they can’t be changed. Oh. Our sins can be forgiven if we ask. But then we must stop sinning. 

The Book of Life is the one where you definitely want to find your name. In this book are the names of those who have been given eternal life in heaven. Any sins, once confessed, are erased and are no longer remembered by God for those listed in this book of books. God’s judgment is the final word and determines where we spend eternity. So, if your name is not currently in the Book of Life, you still have time to have it entered. Repent of your sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. And then live in full obedience to the Lord. You have a choice. And while it is still today, repent while there is still time.

I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. Revelation 20:11-15

The Christmas Gift

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As I signed her Christmas card, I realized its message was an obvious reflection of the true meaning of Christmas. There were no Christmas trees or Santa or reindeer. No elves or mistletoe or sleighs. No snow or stockings or elves. There were just words taken from the book of Matthew proclaiming the birth of the Promised Messiah. It was a message of hope.

I knew she considered herself to be religious. She is, after all, a devout Catholic who attends an online Irish Mass in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Oh. She once regularly attended in person at her parish, but a global event three years earlier got her out of the habit of meeting with friends and family. She now chooses to worship alone, if she worships at all.

I wondered if her out of town guests arriving in a few days would note the religious overtones of the card. I could just imagine them asking her about the one who had signed the card. I wondered if they might possibly ask if the person seemed to be a holy roller. Were they religious? Were they a Christian? I wondered how she might respond to the question. How would she describe me? And then I had to come to an honest conclusion that perhaps I haven’t shared enough of my faith with her. Perhaps she thought I was just a nice person. And that’s it. Did she really know that I’m a Christian?

I also wasn’t sure how she would accept the gift I was offering to her. It was an outside the box type of gift. Not one that just everyone would give. I wasn’t sure if she would think it weird since it was homemade. But when she opened the gift and realized what it was, she squealed in delight. Her face lit up with joy. She told me the gift she was bringing for me the next day was not nearly as creative. The point of my gift wasn’t to be creative or to outdo her gift. It was to make her holiday just a bit easier. 

In my mind, I had decided how and when she could use the gift. But when she later told me her plans for it, they didn’t match the scenario in my head. I was a little disappointed, but then I had to remind myself that the gift was hers to use as she saw fit. It didn’t have to fit the imaginary scene in my head. So I smiled and said that her plan sounded perfect. And I meant it, because it was her plans that mattered. Not mine.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8

She’s often in pain and doesn’t have much stamina these days. She walks painstakingly slow now, and is scheduled for an upcoming surgery after the first of the year. She lives alone and has to climb stairs even when the pain is unbearable. She’s past the age of retirement, but says she wants to work ten more years. She needs help but won’t ask for it. 

Her only child is flying home to celebrate the holiday with her for the first time in several years. She has had a countdown on her phone for months waiting for the day her daughter arrives. She said her daughter was her reason for living. The visit will give her the encouragement she needs to make it until she has surgery.

It is the season of gift giving. I realize there are times that it’s important to give good gifts to others. Not necessarily expensive or designer gifts. But gifts from the heart. Gifts that offer a personal touch. Some groups set a price limit. Others know no limits. Some offer few gifts, while others give lavishly. But isn’t it true that it isn’t the gift that matters? It’s the heart of the giver. Gifts should be offered freely with no strings attached. Was there a spoken or unspoken expectation of reciprocation? Hopefully not.

The gift of God’s only son is a gift from his heart to everyone. And it offers a personal touch on the heart of every believer who accepts it. We can rejoice with great joy this Christmas season knowing that the sacrifice of God’s only Son is the gift that keeps on giving. By accepting the gift, we are given even more. We now have the promise of eternal life in heaven.

When someone on this earth accepts the gift freely given by our heavenly Father, the gift of salvation and eternal life, angels rejoice. Heaven throws a party when a lost sinner becomes a child of God.  Have angels partied for you yet? If not, there is still time. With a repentant heart, pray the sinner’s prayer below that Billy Graham invited people to pray when they accepted Christ as their personal Savior. 

Dear God,

I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died
for my sin and that you raised Him to life.
I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord,
from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will.

