He Told You So

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“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  – Isaiah 53:6


Tell me what will happen in the year 2512?

If indeed you took a stab at it and tried to predict what might happen 500 years from now, there is no way you would have the specificity or details that Isaiah revealed in Isaiah 53.  It was written 500 years or more before the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Yet, it specifically calls out the things that would happen to this man.

The story of God’s plan of salvation was foretold precisely to the leaders of Israel, long before they brought charges against Jesus Christ. 
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;” (v.5)
“he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,” (v.7)
“By oppression and judgment he was taken away.  Yet who of his generation protested?” (v.8)
“Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin” (v.10)
“After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” (v.11)

We move about our daily lives and carry on as if all is well.  The bible is the Holy Word of God.  Written over the course of thousands of years, but intricately woven together with precision and accuracy that could never have been contrived by mankind.  What God revealed to the people of Israel through the prophet Isaiah, was ignored when it actually happened 500 years later.  Here we are 1985 years (or so) later since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we are lost sheep, following our own way.  Jesus told his disciples about the end days, Paul through several letters told those who would listen about the return of Christ and Daniel, Zachariah, Ezekiel and John captured the prophecy of the end times in many places throughout the bible, yet how many of you actually believe that Christ will return any moment and usher us into eternity?  Are you living like He could return while you are reading this?  What are you going to do when that prophecy comes to fruition?  You’ve heard it told a thousand times, you know we’re supposed to be living as if it could happen at any moment, yet we continue to live as if it’s just a nice story.

I’m challenging you today to think about the Bible as a more than a book of stories, but as the Word of God.  Handed down and given to you that you might become educated and know what is to come, so you will not be caught off guard on that day of reconciliation.  Our Lord is coming just as He promised, I want to be ready on that day, even if it’s today.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You are amazing, wonderful and loving.  You have provided for us, You have given us Your word and Your promise for salvation.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy throughout my life.  Thank You for the act of sacrifice as You gave Your only Son for my transgressions and iniquities.  I trust in Your word as the truth and I ask for Your guiding help in my days to prepare my heart and soul to be with You on that day of reckoning.  Forgive me for my sins against You and against my fellow man; and breathe life into me that I might stand strong for Your word when challenged.  In Your precious and Holy name I pray – Amen.
© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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Daily Thought: The Coming Flood

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." -Romans 13:12

As I listen to the news of the world recently, I struggle to find God in it. The economy, the weather, the politics come up in nearly every conversation I have with people I meet as I travel. I can't help but feel a sense of apathy and to some degree helplessness wash over them as they think of the complexities of this world, and how small they feel next to it all. I see little sense of urgency to worry about the events and times we are living in that are outside of their direct control. This is caused by the sheer magnitude and global reach of every decision, which minimizes the impact of any single person. As a result we resort back to the things we can control - checking account, mortgage, education, food and our immediate family.

I once heard a word picture that stuck with me, and I'll share with you.
Imagine that you are in an indoor sports facility (domed baseball field) which might seat 50,000 people. Now imagine that you are taken to the very top row, right next to the glass roof and hand-cuffed to a chair. If someone were to drop a single drop of water into the center of the field, and then dropped a doubled amount every minute (1-2-4-8-16...) until the stadium were filled . How long would you have before you'd drown?

A few months? Maybe a few weeks? At least a few days, right? What if I said you would only have 49 minutes before you were overtaken by the pool of water. Even more surprising is at 44 minutes the stadium would only be 7% full. The sheer volume that overtakes a person happens in the last 5 minutes.
So, what does this have to do with God. For years you have heard corner preachers screaming, "Repent, His time is at hand" and yet we continue about our busy life. The bible is very clear, that Christ will come as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2) and we will not know when. Very much like the person chained to the top of the stadium, you know eventually the water will get here, but it doesn't seem obvious when there's only a few drops on the field. Now just imagine how much you can do for God's Kingdom if you shed off the apathetic, helpless garb earlier and put on the armour of God well before the waters closed in. If 90% (44 min) of the time has elapsed before you begin to worry, that last 10% (5 min) will happen like a flash in the night. There is much to do and the clock isn't slowing down. If you have a thought on how to spread God's word and help others, by all means take a stand now my friend, for the world is in need of a Savior and you have the answer.



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© Sondove Enterprises, 2011