Do You Follow Jesus This Close?

I got behind a vehicle the other day and I wasn’t tailgating them, but I did want to get close enough to read the sticker on their back glass. It said, “Do You Follow Jesus This Close?” I love that.

It’s true we are in such a hurry that you can’t even drive the speed limit without getting ran over. The sticker not only gets everyone’s attention and asks if they have a relationship with Jesus, but also says stop following so close to me. It’s true though are you as close as you and your vehicle are to me as you are with Jesus?

The other day we had a snowstorm in Arkansas. I say snowstorm. We got 13 inches of snow in my little town, and we are not used to that kind of snow. And it reminded me of Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” (Bible Gateway ESV 2025) The snow really slowed us down for a few days. It would melt and then freeze again, leaving ice on the road. I think God was saying slow down and read my Word, meditate on it, spend time with family, and know that I am God. I think God was saying draw closer to Me, get to know Me better.

I Wonder

Our church recently upgraded from old-timey bench style pews to more comfortable chairs with cushions and gave the old pews away.

My wife and I were fortune it enough to get one of the pews and we placed it on our back deck. We occasionally sit in it and marvel at God’s beautiful creation.

I sometimes wonder how many people gave their life to Jesus sitting in that very same pew that we use to gaze upon God’s creation, with a command of His voice, that I am in awe of. I wonder how many people sat there and cried during a sermon that pricked their hearts. I wonder how many couples, male and female, sat there holding hands being preached to about God’s design in marriage covenant between man and wife. Or how many young men and women sat in the very same pew and marveled at how God, Himself, took on flesh and died on the Cross for our sins, defeating sin and death through His descension into hell and resurrection and ascension into heaven for you and me.

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”[a] 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

I wonder how many sermons have been preached in that church with that old church pew. And how many people sat on that old-fashioned church pew. And now my wife and I and children get to sit on the same pew that saw people give their lives to Jesus, the most important decision you will ever make, to spend eternity with Jesus.

But there is still something about sitting in an old uncomfortable traditional pew that can’t be replaced. I wouldn’t trade that memory for anything.

Like There is No God (in Israel)

Do you give yourself too much credit? I know I do. I think I can take care of problems without God’s help, like there is no God (in Israel). Our pastor was preaching a sermon the other day and he said the same thing. We often take God for granted and think we can do it, anything from small issues to big issues, without Him.

We should pray over everything and worry about nothing. Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Bible gateway ESV 2024) Our church is hosting a blood drive, that I signed the church up for and I am stressing out that we don’t have enough people signed up. When you host a blood drive, the Arkansas Blood Institute goal is 12 and I have six signed up seven days before the blood drive. What I need to do, is pray about it and I have been, but we have a tendency to put God in a box, like He can’t do anything! This is such a great opportunity for God to show up and show out, when this blood drive is a success, and we get way over the goal of 12. And of-course we can’t forget to give God all the glory for the successes in our lives.

I have been posting on Facebook, I have been talking to people at work and sending messages on my phone. We have been announcing it at church. I’ve hung up signs and left small brochures with QR codes to make appointments everywhere. I’m to the point that I don’t know what else I can do, except pray and give it to God.

The point is we should be praying over everything, from the time we wake up till the time we go to bed.

And when this succeeds because I have faith, that it will, give All the glory to God. Because there is a God and He is good, all the time.

Do Something (Devotion)

Have you heard the song by Matthew West called Do Something? I just happen to have the words to the song, let me read them to you:

“I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to heaven

I thought, God, why don’t You do something?
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me

So, I shook my fist at heaven
Said, God, why don’t You do something?
He said, I did, I created you
Now listen

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now
It’s time for us to do something

If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
Oh, it’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

Na-na, na
Na-na, na
Na-na, na
Na-na, na

I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, somebody else will do something

Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says
I’m gonna do something

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now
It’s time for us to do something
Yes, it is, c’mon

If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill
We’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now
It’s time for us to do something

If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something (na-na, na)

It’s time for us to do something
It’s time for us to do something (na-na, na)”

Songwriters: Matthew West. For non-commercial use only.

Men, we can’t sit on our hands, we need to be the leaders of the church. Let’s see what the Bible says about Men in the church:

As leaders of the church, men have a great responsibility. Paul told the elders at Ephesus “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28 Bible Gateway NKJV 2024)

And elder must hold “fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict: (Titus 1:9 Bible Gateway NKJV 2024)

Peter said, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2, 3 Bible Gateway NKJV 2024)

“Younger Christians are to submit to their elders: “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5 Bible Gateway NKJV 2024)

Can we change the world? We may not be able to singlehandedly change the world, but we can change someone’s world.

