Devotionals from Dad

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For many years now we have been defining generations of people by giving a title to the characteristics of those that were born during that generation. A generation is defined as a group of people born in the same general time span who share similar life experiences, such as a big historical event, pastimes, heroes, and work experiences. They will have shared experiences such as circumstances and culture. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivations.

“The Greatest Generation” refers to the generation in the United States that came of age during the Great Depression and later fought in World War II. Some of the personality traits of this generation are humility, personal responsibility, a strong work ethic and they are prudent savers. Other generations include: the Silent Generation those born from 1928–1945, the Baby Boomers born from 1946–1964, Generation X those born between 1965–1980, the Millennial's born from 1981–1995, Generation Z born between 1996–2010 and Generation Alpha born 2011 to present day. Some of the other notable generational characteristics include: the Baby boomers who are dedicated workers, who value visibility, Generation X'ers are independent and well-educated individuals, Millennial's, are collaborative and impact-oriented group, and Generation Z is an optimistic group that is strongly opposed to risk. However I would like to define a new group. If you believe that the bible is true, then we may well be living in the “Final Generation!”

Matthew 24:34 NIV Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 

In Matthew 24 Jesus talks about the signs of the end times. He says that many will come in his name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Jesus also goes on to say that just like in the days of the flood, people will be eating, drinking, giving in marriage and being merry and the lost will know nothing of destruction that is to come. When the rapture of the church comes two men will be working in the field, one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and the other will be left.

Jesus’ point in His statement, “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place,” is that the events of the end times will happen quickly. Once the signs of the end times begin to be observed, the end will be well on the way—the second coming and the judgment will occur within that “Final Generation.” The age of grace has continued for a very long time. But when the time for judgment finally arrives, things will be wrapped up posthaste! The day and the hour of Jesus return, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven know, only God knows. The Bible has a lot to say about the end times. Nearly every book of the Bible contains prophecy regarding the end times. 

Matthew 24:42 NIV Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

You may well be a part of the “Final Generation” when the Trumpet sounds and it will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will be transformed.

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Every four years the U.S. president stands in front of the Capitol building and takes the oath of office, with their right hand raised and their left hand resting on a Bible. While oaths are found in all cultures around the world, some of the oldest oaths attested to in history are found in the stories of Abraham in the Old Testament. Genesis 12 details an oath between God and Abraham.

Genesis 12: 1-3 NIV The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

By the twelfth century, the practice of taking an oath on the Bible was common in English courts. From there, the practice was brought to America. George Washington was sworn in on a Bible that was “hastily grabbed” from a masonic lodge for the first U.S. presidential swearing-in ceremony in New York City. Since then, the choice of Bibles has become much more intentional. In a symbolic gesture, both President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump were sworn in on the Bible of Abraham Lincoln. When people in court swear an oath to God while using a Bible it reinforces Christianity in America. It's more than just a "privilege" for Christians that courts and our constitution incorporate Christian beliefs and text into legal procedures.

Sadly though Christianity in American is quickly fading into what is almost a distant memory. The American Bible Society revealed findings from its “State of the Bible” survey, which details Americans’ beliefs about the Bible, its role in society, its presence in U.S. homes and more. The annual “State of the Bible” 2012 survey, conducted by the Barna Group on behalf of American Bible Society, found the following facts: On average, 85 percent of U.S. households own a Bible. The average number of Bibles per household is 4. 36 percent of Americans read the Bible less than once a year or never, while only 33 percent read the Bible once a week. 79 percent believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible, but 54 percent were unable to correctly identify the first five books of the Bible. The survey also identified generational patterns as well. Younger adults are less likely to perceive the Bible as relevant and useful when compared with older adults. Sixty-two percent of adults age 66 and older believe the Bible contains everything a person needs to know about living a meaningful life, dropping to 54 percent among boomers, age 47 to 65 years, 44 percent among those age 28 to 46, and dropping even further to 34 percent for those age 18 to 27.