I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

There is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents. Luke 15:10

We Need A Savior

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It’s Easter. And most people celebrating the holiday are focusing on the eggs dyed to match spring colors. Or the baskets filled with sugar coated candy and other useless trinkets. Or they’re focusing on the ham and scalloped potatoes. And the family members who will be sharing the meal. Most of these people won’t give a thought about the true meaning of the holiday. Yes. It is a religious holiday. It’s not meant for the Easter bunny or Easter eggs or Easter baskets or bonnets or new church dresses.

Easter is a celebration of the Savior who had died on a cross two days earlier, and is now risen from the dead. The Savior is Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God who came to earth in human form. He lived on earth for thirty three years in a human body, but was fully God at the same time. He came to fulfill the promise of being the Savior of the world. His crucifixion, death and resurrection fulfilled that promise. Yet many people don’t know or care that they even need a Savior.

Why do we think we don’t need a Savior? We look for instant gratification. We want whatever we want whenever we want it. And that’s usually right now. We’re looking for something, but we don’t necessarily know what we’re looking for. We have deep longings. We look for love in all the wrong places. And still can’t find it.

Perhaps it’s important to note that if someone doesn’t accept the fact that they need a Savior, they will see him as a threat. He’s a threat to their independence. Their self reliance. Their identity. Their lifestyle. Their habits. Their dreams. Their goals. He’s a threat to the god they worship without realizing they’re worshiping a hollow god. They’re worshiping a god that can’t do anything for them.

Is it true that we think we don’t need a Savior because we’re too self sufficient? We don’t want to be told what to do. We want to do things our way. We want to make our own decisions. We don’t want to be told no. But with all of our self sufficiency, who do we trust when life gives us lemons? Who is going to hold our hand when we’ve lost our last friend? Who will guide us when we’ve lost our way?

But regardless of what we think we know. Regardless of what we do. Regardless of what others tell us. We really do need a Savior. And we need him right now.

“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord . “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God— there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes I, am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. Isaiah 43:10-11

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:1-10

We need a Savior, otherwise we will think the truth of the gospel is foolish and foolishness is gospel. We don’t know the truth, because we aren’t looking for it. We look for our truth instead of the truth. We want to hear only feedback that makes us feel good, not words that may convict us.

Oh. We’re all looking for a savior of some sort. We all need God. We know we need something more than what we have. We have an emptiness. A hole in our life that needs filled. And instead of filling it with God, we fill it with anything and everything else. Until we can no longer fathom the need for God, we continue an unending search. Because the idea of God in our lives is too foreign to comprehend. No one is looking to find God. After all, why would we need God in our lives? We’re told in so many ways that we’re enough on our own. So who needs God? Who needs a Savior? What do we need to be saved from?

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” Romans 3:10-12

We need a Savior because we are sinners. We need a Savior because we need forgiveness. Without a Savior, sin controls our lives. It separates us from God. So Jesus bridges the chasm between us and God. Oh. We may say we’re good people. Sure. There are many good people in this world. But being good isn’t good enough. Good people are sinners and need to repent of their sins.

There is still time today to repent of your sins and become a child of God. You can pray that initial prayer acknowledging your sin and asking for forgiveness. God will forgive your sins and wipe the slate clean. Do it now. While there’s still time.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10

They Think They’re Winning

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There are those who believe they’re winning. They believe they’re moving the world to globalism. A one world government. They believe they can coerce people of all races and ages to accept anything they say. They believe that raising taxes will bring more stability to a shaky economy. They believe they’re influencing school administrators, counselors and teachers to trick students into accepting questionable ideologies. They believe the parents of those kids don’t need to know about their underhanded manipulation. They believe that women should be able to legally kill their unborn babies on demand. They believe that anyone at any time in their life can change their pronouns and suddenly become the opposite sex. And they think they’re winning.

There are others who believe they’re winning. They believe they’ve seen progress in the fight for their own children’s allegiance. They believe they’re gaining ground in making the family the center of everyday life. They believe they’re making progress in saving the lives of the unborn. They believe they’re making a difference in how schools are teaching their children. They believe they’re starting to reign in activists who would hurt the cause of families and children. They believe their voice is finally being heard as they fight to know what’s being taught in public schools. And they think they’re winning.

