The temperature was perfect, the bed was comfortable, the pillows were just the way I like them, and if that wasn’t enough I was totally exhausted. All of the ingredients for a restful deep sleep were in order and yet I snapped to attention and sat up wide awake.
I quickly looked around the dark room, what was that horrible noise? It sounded like an abrupt loud snort! I finally determined that it was an abrupt loud snort and that I’d just made it and awakened myself with my own snoring. Additionally my mouth was exceedingly dry and I had a foul taste in it indicating that I’d been sleeping with my mouth hanging wide open for some time.
Sick!
I checked the clock and it was 5 a.m. EST. Hmmm . . . I overslept some 3 hours but considering I’d been up for some 24 hours straight and had traveled several thousand miles the previous day that was not too bad.
As I sat on the edge of my bed I remembered that my son had dreamed that I would die on Thursday, but today was Friday.
Hmmm . . . From all that I can determine, it looks like I made it.
Bah! So much for dreams designed by dark forces to worry women and children!
Today I’m going into a very tough prison filled with violent gang members and criminals as a platform speaker for the Bill Glass Behind the Walls prison ministry. It’s my hope and prayer that many hundreds of these inmates will hear my testimony and Christ will stir their souls and open the eyes of their hearts and allow them to see Him, whereby they can be forgiven their sins, set free, and live forever in paradise with their Savior.
I did not die as predicted yesterday; however if I would have died I would have been fine with it because I would have been welcomed into paradise by Jesus Christ. You see God did not create us to die; he created us to live forever. We will either spend that time with Him in heaven or eternally separated from Him in hell; the choice is ours. He prefers that we spend that time dining, relaxing, maybe doing some fishing, working on fascinating project with Him, and having all kinds of fun in heaven.
Life on this old earth is brief and but a vapor compared to eternity, and yet most of us spend all of our time living like it will never end and chasing things like money that will not even be allowed in heaven, (we won’t need any money there; not even one red penny – What do you think about that Mr. Wealthy?).
One day my life and yours will end and we will face God all alone and naked. If it happens today, are you ready to give an accounting of your time on this planet?
Imagine looking into the eyes of almighty God and giving an account of your life.
Will He carefully listen and then tell you, “You took hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. You have fought the good fight, and have finished the race, and have remained faithful – welcome home my good and faithful servant!”?
Or will He say: I never knew you; depart from me?
Please pray that I may be successful in fighting the good fight and present that precise case to these hardened hopeless men today and tomorrow and that many will come to know Jesus.
Have a great weekend and for heaven’s sake go to church this Sunday! (And don’t forget next weekend we have church services at Honey Lake Church with Dennis Rice and afterwards you can treat those moms to a very special Mother Day’s brunch and have all kinds of fun together with your families and friends.)
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.