A Newsweek poll revealed that fewer people now think of the United States as a ‘Christian nation’ than did so when George W. Bush was president (62 percent in 2009 versus a measly 36 percent in 2020). Two thirds of the public now say religion is ‘losing influence’ in American society. Many conservative Christians believe they have lost the battles over issues such as abortion, school prayer and even same-sex marriage, and that the country has now entered a post-Christian phase.

John 16:13 NIV But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 

And that is the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

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The Grand Canyon is the ultimate definition of the power of erosion. By definition erosion is the gradual destruction or reduction of something. The Grand Canyon is a one mile deep gorge. The Colorado river has over thousands of years slowly carved through many layers of rock. The external forces of the moving waters of the river and wind has over time has continually moved against the canyon and has worn it down. The erosion of the Grand Canyon happened so slowly that if you stood and observed the canyon you wouldn't see that anything happening at all. Erosion can happen in our spiritual life as well. Just like physical erosion, spiritual erosion is often slow, silent, and subtle. Like physical erosion, spiritual erosion is often imperceptibly, Spiritual erosion is a gradual but devastating process of moral and spiritual decline. 

Some people believe the devil, in his effort to take away convictions and Christian living, will come and say, “I am the devil and I’ve come to kill you spiritually.” No, he comes as a thief in the night, or a wolf in sheep’s clothing or as the father of lies. The devil does his evil work when he can find his target asleep or unaware that eroding things are slowly taking away and changing our lives through spiritual compromise. 

1 Thessalonians 5:2 NIV For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 

Matthew 7:15 NIV Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 

So what are the symptoms of spiritual erosion? One major symptom is, we start to compromise and rationalize our wrong choices and sins. Another signal of spiritual erosion is our diminishing desire to do spiritual things such as attend bible study, Sunday school and church. Over time we spend less time with our Christian brothers and sisters. So it is with compromise in our spiritual life. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, one compromise leads to another. Every time we compromise we allow the slow-moving tentacles of evil to wrap themselves around us. It happens so silently, so subtly, we hardly realize it’s taking place. The slope of spiritual erosion is so gradual it is hard to see but over time becomes slippery, and each subsequent act of disobedience is easier to rationalize.

Spiritual erosion usually occurs slowly but it can be accelerated. Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a tree in his neighborhood that had stood as a landmark for many years. He thought that the tree would be there forever, but one day without notice, the tree fell. Upon closer examination, it was discovered that inside the tree it was pithy and diseased. It rotted from within. It never looked diseased on the outside but once it fell, it was obvious to all that it was sick. The process of erosion had taken its toll and was now on display for all to see.

We need to examine ourselves. Have you changed your attitude about sin? Is it easier to overlook or excuse your sins? Have you developed a compromising spirit? 

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 

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Did you know that the average person will spend one third of their life at work or about 90,000 hours? Many of us look at work as a necessary evil that takes up a large portion of our lives. It’s easy to get burnt out by our work and let it affect our attitude or work ethic.

Have you ever crawled out of the bed and thought to yourself, "why do I have to go to work today?" I am confident that there is not a single person that has not at least once dreaded the fact that they had to go to work. At some point in your life, we have all had that job or co-worker that just grated on your nerves. They were like fingernails on the chalkboard. They just had this way of getting under your skin to the point where you just thought your head would explode. They made you just hate your job! 

Did you know your work ethic could either bring Glory to God or destroy you witness? Even during the most difficult tasks, you can choose to have a work ethic that pleases God. Ultimately, you’re working for the Lord, not human masters.

