Encouragement

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My Life Is Not My Own

There is a stark reality that each of us must face. We can get it today or we can get it the moment we kneel before the King of Kings, and confess that He is Jesus Christ the Lord. You may feel you have your life in control, and it may seem that you have been a success in mastering the hours of your day. Your finery may represent your hard work, your expensive toys may reveal your ambitions, but regardless of where you focus your time today, at some point we all will face the same Lord, and …we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11-12)

Philippians 2:9-11 wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We serve God or man! Each one of us! There is no in between! We may pretend there is a middle ground. We may strut as a proud peacock as if we have mastered serving darkness and light. We can skirt the issue today and may even have good intentions as to what we will do with our future, but will tomorrow arrive as expected? Or will your palm pilot blink with appointments with no one to respond?

If the truth be told . . ..

James 4:14 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away

We live as if we have a lifetime, but may I ask you, what is a lifetime? Visit the cemetery and ask the person who died at 20, if they had prepared for a lifetime or prepared for death at such a young age. Step over to the gravesite of the person who lived 99 years and ask them what a lifetime meant. Did they accomplish everything they intended? Did the twenty year old accomplish more? Would they like to come back and revisit the time here on earth for a second chance?

Once a resident of the plots of death, there will be no revisiting the time spent. When we kneel before Jesus Christ, we will not be able to chase backwards the good intentions, nor will we be able to redo the lost focus. Today we chase dreams, plan’s and desires as if we will live forever here on earth, with more than enough time to prepare for eternity. The second hand may slice the hour into minutes, but on the face of eternity’s clock, what is a breath?

II Peter 3:8 but, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The truth is this . . . .We will live forever!

But where?

Revelation 20:11-15 and I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead, which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead, which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Is your name written in the Book of Life? Have you taken ‘time’ to assure yourself of this? Have you recognized that your life is not your own? Do you serve God in your time, or His? Do you work to accomplish your goals, or His? Do you understand that although there are 24 hours in a day, you are not promised one more second? If after reading this sentence, you were snatched from this life, are you confident that you would spend eternity in heaven or is there a chance you will spend eternity in hell?

II Peter 3:10 but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Your life is not your own! Your Rolex watch and top-notch palm pilot may govern your day, but if you are not serving God with everything you have, whom are you serving? Did not God command the Children of Israel to choose the side in which they wanted to be on? (Exodus 32:26) I know that is Old Testament, but is not God the same yesterday, today and forever? (Hebrews 13:8)

Church how can we bring life to the walking dead, if we ourselves are asleep? How can we bring hope to the hopeless if we ourselves have no hope? Our agendas will be weighed with those of God’s. Our hearts desires will be brought to the surface and once in the presence of the Lord God almighty, the truth will be revealed as to who our master here on earth was! We may speak His name; we may even prophesy in His name, but as the scripture says:

Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone of you that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Who do you serve? There is no in between! God is a jealous God and refuses to share space with the idols made by the hands of men. He longs to be Lord of your life, which includes your time, your ideas and your plans. He longs to say the words, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord. (Matthew 25:21)

Dear Heavenly Father, I come before Your throne today, not on feet of self-righteousness, but on my knees in all humbleness, recognizing that I, in myself, am not worthy to be in Your presence. I am all too aware of my humanness and inadequacies and awe struck that You sacrificed Your son so that I might live. Lord, I have failed to live my entire life according to Your divine purpose and will, and have thought so often that I was capable of knowing what was best for my life, but today I am broken before You, and understand the bold reality that without you as the Master of my Life, as the Lord of my thoughts; I am incapable of knowing what to do. So many minutes have been wasted, chasing my own desires; and I ask Your forgiveness for my thinking I was capable, but my will has left me devastated and wounded; so I submit my will to You. Take everything about me and make me in Your image! Make me a vessel of honour so that You and only You will receive all the glory You deserve. Today I acknowledge that my life is not my own. The time that I have is a precious gift from You. Help me to cherish every breath and every second, as if in a moment I will be in Your presence. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen!

© August 2, 2005 Jounda LaMance

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