Day 23 – Saturday (9/15/18)

Health Update:  Still trucking.  Still waiting.

Thought for the day:  Are you prepared?

I was listening to Casting Crowns “O My Soul” this morning (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjNZf878ISQ) , and one of the lyrics got me thinking.  Note that this is another song Mark Hall wrote while he was going through his own cancer diagnosis and treatment.  The lyric was “This is the one thing, I didn’t see coming”.  For those who know me, I try live a very structured life (some may call it OCD).  I have spreadsheets for all aspects of life, from our family budget, to the gas mileage on every tank of gas I have ever bought, to bowling scores when my wife and I were dating (and even now).  I have always had a 6 month plan, a 12 month plan, a 5 year plan, and a 30 year plan.  I got on a “prepper” kick some years back, and I made sure that we had everything we could possibly need to live years without power, grocery stores, city water, etc.  As Hurricane Florence is approaching the mountains that I call home, I made sure I had generator fuel, fresh food (don’t want to eat the emergency rations if I don’t have too, haha), water, etc.

“This was the one thing I didn’t see coming.”  Honestly, that is a very true statement for me.  Would I wind up with diabetes?  Maybe (I love milkshakes… a lot… of milkshakes).  Heart attack?  Maybe, due to family genes and thriving in high stress situations at work and elsewhere.  Lymphoma?  Nope… didn’t see that coming.  Car crash, house fire, school shootings, lightning strikes.  Nobody can see those things coming either.  This brings me to my point.  You can do all the prepping you want to guard against every situation imaginable.  You can make all the plans you want for the future.  But in the end, there is only one preparation step that matters.  Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior?  Have you recognized that you are a sinner? (Romans 3:23).  Do you know that sin separates you from God? (Isaiah 59:2)  Do you know the punishment of our sin is death and eternal separation from God? (Romans 6:23)  Do you know that God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins (in our place), so that if we believe on Him, and accept his gift of Salvation, we could be saved, and spend eternity with God in heaven? (John 3:16).  Did you know that Jesus did not stay dead, but rose again after 3 days? (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Are you prepared?

If you have any questions about this, again, please email balfour@balfourbaptistchurch.org .  Someone will contact you if you leave us contact info in the email.

Do you want to accept God’s free gift?  I can tell you from personal experience, there is an overwhelming peace that God will give you for any and all situations when you know Him.  If you want to accept Jesus into your heart, and invite the Holy Spirit to reside in you, all you have to do is ask God.  Simply pray this prayer along with me.

Dear heavenly Father,  I ADMIT that I’ve sinned against You and broken Your laws, and can’t get to heaven on my own. I BELIEVE You sent your Only Son, The Lord Jesus Christ to earth to take the punishment for my sins. I believe that You, Jesus gave Your precious blood as payment for my sin, died, was buried, and arose again from the dead. Come into my heart and life. I ACCEPT Your free gift of everlasting life by faith, trusting you alone to forgive my sins, to cleanse me, and make me Your child. In Jesus Name I thank you.  Amen.”