Your Plans For Tomorrow

They were sitting there,  at a conference, when my grandfather looked at grandma with a big smile on his face and said, “Mama, I’m going home”; and plop, his face dropped into his soup. They say, grandma just sat there and giggled for a moment, before the reality of it all hit her. Without warning, grandpas body quit and his spirit was in heaven.

I have heard what seems like a million stories over the years, about how he/she was just sitting there, when they didn’t wake up or come home, they were found dead. In perfect physical condition, running everyday; they sat down on the couch and died. Surprise Surprise !!

I remember waking one evening, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, When I heard an almost audible voice, “call 911”. Then POW a horrible pain hit me in the chest and neck. I walked out of my room, looked at my daughter and said, “call 911” . All I remember is the paramedics asking questions I couldn’t answer; I couldn’t talk. It all seemed like a dream… but I also had that still small voice whispering; You are not going to die, not tonight. 

Below you will find today's devotional that inspired all this…

But First:

(James 4:13-17 NLT) "Look here, you people who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." {14} How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. {15} What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." {16} Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. {17} Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."

(James 5:1-3 NLT) "Look here, you rich people, weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. {2} Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. {3} Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh in hell. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment."

================================================================


Plans of Tomorrow
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, May 13 2013
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." - James 4:14b

A group of workplace believers meet at my office every week for fellowship, study, and prayer. One man attended our group for several years. Jim was well liked and in good health. One Thursday he showed up as usual. The next morning I received a call, "Jim is dead! He died in his easy chair last night!" Jim had no prior problems and there was no indication he was about to go be with the Lord. Naturally, it came as a shock to us all.

Whenever things like this happen close to home, it brings us face to face with our mortality. A friend of mine said he was challenged by someone to do an experiment. He challenged him to live his life for one year as if it were the last year he would live. He responded to the challenge and did as proposed. It changed his life forever. He began to focus on different priorities and people when he viewed life in these terms.

James gives us a perspective on viewing tomorrow.

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:13-15).

Life is fragile. Consider where you are investing your time and energies. Someone once said they had never heard anyone on his deathbed say that he wished he had made more money in his lifetime or he wished he had made a certain deal. Usually it is something like, "I wish I had spent more time with my kids." Ask the Lord to give you His priorities for your life.

God… And being prepared

When it comes to being prepared for an emergency event, Christians seem to be the hardest ones to convince.  Getting ready or being prepared is almost an act of heresy and/or hypocrisy; and a denial of ones faith in a lovey dovey god; a god, or image,  that does not exist. 

When we look at all the stories and parables in the bible, or any religious documents written about God through the Holy Spirit, we do not see lovey-dovey anywhere.

Jesus, the son of God, gave us a stern warning:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." (Mat 10:34-38 NKJV)

Earth, is a temporary situation. Even our scientists have proven, at least 4 extinction level events in human history. Does this mean we all head to the mountains and wait for the next event; to wipe out 95% of all humans on earth?  Of course not !  That is just plain weird. 

Throughout the bible we see how God warned His people, through dreams and the prophets, of upcoming disasters. His people were always told to prepare.  God could have waved his hand and POOF! caused food to fall on his people, but that is not in Gods character on a national level. 

In Genesis 41 we see how God warned Egypt of a severe famine; and told them how to prepare for it.  The story of Joseph is one of my all time favorites.  And it is only one example of how God, through His Holy Sprit, warns His people of upcoming events that will seem devastating to us humans.   Being prepared is always in Gods plan; and it is His will for His people to be prepared.

I find it amazing how people are more concerned about their image, than they are about people.  I am referring to the “faith image”.  When it comes to being prepared for disasters or loss of services, I get the these words thrown at me on a regular basis: “ Where is your faith brother”…  “what will people think of you and your walk in faith, going around telling people to prepare”.  And the only ones to push me away and isolate me are… the christians.  Or those who go to church and call themselves Christians. 

Jesus Followed up the words above with:

He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward. (Mat 10:41-42 NKJV)

And for all you Lovie Dovie people getting your hate mail started.  When was the last time your preacher preached from Matthew 11. 

Then He (Jesus) began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. (Mat 11:20-24 NKJV)

Now that didn’t sound to lovie dovie, did it?
Something to think about. 

Thank You for Joining me Here
Greg Ewert