I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU

Franklin Graham tells the story of Hiroo Onoda, called the “holdout soldier”.  He was a second lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army sent to the Philippine Island in 1944 on a secret mission. His orders were to remain there until the Japanese came to get him.  Onoda did not emerge from the jungle until 1974, almost 30 years after the war had ended.   He had absolute belief in his mission and the word of his commander.  For thirty years, he did not grow weary because he kept his mind on carrying out his orders. In 1974 when Onoda was coaxed out of the jungle by a young Japanese adventurer who told him that the war had ended.  He had never received proof. He refused to surrender himself and his weapons until his commanding officer returned as he had promised. The loyalty was so unprecedented  that the Japanese military located the retired commander and sent him to the island to officially relieve Onoda of his duty. His war was now over.

It brings to mind the Great Commission given to all Christians by our Commander, the Lord Jesus Christ: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-29  His presence is linked with carrying out His command.

These orders have never been rescinded which were made over 2000 years ago. Our Lord gave them and promised that He would return and He is coming back.  Our task is to remain faithful, preaching the Gospel, the Word of the Lord, and overcoming evil with good.  Our battle is a struggle to the very end but it comes with certain victory. We serve the King of Kings and when we obey Him in all things we will overcome.

Followers of Christ are called by Jesus to continue in obedience to the Great Commission until His return.   No, I do not know when Jesus is going to come back nor does any one else, we just have to keep on keeping on for Him until He does.

 

SILENT MAJORITY

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I don’t believe in Santa Claus, but I’m not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don’t agree with Darwin, but I didn’t go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution. Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what’s the big deal? It’s not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They’re just talking to a God they believe in and asking Him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
But it’s a Christian prayer, some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect — somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn’t be offended. It wouldn’t bother me one bit.
When in Rome ……
But what about the atheists? Is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We’re not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that’s asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of earplugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don’t think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world’s foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It’s time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn’t care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It’s time we tell them, “You don’t have to pray; you don’t have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don’t have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!
God bless us one and all…Especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all our faults, We are still the greatest nation of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
Let’s make 2019/2020 the year the silent majority is heard, and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.   Keep looking up.                          AUTHOR UNKNOWN

GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE

Mike Fuller was an orphan boy. He had been in this orphanage for some time. The institution would have special days when people were invited to come and see the children. They would pick out a child and see if they could adopt that child. This special time would come and go but Mike Fuller was never chosen.  So, on these days, Mike would go off by himself and hide.  One day a farmer man visiting saw Mike and asked him why he wasn’t up front with the rest of the children.  Mike said, “Nobody wants me, please just let me alone.”  The farmer picked Mike up and took him to the auditorium where the people and children had gathered. Holding Mike, the farmer yelled, “I have found Mike Fuller and he is going to be my son.” Mike just hugged the man’s neck.  Mike belonged. He had been chosen.. What a blessing to be chosen.

Scripture plainly teaches that the Jewish people were God’s chosen.  Chosen for a purpose which was to be the means of bringing the Messiah (Jesus) into the world.
The Jews were basically unfaithful to their covenant with God.  All the Jews coming out of Egypt died in the wilderness. Only Caleb and Joshua entered into the Promised Land along with all those 20 years of age and younger.  Out of the remnant, the faithful, came the birth of Jesus. Their purpose was fulfilled.

Sad to say, that “Jesus came unto His own and His own received Him not.”  The leaders of the Jews declared that they had no King but Caesar (John 19:15).  They did not want Pilate to put the sign, “The King of the Jews” over Jesus’ head at the cross.              John 19:21-22   Here at the cross the Jewish nation ceased to be God’s chosen people.

Who are God’s chosen people today?  The Apostle Peter writing to the Christians, especially Gentiles, wrote in 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,  that you may declare the praises of him who called you  out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

They who belong to Christ are Abraham’s descendants.  We become a part of God’s family not by physical birth but by spiritual birth.  Galatians 3:29 “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”

Salvation is not limited to one race.  God wants all to be saved.  .Jesus proved Himself as Israel’s promised Messiah.  He taught one way to God and that through Him. Relationship with God has to come through faith in Jesus.

 

“I’M BLIND”

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet.  He held up a sign which said:  “I am blind, please help.”  There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man walking by took a few coins from his packet and dropped them into the hat.
He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words.  He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.

That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how thing were.
The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “What did you write on my sign?”
The man said, “I only wrote the truth.  I said what you said but in a different way.
I wrote “Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.”

Both signs told people that the boy was blind.  But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind.
Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the story:  Be thankful for what you have.  Be creative, be innovative. Think differently and positively.  When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile.

Face your past without regret.  Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.  Keep the faith and drop the fear.

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling.  And even more beautiful is knowing that you are the reason behind it.                                        Selected