We have arrived once again.\u00a0 It is the last day of the current year and when we wake up tomorrow morning a new year will have begun.\u00a0 As usual there are many festivities planned all around the world to ring in the new year.\u00a0 My mind can’t help but go back a few years, 13 almost 14 to be exact.\u00a0 The year was 1999.\u00a0 A new millennium was about to begin.\u00a0 There was a lot of excitement, but there was also a lot of fear.\u00a0 There was the “crisis” of what would happen to computers when the year reset to “00?”\u00a0 Microsoft had to come out with a patch to make sure their computers would register a four digit year, because if it simply rolled to “00” the computer would think it was the year 1900, the computer would crash, and you would have lost everything.\u00a0 I’ll save my sarcastic jabs on that on and just enjoy a good laugh to myself.\u00a0 Then you had the “big one.”\u00a0 Many religious people and others predicted that the world would end.\u00a0 There was wild speculation on what would happen, would there be a world war that broke out, would nuclear bombs be dropped, would the world just mysteriously blow up, etc.\u00a0 The vast majority of people simply laughed it off and went about life.\u00a0 Others on the other hand, took it very seriously and prepared.\u00a0 I looked back through some news reports and doomsday bunkers were being built, people were stock piling supplies, and many other things to prepare for what they were convinced was the end of the world.\u00a0 It is in many ways hard to believe that 14 new year’s eves have happened (counting today).\u00a0 Even in the years since the predictions have flown hot and heavy and people continue to prepare physically for the end of the world.\u00a0 This gets me to thinking, if people really feel the world is going to come to an end one day (a view I agree with by the way because it is taught in the Bible), then why aren’t they preparing for what happens the moment after the world ends?<\/p>\n
There are at least three main viewpoints concerning that question.\u00a0 The first is people don’t believe the world will really end.\u00a0 This group rejects any and all religious teachings on the subject of the end of times.\u00a0 They simply believe that life will continue on as it always has.\u00a0 The second view is that when the world ends all civilization will cease to exist.\u00a0 This group rejects any belief on an afterlife.\u00a0 They simply view this life as all there is, and once it is over it is over.\u00a0 The final viewpoint is that there is an afterlife, an eternal life that will begin immediately after one leaves this present life.\u00a0 This is the position of the Bible.\u00a0 Many well-intentioned, well-meaning people will disagree on the timing of this, however, I have no intention of diving into that right now (maybe another post).\u00a0 There are two important texts concerning this issue.\u00a0 The first is Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”\u00a0 Therefore, any prediction on when Jesus will return or the end of the world is simply foolishness.\u00a0 The second verse is Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, then comes the judgment.”\u00a0 As the saying goes “10 out of 10 people die.”\u00a0 We also see that judgment is a certainty for all mankind in that verse.<\/p>\n
Therefore, my question now becomes, how can we be prepared?\u00a0 If we cannot know when it is going to happen, then shouldn’t we prepare as though it is going to happen today?\u00a0 If we are honest with ourselves, many of us are procrastinators, but I’ll talk about that later :).\u00a0 As we barrel towards another stroke of midnight and another new year, I want to ask you, are you prepared for when your life’s clock runs out?\u00a0 The Bible teaches there is only one way to know that for sure, and that is to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.\u00a0 Being a Christian isn’t about what you have done or will do, being a Christian is about trusting in what Jesus did.\u00a0 The fact is that Jesus left heaven to come to earth ultimately to lay down His life on the cross as payment for the sins of the world.\u00a0 It is only by trusting in His death that we can be forgiven, have a right standing with God, and know that heaven will be our eternal home.\u00a0 I want to encourage you today, that if you are trusting in anyone, anything, or even nothing other than Jesus to turn and trust Jesus today.\u00a0 Only when you do that can you face every day with confidence and security.\u00a0 You will experience what my grandfather use to always say, “I’m a winner either way.\u00a0 If I wake up tomorrow I win, but if I die tonight I win.”\u00a0 If you need more information about how to make this life changing decision, please contact us at westlakebc@gmail.com or the office phone which is 540-721-8784.<\/p>\n
Please be safe tonight.\u00a0 Remember, God is not obligated to make up for or protect us from our bad choices!\u00a0 On behalf of the Westlake Baptist staff and church family, Happy New Year to you and your family.<\/p>\n
By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n
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We have arrived once again.\u00a0 It is the last day of the current year and when we wake up tomorrow morning a new year will have begun.\u00a0 As usual there are many festivities planned all around the world to ring … Read More