Do you know personally your Maker?

Matthew 25:11-12 (NIV)

11 Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

Today as I was reading some things on the World Wide Web I came across this story. It’s a fun story with a great lesson, I hope you enjoy it like I did.

Stopping at a gas station, the new compact Tourer Vision B Mercedes Benz noticed one of his colleagues: "Hey SL65AM6. Long time no see!" he exclaimed to his new found company member.

"Who are you?" asked the sleek car with disgust.

"I am the new model that just came out." replied Vision B.

"New model? Ha. They must have been desperate! You don't look like any Mercedes Benz I know." Shouted SL65.

"I may not look much to you, but I am as fast as any other Mercedes Benz!" defended the Vision B.

"Fast! How could it be? Do you have an AMG-built twin-turbocharged 6.0L 36 valve V-12 engine? Do you boast 604 hp at 5100rpm? Is your cost 179 720 US dollars?" boasted SL65.

"You are talking Chinese to me," answered Vision B. "I don't know any of that stuff, except that my base cost is 13 000$!"

"13 000$!" insulted the SL65. "What a joke. You must be junk, a worthless garbage scrap!"

"I am no such a thing and I can prove it!" replied the small car.

"Oh yeah! How?" sneered the luxurious sedan.

"Our Mercedes car convention in Atlanta is tomorrow at noon. You know how they insisted to be on time. I bet you I can reach it on time!" the little sputnik dared to reply.

"At noon! You believe you little nothing can drive 900 miles in 14 hours! Ha!" mocked the SL65. "I want to see that. In fact I am accepting your bet and will show you that I can reach that convention before you!"

"The deal is on!" agreed the little nothing.

Off went the SL65, sneering at the little car: "Don't forget to fill your car with gas!"

"Oh I forgot!"

Soon, both cars were on their way to their destination. Vision B was oblivious to his surroundings and was concentrating solely on his destination. SL165 kept on laughing at the thought of that little "garbage truck" even reaching Atlanta. "How ridiculous and impossible!" He kept on looking at and enjoying his surroundings, the attractions of life grabbing his attention.

"Wow! A car wash resort! I must keep on shining to look beautiful and attract other cars to look at me"

And off the road he went. As he reached the car wash, he noticed that one of his wheels was not turning as smoothly as before. A nail had embedded itself in his right front wheel and the attendant had to fix it before he could be back on his way.

"It's all the fault of those negligent people!" exclaimed the proud SL65. "Can't construction workers clean their own mess? I lost time because of this. But why should I worry? Don't I have the most powerful engine in the world?"

Meanwhile, little sputnik was happily trotting along, unaware of his competitor's foes.

As the luxurious sedan approached one of the mega cities of America, he didn't notice that the car in front of him had to brake due to some construction work on the road.

BANGGG! CLANNGGG! The SL65 slammed right into that hapless car. From the looks of it, it was totaled. However the speedy Sedan had just a crumbled front fender and his front right side was a bit bend.

"How dare you stop like this in front of me!" shouted the SL65. "Don't you know who I am?"

"But look what you have done. I can't even move any longer!" replied the devastated vehicle.

"Deserves you right. It's your fault entirely. You should be more attentive on the road. Off I must go!"

"But what about the police and the insurance?" exclaimed the hapless car.

"That's your problem, not mine!" sneered the luxury sedan. "Being the most powerful and best built car in the world, I don't have to worry about trivialities like these!" Not knowing where his competitor was, the SL65 started to laugh. He figured it was broken down somewhere, maybe even in a pit! "Ha-ha. I bet you it is at least 200 miles behind me!" he though happily. "But what do I smell? What is that yellow stuff I am leaving behind? I am leaking gas! Oh no! That snot of a car caused me to have a gas leak. I have no time for this! But wait... I do have some chewing gum. If I find the leak I can patch it with chewing gum. Yeah. Good idea! Chewing gum will fix my problem in no time!"

