Where is your heart focused? Eternity or this World?
Part of our mission here at The Middle East Peace Update Report is to blow the trumpet and warn God's people about looming prophetic signs that point to the return of The Messiah. We are also called to remind people about eternity and to call folks to repentance for the salvation of their souls. I would submit to you that there is nothing more important to the Lord than this calling! The Lord's very heart beat is for the souls of mankind, His creation. The Lord loves His creation and all human beings with an unfailing love. He wants us to remind His people and those who have not made a decision for Him yet, that the decision to put ones trust, faith and love in Yeshua The Messiah is the most important decision one can make in their lifetime!
It's with this in mind that we submit this article to you for careful consideration.
As I read this article I thought about my own heart and what is important to me. If the Lord appeared to me and said, Stephan, I will grant you the desire of your heart. I want you to chose right now to stay in the world or to come home with me. Make a choice right now. For me the answer is easy, Lord take me with you!
There are those who are uneasy with the prospects of leaving this life in exchange for a life in eternity. I would submit that they may be lukewarm or may not know the Lord of Glory. In either case, the answer to this question will uncover where your heart is.
I hope you are encouraged by the article as I was and if you do not know Messiah Yeshua, I hope you will reach out to Him today!
Want to put your faith in Yeshua? Click Here for Details
One of
the greatest public servants in the history of England was William Gladstone
(1809 - 1898) who served as Prime Minister four times during the latter half of
the 19th Century.
Gladstone was a committed Christian who always attended church. He also taught
a Sunday School class throughout his adult life. In fact, his aim early in his
life was to become an Anglican clergyman, but after his graduation from Oxford,
his strong-willed father insisted that he enter politics.1
Shortly
before he died, Gladstone gave a speech in which he told about being visited by
an ambitious young man who sought his advice about life. The lad
told the elder statesman that he admired him more than anyone living and wanted
to seek his advice regarding his career.2
A Remarkable Interview
"What do you hope to do when you graduate from college?" Gladstone
asked.
The young man replied, "I hope to attend law school, sir, just as you
did."
"That's a noble goal," said Gladstone, "Then what?"
"I hope to practice law and make a good name for myself defending the poor
and the outcasts of society, just as you did."
"That's a noble purpose," replied Gladstone. "Then what?"
"Well, sir, I hope one day to stand for Parliament and become a servant of
the people, even as you did."
"That too is a noble hope. What then?" asked Gladstone.
"I would hope to be able to serve in the Parliament with great
distinction, evidencing integrity and a concern for justice — even as you
did."
"What then?" asked Gladstone.
"I would hope to serve the government as Prime Minister with the same
vigor, dedication, vision, and integrity as you did."
"And what then?" asked Gladstone.
"I would hope to retire with honors and write my memoirs — even as you are
presently doing — so that others could learn from my mistakes and
triumphs."
"All of that is very noble," said Gladstone, "and then
what?"
The young man thought for a moment. "Well, sir, I suppose I will then
die."
"That's correct," said Gladstone. "And then what?"
The young man looked puzzled. "Well, sir," he answered hesitantly,
"I've never given that any thought."
"Young man," Gladstone responded, "the only advice I
have for you is for you to go home, read your Bible, and think about eternity."
Good Advice
Think about eternity! What good advice. Life goes by so quickly. It is like a
vapor that is here one moment and evaporates the next. We are
preparing for eternity. Are you ready?
Or, are you living like you expect to live forever? Are you focused on this
life, determined to accumulate all the money, power and fame you possibly can?
Are you like the young man who visited Gladstone — are you a person who has
never given eternity a thought? If so, the Word of God has a stern warning for
you (James 4:13-15):3
And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today — at the latest, tomorrow — we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money.".
You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.
Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."
The Fleeting Nature of Life
I am reminded of an incident that occurred in my life several years ago. A dear
friend of mine whom I had taught with in a Texas college called me one day and
told me he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
"The doctor has given me only six months to live," he reported.
I told him I was very sorry to hear the news, and I promised to pray for him
and his family. Then, I added, "But keep in mind, I may be dead before
you."
"Oh? Do you have cancer too?" he asked.
"No," I responded, "it's just that I do not have the promise of
even one day of life, much less six months."
We all tend to live like we are going to live forever, when the fact is that we are
all mortal and can die at any moment from a thousand different
causes, natural or accidental.
Ironically, the Bible tells us that we are to live like we are going to live
forever — but not on this earth. We are to live in preparation
for eternity, hopefully an eternity with God.
"...he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal." Jesus in John 12:25.
Most likely you are a born-again believer who has given serious thought to
eternity, but who finds it difficult to maintain an eternal perspective. You
repeatedly find yourself caught up with the problems of life, and the result is
stress, anxiety, and even depression.
Living with an eternal perspective is one of the keys to living as an
overcomer. It is a virtue that is going to become increasingly important as
society continues to disintegrate and Christians come under increasing attack.
What is the secret to maintaining an eternal perspective? Much
of the answer lies in your attitude about this world.
Your Attitude Toward
the World
Stop for a moment and think. What is your attitude about this world? Are you
enthusiastic about it? Or do you feel uncomfortable with it? Do you love the
world? Or do you often feel alienated from it? Are you at home in this world?
Or do you feel like a stranger?
There's an old Negro spiritual song that always challenges me to examine my
attitude toward the world. The first verse goes as follows:4
This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through.
My treasures are laid up Somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me From heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home In this world anymore.
Do those words express your feeling about this world? What word would you use to summarize your feeling? Zealous? Anxious? Enamored? Estranged? Are you comfortable or do you feel ill-at-ease?
Only you can answer the questions above. If you feel ill-at-ease, today may be the day the God's Spirit is calling you to faith in Christ. Don't let this moment pass you by. Call on Him today!
Are YOU Prepared? Have YOU put your faith in Jesus Christ? He is coming again real soon. Prepare and believe in Him NOW! Click Here for Details
Until next time God willing...
Keep looking up because Messiah's return is at the door!
Peace and Love in Jesus The Messiah,
Shalom v'ahava b'Yeshua Ha'Mashiach
שלום ואהבה בישוע המשיח
Bro Stef
Watchman & Publisher
'But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand.' Ezekiel 33:6
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 1Thessalonians 5:1-6
“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace …”
Ezekiel 13:9-10
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