Month: October 2014

OUR ACCEPTANCE IS ASSURED

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

Not long ago I read an article of a high school senior who got a letter from a prestigious university containing information they had long waited to receive. The letter recipient with trembling hands and pounding heart opened their letter that contained the answer to whether or not they had been accepted to the college of their dreams. As the college bound senior read their letter the answer they had been waiting for was realized. They let out a sigh of relief as the letter informed them they had been adidentity-christmitted to the university. The positive admission letter was good news to young man who had his heart set on that particular institution of higher learning.

Their joy was short lived. Despite receiving a congratulation letter informing them of their admission, it was a mistake. A computer glitch had resulted that had misinformed the student of their acceptance. In actuality the student was still on the waiting list and had not yet been accepted. Now they will have to wait a little longer before they find out if they have actually been admitted or not. What a roller-coaster of emotions; accepted, not accepted, not sure if they will be accepted.

Let us be thankful that when we by faith in the perfect provision of Christ’s atoning work on the cross are accepted in HIM, there is no chance we will ever be notified that it was all a mistake or we have been turned away. You and I can take comfort in the words of Christ who promises in His letter to us (the Bible), “Whosoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). There is no need to fear that He will ever rescind His promise of us being accepted. To reassure us that He will never “unaccept” us the original is in a double negative, “I will never, never cast you out.”

It matters not if it is the Woman at the Well with all her moral failures (John 4), or Nicodemus who was steeped in self-righteous religious works (John 3), Christ pledges to us that He will never reject anyone who comes to Him with a sincere and repentant heart. Christ embraced both with open arms and neither ever had to fear they would be accepted, only to be rejected later.

Paul further reassures us of our acceptance in Christ when he wrote to the Ephesians. Each believer is “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which he made us accepted in the Beloved” (Eph 1:6). The term “accepted” in the Greek means “to pursue with grace, to compass with favor.” What a marvelous verse as it assures us that everyone who has received God’s grace as found in Christ find themselves “compassed with grace and favor” before the Lord, not as the result of anything we have done but only because of what our “Beloved” Savior did for us.

The wonder of His grace is that in spite of our darkest sins He bids us to come to Him. Christ lovingly issues to us His invitation, “Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Our acceptance has been purchased and secured by Christ, all we must do is respond to His invitation. We must accept our acceptance provided for us by the Christ of the Cross.

Once we have accepted our acceptance before the Lord it never changes. No Christian is less accepted than another. We are either accepted before the Lord or we are not. Paul tells us we need not ever fear of being “unaccepted” once accepted, “for we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15). Under Roman law an adopted child could never be disinherited! Adoption was permanent; one could not be adopted and “unadopted” later. What a wonderful truth to know that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

Let us rejoice that no matter who we are or where we find ourselves in life, He bids us to come to Him. No matter our sin, our shortcomings, our struggles, our sufferings, our sordid past, in Christ we will find acceptance in His grace; wherein lies His forgiveness, strength, presence, and resources for daily living.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

THE JOY OF REACHING A GOAL

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 2 Comments

For 40 years I have had the privilege of being involved in the coaching of high school cross-country and track athletes. As a minister it has been an extension of my ministry and has allowed me to mentor, influence and help young people to reach achievements that they never would have been able to do on their own. TeamatEnd It has been a most rewarding experience.

There is nothing more rewarding than to set goals and watch a young person reach a goal they never would have dreamed could happen. Over the years I have been blessed of the Lord to share in  many wonderful memories of watching individuals and teams reach lofty heights and win many championships of various kinds. They all were achieved through hard work. I continually stress to those I am privileged to coach if you want it you have to earn it through perseverance. There are no shortcuts to being a champion.

Back in June the boys and girls cross country teams at Elkin High School set a goal to be Mountain Valley Athletic Conference Champions. There were 8 schools that had the same goal. It was a lofty goal as that was an achievement that Elkin had never done both winning the conference title in the same year. As the smallest school in the conference, we don’t have as many runners as some of the larger schools. But what I do have are hard working kids who are willing to do what others will not do in order to be champions.

While we won all the regular season conference meets we participated in during the year, they were all wins that were close. My daily advice was that we had to keep working to get better, for winning is like trying to catch an elusive butterfly. I did my best to help them never lose sight of their pre-season goal.

The day of the conference championship arrived, October 14, but because of heavy rains the meet was postponed a day. The delayed day only intensified our nervousness. The boys were defending champions, the girls had never won it. They wanted to get at it…and get at it together.

