⏳Time Is Up⌛️

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. ~Benjamin Franklin~

There are some things everyone can say they know. The Bible tells us that without doubt we can say that we know and we will be right. There was at one time a lady that lived not far from my home. She was known in our small town as one that could tell you your future. She had a sign in her front yard telling those who passed by that she could do so. She had a son that bought a car on Wednesday and on Thursday he had an accident and was killed. That was awful. I wonder how she advised her son? Did she know? Why didn’t she speak up If she did? Why didn’t her son listen? Could she know what was going to happen on tomorrow which was Thursday? James said no!

James 4:14 (KJV) 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.

 

C.T. Studd wrote a poem about only one life to live. Although we can’t tell what will happen tomorrow we know we only have one life to live but what we don’t know is how long our life will be. So don’t waste time because we don’t know when time is up. 

 Only One Life

C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

“Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”                                            Proverbs 27:1 (KJV)   Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

☝️The Right Way Explained👆

If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.

~Benjamin Franklin~

Which gate offered freedom? The right one of course. Entering in at the right gate and realizing that Jesus is the way is just the start or beginning. 

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

After Jesus says He is the way He goes on to say He is “the truth.” Webster says this about truth  “Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be.”  John 17:17 (KJV) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 

David wrote something very similar..

Psalms 119:160 (KJV) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

God's Word is true!

Psalms 119:50 (KJV) This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Psalms 119:89 (KJV) For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalms 119:140 (KJV) Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

God’s Word written for all to read and know is in the Bible we get to hold in our hands. Direct Words from a Holy God telling us the Truth. Truth never changes. The saying “what is right or truthful to me may not be to you.” Is wrong, for truth never changes. What we do can never be undone whether it’s words or actions, once done it’s done and cannot be retracted. 

John 17:17 says “Sanctify them” Webster say this about “Sanctify” “to cleanse, purify or make holy.” Sanctify them how? “through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

if The Lord is a discerner of our thoughts and our intents then we best know what that means. Webster says that the word discerner means “One who sees, discovers or distinguishes; an observer.” Oh my, an observer. Let’s say you are running a bit late for an appointment. You decide that if you up your speed a little bit you will get there on time. The speed limit is 55 so you decide to drive at about 75. As you start to accelerate toward 75 mph you look in the rear view mirror and you see a state patrol vehicle behind you. What now? Continue on with your plan or obey the law?  I’m sure your plans changed. Why because the job of that State Patrolman is to observer.  The more we know about the true the better our relationship will be with our Heavenly Father. Just as the state patrol would not overlook your speeding neither will our Heavenly Father overlook our sin. 

1 John 1:8 (KJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:10 (KJV)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

🆓I’m Free! Really?🧐

The one who wants to lead the orchestra must turn their back on the crowd. 

Max Lucado

 “This is the way, walk ye in it” are we told what the way is? We are! 

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

“I am the way”  “The” means the only way! There is no other way that works.

In the book Matthew chapter 7 there are two gates or two ways that are mentioned.  

Matthew 7:13 (KJV) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

We read of the “strait gate” but we read nothing of it here but we immediately read about the Wide Gate.  It’s “broad” wide! We read where it leads “to destruction” and we read that “many” go in. This is sad and reminds me of cattle that are taken from the farm to the slaughter house. They are what we call dumb but we aren’t dumb. Yet many leave the farm on their way to be destroyed and don’t even realize it. The “strait gate” is mentioned first by name only, now we read about the “strait gate”

Matthew 7:14 (KJV) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

One is called strait and the other is called wide. They are both described for us. One leads to  life and one leads to destruction. 

• First though, I want the door to life. 

That’s what we do? We go to college and get a degree; why is that? Because we want a better life. We work hard to have a better life and all the time there is a thief just waiting to rob us. Al maybe the one who will do it’s best to take what you worked so hard for and give it to those you don’t even know. Al will introduce you to a Judge and in some cases to 12 good citizens who will determine your future. Al is very powerful at ruining and running your life, his real name is alcohol.  

• Watch out there are many more than Al.

1. Drugs
2. Sex
3. Gambling
4. Pleasure
5. Greed

All these come with the idea that if you do this it will Satisfy, you’ll finally be Happy. Only to find that they have been lies. We are told 2-times by the wise Solomon that there is a wrong way that seems to be the right way, that is satisfying and happy but it turns out not to be so.

Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 16:25 (KJV) There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Notice what Solomon is saying “There is a way” Solomon is writing about a  “way” Webster says this about  “way” A passing; hence, a passage; the place of passing; hence, a road of any kind; a highway; a private road; a lane; a street; any place for the passing of men; cattle or other animals; 

Solomon says there is a way that seems right. 

• It looks right, 
• it appears to be right, 
• my mind says it is right, 
• I feel like it’s the right thing to do. 