The beautiful sedan with a crumbled front fender, his bend front right side, his repaired right front wheel and his leaky gas tank stopped on the side of the road and started his inspection. It took him longer than foreseen, but he eventually found the leak, It was a bit larger than he thought, but at least his chewing gums (he needed more than one) covered most of the leak. As he went back on the highway, proud of his achievements, he still noticed some yellow residue falling from his car, but it was quite less than before, so why worry about it?

"I bet the slummy competitor is far worse off than myself. Ha-ha. I can imagine it to be already completely totaled! How can a little snot like him even get through the mega city I just went through? Ha-ha, its burial will be his destiny!"

He happily continued on his way. Nothing special happened until eight o'clock in the morning (most business are closed after 9 p.m. and SL65 are not attracted by trees and bees!). Although he had stopped several times for gas, he had neglected to check his gas gauge lately and the leak had become stronger than before. While bypassing a commoner, he all of a sudden ran out of gas and although he was puttering somewhat ahead, the truck behind him hadn't noticed his slowing down and hit him head on in the back.

CLAMMMM!!! BANGGGG!

"Ouch! How dare you collide with me? Who gave you permission?" complained the luxury sedan. The truck had hardly a scratch. However the SL65 had received the brunt of the collision, and his car seemed to have shortened by at least a third. It seemed he could only limp slowly ahead. He refused to wait for the police.

"I am a SL65. Laws don't concern me! I have a bet to fulfill. You just go away and deal with your own problems."

He couldn't bypass the 20 miles an hour and decided to stop at the next available garage. He settled for a quick fix. He didn't mind to be a bit shorter. He only wanted to make the Mercedes convention on time. The mechanic was able to bend some of his sides on the back and replace one of his back tires. He wanted to replace his gas tank as well, but as it required several hours of service, the SL65 refused.

"I need to be on my way!" he shouted and off he went.

Noon was fast approaching and he still had 100 miles to go. He would be late by at least 45 minutes. However road construction took a toll on his time and he eventually arrived at the convention at 1:28 p.m. As he was approaching the gate, he noticed that he had lost his front emblem made especially for him by Mercedes Benz.

"It must have happened at the garage, but who cares. I am only 1 hour and 28 minutes late!" he exclaimed.

However to his dismay the gatekeeper would not let him through.

"Who are you? I don't recognize you!" said the gatekeeper.

"Out of the way you idiot. I am an SL65. I am a Mercedes Benz!" replied the arrogant sedan.

"A SL65? No way! They are much longer than this!"

"I had a car accident with a truck. I am much longer than this usually."

"No way! exclaimed the gatekeeper. "SL65 are much better designed than this. Look at yourself. You are quite a bit shorter than an SL65. You have no proof of being a Mercedes Benz, as you don't even have our insignia. You have a crumbled front fender, a bend front right side, a repaired right front wheel and a leaky gas tank with a crumbled back!"

"But, but, but..." insisted the SL65.

"Moreover you are one hour and twenty-nine minutes late! A SL65 would never be late to this event! You are no Mercedes Benz! Out of the way! I don't know you. You cannot go in."

The SL65 lost all hope, but still wondered about the Vision B he had made a bet with. No way this little nothing could have reached his destination on time.

"First of all I am only one hour and twenty-eight minutes late. But did any white Vision B enter your gates?"

"The white Vision B? Oh yeah! I remember him all right. He was the first one here! He arrived at eight o'clock this morning!"

"At eight? Impossible!"

As the SL65 continued to complain and argue with the gatekeeper, all of a sudden he was towed away and brought to the scrap yard. His days were over. He hadn't fulfilled his destiny. Instead he had used his time on earth for selfish and arrogant purposes. The Vision B however enjoyed his eternal conference. He was rewarded as He knew his maker and had followed His direction. He had accepted the Maker's son as his personal Savior.

Are you fulfilling your purpose?

Do you know personally your Maker?

Have you accepted His Son into your life?

Dear Lord, help us to know You more. We pray we don’t get so wrapped up in the things around us that we forget to take the time to know You, through reading Your Word and praying. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Being Humbled

Luke 14:11 (NIV) 

    For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

A famous football coach was on vacation with his family in Maine. When they walked into a movie theater and sat down, the handful of people there applauded. He thought to himself, "I can't believe it. People recognize me all the way up here." Then a man came over to him and said, "Thanks for coming. They won't start the movie for less than ten people."

