I want to share three stories that I heard today. The first is fiction, but teaches a lot of truth and a big lie. The other two are true, but I share them because of the lies learned from the first story. Of the two true stories, one is a story of hope and one is a reminder of the hopelessness that exists in our world.
Here is the first. It was shared by a long time pastor friend and a great encourager.
There is a fable which tells of three apprentice demons who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the demons, about their plans to tempt and ruin men and women. The first said, "I will tell them there is no God." Satan said, "That will not delude many, for they know that there is a God." The second said, "I will tell men there is no hell." Satan answered, "You will deceive some that way and others who know better will agree with you but most men and woment know there is a judgment for sin." The third said, "I will tell them there is no hurry you have plenty of time to think about God later in life." "Go," said Satan, "and you will ruin them by the millions."
The most dangerous of all delusions is that there is plenty of time. The most dangerous day in a man's life is when he learns that there is such a word as tomorrow. There are things which must not be put off, for no man knows if for him tomorrow will ever come.
Prov 27:1 "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
The lie is that we have lots of time.
Oh, it is true enough that you have the rest of your life. There is just no knowing how long that will be.
The second story is about a friend of mine. He is a young man. He is healthy, happy and has a lot to live for.
And he had a stroke.
It appears that he will be okay. But what a shock for a 30ish guy with a young child to have a stroke! It certainly is a wake up call to re-evaluate your life and your priorities. But at least he will have the opportunity to do just that.
Not all of us get that warning or wake up call. Not all of us get an additional chance to check on our relationships with others or our relationship with God. Maybe we've bought into the lie that we have plenty of time to take care of those things later. Maybe we are living for ourselves for now and plan to live for God and others when we've finished doing the things that we want to do.
I'm not saying that having a stroke is a good thing, but it just may be beneficial for all of us to make a quick check on the things that we hold dear.
The last story is about a neighbor's co-worker's husband. He was 38 and died of a heart attack. He gets no second chance. He gets no long life. He gets no more time. I don't know anything about the man other than to know that he is dead.
I don't know if he provided for his family financially or not.
I don't know if he was a good dad and good husband.
I don't know if he knew Jesus as Lord and Savior and if he shared Jesus with his family.
I do know that he is out of time. There will be no tomorrow.
I guess there is one more story.
It's your story.
How are you fixed with God right now? If today is your last day and you find yourself standing before God, how will you convince Him to allow you into heaven?
Jesus said, "...no one comes to the Father except by me."
Do you profess Jesus as Lord?
The Bible tells us that if you can say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. It is with the heart that we believe and are justified and it is with the mouth that we say it and are saved.
The truth is you have the rest of your life to trust Jesus and follow him.
But there is no promise of how long that will be.
John <><
That's a great lesson, John.
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