Day 26: 50 Days of Impact

To take for granted that you will have the opportunity on your death bed to repent is a gamble. We should know all to well that death can sneak up at any moment an we may not be given a last breath to make a choice on where we spend eternity. Many wait until they have lost everything to accept Christ. We don’t have to wait until everything is falling apart to trust God with everything. Even when your life feels perfect, without a relationship with Jesus we are missing the purpose of life. What is holding you back?

 

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

Luke 23:42-43 NLT

 

“In times of trouble, may the LORD answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.”

Psalms 20:1 NLT

 

Picture this, Jesus, beaten by the Romans, mocked by the Jews, his friends had left him, and now he is hanging on the cross. Now to top it off as he is hanging their, the two criminals next to him start talking. One openly mocks Jesus. This criminal who is sharing the same penalty as Jesus, who deserved his fate, was mocking Jesus who was innocent. The other criminal goes to defend Jesus. He knows something is going on and eagerly and openly defends Jesus the innocent.

 

When he finishes rebuking the other criminal, he turns his attention to the one he was defending. This criminal may have had the importance of Jesus revealed to him either by the Holy Spirit, or maybe he had heard Jesus talking earlier in his life. We won’t know exactly what compelled him to ask the dying man next to him to remember him in heaven.

 

But an awesome reminder of Jesus forgiving power is displayed here on the cross. This criminal called out to Jesus, and Jesus didn’t ignore him, he didn’t make him say a prayer, he didn’t make an altar call, he answered his cry. This displays the awesome forgiveness of Jesus. King David wrote that the Lord answers are cries in times of trouble. This criminal may have remembered this as he hung on his cross and knew of the psalm as a child, but for whatever reason he cried out to Jesus to remember him, the pint to remember is that Jesus answered his cry.

 

So today those around us who are hurting, dying, depressed, out of work, angry, they all need Jesus. He is right there waiting for them to cry out to him. It is never to late for someone to come to Jesus.

 

Dear Jesus, I need to keep sharing your love with those around me. Help me this Easter weekend to invite friends, coworkers and family to experience the love of Jesus. Give me the boldness to invite people to church this Sunday. Let your messages all over this world from in the hearts of those who may only attend church once or twice a year. Break hearts and change lives this weekend. Amen

 

Day 16: 50 Days of Impact

 

Let’s take 2 min and be truly honest with ourselves. What do we want? What is the purpose for us to be living? Okay it may take more then 2 min to answer that question, it may take a lifetime, but if we can see the target that is set before us it will help propel us to do something amazing. I love the way Mike Miller of NOVA Church puts it “You are an arrow, only effective when propelled towards the target” (Paraphrased) If we don’t move forward, if we stay satisfied where we are at we will never be effective. Our target needs to be telling others about Jesus and the love he has for them. We can’t let troubles get in our way.

 

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT

 

Francis Chan has a video of him holding a 20 foot rope. The length of the rope doesn’t really matter, but the 2 inch on the one end painted red does. The red paint represents out life here on earth. We focus really hard on that red paint. Nothing matters more it seems at times. But we tend to forget about the other 19 foot 10 inch, which represents eternity.

 

So when troubles come our way we think of them merely in the hear and now. Imagine if when troubles came our way we measured them in light of eternity? Things that cause us so much pain and drama would seem petty in comparison. Of course we can’t ignore that they are happening, and we must deal with them, but our way of pushing past the troubles would change.

 

What are you doing today that will impact eternity? Are you motivated in sharing the love of Christ with your family, coworkers, the strangers you meet? Life is very short compared to eternity. The choices are very different, heaven or hell. Use what life you have to share Jesus love. I know I need to work on it too.

 

Dear Jesus, life is short. People know that, that’s why they try to cram so much into it. But in doing that they push you out. Help us as believers to be able to share your love and make an impact in their lives. Life is more then the red paint, but eternity is forever. Holy Spirit empower us to get in with the mission. Let us not be stone not in our faith. Amen.