The floor is open to any suggestions on how we can serve the church and the community?

To Live Is Christ To Die Is Gain

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father thank you so very much for the opportunity to stand before the church and to grow spiritually with the church as I deliver this message. But I certainly can’t do this without you. I can’t do anything without you. I Thank you for your grace, mercy, and patience with me. There are many people hurting in our community and all over the world. I lift them up to you, heal and comfort as you see fit. Please bless Youth night this evening and I pray the community will see the love if Jesus Christ in us and that if there is someone that doesn’t have an intimate relationship with you that they would form a relationship with you through the planting of the seed. If it not by us, by someone else. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Turn to Philippians 1:21

This is the Word of God King James Version: Phillipians1:21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.²²But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:²⁴Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.²⁵And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;²⁶That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Amplified Philippians: 1:21 ^“For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]. ²²If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice]. ²³But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; ²⁴yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake. ²⁵Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that your rejoicing for me may overflow in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.”

I love this scripture: Let’s look at the first part. For me to live is Christ. We live for Christ. Christ lives in us and we have eternal life because of Jesus Christ. Therefore, everything we do should be centered around Christ. We should live the same way on Monday and Saturday as we do on Sunday at church.

If you have seen any of my Facebook posts, you know I don’t hide my light underneath a bushel.

The other day, a rogue deer that was bent on crossing Highway 8 E plowed into Manuela’s van and did a pretty good number on it, but thank God, no one was hurt. The Lord was with us and protected us.

While I was waiting on someone to tow the van, I had K-love on, and I was praising the Lord that no one was hurt in the accident.

I sent an email out to everyone, just to bring awareness about crazy deer out there.

I will read it to you. “Good Morning Team

Ya’ll be safe out there! A deer decided to commit suicide and run into our van; photos attached. Praise the Lord, no-one was hurt. There was absolutely nothing we could do to avoid the rogue deer that was running full throttle.

Anyway, ya’ll be safe and watch out for deer.”

Jerry

I am a K-love supporter and I get prayers sent to me every day. And I share them on Facebook and at work I stumbled upon, no God uncovered this USDA Faith at work group on Microsoft Teams and I share these prayers with them every day. I’m blessed to be able to share these prayers with others, again live through Christ in everything we do.

Let’s look at the second part of the verse. And to die is gain. You see when Paul was writing this, he was torn between staying on earth and being persecuted and going home to be with Jesus for eternity and we may feel the same way. In one sense we may want to stay here on earth because there is more work to do. There’s more kid’s camps to have, there’s more Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames to have. There’s more Youth Nights to have. There’s more people to talk to about Jesus. There’s more seeds to plant and more people for God to save. And more sermons for Brother Zack to deliver. But isn’t it going to be awesome to go home to Heaven! Amen! Come on Eddie where are ya?

“If you can really grasp what Paul is saying here, then you will truly understand the meaning and context of Philippines 1:21 For Paul to keep living would be beneficial for the church in Philippi and everyone else he was ministering to. He could keep serving them and be a blessing to the body of Christ. (That’s to live is Christ).

However, understanding the sufferings of this life (remember Paul was in prison when writing this letter), and all of the challenges he faced, he understood that as great as it is to serve Christ in this life, it was better to die and go be with Christ forever. This does not mean you should want to die, it just means that you understand that death for a Christian is not the ending, but just the beginning. In death, you lay down your struggle. You complete your race and you enter into the presence of God for all eternity. That’s the experience for every believer and truly that is better.” (Clarence L. Haynes Jr. August 2022)

People That Don’t Care If They Go To Hell Scare Me

Let Us Taco Bout Jesus! Get it? We just had lettuce and tacos. That was my ice breaker. You can thank Brother Eddie for that one. He wanted me to fit that in. We’ll talk about Jesus in a few minutes.