Colossians 3:23-24 NIV Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Work has been ordained by God since the beginning or time. In the beginning God put Adam in charge of the Garden of Eden. Adam was tasked with caring for the garden and even with naming all the animals God created. God used Adam in his work, and He can use you. Your job allows you to use the skills, intelligence, and experience that God has gifted you. In your day-to-day job, you have the opportunity to love and serve those around you. Almost every job requires you to interact with others, whether that be a boss, coworker, or a customer. Imagine this, what if God was standing behind you at your workplace. Pretend He was doing a job shadow of you at work. How would He react to the way you answered the phone? What would He think of the way you treated customers, or worse yet how would God react to your workplace banter with your co-workers? Do you think he would approve of the gossip in your office or the attitude you have towards your boss? I gotta tell you that if God was doing a job shadow day with me, I am confident that He would not be impressed with me! At the end of the day, I think the two of us would be having a "Come to Jesus" conversation if you know what I mean!!!

No matter what your job is you can set a godly example at work. In Matthew the Bible tells us to shine as lights to the world, keeping our behavior and speech above reproach. You can invest in your work friendships and pray for those around you, keep in mind that your work can be a platform for evangelism.

Matthew 5:16 NIV In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

I know we all work hard for our paycheck. Look around you though, I am sure you can find someone less fortunate than yourself. Your job can not only bless you, but others as well? Your work allows you to make money that you can use to bless others in your life. Pay it forward, buy a stranger's drink at the convenience store. Your gesture of kindness may be all that is needed to give you the opportunity to share the good news of salvation with someone does not know Jesus as their Savior!

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In Luke chapter 2 is the story of when Joseph and Mary leave Jesus behind. It begins in verse 41. Luke tells us it was their custom every year for Joseph and Mary to go to Jerusalem and observe the “Festival of Passover.” Luke tells us that Jesus was about 12 years old so likely he was mature enough to be trusted by his parents enough that they didn't need to hold his hand or keep a watchful eye on him at every single moment. According to the historical writings of Josephus there were massive crowds in Jerusalem during Passover. Passover in Jerusalem was the place to be, kind of like Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Jerusalem was overflowing with pilgrims from across the Roman world as the Passover feast drew near. Some pilgrims began arriving a week early so that they could purify themselves.

Luke 2:43 NIV After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 

During the “Festival of Passover” life would have been hectic and chaotic for Joseph and Mary. For us today we frequently let life get so hectic and chaotic we frequently forget Jesus as well. I am confident that it is possible that for some of the Jews the “Festival of Passover” had just became something they did every year without putting a lot of heart into it. 

This is not much different than what church has become for many modern day professing Christians. It is just something we do for an hour on Sunday morning without putting a lot of heart into it and when we leave the church building, we leave Jesus behind as well. We go about out the next 6 days of the week without even a thought of Jesus. Our bible sits in the same spot it was after we returned home from church, until the next Sunday morning. We go about our life totally unaware of where we left Jesus. 

 Luke 2:44-45 NIV Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 

Have you came to the realization that you have left Jesus behind? That he is not a part of your daily life? Since the COVID pandemic shut down church, attendance has been discouraging. Many people that attended church on a regular basis before the pandemic have just not returned. They have forgot where they left Jesus. If so maybe like Joseph and Mary we need to begin looking for him, but where do you start? Maybe you need to start looking for Jesus in the same place that his parents did.

Luke 2:46, 49 NIV After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

If you’ve drifted away from Jesus. If you have forgotten where you left him. I want you to know this important truth: He is always there, waiting for you to come back. If you haven’t picked up a Bible in weeks. If you rarely pray and you can't remember the last time you attended church, If your life is hectic and chaotic and you forget where you left Jesus just remember, He’s never too far away. Reconnecting with Jesus can be as simple as a prayer and an intentional attitude of returning to his house.

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Have you ever went into a convenience store and seen a life size cardboard cutout of a person and for a moment thought they were real? Casey's Convenience Stores recently had a promotion where they would bring a free concert to your town with country music star, Lee Brice. Everyone of their stores had a life size cardboard cutout of Lee Brice. I am not a country music fan so I didn't recognize him right away, to me he just looked like another customer in the store. I can't tell you how many times looked at the cardboard customer and almost said, “How you doing?” No kidding my mouth would be open, the words were on the tip of my tongue and at the last second I realized it wasn't real.

