I found this video on the Internet.
I went to the hospital emergency room last night as a friend's mom suffered what could have been a slight stroke. She seems to be doing better as her memory has returned to her but it does bring up the subject of...
How long are we going to be here on this earth?
There is no way of knowing how long any of us are going to live. God has our days numbered. Only He knows exactly when we will die. I wanted to touch on a subject that isn't spoken of much.
Do you have someone in your family who has walked away?
They might have walked away from home, due to issues of anger and not feeling respected or not feeling loved...
They might have walked away from a relationship with you or with your family...
Or, they might have walked away from God.
In any case, they have walked away. What does this have to do with us not knowing when our last day will be on this earth?
It has a lot to do with it...
Does it scare you that your loved one will never come back home? Are you praying for him or her? You haven't heard from them in a long time? Did they walk away from God and you are praying that they come back to Him?
I think the biggest fear I would have is that they do not get right with God before they die.
They are lost and lonely, they are hanging out with bad people, they are doing drugs and getting drunk, they are in trouble with the law and you say to yourself, "I didn't raise them to turn out like this!" Every day that they are gone is one day closer to the day they will be face to face with God. Yes, that is with the Holy God whose wrath comes upon all who have not repented of their sins and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts due to them. The great folly of sinners, and that which ruins them, is, being content in their life-time to receive their good things. Our first parents ruined themselves and all their race, by a foolish ambition to be independent, and this is at the bottom of sinners' persisting in their sin. We may all discern some features of our own characters in that of the prodigal son. A sinful state is of departure and distance from God. A sinful state is a spending state: wilful sinners misemploy their thoughts and the powers of their souls, mispend their time and all their opportunities. A sinful state is a wanting state. Sinners want necessaries for their souls; they have neither food nor raiment for them, nor any provision for hereafter. A sinful state is a vile, slavish state. The business of the devil's servants is to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, and that is no better than feeding swine. A sinful state is a state constant discontent. The wealth of the world and the pleasures of the senses will not even satisfy our bodies; but what are they to precious souls! A sinful state is a state which cannot look for relief from any creature. In vain do we cry to the world and to the flesh; they have that which will poison a soul, but have nothing to give which will feed and nourish it. A sinful state is a state of death. A sinner is dead in trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life. A sinful state is a lost state. Souls that are separated from God, if his mercy prevent not, will soon be lost for ever. The prodigal's wretched state, only faintly shadows forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Yet how few are sensible of their own state and character! (Lu 15:17-24)
We are to pray for our loved ones. But we have to trust that God's Word will not return void. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not part from it. If you have a lost family member, just remember to be faithful to God. Fulfill the Great Commission! preach in season and out of season. Don't be a nag (or any kind of horse for that matter!!!), but also, don't neglect speaking of spiritual things with them either. Present them with God's Law so they can see that they are headed for hell if they don't repent. Tell them that without Christ, they are doomed to judgment from a God of wrath. When you see that they are concerned about their eternal destination, then present the wonderful news of God's Love and how He sent his Son to die on the cross. The fine has been paid, but it has only been paid for those who repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus for their salvation. It is hard to watch loved ones living for the world and being consumed by drugs and the like. It is hard to know that you have done your best and yet you feel like a failure when it comes to your kid. It is hard to listen to others talk about your child in a negative way. Keep praying! Keep loving! Keep God first in your life regardless of everything that is going on in your life. When your child repents of their sins and realizes that he needs a Savior to save him, then rejoice with the angels. What sins are YOU holding onto? Have YOU walked away from God? The world is full of darkness, sin, lust and greed. Jesus is the light of the world. Let His light so shine into the darkness. Expose your sins and confess them to God and repent of those very sins that are keeping you from having a proper relationship with Jesus. Just remember...
Jesus will walk with sinners -
but only the repentant ones will be in heaven with Him!
Don't sugar-coat the message of the cross. Tell it like it is.
You have broken God's Law (the Ten Commandments) and unless you repent of your sins and put your faith and trust in Jesus you will be headed for hell. It is the best message we can possibly give our children!
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