by David Brenneman
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. [6] But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and *settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 25:1-30.
How well do you live life concerning the return of Jesus Christ? How often does it cross your mind that maybe your behavior or your words should have been different? How many of your thoughts have been taken captive to the obedience of Christ?
Paul lived life thinking that maybe Jesus would return. He tried to pass that along to others.
Jesus taught through His parables over and over again to be mindful, be watchful, be on the alert...have you been?
Millions of people a day pass on to eternity thinking they yet still had days to live.
Millions more enter into the world never having a clue what's in store for them.
Of those millions who pass out of this world into eternity...many fall into Hell while others enter into Heaven.
Where would you find yourself?
We must decide in this here this now about where we will spend eternity. We either believe in Jesus Christ and trust in His sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins or we don't. That choice determines our destination.
Yesterday in my evening reading I was in John. The chapter about the resurrection of Lazarus. There actually is a tie-in to the story, I don't consider it a parable, of the rich man and Lazarus. In the second story Abraham says plainly that if people wouldn't believe Moses and the Prophets neither would they believe should someone arise from the dead. Lazarus arose from the dead and the Pharisees and Sadducees were even more adamant that Jesus had to die. Likewise they sought to put Lazarus to death a second time to end Jesus's credibility. They didn't believe even when someone arose from the dead.
You have possibly a profound choice to make. Either Jesus was who He said He was or He was a liar, a possible lunatic. Over 500 people witnessed His life after the crucifixion. The Apostles saw Him taken up into Heaven. They said plainly that as they saw Him go, so shall He return.
If indeed Christ is your personal Lord and Savior, are you living like He is returning or are you living life like His return is way off in the distance?
Are you fitting Jesus into your schedule or do you meet with Him whenever He wants to hear from you?
All of us are a heartbeat away from eternity. A heartbeat away from no more second chances. A heartbeat away from Heaven or Hell. That's a rock solid truth from the Word of God.
We who are in Christ are supposed to be living like it. We are supposed to be pursuing righteousness not the darkness that's in the world.
We are supposed to guard our hearts in Christ, not give the world free reign to reshape it.
What came out of your mouth today that wasn't honoring to God? What excuses do you hold onto that keep sinful thoughts and actions in your life?
Before you go any further today...settle the question about your eternity. Once death makes its claims there's no second chance.
Jesus died a death He didn't deserve to give you life.
Don't be satisfied with what you may think about the afterlife.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” John 3:16-21.
I am watchful...are you?
I strive to live for Him as best as I know how...do you?
I found peace with God through what Jesus did on the cross for me.
Have you?
What will you say when you stand before Jesus? There is no right answer that starts with "Because I...". The only right answer starts with "Because He...".
Don't take another breath until you get serious about this.
Possibly billions will cry out for Jesus to come back once He does come back for His Church. A cry that will not be answered.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ then live like it.
If you haven't decided...what's keeping you? There's no fears to be entertained by not coming to Christ for salvation. The gift of salvation is free and Jesus said that any who call on Him will be saved, none will be cast out.
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.
I am listening every day for that shout from Jesus to come home. There has been so much overwhelming evidence in my life that the life in Christ He gave to me after asking Him to save me that there's no other explanation.
Live life like today's the day. Don't schedule your time with Jesus. Just do it wherever and whenever.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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