Unfortunately some Christian resemble cardboard cutouts, from a distance they seem real but if you get up close you soon realize that their relationship with God is a bit superficial and really has no substance. When I was a young man I was in immature Christian, I was a cardboard cutout Christian! Life can be really difficult if you have a superficial relationship with Christ, with your spouse, your brother, sister or anyone for that matter. When turbulent times come to you and they will you sooner or later you realize the depth of your relationships and who will really be their to support you when the times get tough. 

The most turbulent years of my life came from 1988 to 1990. In 1988 my son Jerry Craig passed away. He was just 3 months old and most of those 3 month were spent in the hospital. If my memory is correct he was home and out of the hospital less than 1 week. Then in 1990 my second son, Levi Blake was stillborn. It was so difficult a time in my life that I didn't even realize that Levi had died on fathers day until one year later when I went to put flowers on his grave! I was overcame with emotions from all that had happened and broke down in tears. I did more than just cry, I was so overcame with sadness that I cried uncontrollably. I wept, I sobbed to the point I could barely catch my breath. 

Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

How can the death of your children be a good thing? As a “Cardboard Christian” I didn't have a deep enough relation with God to see any good reason for this! I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty, if it had not been for the fact that I had parents and grandparents that were rock solid Christians with a much deeper and stronger relationship with the Heavenly Father than I had, I would have never survived those years!

If you love God, you can trust that He is working for your good, even when you can't see the good, even when most turbulent times overwhelm you! Secondly, He works for “those who are called according to His purpose.” Do you realize that following God entails submitting to His purpose for you? This means you need be more than a cardboard Christian. You need to have more than just a superficial relationship with God. Did you know you have been called by Him for a purpose! Yes we are all called to serve God! Not all of us are called to be a missionary in a far away country, or to be a preacher leading God's people or even a Sunday school teacher, but we are all called to serve Him. For me my calling is to be rock solid Chirstain Father to my children just like my father and grandfather were for me. I pray that my children never have to go through turbulent times in their lives. I pray they never have to experience the emotional pain of a funeral for one of their children, but if they do I will be first to show them how much God loves them and how much I love them!

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I don't know about you but I struggle daily with my thoughts!!! My thoughts are frequently abhorrent, evil, self centered, repulsive, disgusting and hateful! Have you ever thought about the fact that every sin we commit, we commit twice, once in our thoughts and again when we act upon those thoughts.

Proverbs 4:23 NIV Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

The “heart” includes the mind and all that proceeds from it. It is easier to rid our lives of sin if we attack it from the beginning rather than waiting for it to become rooted in our lives by our actions. There is also a difference between being tempted (a thought entering into the mind) and sinning (dwelling upon an evil thought and wallowing in it). It is important to understand that when a thought enters our mind, we must examine it based upon God’s Word and determine if we should continue down that path or reject the thought and replace it with another thought. If we have already allowed a bad habit to form in our thought lives, it becomes more difficult to change the path of our thoughts. Changing the path of your thoughts is like driving down a muddy country road. Once your wheels get into the deep ruts in the middle of the road it is nearly impossible to get out. You either do your best to back out or you get high centered, get stuck, then need someone to come tow you out. You are like the air traffic controller of your mind. You must decide which thoughts will land and which will not. Here is an acrostic that you should use before speaking or acting upon your thoughts. T H I N K. T stands for “Truthful” is your thought the truth? H is “Helpful” will your thought be helpful to others? I is “Inspiring” will your thought inspire others to be better? N is “Necessary” is your thought really necessary or do you just want to share your 2 cents worth? K is “Kind” is your thought kind, if not than keep it to yourself!

