Monday

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles,

some prophets,

some evangelists,

and some pastors and teachers,

for the equipping of the saints.”

~Ephesians 4:11-12a, NKJV~

Mrs. Faye Price continues to be at North Oaks.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Tomorrow night at 6:30, Dr. Jerry Rankin will be the speaker at FBC, Kentwood.  Dr. Rankin has served as a missionary for many years and is now president of the International Mission Board.  You are invited and encouraged to attend.

Panic

THERE WERE SOME anxious moments at our house as my daughter and I prepared for our mission trip…

Late in the packing process we discovered that my passport that had been set out earlier, was not a current passport! That current passport was not where we expected it to be.

For about an hour, we gave the term ransack new meaning. God answered our fervent prayers and we found the all-important document.

Those who travel understand the seriousness of misplacing a passport. This document shows you are a citizen of the United States and have been cleared for travel to other countries. Without it I would have been denied admission to Peru. Actually, I wouldn’t have been allowed onto the plane headed for Peru. I would have been left behind.

As I reflect upon that nerve-wracking episode, I think of a more vital appointment. Jesus spoke about it in Matthew 25:31,32:

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him, then He will
sit on the throne of His glory. All the
nations will be gathered before Him, and He
will separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divides his sheep from the goats”
(NKJV).

Following the pronouncement of judgment, only two destinations will await those who have been sentenced. Of the two, heaven and hell, all know the destination to which they want to go.

Earlier in that chapter (verses 1-13), Jesus spoke the parable of the wise and foolish maidens. Ten young women anxiously awaited the arrival of the bridegroom. The wait was longer than expected and five of them found that their supply of oil for their lamps was not sufficient. While they were away buying oil, the bridegroom came and the door was shut. The five foolish maidens were barred from the celebration they had dreamed about. They should have made better preparation.

There will be those at the Day of Judgment who will experience panic far worse than I recently felt. They will assume they’re ready for the coming of Jesus — but they won’t be. For them there will be no second chance. The sound of heaven’s door closing will be heard, and it will prompt “weeping and gnashing of teeth” ( Matthew 25:30). As you read this, realize one thing: You have this opportunity to make preparations for the coming of the Lord. You may not have another opportunity. We urge you out of genuine Christian love to prepare your soul for the certain arrival of Jesus Christ! Tim Hall at http://forthright.net

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them.” Matthew 25:1-3

Posted by Mike Benson

A great week awaits us.  Let’s get going!

Anna Lee