But one never knows from any single minute to the next when the sudden change may come. One may drop from peace into horror in an instant.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Man From Skibbereen)

“Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”
–Luke 21:36 (NLT)
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An article by Ravi Zacharias caught my eye this week. He mentioned that he and his family were visiting Bedford, England and the museum of John Bunyan. He mentioned that Bunyan’s famous book, The Pilgrim’s Progress, has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible.
Now this is the interesting part of the article. As he was leaving he commented to the woman at the front desk, “Isn’t it amazing that a simple little book from the hands of a mender of pots and pans has won such worldwide acclaim?”
He said he was floored by her answer. “I suppose that is true, but I must confess that I haven’t read it.” The reason why, “I found it too difficult.”
Zacharias, after pulling himself back together wondered, “What does one say to the person who sells tickets to a museum, the existence of which is owed to one book, while she herself has left the work unread? I recommended that for the sake of sheer curiosity, if not propriety, she might at least try the children’s version so she could get a mild taste of what the interest was all about.”
Three other things he brings up in the article are the three angels that Christian encounters on his journey. The first met his spiritual needs, the second his physical needs, and the third his intellectual needs. In reading this little article I wondered how many professing Christians have not read the Bible because it was “too difficult”? “The Christian’s walk involves all three areas of life: the spiritual, the practical, and the intellectual. These are not mutually exclusive.” (Zacharias)
How can Christians go through life without the knowledge of the Scripture? The Word of God feeds us spiritually. It gives us direction to the practical needs of our life. It is also the guide and maps that instructs us along life’s journey. There are many who do not know what God’s Word says about their life, the things they are doing or not doing, and the direction they are going. Will they make it?
Zacharias finished with this, “God’s Word and his indwelling presence are given to us to inform, enrich, teach, correct, and guide us to the ‘Celestial City.’ If we lose sight of these realities, we have lost the light that guides us on the journey, whether it is through the valley or around the hope-filled bend.”
Oh, by the way–have you read The Pilgrim’s Progress?
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Ponder This: Proverbs 18:12, “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”
I have enjoyed, for the most part, the Winter Olympics. Those individuals train hard to get to the Olympics. I enjoyed watching them extend themselves and give their all in their performances. One of the things I look for in interviews following is their humility. Are they honorable?
One skier from France, was sent packing because of his statement that he was only in it for himself, not the team, not the country. What a brazen attitude!
Christians need to beware. Sometimes man wants to create a name for themselves using the Lord as an excuse. “I did this, I did that, look here at what I did, and oh, by the way, thank you Lord.” Hmmm, perhaps ministers are some of the worst in this.
Don’t live your life for yourself, or even for others; only for God.

One does not surrender his conscience, his soul, when he accepts a job. Each of us is still a man, and individually accountable for his sins.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Day the Cowboys Quit)

“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.”
–Ezekiel 3:20 (NLT)
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Do not be deceived my friends; the world is in turmoil and unrest. Evil is seen on every hand. It seems almost weekly there is some diabolical act somewhere in the world that takes place. Don’t get caught up with the media and the frenzy and believe the lie. Look at the words of Paul.

“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
–2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NKJV)

I recently read an article by Stuart McAllister where he wrote, “Christianity is not an escape system for us to avoid reality, live above it, or be able to redefine it. Christianity is a way that leads us to grasp what reality is and, by God’s grace and help, to navigate through it to our eternal home.”
As Christians we should have an answer to the world’s problems and issues. Ahh, but the rub is that the world does not want to hear the answer that is Christ. There is the coming of the “lawless one”, but in the meantime God continues to present the truth. Part of our responsiblity is not only to proclaim truth, but to live truth as well. Your life might be the only truth a person sees and if they reject now, what will happen when the lawless one does appear?
Now is the day of salvation, therefore, do not forsake the truth. Jesus said, “I am the truth…” Yet will our life shine forth that truth? In the midst of the chaos and confusion we must stand for truth and live the truth. Someone said that, “Life is hard, God is good–don’t get the two confused.” McAllister wrote, “The longer we walk with God and face the pressures of life and change, the more we appreciate grace but also come to recognize how dependent we are in an ongoing way to complete the journey.”
It seems that there is more and more change, yet as believers we believe the words of Jesus that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. We are not to grow weary in the midst of change but persevere holding and guarding the truth.

Western men were thinking of how things could be done; they were used to making do.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Cherokee Trail)

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”
–1 Timothy 6:6 (NLT)
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“Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”
–Knowles Shaw

The farmer of yore understood the concept of this song. He went out to plant, but it would be weeks before he would be able to harvest. However, because he sowed the seeds, he fully expected a harvest. There are two things that we should remember as we go through this life. First, everyone we come in contact with is somewhere in the process. He might not be fertile ground, yet. Or as he comes in contact with you a seed is planted, then another might water. Someone led by the Holy Spirit might be the person involved in the harvest.
Second, you are involved somewhere in the process. You might be the one tilling the soil, or the one planting. Someone has to water and then there will be the person involved in the reaping. I always figured, most of the time I did the cultivating and pulling of weeds.

“Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”

I think it will be thrilling when we get to heaven and all the “sheaves” are accounted for and we see someone that we came in contact with along the way. We are always involved in the process; that it is why it is so important to guard and protect your witness. If we injure our testimony when we sow we might not sow on fertile ground, but on the stones.
The seasons of life come and go, but never do we cease our labor. It might change simply because our physical body changes. It might change because our physical location changes. But the labor should never cease.

“Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Tho’ the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”

Psalm 30:5 states, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (NKJV) Sometimes the work of the taking care of our responsibility with the sheaves causes grief, pain, and sorrow. Sometimes the ground is not fertile. However, we must continue to do our part. It is important to remember that the person who actually does the reaping is the Holy Spirit. We, man, never saves anyone, but we are called to do our part.
Well, might as well sing out that chorus now, Oh yes…

“Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”

Now get out there and do your part!