But, have you heard of Elon Musk? If you haven’t Elon Musk is the founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer of SpaceX; CEO, and Product Architect of Tesla, Inc.; and co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI. With an estimated net worth of around $266 billion as of August 17, 2022,^[4] Musk is the wealthiest person in the world according to both the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes‘ real-time billionaires list.^[5]^[6]

I have a Twitter account. I am just trying to be cool, and I saw this Tweet from someone named Muhammad somebody to Elon Musk That said:

Quote “You won’t die before your day Elon. Anyhow, you are/were a unique figure in this world. I’m only wondering one thing: As a genius, haven’t you find out that there is a great creator of this world yet? If you did, make sure you confess this before your last heart beat. Bless u”

Elon Musk wrote back, and I quote “Thank you for the blessing, but I’m ok with going to hell, if that is indeed my destination, since the vast majority of all humans ever born will be there.”

What?!? Someone that is so no nonchalant about going to Hell scares me. That scares the crud out of me, or you could say it scares the fire out of me! Elon Musk is supposed to be a smart man. He was just called a genius. But he’s not that smart after all. Apparently, Mr. Musk doesn’t understand what Hell is and he sure doesn’t understand what Heaven is and how amazing Heaven will be. We can’t even fathom how awesome Heaven will be. And he sure doesn’t understand what Hell will be like. That Hell is the absence of God and light. That God is love and light and that Hell is the opposite. The Bible says in Hell there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth and the worm never dies. That means it will never end. It’s forever and eternity. It’s not like going to visit your Month-in-law for two weeks. Although, two weeks is a long time to spend with your Mother-in-law, no Heaven and Hell are for an eternity and Eternity is a long time, it’s forever!

The God of the Universe. The God that created 200 billion-trillion stars and two trillion galaxies. The one and only God knows your name and wants a relationship with you. God wants a relationship with all of us, and we have nothing to give to God. We come to God empty handed. You see the richest person in the world. The most prominent person in the world can’t buy their way into heaven. The ONLY way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ.

This is where we taco Bout Jesus. You see Jesus will change your life forever! Jesus died for our sins on the cross and resurrected three days later, and he sits on the right hand of the Father in Heaven and anyone who believes in Jesus and has repented of their sins (or turned from their wicked ways) that has a relationship with Jesus will spend forever with Jesus in Heaven. If you ask Jesus into your heart, into your life he will change your life forever. Romans 10:13 says “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”—Romans 10:13, King James Version. Meaning of Romans 10:13 God is impartial, and he extends to all people the opportunity to be saved and gain everlasting life, regardless of their nationality, race, or social status.

I didn’t write that, but that was exactly the point I was trying to get across. It doesn’t matter who you are and how much money you have. God just wants a relationship with you.

Sing I want to know more about my Jesus.

That was free. I won’t charge you for that. But if you want to know more about Jesus. There are people here that would love to talk to you.

Kids don’t be like Elon Musk and the others that don’t care where they spend eternity. Get to know Jesus. Jesus loves you and wants a relationship with you, surround yourself with people that have a relationship with Jesus and love Jesus.

IS God Real?

I struggled with the title of this devotion. I went back and forth between three titles, God Is Real, Is God Real and another one, but every fiber of my being KNOWS that God IS Real!

The reason God laid this devotion on my heart is I saw a post on Facebook. I can’t remember the group I was in. I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will guide me back to that post, but someone wrote God is not real in the comments, and it broke my heart to think that there are people out there that don’t believe in God, that deny his existence, that deny him.

And there may be someone in this room that hasn’t accepted Jesus into their lives. I pray that if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, you would ask Jesus into your heart before it’s too late. There is a lot going on in this world right now. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. You could die in a tornado, there could be a Hurricane, or flood. We are having wildfires. You could die in your sleep. You could have a heart attack, or a stroke. You may not make it home from this event. I may not finish this devotion. If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus. I implore you to ask Jesus into your heart and accept him as your personal savior before it is everlasting too late.

I am not bragging. I give all the glory to God. But I have heard God (the Holy Spirit) talk to me and I have felt the Holy Spirit’s presence. Have I seen God, no I haven’t, but that’s where faith comes in.

Now I don’t always do what the Holy Spirit wants me to do, but I have heard the Holy Spirit talk to me and you guys may have too. I was coming back from (you guys can fill in the blank) fishing on Highway 88E and there was a truck broken down on the side of the road and I passed the vehicle, and something told me to turn around and go back, turn around and go back. And I had to ask for forgiveness for not doing what I was told. The Holy Spirit told me to stop drinking and I stopped drinking alcohol about three years ago.