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

So how do we take captive our thoughts, how do we control our thoughts. Begin by being in Gods word so that when a sinful thought or temptation enters your mind you will immediately recognize it and know how to respond to it. When Jesus was in the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. He responded to each temptation with scripture that applied. He knew the direction His thoughts should take. Instead of going down the path of sinful thoughts. When He was tempted to meet His physical hungry, Satan told Jesus to turn stone into bread, He recited the scripture about the importance of relying upon God.

Next don't feed your mind with things that will promote sinful thoughts! For example avoid, videos, websites, conversations, and situations that will set you up for a failure. Avoid spending time with those who would encourage you down these wrong paths.Finally for me one of the greatest tools I have found to help me control my thoughts is to surround myself with fellow Christians by attending bible study, Sunday School, worship service and every other function that I can possible attend. Don't try to go it alone, there are strength in numbers. The members of my church are like my second family and like my brothers and sisters they ask me in love how I am doing and hold me accountable for avoiding my old ways and my thoughts. My importantly they pray for me! 

Last and most important, these methods will be of no value unless you have placed your faith in Christ as your Savior from sin. This is where we absolutely must start! Without this, there can be no victory over sinful thoughts and temptations.

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Have you discovered that you can not control what others do to you. As hard as you try you can't control what other people say or do to you, but you can control your response. When someone hurts you, you must make a choice. You can choose to release those who hurt you or you can hold on to the hurt and let it fester up inside of you like a cancerous tumor.

Hebrews 12:15 NIV See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Bitterness is like a deadly acid that not only destroys the person who is holding on to it, but when you let it spill out, it also destroys everyone and everything it comes into contact with. One of the biggest things many of us as Christians struggle with is forgiveness. We either struggle with receiving God's forgiveness for our own sins or extending forgiveness to those who have wronged us. 

Distancing yourself from the person hurt you, will not make the hurt go away. You can pretend that the problem doesn’t exist by avoiding the person that hurt you, but it will cripple the relationship you have them. You will start to build walls and live a guarded life. When we refuse to forgive, we are inviting Satan to empower bitterness, disunity and destroy people. Many women turn their bitterness inward and become depressed. While men turn their bitterness outward and their anger tends to escalate. So how do you move from bitterness to forgiveness? 

Acknowledge your emotions about the harm done to you and how it affects your behavior, and work to release it. Choose to forgive the person who's offended you. Move away from your role as victim and release the control and power the offending person and situation has had in your life. The way you dig up the “root of bitterness” is with the “shovel of forgiveness.” 

Ephesians 4:29 NIV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Begin by giving the person that offended you the gift of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not only for them, it is a gift for you. Forgiveness is both a decision and a process. It may take time and cover a series of issues. You know you have forgiven them when you genuinely want God to bless them, you want good for their lives.

Forgiveness is not denying the offense ever happened. Forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgiveness is not a response to an apology. It is freely offered by the offended. We must forgive as God in Christ forgave us. No one has been sinned against us anymore than we have sinned against Jesus.

Archaeologist studying the Roman bathrooms have discovered, that rich Romans sat and relieved themselves on marble benches. Slaves took sponges to clean out the excrement and used vinegar to sanitize them once again. The vinegar sponge the soldier’s put to Jesus’ lips on the cross could have been used to clean Roman toilets. Jesus kept speaking loving words even with His dying breath. He forgave them, and He forgives you. Offer the gift of forgivness to others because Jesus Christ freely forgave you!!!

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In Proverbs, Solomon gives advice to parents. He tells them to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6 NIV Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
The bible also tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in 2nd Timothy 3:16... Teaching children the truths of Scripture will make them wise for salvation, 2nd Timothy 3:15;... thoroughly equip them to do good works, 2nd Timothy 3:17;... prepare them to give an answer to everyone who asks them the reason for their hope, 1 Peter 3:15... As parents we must prepare our children to withstand the temptations of sin and the pressure of their peers. The world throws them an onslaught of temptations. I am so thankful that I had parents that took me to Sunday school and church every week when I was child. Because I did every evil detestable thing possible as a teenage boy. I realize that many people as adults claim they were terrible to their parents but I truly was!!!