Ouch! That'll deflate his ego in a hurry. That's the trouble with thinking you're somebody important -- not everyone is as convinced of that as you are! I heard about one man who was hesitant to go on vacation. When someone at work told him, "Don't worry. We can get by without you here for a while.", his response was, "I know, I know. I just don't want anybody else to find that out!"

Humility. One of the most difficult-to-find traits in our society. And one of the most important traits in the eyes of God. How often we try to raise our esteem in the eyes of men when we ought to be showing our willingness to lower ourselves.

"When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:8-11)

Look for an opportunity today to take a "lower seat."

Dear Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given to us. Help us have a spirit of humility knowing that they are from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Prepared?

Hebrews 9:28 (NIV)

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

On December 26, 2004, the world watched in horror as the story of the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia unfolded. An earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean triggered a huge tidal wave as high as 100 feet tall that came crashing on shore across the region. The tsunami did damage as far as the east coast of Africa, 5000 miles away. Over a quarter million people died in the rampaging waters and devastation that followed. Entire island populations and coastal villages were wiped out – every man, woman, and child in some cases.

According to the Associated Press, there was one notable exception to the loss of life. The Morgan sea gypsies are a small tribe of fishermen who spend much of the year on their boats fishing between India, Indonesia and Thailand. Each December, between fishing seasons, they live in small thatch huts on the beaches of Thailand. That December, they were living directly in the path of certain disaster. Yet every single member of the tribe survived, while most of their neighbors disappeared in the rampaging waters.

Why? The tribal chief explains, "For generations our fathers warned us that if the waters ever receded fast, they would quickly reappear in the same quantity in which they disappeared."

On December 26 when the sea suddenly drained away, many of their neighbors ran to the beach with baskets to pick up stranded fish. Not the Morgan sea gypsies. The chief ordered his tribe to run in the opposite direction, to the mountains and safety. When the tsunami hit, the entire tribe was spared.

There is ANOTHER event of grander – in fact, global – proportions that will occur at some point in the future: the Second Coming of Christ!

NO ONE outside of heaven knows exactly when He will return. This “day of the Lord” will come unexpectedly “like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). He could come at any moment!

The key is to BE READY!

The “SIGN” of Jesus’ 2nd coming is that... He SAID He would! (Mat 25:31ff). His apostles sounded the SAME warning (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10, for example).

WHEN Jesus comes, He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31). Those who have accepted Jesus’ offer of salvation will be ushered into heaven (Matthew 25:34). Those who have rejected Him and His offer will be sent into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

Jesus WILL come again, but we can be prepared. Jesus will save those who: believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and are faithfully awaiting His return (Hebrews 9:28).

Are YOU prepared?

Dear Lord, thank You that we can be ready for Your second coming. Put it in our hearts to help others be ready also. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How big is your boat?

Psalm 20:4  (NIV)

 May he give you the desire of your heart

    and make all your plans succeed.

I have never owned a boat but have a good friend that does. As I read this I thought how true this is in life.

I've never owned a boat, but always wanted to.

When I could afford one my car was too small to pull it and I couldn't afford to buy a new car.

When I couldn't afford one, I was driving a big gas guzzler that could pull the Titanic. I couldn't afford the gas it would take to haul a boat.

That's the thing about boats. They are like dreams. Either too small or too big. You either sink or sail on.

I could be near the ocean and my boat would be too small. I could be near a river and my boat would be too big.

So, I gave up on boats...not dreams.

Now I believe you can never dream too big. If your big dream comes true you learn to live bigger. If only part of your dream comes true, you still have room to grow.

There's an old story of two fishermen out on a lake. One was catching big fish and throwing them back in. The other wasn't catching anything.

As the two boats got closer the one fisherman said to the other, "I've been out here all day and can't catch anything. I've been watching you catch big fish and throw them back in the lake. Why?"

