Letter 162
Is It Really That Important Now?
Almost all Christians believe our time remaining here is short. We are watching the One World government form. We have seen the initial “Can’t buy or Sell” edict activated. We’re are watching the USA turn into Sodom & Gomorrah. Let’s hope we’re near the end!
What do you value? What are your life’s goals? Maybe you should balance their value against eternity. Is an improved golf score more important than harvesting some last-minute souls for eternity? Does purchasing the latest techno-toy seem as good of an investment as supporting a missionary on the foreign field? If the Lord does indeed come today will the fruits of your life’s work be left behind for a Christ-rejecting world to enjoy? Your “Glory” is the sum total of your life’s accomplishments. If the Lord comes today, “Where will you leave your glory?”
Wise Investments
I am not wise in monetary investments. I tried it many years ago by buying stock in two companies. After a few years I sold it. They were Walmart and Starbucks! Do I regret selling those stocks which today would be worth so much? Naw. God says I’m to “live of the gospel” and neither of those companies are known for their evangelistic fervor.
But Kathy & I have been actively making financial investments for the last 35 years. In foreign missions. Without abandoning our local church’s mission program we have been supporting foreign missionaries on our own. At one time we got up to 26 but death and attrition slowly dropped the total to 18. We have since increased it to 20. For 30 years our monthly mission budget was around $1,000 a month. (Think about out that in an IRA!) No regrets. I’m a poor money manager down here but I’ve got that eternal investing thing down.
Would you consider such an investment on a small scale? First, don’t send it to us! I am not attempting to shake you down for cash for this “grand, far-reaching, Christ- honoring, etc. ministry.” Neither do you have to support a missionary outside of your church mission program. Try this:
- Pray – “Lord, would You have me send regular monthly support to a missionary on the foreign field?
- Read – Go to your church and read the missionary letters posted there and see if God perks your interest in a particular missionary.
- Invest – Start sending a small amount ($25?) per month through your church to that missionary.
- Profit – When we get to the other side see if the missionary or the stock market paid off the best.
One Chance, Never Again to be Repeated
If you’re saved you will live eternally. A million years from now you’ll realize you had one chance to store up treasures for your time in eternity. The bible says that chance lasts about 70 years. Turn this piece of paper sideways and look at it. The thickness of this paper is your life here on earth before eternity. That’s all the time you have in your eternal existence to do anything to glorify God of your free will. In eternity you will praise God because it will now be natural to. Only here, NOW, can you do something for the Lord that will cost you something and reap eternal benefits. You’ll never do this again. How are you using your 70 years?
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel. Prov 27:9
Meeting the 7000
Two Christian Men
This is about two real, living Christian men who ironically graduated from bible college together. One was a mediocre student and the other was quite a bit sharper. Both preached well when asked but the sharper guy could really hit it out of the park. When they graduated the mediocre guy declared he was going into the ministry. The sharp guy actually laughed at his pipe dream! They are both still alive today. The mediocre student has been plugging away for the Lord the best he can for many years. The sharp guy is doing well with his secular business. The mediocre guy is socking away a huge bank account…in Heaven, for eternity. The sharper guy will also go to Heaven to find his coffers empty. So who was really sharp and who was really mediocre? Which are you?
Fight On!
During the Indian troubles of 1782, the citizens of the Kentucky settlements were subjected to horrific atrocities by the natives. One force of 300 Indians planned massive attacks on all of Kentucky’s settlements with the design of killing every white man, woman and child. Their first target was Bryan’s Fort, the settlement nearest the Ohio River. Stealthily the Indian army filled the woods surrounding the fort, waiting for the signal to attack. But keen-eyed white scouts detected their presence. The fort was in a quandary. Although they could militarily resist the attack, they were dangerously low on water and their only supply was located outside the fort. If the men tried to bring in a supply, the Indians would realize they had been detected and attack. How could they replenish their water supply without alerting the Indians of their discovery?
It was the women who stepped forward with a plan. They and the children would casually visit the well and gather the needed water. The Indians might let them alone since they would prefer to attack the men. After long arguments the men conceded to the plan. It was unspeakably brave women and children who laughed and skipped down to the spring to fill their containers under the gaze of hundreds of hostile eyes. Hiding their terror and fearful to glance into the forest, this hardy crew retrieved the needed water and returned to the fort. As they approached the gate the enemy realized what had just happened and attacked. But it was too late. This brave army, armed only with silent courage, slipped into the fort with its precious cargo. The attack was eventually repulsed. Fight on!
One? Or Two?
I believe every person on the planet has two eternal decisions to make. The first is solely for their benefit. The second is solely for the Lord.
The First Decision: Trusting the Lord as your personal Saviour. This is solely for your eternal benefit. Why wouldn’t every person who learns of God’s offer of eternal life just snap it up?
The Second Decision: Make Christ the Lord of your life. This one is solely for His benefit.
No, I didn’t say raise your hands and sing that you love the Lord. No, I didn’t say give God your “talents” for Him to use.
I mean taking all of your plans, dreams and hopes in a box and then set it on fire so it’s all out of your hands.
Can you trust the Lord to manipulate your every moment? Which is more valuable, your eternal soul or your finite life? Obviously it is your soul, which you abandoned to God when you trusted Christ as your Saviour. My question is, if you can Trust Him with your soul why can’t you trust Him with your life?
Are you worried about where God will put you 10,000 years from today? No, when you trusted Christ you gave Him your “10,000 years from now” when you got saved. So? If you can trust Him with 10,000 (or 10 million) years from now, why can’t you trust Him with the next TEN?! Why would you superimpose your will on the next 10 years but trust your eternity to Christ? Oh! Because down here you can ski. You can play. You can control the input into your life. But if you give all of your “down here” years to Him you surrender control of your life to the Lord. And you find that terrifying? You think He would hurt you if you trust your years to Him? Oh, you think He can’t hurt you if you don’t? As I said earlier, our time here seems to be winding down. Why not give God what you have left & see what He can do with it?