The next day, after a long bus ride to Ashe County, where the meet was to be held, we got off the bus knowing it was going to be a close meet that was going to be decided by a few points one way or the other. We knew we could run very well and possibly still not win, but if we didn’t run well we knew we wouldn’t win. So there was no alternative, we had to run well. The course was muddy from two days of rain, but since we practice in all kinds of weather I figured that would favor us.

After four months of practicing in the heat of the summer, sometimes in the rain, practice  six days a week, dealing with nagging aches and pains, the moment had come. The Elkin runners now stood on the starting line eagerly waiting for the gun to sound to begin the  5K (3.1 mile) race.  As the pistol cracked in the still air, all the runners took off at a torrid pace, jockeying for position. One thing I knew for sure the Elkin runners would give their best effort……and they did.

To make a long story short, when the dust settled from both the boys and girls races the Elkin runners raced like they had been trained to and had dug deep inside of themselves to capture two close wins. The boys winning 52-58 and the girls winning 56-59 (low score wins in cross-country). They were now experiencing the joy of reaching a goal. They were experiencing the reward of hard work. They were reaping the fruit of discipline and persistence. I could not have been more proud of them. Matter of fact, their accomplishment brought me to tears and in a voice filled with emotion I said to them of their superb efforts, “A job well done.” For my desire for  them had been  that they might experience the joy of being a champion. Only those who work hard have that opportunity to experience the jubilation of reaching such a goal.

I have often said that running is a microcosm of life. I seek to teach my athletes that running is like life, you get out of life what you put into it. If you set goals and work hard good things happen. We may not always reach our goals, but we come a lot closer than if we have no goals at all. And if you keep setting goals and working toward them in time you will reap abundant fruit from your labor. We must ever be diligent, persistent, consistent, and determined if we are going to overcome obstacles and hurdles that arise in our lives. But good things happen to those who don’t give up and are persistent. Keep at it and don’t throw in the towel. As your Heavenly Coach speaks words of encouragement to you, dig deep within and you will find His strength to continue racing toward the finishline.

Like the Apostle Paul we must keep pressing toward the goal of being all the Lord wants us to be and do. That is a lifelong journey and commitment. Keep on keeping on and on that Final Day we will discover the joy of reaching our Goal and hearing the Master say, “A job well done.”

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

DETERMINING WHAT IS MORAL

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

Someone recently remarked to me in the light of the recent North Carolina ban on same-sex marriage being overturned, that Christians who oppose same-sex marriage do so on the grounds of what the Bible says, but if you do away with the Bible you can’t present a rational or philosophical argument why it is wrong. For the Christian the Bible is the final authmoralityority on what is moral and immoral. The Bible is clear that homosexual behavior is morally wrong and nowhere in the Bible is same-sex marriage sanctioned; marriage is always between a man and a woman. But what if one doesn’t believe the Bible? If one supports same-sex marriage and that lifestyle and rejects the Bible which forbids such behavior, then the question is posed, “What other rational and philosophical argument do you have beside the Bible that such behavior is morally wrong?”

The question arises for those who don’t accept the Bible as morally authoritative, is there a philosophical argument that such a lifestyle is morally wrong and that same-sex marriage is wrong? I believe there is. By adopting the ethical system of philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), called “categorical imperative” (a law of duty) one can determine if such behavior is morally and ethically acceptable or unacceptable.

Kant, born in East Prussia in the 18th century, was a brilliant thinker who believed it was man’s duty to act in a moral way unconditionally independent of any personal motive or selfish impulse. We are to live morally because it is our duty. He is one of the central figures in modern philosophy whose influence in moral and ethical matters is still valuable and relevant today. Kant believed that there is a universally binding moral law, which he called “categorical imperative” (a law of duty). In his ethical system he believed one was under a moral obligation to act in a way that was universally binding. He taught that one must do only what all others should do under similar circumstances. When considering an action Kant would suggest one ask what would occur if what I am about to do became a universal law. He stated, “Act so that the maxim [the rule or action] of your will could at all times serve as a universal law.” The action that you are considering could it be applied on a universal scale? If it can then the action is deemed to be moral, if it cannot the action is deemed to be immoral.

Kant believed his categorical imperative allows one to determine which actions are moral and which are not. In Kant’s view the immoral occurs when the categorical imperative is not followed: when a person attempts to set a different standard for themselves than for the rest of humanity. He contended that to act morally is to exercise freedom, and the only way to fully exercise freedom is to act morally.