The fisherman pulled in another big fish and tossed it back. He then said, "I only have a small frying pan."

That's the problem. We often times don't plan well enough. We think big, but plan small.

Can you imagine if Noah built a boat based on what he knew would float rather than what God told him to build?

God is telling you to be prepared for big things to happen in your life.

"How big is your boat?"

Dear Lord, help us to set our goals that are reasonable. Help us let You lead and guide us as we make our decisions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

On that day will you be ready?

Mark 13:13b (NIV)

…but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

We read in the Bible  "There will be wars, and famines and earthquakes! The sun shall be darkened, and the stars will fall from the sky!

On that day will you be ready?

On that day, what will you want?

Do you know what you want on Judgment Day?

If you are like most people, you want to be prepared.

* So they might be prepared, the ancient Greeks made a pilgrimage to the Oracle at Delphi and then tried to understand her cryptic and poetic prophecies.

* So they might be prepared, the Romans read the entrails of sacrificed animals.

* So they might be prepared, people today call the psychic hotline, read their horoscopes, break open their fortune cookies, listen to the stock market forecasters and tune in to The Weather Channel.

* To be prepared for the unknown and unexpected, we take out health insurance, house insurance, medical insurance, business insurance, car insurance and funeral insurance.

Sadly, no matter how much time or how much worry and cash we invest in our preparations, this sinful world produces surprises and shocks that mess things up. Sooner or later, most of us realize our best preparations will not get us prepared for the unknown hour of Jesus' return.

In truth, all of our perfect plans become pitifully pathetic in the face of the Day of Judgment. Because of Jesus' sacrifice we know we shall stand before the Lord, and He will declare us innocent of all wrongdoing.

Because of Jesus our doom is made into the day of ultimate victory and joy.

Dear Lord, we thank You that we do not have to face Judgment Day on our own. Because of You, we don’t the fear our last breath. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

God's Salad Bowl

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

Have you ever stopped and taken a look at your salad?

A good salad has radicchio, iceberg and romaine lettuce, with Vidalia onions, fresh scallions and radishes . . . Mushrooms, artichokes, plum tomatoes, and just a hint of garlic. All those different vegetables and the variety of colors mixed together make a great salad in a bowl.

Think about that salad sitting there . . . All those different vegetables, all the different colors and all of the different tastes mixed together to make that perfect salad. Each vegetable plays an important role in the makeup of that salad.

Just like our Lord made each of those vegetables with a particular flavor of its own. And how that salad wouldn't have been the same without each and every one of those flavors. The salad wouldn't have been the same had any one of those ingredients been missing. Together though, they were the perfect salad . . . With anything missing it would have been something less.

God created each and every individual to be a little different . . . Each individual having a "flavor" of their own . . . I thought of the various denominations, races and religions . . . All different . . . But each a vital part in the big salad bowl of Our Lord's perfect plan . . . And as such we are all equal "ingredients" in the perfect Will of God . . .

Are you doing your part to make a perfect salad?

Dear Lord, thank You for the variety that you have made when you created each of us. Help us each do our part to reach Your will. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Will you let Him use you in a big way?

Genesis 24:12 (NIV)

Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

In 1956, Ken Taylor, a graduate of Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, was the director of Moody Press. During this time, his children were having a difficult time in reading their King James Bible. Starting with the book of Romans, Taylor began paraphrasing the New Testament Epistles on the train while commuting to work. The project took seven years to complete. Unable to interest publishers in his Living Letters, Ken took out a loan for $2,000 and had his paraphrase printed by his own private company in 1963. His family began to pray constantly that the Lord would cause the paraphrase to succeed and that it would bless many. For the first few years, few copies were ordered. But then Billy Graham, while laid up in a hospital read the book. After his recovery, Dr. Graham began recommending Living Letters from the pulpit. The small publishing company Ken had founded to print his paraphrase became Tyndale House Publishers. And the Living Letters Epistles grew into the popular Living Bible, with over 40 million copies sold and a blessing to millions of children and new believers.

Dear Lord, thank You that You can use us in a big way. We pray that we may be successful in using the talents you give us to bring glory to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.