They all believe they’re winning the short game. But, in the long term, what’s really going to happen? Are they hiding the truth in plain sight? Shouldn’t we keep our eyes wide open and our ears pealed to hear what’s not being said? Shouldn’t we be diligent when it comes to standing up for our beliefs? Shouldn’t we stay in the fight?

Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. John 16:11

There are always two sides to everything. One side wins. And the other loses. That’s how it seems. Even if it isn’t a fight or a game or a sport. Someone always loses. And someone always wins. Some would say “shhh, don’t tell them they’re not winning”. Because at the end of the day, there’s only one race that matters. Both sides will be losers unless each individual in the race submits their life to Jesus Christ. It doesn’t necessarily matter what we’re fighting for or fighting against. If we’re not fighting for our own eternity in heaven, then we’re all losers. But wait. The message of salvation is open to everyone. Why wouldn’t we want to tell those who are on the losing team how to win in the end?

Sure. It’s up to them to change the way they’re living their lives. It’s their call whether they repent of their sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. It’s on them to choose Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. So why would we keep quiet? Why would we who are Christians keep silent when we know the only way to eternal life? Why wouldn’t we share the Good News with others? Do we want them to rot in hell? Absolutely not.

Oh. We tell ourselves that what comes around goes around. Meaning. We all get our just desserts. One day we’re in the game. The next day we’re out. Some days we’re winning. Other days we’ve flat out lost. Life is unfair. But eternity is forever. Let that sink in.

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:15

Just the other day, I was driving to a dentist appointment and merged onto the three-lane freeway. It was an easy merge, because no other cars were in my lane. After a few minutes of driving, I looked in my rearview mirror. In one of the lanes, I saw a large box truck driving slowly causing all the cars behind it to slow down. No one was passing the slow truck. They just drove in one long slow line to their destination. I’m sure some of the drivers were very unhappy about driving so slowly, but they made no effort to go around the slow truck. And what they couldn’t or wouldn’t see was that all three lanes in front of the big truck were wide open. This big slow truck was the sole cause of their frustration. Yet they did nothing about it. Who was winning that game?

As I continued to drive, I came upon a big slow utility truck. It dawned on me, as I slowed down, that I could most likely be in the same predicament as all the other vehicles traveling very slowly behind the big box truck. So knowing what I assumed to be true, I moved into the left lane and passed the slow truck. Sure enough. He was the only reason for my slow down. The road ahead was wide open for me to resume speed. If I hadn’t just witnessed the long slow line behind me, I too would have most likely become frustrated by all the slow traffic. It was a simple fix. But I had to see for myself that there was a solution to my predicament. I had to get out of my lane in order to overcome the problem.

Every driver who stays behind the slow truck is the loser. They don’t move out of the slow lane to see that the road ahead is wide open. They have a choice to end their misery, but they do nothing about it. And some people do nothing about their misery, because they don’t know there’s a solution.

It goes without saying that if we listen to only one side of an argument and accept it without question, we only know one way of believing or doing something. But if we turn the page and read the other side of the story, we may find that history paints the picture in a totally different light. There are always two sides to every story. And the side we believe is winning may really be the loser in the long run. But because we’ve always just stayed in the lane where we’re comfortable, we don’t know the other side of the story even exists.

How sad it is to only know some of the information that’s available to us. How sad it is to not test out theories and ideas when we have the means. How sad it is that we don’t engage with those of a different belief to learn what they believe and why. How sad it is that we don’t share our Christian faith, knowing full well that Jesus Christ is the answer to the problems of this world. How sad it is that we don’t do our part to make sure everyone knows they too can be on the winning team.

There’s a far greater battle that’s going on in the spiritual realm. It’s an unseen battle, but it’s very real. And it is the cause of all the battles we’re facing. Satan and his army are fighting the heavenly armies of God Almighty. Oh. Satan may think he’s winning because we can see the headway he’s making in this world. Evil is running rampant. Morals and ethics are at an all-time low, while crime and corruption are at an all-time high. So yes. It appears that Satan is winning.