Kant gave several examples of how his “categorical imperative” is to be applied. Should one commit suicide seeing that the world seems to be filled with more heartache than happiness? To determine if suicide is morally acceptable, what would happen if everyone followed that logic if it was a universal law or principle? If everyone followed that action then everyone would take their life and humanity would cease to exist. Suicide then is not an action that the rule of one’s will could at all times serve as a universal law, therefore, it is immoral. Let us suppose a person possess great gifts and talents, but neglects to develop them for the pursuit of his own self pleasure and the neglect of benefiting others and society. Kant would say neglecting one’s gifts is not reasonable to do for a rational being as it would create chaos in society if everyone took such an action and could not be a universal moral law; therefore, such action would be immoral. Or, suppose a man finds himself in financial difficulties and borrows money promising to pay it back, all the while knowing that he is not going to ever do so. What would happen to society if this became a universal law and everyone was dishonest and broke their promises? The answer is obvious that everyone would be dishonest and turmoil would result in society, therefore, such an action would be immoral.

Now let’s apply Kant’s “categorical imperative” to same-sex marriage. Again, in Kant’s view one is to “act so that the maxim [the rule or action] of your will could at all times serve as a universal law.” What would happen if every single person on earth became homosexual and united in a same-sex marriage? The answer is clear, there would be no reproduction in society and the human race would in time become extinct, therefore, since such behavior or action could not become a universal law without the human race becoming extinct then homosexuality and same-sex marriage is immoral. Since same-sex marriage cannot be made into a universal law without the human race dying out, it is then morally wrong. Again, In Kant’s view immorality occurs when the categorical imperative is not followed: when a person attempts to set a different standard for themselves than for the rest of humanity. Same-sex marriage proponents seek to set a different standard for themselves in the matter of the natural marriage relationship.

Kant‘s categorical imperative seeks to connect rationality with morality, and he sees behavior that cannot be universally applied as immoral. Kant believed that to be moral was our duty and morality must be based upon reason and not upon one’s selfish desires or impulses. While Kant’s categorical imperative isn’t meant to be a complete decision formula, it clearly allows one to approach moral concepts and decisions on practical grounds and not on one’s self-centered motives. One must continually ask themselves if the action they are about to engage in corresponds to a rule which should be applied universally asking what would society be like if everyone took same action or engaged in the same behavior.

While the Christian is to oppose immoral behavior and actions of any kind on Biblical grounds, which for the Christians is our inspired and final authority for faith and morality, the anti-traditional marriage agenda of today can also be opposed on logical philosophical grounds when Kant’s ethical and moral formula of categorical imperative is applied.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

REDISCOVERING THE HOLY

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

The spiritual and moral cesspool into which our society has sunk today can be traced back to the loss of the holiness of God and the horridness  of sin which separates us from Him. The loss of a sense of the vileness and the destructiveness of sin is the result of the loss of the Holy. The Wisdom Writer wisely wrote, “Knowledge of the Holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). We need to rediscover the Holy. When we do we will see our sin for what it is, and then we discover the power of grace found in the cross enables us to be something we could not otherwise be or do. FearHoly

The Christian faith must uphold the holiness of God above all else. Everything begins and ends in our Christian faith with  God’s holiness. When one looks at the Lord’s Prayer God’s holiness is the foundation on which the model prayer given to us by Christ’s rests – “Hallowed (holy) be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). Holiness means that God the Creator is the standard of moral reality and it is not man who determines the standard. Holiness is God’s moral perfection. Holiness is God’s transcendence above man’s finiteness. Holiness is God’s self-sustaining moral purity. Holiness is God’s unchanging purity. Holiness is not an attribute of God but the essence of who He is, of His being.

Bruce Goettsche says of God’s holiness, “He does what is right and never does what is wrong. God is unstained by, and uncompromising with sin. God does not ‘bend a little’ when it comes to wrong-doing. God always acts in a righteous manner because His nature is holiness.”

The love of God proceeds from His holiness. R.C. Sproul writes, “The Word holy calls attention to all that God is. It reminds us that His love is holy-love…” We must not exalt the love of God to the exclusion of His holiness, for behind His love there is His holiness. Holiness is the essence of God’s character. Love not issuing forth from holiness only becomes sentimentality that has no foundation in moral stability. God created the world to function within the atmosphere of his moral order as a reflection of his morally holy character.

