Gotcha

One of my earliest memories was about my Dad. I can remember being in a group of adults. I was toddling around, looking for my dad and the sun was in my eyes. I couldn't see him, but I could hear his voice laughing and talking. I found his slacks, so I reached up, and said, "Daddy up!"

I was picked up. To my surprise it was not my father. I panicked and looked around for my daddy...he was not far from me so I squealed to be rescued from the stranger I thought was him.

Once I was in his arms I felt safe and was ready to face the crowd of people.

I want to speak to someone out there. Someone who has been walking around, trying to find the answer to their emptiness. You reached for something you thought would satisfy your need for comfort and now find yourself in the clutch of a nightmare. You feel like you are forever trapped, a slave to sin and there is no way out, and the grip seems to tighten every day.

What should you do? Do not fear. Your heavenly Father is there with you, waiting for you to reach out to Him. He will scoop you up and hold you close. All you need to do is reach out and call, "Abba! Father!"

You see, you are His child...you just climbed into the wrong arms. I pray you find God and His peace for your life today.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15

He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psalm 91:4

Repentance

Six years ago, September 11 was like any other day. People were just getting in to work, dropping off their kids at daycare or stopping for a coffee. In minutes, their world would change. Evil touched the United States and thousands lost their lives in one stroke. Were they in the wrong place at the wrong time? Were they bad people, did they somehow bring it upon themselves? Harsh questions, I know.

Jesus’ disciples asked the same thing about a tragic massacre. Jesus assured them that the magnitude of the event had nothing to do with how much the people had sinned. He even related another event where a tower had fallen and taken several lives. Towers in those days where considered a sanctuary, so people rationalized that the dead had sinned greatly.

He made it clear that these tragedies were not brought on by their sin. In fact, He said the bigger question was whether or not they repented of their sins. Jesus was more concerned about spiritual death. He told His disciples, “…but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:1-5

It’s a hard statement to swallow, but think about it. It’s going to happen, we will all die one day and face God. We don’t have a choice when and where. BUT, we do have a choice as to whether or not we will live on in heaven after our physical death.

When you reflect on the anniversary of 9-11, pray that people will realize how delicate life really is. You could be gone tomorrow. And the most important questions are not, “Do you have your affairs in order?” or “Have you told your family you love them?” The most important question is, “Do you know Christ?”

Before you go to sleep tonight. Consider repentance, because to Christ that was the most important thing.

If you'd like to know for sure whether you're heaven bound or not, drop in here: Need Him.

…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." Romans 10:9-11