Must I Say Good-bye (Day 2. from Cleansing Thoughts)

 

   

   My heart was grieving as the images of those who remained filled my thoughts, as if in a visual picture before me. I could see the terror in their eyes, feel the hopelessness all around me, and sensed the utter state of confusion of those left behind. For then if seemed to be a state of denial and extreme sadness; they knew in their heart that they had waited too long.

   Then a coldness came over me even greater than before as the scripture from Matthew 7 came to mind,”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven, Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declar to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”  (verses 21-23, NKJV). I could visualize a church filled with those who had been deceived into believing they were walking I the will of God. Now the deception was over, and the Spirit of Truth revealed, and they sat alone in the coldness of their hearts, would they now see truth?

   There were those who had played church all their lives, but there was no true heart commitment;their walk was for the eyes of man to see. Now they realized they only fooled themselves. Their faith had been built on sand and was now crumbling around them. Their cries gave me a chills that ran through my whole body. Would they find their way back to the Lord?

   I found myself crying out, “Lord, is it I?” Had I been deceived? Has my faith been so shallow that my family could not see the Christ in me? Have I taken the blessings YouHad to offer and not given You all my heart? My mind was filled with questions, yet in my heart no answer came for me that night. I sat there unt morning, almost afraid if wasn’t a dream. Had I been left behind?

  The reality of the past hours left an impression on me I’ll never forget. I made a commitment to God that night that I would be a better witness to my husband and our boys. There’s a scripture that I remembered, it comes from 1 Peter 3:1,“Wives . . . be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives.” 

   The word conduct is also translated behavior and conversation, describing the attitude of an individual, and by this they are a witness to others of the love of Christ within them. In John 13:34-35 Jesus states, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have loved one another.” (NKJV). We are also told to, “ love our enemies bless those who curse you, do good to those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). I can honestly say to you until that night, I had not followed this commandment as I should have, and I could not help but wonder if my family doubted my walk with the Lord because of it. I thank God for the wake up call I got that night.

   God’s Word also instructs us not to base out conduct on earthly wisdom, which is motivated by envy and self-seeking desires but to seek godly wisdom, which will enable us to face our trials with faith. In James 3:17 we are told what Godly wisdom is, “. . . The wisdom that I’d from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (NKJV).

   I have changed a great deal because of that night, and I’m still changing as the reality of His coming draws closer and closer. Make no mistake; He is coming again and very soon. We do not know the time nor the hour, however, it is quickly approaching midnight, and soon, the trumpet will sound. But if you’re reading this, it’s not to late. This is your wake-up call, shall we pray, “Dear Lord, help us to show others the love You have shown to us, through Your Son. We lift our unsaved loved ones before You asking that You send labors into the fields of their hearts that they may see the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. For it says in Your Word that you wish none would perish. In the name of our Savior we pray.”