Holiness has vanished from many Christian circles today and as a result the door has been opened to a love that has no moral order, boundaries, absolutes or foundation. We include in our Christian vocabulary words like “love, grace, forgiveness, sin, faith” – yet those words have no depth of meaning expect as they rest upon the foundation of the holiness of God. His holiness must be the bedrock of the Christian faith. P.T. Forsyth says of God’s holiness, “Love is but its outgoing, sin is but its defiance, grace is but its action on sin, the cross is but its victory, faith is but its worship.”

It was more than love that sent Christ to the Cross, it was his holy-love. Christ came to reveal that sin was an offense to the holiness of God’s character. Sin is defiance of God’s holiness. Sin was and is an affront to the holy Father. The cross was first about Christ returning to God holy and perfect obedience which the Father required from His creation and his creatures, yet which humanity couldn’t and can’t comply with. Christ first honored the holiness of God in His life of perfect obedience. He first confessed the holiness of God in His living before He took upon Himself our judgment for our not being able to comply with God’s holy demands. God created man to live in moral order as a reflection of His moral character, but man failed miserably. Christ’s holy-love meets the holy demands of God for us, and then He took upon Himself the judgment of our sin for not being able to meet those holy demands. Because God is holy only a holiness of like kind could be acceptable to and satisfy Him. Holiness must be satisfied by holiness. God in His holy-love provided for humanity perfect holiness in Christ’s life and perfect satisfaction of judgment upon the offense of sin as Christ hung upon the Cross. In the cross of Christ God’s holiness judges and redeems

God desires moral order for creation because He is holy and He Himself is the standard of all moral reality. His moral principles given to humanity are not principles outside of Himself but are the expression of His moral nature which is unchanging. To violate God’s moral principles is to violate His holiness and offend His Personhood. God acts in accordance with the character of His being and our acts of disobedience are acts against His holy character. God acts in holiness and accordance with his moral nature, yet sinful man acts in opposition to God’s holiness which opposes sin. For God to overlook or ignore sin or change His mind about sin would be to violate His own holy nature. Holiness which does not judge sin and does not act in judgment against the violation of His moral nature is no true holiness.

Man’s active defiance today in the face of the Holy Father is the result of him losing a sense of the Holy which has resulted in a loss of the blackness of sin; thus the woes we are experiencing in society. It is not the cross that needs banishing from society, as many are trying to do today, but the need of society is to knell before the holy-love of God found in the Christ of the cross—the answer and hope of humanity.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

OUR HOPE AMID BAD NEWS

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

Have you heard the news lately? None of it is good. ISIS continues its demonic march of evil in the Middle East with its goal to eventually overtake the USA, all the while they laugh at this nation’s feeble efforts to stop them. It is not a matter if there will be another terrorist attack on US soil, it is a matter of when. It matters not that the teachings of Islam underlines the destructive ideology of ISIS, Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaeda, etc that want to destroy Israel and the USA, our current leaders tout Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance.  HopeLord

The mysterious D68 respiratory virus attacking children is making its way into one state after the other. Ebola is now on US soil striking fear in people that it will spread. The government refuses to close our borders, allowing all kinds of terrorists and diseases from entering this country. As well, the government refuses to ban flights from landing in the USA that come from areas where Ebola is prominent. Whoever said common sense is common.

God, Christ, the Bible and Christianity continue to be attacked and stripped from society. Like a run-away train man continues to rebel against God’s holiness and moral order. Federal judges continue to mock the definition of traditional marriage as they strike down as unconstitutional states that have democratically voted to ban same-sex marriage. Thanks to liberal judges and courts our country continues to sink deeper and deeper into a cesspool of moral perversion from which there is no return.

Our politicians are more crooked than a barrel of fishhooks and have only one goal – to be reelected. The legalization of marijuana continues its march. Our leaders continue on a track of financial irresponsibility that is leading to a train wreck as they spend a trillion dollars more each year than they take in. Instead of reeling in spending they want to continue to pickpocket more and more of our cash for their reckless spending. Their foggy decisions make me wonder if they aren’t the one’s smoking the stuff!

I need not go on, I think the picture is clear and it is not a pretty one. We are living in times that events and circumstances are causing all of life and creation to cry out like a mother experiencing birth pangs. All the bad news is enough to send one into a state of despair. How does one cope with all the bad news that only seems to get worse?