When I was 16 years old the gas pedal on my car only new two positions, idle and full throttle. I would go out with my girlfriend on a Friday night and not come home until Saturday morning and I never let my parents know where I had been until they asked me the next morning. I used drugs and drank alcohol excessively. When I was a Junior in high school I attended the prom and I became so intoxicated and high, that I passed out. My friends got tired of hauling my unconscious body around so they put me in the passenger seat of my car, took me home, and left me in the driveway. When I didn't come in right away my father went out and carried my lifeless body into the house. I was so near death that he couldn't even find a pulse on me. My parents and the neighbors, Jim & Sherry Lerette, prayed over my lifeless body. I say all theses things not because I am proud of that I survived, actually just the opposite is true! I am embarrassed about how I behaved and I truly do not like repeating the story! All that being said though I am biblical proof that if train a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not turn from it! However this biblical promise is not a guarantee that if you live a Christian lifestyle and teach your children the truths of the bible and salvation, that they will turnout to be God fearing adults when they grow up. Just like you still have a free will and can choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing. What is a guarantee however is that if you do not teach your children good biblical morals the world will teach them just the opposite! Society is bent on indoctrinating young people with secular values such as: transgender-ism and same sex marriage just to name a couple. What in the world has happened to the us? What a dysfunctional mess we have become! The value that God placed on teaching our children the truth is clearly addressed by Moses who stressed to his people the importance of teaching their children about the Lord and His commands.

Deuteronomy 6:7-9 NIV Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Sadly, people these days are choosing to redefine the meaning of morality in order to justify their self-indulgent, behaviors and lifestyles. As parents we have been given the privilege of being stewards of our children’s lives for a very short time, the teaching and training we provide them is of eternal value! What are you teaching your children? Are you talking the talk and walking the walk? Do you leading by example? Remember Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Whether you choose to believe it or not your soul will live for eternity. Where your soul spends eternity, Heaven or Hell,... is up to you! We live in a messy, confusing world that is cursed with sin and pain. There are no more prophecies that need to be fulfilled before Jesus can come back for his church. We are surely living in the Last Days!!! 

Revelation 22:20 NIV He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

2,000 years ago John said the time was at hand. Was he wrong? No not at all! The time is at hand. It may not be immediate, but it is imminent. The last days began soon after Jesus was crucified, immediately after he ascended into heaven. So yes, we are living in the last days. 

The imminence of Jesus’ return can be described as walking along the edge of the ocean’s shore. Some people may believe that we are off in the distance headed toward the second coming. We must remember though that God does not comprehend or measure time and distance like we do. 

2 Peter 3: 7-9 NIV By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

According to the Book of Revelation, the future includes the rapture of the saints and the tribulation of this world. It prophesies of the Battle of Armageddon, the beast, the millennium, and the glorification of the Savior. It tells us of the final judgment, in which each of us will learn of the eternal state of our souls. From the time that Jesus came the first time until He comes again, we have been living on the edge of eternity. The time is at hand; anytime, Jesus may return. At any moment the trumpet may sound and the saints, those that profess Jesus Christ as their Savior, will be raptured out of this world and taken up into heaven. When the saints are taken out, the Antichrist will turn the world into a vast concentration camp and all the inmates will be numbered. No one will be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast. 

 Revelation 13: 16-18 NIV It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

One day, sinners will stand before Jesus Christ. The dead will be raised to stand before Jesus and be judged. If you do not meet the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, then you will meet Him as your Sovereign Judge. Is your name written in the Book of Life? 

At anytime, Jesus may return. At any moment the trumpet may sound. We are living on the edge of eternity. GET RIGHT OR GET LEFT BEHIND!!!!

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