But he isn’t.

In the long game, Satan and all his followers are the losers. Big time losers. It will be the ultimate failure to be on Satan’s side when eternity calls your name. When your last breath is taken and you’re standing in God’s judgment, you want to be on God’s side of the battle. Because if you are, you’re in eternity with God. If you’re not, you’re in hell for eternity. We all have a choice of where we will spend eternity. Let’s choose wisely while there is still time.

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9

Scorched

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The pan of oats was cooking on the stove. I would stir it repeatedly when I had a chance. I didn’t keep an eye on it throughout the whole process because I was busy doing other things. Washing dishes. Baking. Cleaning vegetables. So I wasn’t minding the oatmeal as thoroughly as I should have. But I would walk over and stir it as needed. I know that oats can easily stick to the pan if they’re not stirred constantly. And I wasn’t stirring constantly. I’ve cooked oatmeal many times, and I know what’s involved. But on this occasion I was trying to multitask, and the oatmeal didn’t have my undivided attention.

Later I smelled something burning and I couldn’t figure out what it was. I checked the vegetables roasting in the oven. No. They were fine. They weren’t burning. I was stirring the oats off and on, so they shouldn’t be burning. So I just ignored this scorched odor. When the oats were finished, I turned the burner off and set them aside to cool. I wasn’t just making one serving for my breakfast. I was making a batch of oatmeal to be eaten over several days. I like to batch cook for the week so my food is ready to heat up anytime I’m hungry. So on this particular day, I was cooking oatmeal for the week.

Once the oatmeal was cooled, I began dishing it into a storage container. That was when I noticed the burn on the bottom of the pan. The oatmeal had stuck to the bottom of the pan. Now there was a black char on the pan. That was what had caused the scorched odor.

I was able to preserve most of the oatmeal because it was only burned on the bottom. I knew the oatmeal I saved had some scorching running through it, but I saved it anyway. I thought it would be okay when I ate it over the next few days. I could pull out large clumps of burned oatmeal and eat the rest. It seemed a simple idea. But when I saw how burned the pan was, I knew I wouldn’t be able to clean it quickly or easily. I knew it would need to soak overnight. So that’s what I did. I put some cleaning solution in the pan and let it soak.

The next morning when I began cleaning the pan, not all of the burn came off. Some of it was still stuck on the pan. Some parts came clean pretty easily. But others not so much. I added more cleaning solution and water to start the soaking process all over again. Scraping wasn’t enough to remove all of the black soot from the bottom of the pan. And my goal was to get the pan as clean as possible. I wanted it to look as if it had never been burned. But I wasn’t sure if I had ruined the pan or not. Apparently only time will tell.

The batch of oatmeal isn’t all burned. Only the bottom portion of it is inedible. And only the bottom of the pan is scorched. Most of the oatmeal can still be eaten and enjoyed without the burnt taste. The pan can be used again once it is properly cleaned.

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

When we repent of our sins and choose to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the burnt oatmeal of sin is removed from our lives. We still have scorch marks on us that represent the sins of our past. It doesn’t mean our lives are ruined. It means that we live with the results of our former sins.

Sin can creep into our lives if we aren’t paying attention. We ignore the quiet nudging of the Holy Spirit to stop a certain activity. Or we don’t act on the Holy Spirit’s leading. We allow activities in our lives that we once hated. We become accustomed to using certain words in our conversations that were once forbidden. We become comfortable with situations that were once uncomfortable. And we call it good. We become willing to work around the burnt oatmeal that is building up in our lives. After all, we are good people. That’s what we tell ourselves.

Some of those scorch marks can be easily removed. The burned char can be cleaned away with the act of forgiveness, but the results of that char representing the sin that has long encased our hearts can be hard to remove. It could be bad habits. Or it could be jealousy or greed or lying or lust. It could be just blatant selfishness. Sometimes a lot of work goes into erasing or cleaning up the results of black charred sin. So some of the black char may remain forever. It may always be present in our lives because while God’s forgiveness takes away that burden of sin, some acts of sinfulness have consequences which reap long lasting effects. Those can’t be easily scrubbed away with cleaning solution and soaking. Sometimes the result of those sins are lifelong. And we have to deal with the consequences for all the days of our lives on this earth.