Amid all the bad news, regardless of whether on a world, national or personal front, I am so grateful that I am a Christian for I possess a glorious hope in Jesus Christ. The Bible reminds me that no matter how bad things get, and it even teaches that in the last days times will grow worse and worse, that I am not to despair for our righteous God is still in control. In spite of man’s rebellious sin it will not prevent God’s intended purpose and goal for creation and individuals – redemption. In the cross we see both the judgment upon sin and the redemptive grace of God in the face of sin. And to those who trust in the Christ of the cross that redemptive process has begun, is ongoing and will one day culminate, as P.T. Forsyth puts it, “in the total establishment of divine holiness within the human race.”

The world sees no rhyme or reason or ultimate goal of creation, it just continues on as before. The cross is proof God is involved in the events and affairs of this world. And though He permits this world, as the result of Him granting man freewill, to proceed on what appears to be an autonomous course, the message of the cross is that the overruling providence of God will direct and defeat man’s evil and His ultimate goal for creation and humanity will not be thwarted by man’s rebellion against His holiness.

The Christian has the hope of “looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Unbelievers may scoff, but the Christian hope is that the God of all creation reigns and He will one day set up a kingdom that shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44). As we move toward the culmination of God’s glorious goal He gives us His presence, peace, strength, courage, hope, and grace for the journey. I possess in my heart an eternal hope that this life is not all there is, there is hope beyond this life for the Christian and hope for a creation that has been marred by the willful sinfulness of man.

The Cross of Christ is both God’s answer to the problem of human sinfulness and human doubt to God’s goodness. The cross is our assurance that evil will not win at last. At the cross sin was at its worst as it crucified the holy Son of God. While at the cross God’s holy wrath against sin was displayed in all sin’s ugliness, His grace was demonstrated in providing redemption for those who embrace His Son.

Christian friend, don’t despair over the signs of the times. Keep looking up, keep your eye on the sky. The sin of man cannot stop God from achieving His goal of redemption and restoration. The train of God’s Kingdom speeds on to its final destination. Will you climb aboard or will it pass you by?

Embrace Him today and receive and rest in a hope that is a firm anchor and foundation in the midst of the sinking sand around us; a hope that sustains even amidst the flood of bad news.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

WHY I AM A CHRISTIAN

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

christianForty-four years ago this week I trusted Christ as my Savior. I realized I had sinned against a holy God, but our Creator God became the Redeemer of humanity in Jesus Christ. He who knew no sin became sin for me that I might become the righteousness of God in Him. Ah, amazing grace!!

Over the last forty-four years I have been asked many times, “Why are you a Christian?” I will answer that question with a story from the days of the Roman Empire.

There was once a wealthy Roman senator who had become most influential in the political arena. He desired that his only son follow him into politics, but his son was not interested in governmental affairs. His son was more interested in living a life without restraint and indulging in behavior that brought heartache and shame to his well known father.

In time the young man left home with his partying companions to live a life of reckless abandonment. For a while he kept in touch with his father, but as time passed their relationship become more and more strained and all contact was discontinued. That broke the father’s heart, but what could he do.

He continued to faithfully serve as a Roman Senator, but he realized as time passed he would not see his wayward son again. As the wealthy senator grew older he decided to change his will, which had stated everything was to go to his only son. Presuming his son was dead, he rewrote the will and left his vast wealth to his trusty servant who had been with him most of his life. However, he made one stipulation in the will, that if his son ever returned he was allowed to choose one thing from his estate.

Not long after revising his will the Senator passed away. A most influential man, word of his passing spread throughout the Roman Empire. Word of his passing eventually made it to the ears of his son. Heartbroken at hearing of his father’s death, he realized how he had wasted his life and had broken his father’s heart. Repentant, he made his way back home. Upon arriving he was told of his father’s change of the will. He was informed his father’s vast wealth was to go to the faithful servant, but he was allowed to choose one thing from his father’s fortune.

His heart raced as he thought to himself, “What shall I choose?” He pondered and he pondered. Then suddenly, like a flash of light, it came to him what should be his choice. Twirling around and pointing at the faithful servant, the son exclaimed, “I will take him.” For the young man realized that wrapped up in the faithful servant was all that his father possessed and to possess the servant was to possess all that belonged to his father.

That story is the answer to “why I am a Christian.” Forty-four years ago my heart cried out, “I will take HIM.”  For I realized that wrapped up in the Faithful Servant, Jesus Christ, is all the Heavenly Father possesses and to possess Christ is to possess all that belongs to the Father!