And I’ve felt the Holy Spirit. You may have felt the Holy Spirit in church or when you are praying, or during singing church hymns. The last time I encountered the spirit I was praying. It seems like Manuela’s whole family had COVID and her sister’s father-in-law is in (was) ICU with COVID pneumonia and not doing very good at all and Manuela was talking to her sister and her sister didn’t know what to do so she told her to pray. So, Simone said she prayed, and we are not sure of Simone really believes in God, so she prayed that if you’re real God show me a sign, and the next day Berndt’s health improved. So I was praying for God to heal Berndt and not only would you be performing a miracle and saving Berndt’s live but you would be possibly saving other lives by proving that you are real and you do perform miracles and the Holy Spirit started at the top of my body in my arms and went down my back and in my spine and stayed there for a little bit and ran down my legs and I was just thanking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit and it felt like goosebumps but they were inside my body and it lasted for a two or three minutes. So don’t tell me God’s not real.

1 Corinthians 6:19^“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one [the only God]!” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Do not quench [subdue or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.” Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

Acts 20:28 “Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood.” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

2 Timothy 2:8 ^“Remember Jesus Christ [the ever-living Lord who has] risen from the dead, [as the prophesied King] descended from David [king of Israel], according to my gospel [the good news that I preach], ⁹for that [gospel] I am suffering even to [the point of] wearing chains like a criminal; but the word of God is not chained or imprisoned! ¹⁰For this reason I [am ready to] patiently endure all things for the sake of those who are the elect (God’s chosen ones), so that they too may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it the reward of eternal glory. ¹¹This is a faithful and trustworthy saying:12 If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we deny Him, He will also deny us;13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself.” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

John 3:16“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] ^[^a^]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because ^[^b^]he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. ¹⁹This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the ^[^c^]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. ²¹But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

Men, and women we are here to praise and worship God, thank God, and spread the good news of Jesus Christ so that they would not perish but have everlasting life.

We are the apostles, Hebrews 3:1 says “Therefore, ^[^a^]holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, [thoughtfully and attentively] consider the Apostle and High Priest whom we confessed [as ours when we accepted Him as Savior], namely, ^[^b^]Jesus;” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

Matthew 28:16“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022)

Is God real? I know I am not supposed to use explicit language especially at church, but you darn right God is Real! I’ve experienced things that you cannot explain happen to me. I’ve had friends and family members experience miracles. I’ve heard of miracles. Neil Taylor is a walking example of a miracle. Just look at our prayer chain. There have been many examples of answered prayers and miracles on our very own prayer chain. We see it over and over again and I would submit that if God doesn’t heal someone, then it was his will.

God heals people. He saves people. He moves mountains.

There is a song by Jon Reddick called God Turn it Around and the Bridge goes like this:

He is Healing Someone, He is Saving Someone, God is Doing Something Right Now, Right Now, He is Moving Mountains, making a way for someone God is doing something Right Now, Right Now.

There’s another song called Too Good to Not Believe by Brandon Lake, listen to that song when you have a chance.

It pains my heart to know that people deny the good news of Jesus Christ!

I’ll leave you with this quote: “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and un-prayed for.” Charles Spurgeon

Go talk to someone about Jesus, plant a seed and let God do the rest. Romans 10:13 states “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.” (Bible Gateway Amplified 2022) God Bless you! Just Believe Please! Before it is too late!

No Storms In Heaven

I would say natural disasters are intensifying, God is pouring out his judgement on us.

Today on earth, the storms seem to be intensifying. In December 2021, a tornado traveled 227 miles on the ground 200 miles in Kentucky with a death toll of at least 70 people. In 2020, we had so many hurricanes we had to start the Greek alphabet over naming them.

The Bible says there will be earthquakes in diver’s places. We are having a record number of natural disasters including devastating wildfires. On March 30, 2022, the USGS lists 50 earthquakes over 2.5 magnitude in the past day and 21 tornadoes in the last 14 hours according to Tornado HQ site by Hayley (2022). And as of this writing on 30 March 2022 there are 604 wildfires in 19 states of the United States that have burned 404,797 acres of land according to 2022 Fire, Weather &Avalanche Center. You don’t think God is pouring out his judgment on us for turning away from him, from taking him out of our schools etc., etc.? See below Bible scripture:

Matthew 24:1 “While Jesus was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, and said, “Tell us, when will this [destruction of the temple] take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”

⁴Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. ⁵For many will come in My name [misusing it and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. ⁶You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].” (Bible Gateway Amplified Bible 2022)

