Hello, and welcome to Faith is Hope,
I’m Dave
Last week I said that we were going to have a couple of special guests on the podcast today. But, a member of Jeremy’s family took ill. To me, nothing is more important than God, and family. No matter what else is going on, when someone you love and care about is sick or hurt, they come first. Our families, our friends, and our lives are a gift from God. You want to honor God, and thank him for the gifts he’s given you. Then put his gifts first in your life, before yourself and the world.
How many of us take time for granted? Ohh, there’s always tomorrow. Or, I’ll get around to it? Strictly speaking for myself, I’m guilty of it. I’ve put things off, and told family and friends that I’m a little busy right now or maybe later. Let’s be honest, we’ve all said things like that. Probably, because we believe that there’s always tomorrow, or I’ve got plenty of time. But, isn’t that taking time for granted?
If you knew the exact day and time your house was going to be broken into and robbed, would you be at your home with the police, or would you just let yourself be robbed? If you live in an area where there’s severe weather, tornados, hurricanes, and blizzards, are you going to wait, or are you going to make preparations before the storms are upon you?
What would you do, if you only had one year, just one year before the antichrist is revealed and the world collapses? When every nation of the world is at war with every other nation and with themselves. When there’s worldwide starvation, death, and diseases. People of all faiths being persecuted, attacked, and killed in the streets. What would you do with that one year?
Jesus told the disciples about things that were to come. About wars and rumors of wars. About the time of great tribulation, false prophets leading people astray. That there would be some claiming to be Christ, doing great wonders and miracles in different places. But Jesus said, don’t let yourself be deceived. That all these things needed to come to pass before his return.
You see there is going to be a time of great tribulation and the antichrist will gain his power over the nations of the world, during that period of time. Paul said that the day of the Lord will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. The son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-4) And if you haven’t read it lately you might want to revisit it.
Now some might say, yeah, okay, so what? What’s that got to do with me? Well, how would you live with just one year left? What would you do, and where would you focus? Would it be on things of the world? Would it be on your job, or money, nice cars, and clothes, a fancy home? Would it be on your family, your friends? What would you do in just one year? You see, everybody thinks that that time will never come… That, oh I’ve got lots of time, there’s plenty of time, that everything will be fine. Look around you, are you telling me that everything is fine? Are you telling me that there is nothing that’s going to happen? I might have been born at night but it wasn’t last night. Open your eyes people. You’re looking satan in the eyes every day. With everything that’s going on in the world, in our nation, in our cities and streets. You can’t tell me that the devil doesn’t exist. That this is just how mankind is. No, it isn’t. This is not how God created us. This is how the devil influenced us. From the very beginning, he was a liar. And he lied to Eve and Adam, and ever since that time he’s influenced the world. What are you going to do with just one year?
I don’t know when the antichrist is coming. I can tell you he is gonna come. I can tell you that for a fact. I can’t tell you when Christ is coming, his return. I can tell you that he is. I can tell you that yes Jesus Christ is going to return, he is coming. I can tell you that for a fact. Because both of them were told to us. And we were told to watch. And to watch the signs and the seasons. To watch what’s going on in our lives, and the lives of the people around us. But a lot of people have stopped watching. They stopped paying attention, they don’t care. And that’s the saddest thing. So how can I hee[p you to care? How can I help you with just one more year?
Time is a gift from God. Forgiveness and salvation are gifts from God. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only son, whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
None of us knows how much time we have, but if we live each day like it was our last. If we never leave home without telling our family how much we love them. Because we may not get another chance. If we share with our friends how much we appreciate and love that friendship. If we never pass up an opportunity to raise someone up from that low place where they might be. If you fill your cup with God’s message of Love, Hope, and Faith, that cup will runneth over with God’s blessings, his mercy, and his grace.
God’s telling all of us, it’s time. It’s time to look at ourselves in the mirror. It’s time to look at what we’re focusing on. It’s time to make a choice on which way you want to go. You can turn to the right, or you can turn to the left. But God’s not going to let any of us just stand in the middle of the road.
Hey, I’m Dave – join me next time when I welcome my special guests Jeremy, and Bob. And until then, I’ll see you at the Rest Area.
