Prepare to Die

Great title to start a post, right? Prepare to die. And no, this isn’t a reference to the movie, Princess Bride.

We all have one life to live but each life ends the same – in death.

We don’t know when our life will be over, when death will knock on the door and decide it’s our time to depart.

However, we each have the opportunity to prepare. How are you preparing?

John 5:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Death is coming for us all, but Jesus offers eternal life that forgoes condemnation and judgment and gives peace. Instead of guilt and shame, there is life and peace. Who wouldn’t want that?

We all sin and fall short of the mark. And, there is always a price to pay for sin. But God made a way for us to be forgiven. He made a way for our judgment to be taken away. He made a way for us to be made righteous. It is through the blood of Christ who died on the cross, in our place, taking our punishment, so we might go free.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “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.”

Have you made those preparations? I hope you have. If not, what is the delay?

Have questions? Then let’s talk. Send me a message. I would be happy to chat about it.

Now is the time

Why do we wait? Why do I wait?

It is evident that God is at work. He is moving. He is speaking. He is capturing the attention of many. Yet, we wait.

Here I go with the “we” stuff again. Let me rephrase that, yet, I wait. Why do I do that?

I’ve been asking myself that question a lot lately. What am I waiting for? A perfect set up? Unlimited time, funds, energy, or personality? Someone to notice my value and ask me to step in, take the lead, or do the thing, someone to believe I can and that I have it within me?

Yes. All those things. Humans are, by nature, seekers of acceptance. We want others to notice us, our value, our worth, our abilities, and our desires.

And for some odd reason, we put the acceptance of others above the acceptance and gifting of God. Ouch…

See, one thing I know for certain is that God uses people to accomplish His kingdom work on earth. BUT, He does it in such a way that He gets the glory and there is no doubt that He showed up.

When He calls us to join Him in something, it is usually something that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish. If it was something we could do without God’s help, then we would receive all the praise, not Him.

So, what are you waiting for? What has He asked of you? Where does He want you to join Him? Which lives around you are at stake if you delay?

Stop waiting for the acceptance of people. Stop waiting for someone to tell you that you can, that you are good enough, talented enough, great enough. You aren’t! But if you are humble enough, broken enough, and willing enough to be used, then you will be. And it will be in such a way that God gets the glory – not you, not me.

Frustration.

Don’t let frustration get the best of you. Find the root problem. See if God is using frustration to call you to change a problem situation, or calling you to change your heart.