None of those feelings have anything to do with the right way. It’s not our feelings that determine the right way. Feelings will mislead you and disappoint you more times than not. I was cutting up with my wife not long ago and I said to her “look me in the eyes!” Then I said “I have strong feelings for you.” She said “you better have more than feelings for me!” Feelings will mislead. I’m not looking for a way that seems right or feels right. One night my wife and I were going to our granddaughters home. I turned right when I should have turned to the left. My wife said where are you going? Hating to admit my mistake I felt like there was another road on the left that would take me over to the road I needed to be on. There wasn’t and I had to admit my mistake and go back. It’s not wrong to be going the wrong way. It’s wrong to continue going the wrong way. Remember there is a way that seems right, but it’s not. We can follow the crowd or we can join the few. The crowd seems to be right. How can so many be wrong? Which gate offered freedom?

📖Wish Book👀

Millions saw the apple fall but Newton was the one who asked why.

When I was a kid every year about this time there would come in the mail a catalog from Sears called the "Wish book." I would open that catalog up and look at all the different kinds of toys and I would start to wish I had this toy and could even image that very toy being mine. Before long I was wishing a lot of those toys were mine but that was all I was doing, just wishing. That is fine for a young boy to wish, but when one becomes older there is more to it than a wish. God gives us a plan and it's called prayer not wishful thinking but prayer and He teaches us how we are to go about it. Look with me for a moment in the book of Matthew Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Matthew 7:8
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:11
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

As we read that I want you to remember one word, for it will help you later to remember the process God wants you to take and that word is "ASK." Let me explain. Ask- {To request or petition} this means we must in prayer ask what we desire for the Lord to do.

Seek- {to go in search or quest of} We ask in prayer then we go in search for the quest we made. As one of my college professors taught me long ago "keep going through the doors until they shut."

Knock- {to knock under, to yield; to submit; to acknowledge to be conquered} Keep pursuing after what you asked for. How bad do you want it? Things just don't float out of heaven Ask go after and God will open the doors for you. Take the first letter of each word and you come up with the word Ask, Seek, Knock. What make this principal so important? The same way you get an automatic door to open is the way to get God to open a door for you. You have to start moving in that direction. You have to start walking toward it before it will open. You can look at that door all day and it won't open for you; you can even wish it would open for you but nothing will happen until you start walking toward the door and then and only then will it open up for you. So what do you want God to do in your life? Have you asked Him? Are you seeking Him? Are you walking in that direction? If not then all you have is a wish book!

✝️Our Permanent Home:🔜🗯️

 There are generations yet unborn, whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take. Andy Andrews

Psalms 23:6 (KJV) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I like that word “and” that means there is more to come. You hear all the time on those TV advertisements “and that’s not all.” 

There are two “and” in Psalms 23 in verse 4 and 6. In verse 4 it has to do with our protection and in verse 6 our permanent home. The Lord is our shepherd that leads us to a place of rest and still waters. He restores the broken. He overcomes our fears because He never leaves us. The table is prepared for us and there is more than enough. His goodness and His mercy follow us all our days. But there's more. We have a forever dwelling place. As my military enlistment was coming to an end my wife and I drove to Altus Oklahoma, my last duty base. We left our 10 month old son with his grandparents after I had returned from an 18 month tour. It was a long 18 months and as Forest said “and that’s all I’ve got to say about that.” Altus was a whole lot closer to home and I only had 8 months. I said all that to say that we were not looking to buy a house. We were only looking for somewhere to live temporarily. Is that not what we are reading about here? All the days of my life. That tells me that where I am living now is not my permanent home, it's only temporary. This life I’m living now comes to an end. Then comes the permanent home God’s house “I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” I don’t completely understand that but read this. 

Philippians 1:6 (KJV) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

I’m confident (convinced) that God, who has begun a good work in me. Will perform (carry it all the way through to completion) until the day of Jesus Christ.

Wow, it’s easy to get off track. Why is it so hard to get back on track? Why is it so easy to let our troubles become the engineer?  There are many things that if I allow them will distress me, things I can do nothing about. The weather is one. To many times I have found that the old rock way to tell weather is best. Place a large rock close by a window if you look at it and it’s dry, it’s not raining. If it’s wet with water running on its sides it’s raining, if it looks white it’s snowing. It will never fail you but the weather man will. Turn on the radio and what do you hear? Do you have enough to live comfortably in retirement? Keep listening to that and you will get stressed out for sure. Tangled up in life’s journey when we should be enjoying living life’s journey. Yes we prepare like going out into the cold air we put on a coat. Question? Are we preparing for our permanent home? Are we more excited about our vacation than going to heaven? One only has to go to a church service to see how excited some are. Look over there at Linda Jane she is checking FB to see if anything has happened she should know about in the last 3 minutes. Oh it has, Gail her friend is now at the EZ Stop getting butter for a cake. Now that is present time stuff one needs to know. Then there is Tim Drew whose eyes have gotten a bit heavy and oh there they go they are shut. While the songs of heaven are sung there are a crowd of people whose minds are somewhere else. While the preacher preaches, with tears of joy  running down his cheeks. He talks of his permanent home in heaven where his family and friends are rejoicing around the throne of the Faithful Lord Jesus Christ. Well it’s so quiet and unresponsive why there’s more excitement at a funeral. Oh but you say we should be reverent in God’s House of Worship. You think? Is that the way it is in our Heavenly Home? 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Revelation 5:11 (KJV) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

