Articles
What Will Your Toe Tag Say?
I don't know how much you watch the news, but if you keep somewhat current, you know that US citizens have been under a global travel alert since January. The Department of State issued the warning and urged citizens to remain vigilant, due to the increased possibility of terrorist attacks, as well as political violence and other situations that might target US citizens. If you saw the news Monday, the FBI thwarted a planned terrorist attack that was supposed to go down in Cleveland on July 4th, where a terrorist had intended to detonate a vehicle filled with explosives during the City's festivities.
Yes, it is the world we live in, it's the real world. I'm very thankful that I live in small town USA, but even that guarantees no protection from an attack, whether from a terrorist or some other individual taking vengeance on innocent people. Some use guns, some bombs, some knives, some bats & clubs, some arson, some just drive a vehicle into a crowd of people who have no time to move. If they want to hurt and kill, they can, no law will stop them from doing so.
Because this is the real world, none of us is totally safe from such an attack, nor many other things that can kill us. We might have a heart attack or stroke today, we might be crossing the street or driving down the road and be involved in a traffic accident. We might be in line to get gas and be robbed and possibly murdered. So what are we to do?
Whether we stay here another 30 minutes or another 30 years, unless Christ comes back first, we will die, and we don't know when or exactly how that will happen. God tells us so many things regarding how we should live our lives, and He warns us to be prepared to die. He also assures us that evil people can only kill our body, not our spirit (or soul) (Matt 10:28). We might think that doesn't bring much comfort, but if we understand His promises, it brings all comfort.
Today, if you are a Christian walking in the light with Jesus, fear of death is no big deal as you are ready to die. If you are not a Christian, IT IS A BIG DEAL, because God, speaking of Himself says, "... be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell”. (Matt 10:28) If we are to be fearful of anything, it should not be the numerous psychopathic loose canons that might decide today to hurt a bunch of innocent people, it should actually be God. God says, we are not ready to meet Him if our spirit is not prepared, and He says our eternal home will not be with Him in Heaven, rather in Hell.
Jesus says, "if you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Unless we love and obey Him, we are not prepared for the day we will meet Him, and we should be fearful. "Perfect love casts out fear..."(1 John 4:18) In Christ, we can be perfect, because His blood perfects us by removing our sins (Acts 2:38), (1 John 1:7-9), (1 John 3:5), (Rom 8:1). But unless we have been washed in that blood, in the manner He dictates, we still carry our sins. God sent His "one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Believing scripture, we must obey His commands for salvation, confessing His name (Rom 10:9-10), repenting of our sins (Luke 13:3) (Acts 3:19) and washing them away "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:27) (Acts 2:38) (Rom 6:3-5) (1 Peter 3:21) (Matt 28:19) (Mark 16:15-16) (Rom 6:3-9)
Today, don't go another day unless you have been clothed with Christ. Don't take a chance that this might be your last day and that you could meet God, unprepared. If you don't know what your spiritual toe tag will say, you can!