It’s a lesson for us. When we make foolish decisions. When we choose selfish ways. When we know that our actions go against God’s will. There are consequences that sometimes can’t be easily wiped away in our lives. Yes, God forgets those sins when he forgives us. And to him they are no more. But the consequences in our human lives can still remain. That’s what we need to consider. Not just the fact that we’re sinning. But the consequences of those sins. When we make choices in our life. That moment of enjoyment. That so called fun activity or behavior that misrepresents God or rejects God or distorts his will. Those have consequences. So we have to be prepared to live with the results of our sin. While we still have breath, we can be forgiven. But that doesn’t make life easy and perfect.

The Waiting Years

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Boy. He sure has waited a long time for his moment in history. And it has finally arrived. I wonder if he’s excited about it, or if he’s overwhelmed. Of course. His waiting ended because he lost his mother. That’s why his time has come. But he’s waited an entire lifetime. And he certainly has. Seventy odd years. Makes you wonder how long his reign will be. Certainly not as long as his dear mum’s. But that’s OK. It’s not for everyone to break records that don’t need broken. He has plenty of time to do what he was trained for. His moment has finally arrived.  I hope he’s up for the challenge. 

Some say his time has come and gone. Perhaps he should abdicate and pass the crown to his firstborn. Basically skip a generation. He’s already an old man. And what can an old man accomplish? That’s the question on a lot of young minds as they see older folks in the path of the young who are pushing to succeed.

So. He’s not as popular as his mum. Or his first wife. Or his firstborn son and family. After all. He did do them dirty. And everyone knows that dirty laundry stinks. So let’s chuck the Charles. They say. 

Looks like that won’t happen. He has been installed as the king of England. Even the national anthem has changed to honor him. And the changing of the guard is now the king’s guard. No longer the queen’s. Oh. The necessary changes that must occur when life hits unexpectedly. But was it unexpected? I mean. After all. She was ninety six. We did know this day would come sooner or later. And here we are.

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Joel 2:32

There’s another man whose time had come. Oh. He didn’t have to wait seventy odd years. His years of waiting were only thirty. And like the new king of England, this king was being prepared for the role his entire life. No. He didn’t receive a red box of news everyday like the monarch of England does. And he didn’t have a public coronation. His death, however, was on public display. But for this moment, let’s consider not his death but his life.

There was a stir at the time of his birth. Angels sang and shepherds bowed to him. An infant who was helpless already had people immediately bowing to him. At eight days old, old prophets who saw him in the temple were prompted to proclaim the Messiah had been born. There was no formal publication announcing the birth of the Messiah. A star in the east guided wise men to worship and acknowledge this quiet event. Throughout his early years, he was learning Scripture in the synagogue. He observed the Jewish laws. He knew who he was even when others questioned it. He was about his Father’s business, and his mother pondered these things in her heart.

He didn’t need any earthly prodding to start his ministry. His was a natural role. And he undertook it with humility and dignity. There were those who opposed him. And oh. How they opposed him. We saw that in his death. But during his three short years of ministry, he faced opposition on every turn. He was called a liar. When he cast out demons, the Pharisees said he did it by the power of Satan. Oh. How wrong they were. He knew it. And they knew it. They lived in fear of his power. They lived in the shadow of truth.

Some dared to call him the Messiah. Others dared not speak those words aloud. But crowds swarmed him when they heard he was in their neighborhood. His words were powerful and effective. A simple yet profound message. One not easily forgotten. His message was different from anything they had ever heard. And then the miracles. Sick and lame people were brought for miles for him to heal. And he healed all who were brought to him. Others he healed from a distance.

Sure. His earthly reign was a short one. Only three years. But his life and teachings still survive today. He hasn’t been forgotten. He won’t be forgotten. Oh. There are those who try to stifle his teachings. They try to silence others who share his message. But a light on a hill will always shine bright in the darkness.