It may have been a little hard to keep all these reverent around the throne in Heaven but I’m sure they were.  Revelation 5:12 (KJV) Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

That’s not what we are used to. Don’t be more excited at the brochure of Coco beach than you are of the Heavenly shores of Glory. Coco beach with the sand running over you feet as you walk toward the ocean as it rushes up over you feet. We are here for a whole week, you tell yourself. Sunday to Sunday a 168 hours minus the 56 you will sleep and 21 hours you will spend eating and the 16 hours it takes you to travel round trip. That’s 93 hours and if the weather is good leaves you with a wonderful 75 hours of real vacation time. Oh I’m not saying not to take a vacation I’m trying to show us the difference. A vacation as wonderful and relaxing as it may be is nothing compared to our Heavenly Home for it’s forever. Oh our guide in Heaven will be our Great High Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ. Who we should know personally for He was with us all the way through this life we are now living. He was with us, He our Shepherd. When we had needs, when we were weary and worried and thought all was helpless. Our Great Shepherd restored our soul.

When guilt and grief tried to overwhelm us our Great Shepherd guided us. When death showed its awful face He our Great Shepherd was there with us in these moments of great sorrow of the great shadow and comforted us. He gave us rest from loneliness, reminding us of the Great Table and our enemies will soon be past when we stand in our forever Home where darkness refuses to shine. For our Great Shepherd is the light of our Forever Home. That’s why will need a different way of hearing “the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb”

Next time at Church remember it’s only the training ground for our Forever Home so lift up your voice.

  

 

👺Forgiven😇

 Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness.

Billy Graham

Psalms 23:6 (KJV) Surely goodness and mercy 

• Did you notice the first word? “Surely” Webster says it means “Certainly; infallibly; undoubtedly”  
• Certainly goodness and mercy shall
• infallibly goodness and mercy shall
• undoubtedly goodness and mercy shall
• Notice the very next word in that verse 
• It’ A Huge Statement:
• shall follow For how long? “all the days of my life” God’s Word gives such comfort. Look how it didn’t read. “goodness and mercy shall follow all the days” that I am good. That’s impossible! Know why? If you know what your Bible says you do.  
• Romans 3:12 (KJV) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
• ”goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days” that I am seeking after God. No, that's wrong too. 
• Romans 3:11 (KJV) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Is that not what we read in the book of Luke? 
• Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. He’s seeking us. I was talking with a young man one afternoon and I asked him if had been saved? He told me that he had done too many bad things for God to ever consider saving him. Now I’m not always this sharp. I then said I’m so sorry may I ask you who you killed? He quickly said no one! I then said you are in good shape then. Do you know that there was a man who became King over all Israel and God even calls him a man after God’s own heart. Well that King let his lust overtake him that resulted in another man’s wife getting pregnant. That King thought he had solved the problem when he had her husband killed. That King asked God to forgive him and you know what God did? He forgave him. So my friend God will forgive you too. That man’s name was David. He was the King  of Israel, read how he prayed.
• Psalms 51:1 (KJV) Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
• Psalms 51:2 (KJV) Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin
• Psalms 51:3 (KJV) For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
• Psalms 51:6 (KJV) Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
• Psalms 51:10 (KJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
• Psalms 51:17 (KJV) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
• God is not interested in our good works, our righteousness which we have done. God saves us, forgives us by His Mercy. 
• Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
• We might think that God is sitting on His throne ruling but that’s not what we read here. Oh no God is doing what? Following! God wants the best so He follows us with His Goodness and His Mercy. It’s not our performance that will bring God’s Goodness and Mercy. No a Good and Merciful God came to save us not because we pleased Him, because we haven’t. It’s because He loves us, because He does. Genesis chapter 3 we read of the first ones God ever went seeking after, remember their names? Sure you do Adam and Eve. God didn’t wait for them to come to Him. Why is that? They did wrong and covered it up the best they knew how and all looked good until God came seeking. John 4:23 (KJV) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
• I never had a desire to come to God until God first came to where I was.  1 John 4:19 (KJV) We love him, because he first loved us.
• 1 John 4:10 (KJV) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (payment) for our sins.  
• Here’s a secret which is plainly right out in the open that will restore a marriage if it is practiced. 
• Ephesians 5:25 (KJV) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
• If a husband will love his wife like that his wife will without doubt love her husband. Husbands don’t marry a wife to divorce her later in life. (Husbands, love your wives) then as husbands we are given an example. I like examples they teach us how to solve the problem (even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;) My wife's name is Judy and she loves going to the beach. I on the other hand could care less about the beach. So why do I go? Because Judy likes the beach and I love Judy and I want to be where she is. I wrote all this to say that no amount of money will buy love.  1 John 4:10 (KJV) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.