What An Exit!

I have stood in the rooms of dying men and women. Sometimes there were two or three of us (including the person who was dying). Other times there were eight or ten of us. Each setting afforded a great opportunity for a "spiritual checkup!" If you find yourself in such a setting, whether there are two, three, or three thousand present, be sure that each one present has had a chance to choose Jesus as his/her Lord and Savior.
In Luke Chapter 23, Jesus, even while dying, takes time to save a repenting, dying thief. The matter of salvation is that urgent. If you are in the room of a dying person, even if you, yourself are the dying person, remember to extend Christ's invitation to discipleship and to everlasting life. If all present are saved, what an atmosphere of praise and worship that can be created! What an exit for the one who is dying! Joy!

Do You Know Jesus?

Be sure you meet Jesus
Before you meet with Death.
Your answer will make a difference
When the question is asked,
"Do you know Jesus?"
Your knees will one day kneel
In obeisance
Whether you tell them to or not.
Your tongue will declare that
He is Lord.

Your mind will recall
The many times
He called your name.
Did you answer him?
Did He claim you as His own?

Do you or do you not
Know Jesus?
Answer me
Before you close your eyes and die.
He can save your soul.
He's the only way
To receive eternal life.
Do you know Jesus
The precious Lamb of God?

A Glimpse

I have had many occasions to travel into Dallas throughout my lifetime. It still excites me to get a glimpse of the Dallas skyline long before actually entering the city. It reminds me of how I felt on my first trip to Six Flags Over Texas. Catching a "glimpse" of all the fun from the parking lot, made the distance to the entrance seem like a day's journey.

The dying who know Jesus begin a fellowship process with Him that attracts them away from all that exists in this life. Love is a powerful source, and tears are a powerful source, but not even the combination of love and tears can compete against a "glimpse of glory." Mothers have left small children behind. Husbands have died in spite of leaving behind the love of his life. Just a "glimpse" is enough to cause a dying Saint to be unmoved by the love and tears of those being left to mourn their passing. If a glimpse is that powerful, what must it be like to actually enter and dwell in the kingdom? Joy!

The words do not exist
That explain how I am able to resist
Staying when I know
You do not want me to go.
Your tears are full of love and
You cannot understand
How a God of love can demand
That I leave you now.
Though I'll gladly pay my vow
In exchange for the glimpse I see,
I have no words to describe
Eternity.

Fearless

Survival is the first rule of self-preservation. We fight desperately to live. The fear of dying can control every aspect of a person's life. Fear of dying can cause us to make good decisions. Likewise, fear of dying can cause us to make poor decisions. The first recorded death was that of Abel. He was murdered by his brother. Since that time, an infinite number of tears have been shed by mourners for those who die. History is full of narratives about the actions of individuals desperate to delay dying, often at any cost. Man is afraid to die.

Death is the great equalizer. No matter how rich or how poor; how attractive or unattractive; how young or old, or one's race or gender, we all must face the same fact. Death is inevitable (unless raptured) for every living creature. The thought of death reigned supreme as man's greatest fear. That is...until Jesus rose from the dead and sealed our hope forever in all of His promises for eternal life. Jesus, Himself, is living proof that there is everlasting life after death. Joy!

Like Jesus
I will rob Death of its victory.
Like Jesus
I will live eternally.
Like Jesus
I will not fear the grave's sting.
And just like Jesus
I will one day rise again.
Like Jesus
I will reign
Forever more in glory
Only because He came and
Saved my soul from
The penalty of sin.

Eat It!

As a little girl, I attended a Family Reunion for my mother's side of the family. I remember searching the spread for the foods I recognized as my mother's cooking. For months afterwards, my siblings spoke of how delicious the foods and desserts cooked and baked by my aunts were. I could have cared less about what I had missed. I was focused on my mother's cooking. I am still particular about whose cooking I am willing to eat, although much less so than I was in 1970.

I Kings 17: 4 - 7 tells about a group of strange cooks. The prophet, Elijah, had been commanded by God to wait for his next orders in a remote place, near a brook called Cherith. Elijah was served two meals a day by (of all creatures) ravens. God told Elijah before he went to the brook that ravens would be supplying his daily meals during his stay, and he went anyway. Elijah trusted God, so he obeyed God. The prophet ate what the ravens served until God ordered him to leave the brook.

This morning, I listened to three television preachers whose spiritual cooking I usually bypass. I was so desperate to saturate my soul with the preached Word today, that I dared to change the television station. I was willing to eat anybody's healthy cooking or "sound doctrinal preaching." I was so blessed. They helped me to zero-in on the very scriptures I needed in order for my Bible study time to nurture me out of my pity party. If Elijah could eat food served by ravens, surely I could appreciate the meals the television preachers were serving out of the Word of God. I was hungry and thirsty for righteousness, and I was filled. Joy!

Not Lost

Most of my traveling has required that I use Interstate 35, whether North or South, so it is a highway with which I am quite familiar. I mentally section off my entire distance to be traveled using approaching cities as mile markers, measuring the distance yet to be traveled. Often I recognize sites and landmarks prior to seeing signs indicating my location.

Sometimes while traveling through familiar territory, I become distracted by the phone or a thought. Whenever I recover, the question I ask myself is, "Where am I?" Other questions follow such as: 1) "Have I missed my exit," or 2) "Did I accidentally take an exit instead of remaining on the Interstate?" It is during these times of uncertainty, that I trust the highway system. I reassure myself that even though I am traveling in unfamiliar territory, I am on the right road, and all I have to do at this time in order to reach my destination is to continue driving straight ahead.

My journey through life has given me many similar experiences. I have become distracted and found myself in unfamiliar territory. I become anxious and question whether or not I have ventured off course. My enemy and adversary's goal is to deceive me and to cause me to panic, so that I will make a mistake and leave the road that will lead me to my destination.

In my natural travel and likewise in my spiritual travel, I have experienced concern over whether or not I have made a mistake. These experiences have taught me that there is a difference between "not knowing where I am" and "being lost." I remind myself and comfort myself with these words, "I may not know where I am, but I am not lost. I am on the Right Road." Jesus assures me in John 14:6 that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. My problems and challenges place me into unfamiliar territory with which I am uncomfortable until I come upon something familiar and find comfort.
God's word is a rod that comforts me. I may get broke, I may experience heartache, and I may have some pain from time to time that challenge my faith...but I am never lost. Joy!