Oh. There’s no comparison between these two kings. That’s not the point. The point is that we can’t get our priorities mixed up. We know which king will be faithful to us through the end of time. And really. There is no end of time. Our earthly time will end, but eternity is forever. So we must choose to live each day as if it’s our last on this earth. King Jesus will be with those who call him Lord in eternity. King Charles must choose for himself who will be Lord of his life. The same goes for each of us. Do you choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

You Never Know

~ mercyfortheday ~ 1 Comment

Last fall, she succumbed to the virus that’s been making headlines for over two years. Her family and friends were stunned. She had two teenage boys. She had everything to live for, but her time was up. A few weeks ago, her boys were in an ATV accident. The younger boy was unharmed. The older boy, who turned eighteen the day after the accident, had massive brain damage. He has now been reunited with his mother. Nine short months and the family has been reduced by fifty percent.

It’s devastating. It’s unsettling. Family and friends once again gathered around this small family to grieve and mourn. A life gone too soon. No one knows the right words to say. No one knows the right things to do. Just be there. Share a hug. And tears. And a prayer.

My mother had a famous saying when she heard news of an unexpected death or serious illness of a family member or friend. Well, you never know. Is what she’d say. And it’s true. You never know what can happen in life. We need to be prepared to be unprepared for what life throws at us. Because you just never know.

I recently had to purchase a new vehicle. It was unexpected. But one of our vehicles was involved in a mishap that pushed the value of the car underwater. Plus, the expense of the repairs we were continuing to endure shouted that a new purchase was upon us. We didn’t want it to happen. We were planning to keep the car for a few more years and just deal with occasional repairs. Time was not on our side. So we traded up for a newer vehicle in the hopes that it will last for many miles and many years. Only time will tell. You never know.

Another time, we were caught in a flash flood. A rapid rise in water outside the restaurant left us stranded for hours inside the building, while our vehicle sat under water. The car never started again. It was a total loss. Unexpected. Unplanned. You never know.

She got the test results. It was unexpected to hear the word “cancer”. But it was true. She was diagnosed with a terrible disease and was unprepared for what lay ahead. Treatment. Surgery. Hospitalization. Long, slow recovery. Unclear prognosis. Only time will tell if she is in remission. You never know.

Three times in an eight-year period, I heard the devastating words. You are no longer needed in this job. You are done with this company. Three times I filed for unemployment, unsure of what the future would hold. Three times, after months of looking and applying for many jobs, I gained new employment. Hoping against hope that those words would never be said again to me. Only time will tell. You never know.

So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Matthew 25:13

We’ve been hearing the same warning for many, many years. Basically, all our lives. And even before our time, the word was out. Jesus is coming again to gather all believers who have repented of their sins. They will be with him in eternity. No one knows the day. No one knows the hour. No one knows when it will happen. Only God himself knows when Jesus will come back to take us out of this world. And at this very moment, he is preparing a place for us to be with him on that day.

Oh. Some think it’s a hoax. Some say it’s never happened yet, so we still have some time. Others believe the time will be upon us shortly. The Bible tells us that Jesus will return like a thief in the night. We will be going about our daily business, expecting life as usual. And then. Bam! The eastern sky will open and Jesus will appear. I imagine time will appear to stand still. And those who have bowed before God and confessed their sins will rise to meet him in the air. Everyone else will be left on this earth to fend for themselves. Rest assured, this will happen. And it will only happen once. So we must be ready for it at all times.

Jesus said his coming back to Earth would be like a thief in the night. No, Jesus isn’t a thief. He didn’t come to rob and steal and harm. He came to give eternal life. Oh, he’s coming back. The first time He came as a baby. We celebrate his birth every year. It’s called Christmas Day. We celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world. And people ignore the true meaning of Christmas. It’s all about the gifts, the parties, the decorations, the trees, the food and family time. How often do we stop to think about the baby in the manger and who he really is. He was God laying right there in a manger as a newborn infant, and he lived thirty-three years on this earth as a man. He was fully man but he was also fully God. So anything he did as a man he did it as God. When the Roman soldiers came and arrested him in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot planted a kiss on his cheek to show who they were coming to arrest. Here’s the man who calls himself the Son of God. Jesus was handed over, and was tried at a criminal’s trial. Under the cover of darkness Jesus was convicted.