But there is good news, there will be no fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, and storms in Heaven. There will be no more sickness, disease, and death in Heaven. There will be no more wearing a mask or getting a booster shot. There will be no more fear in Heaven. No one will steal your identity in Heaven. Heaven will be perfect. We won’t even need the sun in Heaven because the glory of God will illuminate it, see Bible scripture below:

Revelations 21:22 “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] and the Lamb are its temple. ²³And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light. ²⁴The nations [the redeemed people from the earth] will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring into it their glory. ²⁵By day (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed [in fear of evil]; ²⁶and they will bring the glory (splendor, majesty) and the honor of the nations into it; ²⁷and nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominations [detestable, morally repugnant things] and lying, but only those [will be admitted] whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Bible Gateway Amplified Bible 2022)

Oh, how we long to be in the presence of our almighty Lord and Savior! Bur until then, comfort each other with these words; see Bible scripture below:

1 Thessalonians 13 “Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life]. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [as in fact He did], even so God [in this same way—by raising them from the dead] will bring with Him those [believers] who have fallen asleep in Jesus. ¹⁵For we say this to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are still alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede [into His presence] those [believers] who have fallen asleep [in death]. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the ^[b]archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord! ¹⁸Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words [concerning our reunion with believers who have died].” (Bible Gateway Amplified Bible 2022)

Until Jesus returns comfort each other insuring them that Jesus will indeed return and if we believe in him and have a relationship with him and have repented from our sins, we will be with him for eternity.

Fish/Jesus Sign Fell Off (Ichthys)

On the way to work today, I got behind a car. It was an older Honda that had the fish/Jesus sign (Ichthys, Greek word for fish) removed, or maybe it fell off. It was an older car. I couldn’t help but think that since it was an older car that either the sign that portrays the sign of Jesus being a fisherman either fell off or perhaps it was sold to someone that didn’t have a relationship with Jesus and didn’t believe in Jesus and took it off. Either way, a non-believer or the Jesus/fish sign falling off breaks my heart.

It made me sad. I wanted to talk to the person driving the car and ask them what happened to their sign, did they still believe in Jesus. Did they ever believe in Jesus? Is there any thing I could do to help them restore their relationship with Jesus?

All I can do is pray that they will put their Fish/Jesus sign back on their car and display their belief in our Savior Jesus Christ proudly.

Where Did All The People Go?

Imagine you wake up one day and one third of all the people you know are gone. They disappeared into thin air, off the face of the earth. It’s as if they were abducted by aliens.

You go to your neighbor’s house and they don’t answer the door. Their dogs are barking. Their cats need in.

You call your Aunt, and she doesn’t answer the phone and she always answers the phone.

You send a message to a friend on Facebook, no reply.

You send another friend a text and they don’t get back to you and they always do.

The person that watches your children is missing. You are forced to take them to work with you.

On your way to work you notice cars on the side of the road abandoned. You go to work and half of the people you work with are missing. They didn’t show up to work. And they are very punctual. Their always on time!

You turn on the news and the news is talking about some alien abduction, because that is what they are going to say. The news is claiming that millions of people are gone (abducted).

You go to have your car repaired during your lunch break and his shop is closed. The person that repairs your car is missing.

You have an appointment to get your hair done, not today they are gone.

Your favorite bank tellers are gone.

You want to order pizza and your favorite pizza place is closed because so many people didn’t show up to work.

I could go on and on forever, but you get the picture. And there is way more than just these examples that will be impacted, according to Mary Fairchild (April 16, 2020) there are 2.5 billion Christians in the world. If that number is accurate and they do believe in the birth, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and they have repented of their sins, then around 2.5 billion people “shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (Bible Gateway KJV 2022)

1 Thessalonians 14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (Bible Gateway KJV 2022)

What happened to all these people? Where did they all go?

Susie, Jennifer, Rob and Dave all tried to talk to you about Jesus, but you brushed them off. Saying “I don’t have time for that kind of talk”.

You dismissed them as Bible-beaters or do-gooders. Maybe you even thought they were naïve to believe a book written over 2000 years ago with crazy stories in it like Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, Jesus walking on the water and turning the water into wine. And Jesus healing people and throwing out demons.

When Jesus returns will you be caught up in the air? In a twinkling of an eye…

^{1 Corinthians 52 “}In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (Bible Gateway KJV 2022)

Will you be asking yourself, Where Did All The People Go?