For in Christ, the Suffering and Faithful Servant, I discover all my heart longs for. In Him I have found forgiveness for all my sins. He, as my Substitute, paid the sin debt I could never pay and His perfect provision on the cross paid in full the debt owed by all humanity. In Him I have found fulfillment and satisfaction. He gives a peace, purpose and satisfaction this world can’t give, a peace that passes all understanding. In Him I find a Friend that sticks by my side no matter what I go through in life. He never leaves me nor forsakes me. In Him I find a strong tower that I can run to in life’s darkest and toughest hour. In Him I find faith for standing when I don’t understand. Faith means I don’t have to have all the answers, but I hold the hand of One is the Answer when I don’t understand. He is the Rock that holds me up in a world of sinking sand. In Him I have a future hope that is sure. This old life will one day cease, but He has promised, “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me shall never die.”

And in the Faithful Servant is found so much more. All that the Father has for us to experience is wrapped up in Him.  As Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). All that the heart longs for is found in Christ. He waits for you to exclaim, “I will take HIM.”

My dear friend, He waits your response. I am so thankful that I responded forty-four years ago to His invitation. The most important words I ever spoke were on that life changing night over four decades ago when I emphatically said, “I will take HIM.”

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

MEETING THE LORD ON THE WINGS OF A POPCORN HULL

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

This past Friday night I thought I was a goner. I honestly thought my time was up, that my number had been called. And it happened so quickly. “What happened?” you ask.popcorn

My wife and I were sitting on the couch watching a movie on TV and eating popcorn. All of the sudden a popcorn hull shot down my windpipe as if it had wings. It immediately took my breath away. My air supply was cut off to the place that the thought raced through my head, “This is it!” I managed to get up, but quickly fell to my knees gasping for a breath that wasn’t there. As my knees hit the floor I could feel myself blacking out. My thought was, “I am going to die.” Before I completely blacked out my wife slapped me on the back and I managed a weak cough that was just enough to clear my air passage to keep me from checking out. Another cough, a little stronger than the last one, enabled me to inhale more air into my lungs. Slowly raising to my feet it took me a bit to get my bearings back and get to where I could breathe normal.

It all happened in a matter of seconds. I was stunned. I was shaken. It all happened in the time it takes to snap one’s finger. I was concerned last year about being a victim of prostate cancer, but I have survived that and seem to be doing very well. I never dreamed I might be meeting the Lord on the wings of a popcorn hull!

Oh, the uncertainty of life.

Life is so fleeting. James wrote, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). The Psalmist wrote, “Man’s days are as a shadow that passes away” (Ps. 144:4). They are right, that is for sure.

When you are down on your knees gasping for a breath that isn’t there you realize how quickly you can be removed from the land of the living and those you love. Since we know not when our last breath will be, let us be about letting those we love know we love and care about them, for the day will come when we no longer can. While those we love and care about can at times get on our “last nerve,” as we do theirs, let us pause during such times and ask ourselves the question, “Would I say this or act like this if it was the last time I was with them?” I think we all know the answer to that question.

Too often we think we are going to live forever. Life is so fleeting, fragile and uncertain we should never take it for granted. Life is a precious, precious gift not to be misused or abused. Treasure each day as a gift from heaven, for it could be your last one and someday there will be that last one. We need to learn to live in the awareness of the fragility of life. Because life is like a vapor we need to invest our life in being a blessing in the lives of others for that is what enriches life for others and ourselves.

As well, because life passes quicker than a text message traveling through space, we need to be prepared for when the time comes to meet our Maker. The inspired Author of Hebrews reminds us, “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). That is one appointment we cannot cancel. I am thankful that over forty years ago I took care of that eventual meeting I will have with the Lord by accepting Christ as my Savior. “There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). While I have fallen woefully short of what I should be I am most grateful that I will be able to stand before our holy Lord uncondemned for my sin, not because of anything that I have done, but because of what the Lord did for me in Christ’s perfect life and His provision on the cross for all my transgressions. Every day I stand amazed that he paid my sin debt for me.

My dear friend, be thankful for every breath the Good Lord grants you. Don’t just assume you will have another one. No one is guaranteed another second of life. Rejoice in the gift of life you have been gifted this minute and use it wisely, lovingly and productively.

And first and foremost, be sure you have made preparation that when that day does come for you to take flight from this life you will be prepared to meet the Creator of us all. And the wonderful truth is our Creator became our Redeemer in Jesus Christ that when that day comes those who have embraced Him as Savor He will usher us into His presence…even if it is on the wings of a popcorn hull!!

Blessings,

Dr. Dan