He was flogged and beaten. His clothes were stripped off of him and cut into pieces. Then he was forced to carry his own cross. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he stumbled, so another man was forced to carry the cross the rest of the way. And when they got to Calvary, the Roman soldiers laid that cross down on the ground and nailed his hands and his feet to it. Then they shoved a crown of thorns on his head making sure the thorns sunk deep. They posted a sign above his head that said King of the Jews because that’s who he was. And Pilate knew who he was. Then they stood the cross up in the hole in the ground and left him there to die. And Jesus, the God in human form died that day.

Oh, he rose from the dead on the third day. And then later, he went back to heaven to be with his father. And now he’s planning to come back again.

He will come back again to take with him all of those who believe in his name, who’ve repented of their sins and follow His ways. He’s coming back. We don’t know the hour or the day. But we must live ready at all times. We must live as Jesus would have us live so we can be with Him for eternity. He promised he would return, and he keeps all of his promises. There’s not one promise he will not fulfill. All of the prophecies that have been spoken about him will be fulfilled at the proper time. So we must be ready, because we don’t know when that time is. We must live a holy life that pleases God, because you just never know.

When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. “And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. Luke 17:26-35

Darkness

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The room was pitch black. No lights were shining anywhere in the house. And for that matter, no lights were shining in the neighborhood. At all. It was almost apocalyptic. There was a power outage in the middle of the night. The only reason she knew of the outage was because she woke up a little after midnight. The house was so dark that she felt a little unnerved getting out of bed. Oh. She knew the layout of her house. She could walk it in the dark. But there she was. The darkness was so thick, she couldn’t see anything. It was one thing to walk in the dark of the house with a few nightlights conveniently placed. But to walk around in total darkness, even in a familiar setting, was unsettling. It was as though the place had been invaded by unknown entities. And even though she hadn’t heard any strange sounds. No doors opening. No glass shattering. No stairs creaking. She still felt uncomfortable in her own home.

Hours earlier, a small nightlight had shone as brightly as it could in the dark space. Now all lights were darkened. But that small shard of light had offered a calming effect in the darkness. What shadows were there offered affirmation that nothing sinister was lurking. Whereas, the total darkness caused uncertainty even though no evidence of threats arose. One must be careful in the dark. Stepping on forgotten shoes or an empty box can send someone into the depths of fear and panic.

But while still dark a few hours later, a low hum filled the space. Clocks blinked. Lights flickered. Power was restored. And in that moment, all felt right with the world.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:15

The dark is a frightening place to be. It’s unnerving. Unsettling. Uncomfortable. Even though our eyesight will adjust to see shapes and shadows in the dark, we still don’t see clearly. Confusion can set in, along with fear and anxiousness.

People living in darkness can’t see the path they’re on. Because of their blindness, they don’t know the pitfalls and troubles that are ahead. Darkness causes fear and paranoia. Anger. Manipulation. Panic. When we’re in darkness, we’re in a self-protective mode. We don’t know what lies ahead. The next turn in the road may do us in. So we keep our guard up. Can’t be too careful. Don’t trust others.

Imagine living in darkness all the time. Never rising to see the light. Oh. Many people do it every day. Even for a lifetime. And I’m not talking about physical darkness. I’m talking about spiritual darkness. Anyone who has not confessed their sins and committed their life to Jesus Christ is living in darkness. And their darkness will remain unless they repent.

Just a tiny ray of light is all it takes to expose the darkness. And someone living in the dark doesn’t want to get close to the light, because then they may be exposed. That might require change. Or conviction. And who wants that? Who wants to be confronted with their sins? Who wants the weight of guilt hanging on their shoulders? But that’s what the light does. Even a small pinprick of light is all it takes to expose the darkness. And shouldn’t we be relieved when there is light? Shouldn’t we breathe a sigh of relief when there is even a bit of light? Because then we can see the path ahead. We know where to turn and when to walk straight ahead.

The light is hard on the eyes when darkness is all that’s known. The adjustment to light may take time, but it’s worth the pain and discomfort. Because light brings freedom and hope.

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. John 3:19-21

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7