Be Prepared

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

-- Matthew 24:44

On December 22, 2018, a tsunami (“tidal wave”) struck Indonesia. Casualties included more than 400 people killed and about 1,500 injured.

It was nearly 14 years earlier that a similar natural disaster struck the region. December 26, 2004, began innocently enough, with families enjoying the morning on tropical Asian beaches. Suddenly, a magnitude 9.3 earthquake, as powerful as 23,000 Hiroshima-style atomic bombs, struck near the island of Sumatra. The resulting tsunami rose to the height of an 8-story building and struck 11 nations along the Indian Ocean. More than 200,000 people died.

Seismic equipment had detected and recorded the massive earthquake. However,

for both the 2004 and 2018 events, Indonesia had no working tidal gauges to spot a tsunami. But warning signs were there. And most of the victims either didn’t recognize them, heed them or have time to react. They were completely unprepared.

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, happen every day. They’re often unpredictable. And there’s no guarantee for saving ourselves, our family or property — even if we do recognize the warning signs. There are, however, signals for a much greater world-changing event that could happen at any moment. What’s more, we can begin our preparations right now.

God has promised us that one day, a Savior (Jesus) will return to right all the wrongs of this world, save and reward those who believe in Him, and send all others to an eternity of torment. No one knows the exact time or day that Christ will appear. But many of the related Bible prophesies have already been fulfilled, such as the re-birth of the State of Israel. There’s nothing to stop His Second Coming.

This means that Jesus could return in 5 minutes or in 500 years. But either way, we must be prepared. That’s because we don’t know when our time on Earth will cease. Check the headlines and you’re bound to find stories about people killed through accidents, from crime or by sudden illness (like a stroke or heart attack). Like the victims of the tragic 2018 and 2004 tsunamis, they had no idea that their time was up.

Here’s the obvious question: Are you prepared to meet your Maker? Your answer has eternal consequences. “So you also must be ready,” Jesus warns us, “because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Our God is a God of justice. And since we’ve all failed to live up to His high standards, we all deserve the death penalty that Jesus endured for us on the cross. If you’re not sure whether you’ll spend eternity with God or without Him, the Apostle Paul offers this guidance:

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The signs are all around us … and disaster is on the way. But don’t panic. Instead, be prepared.

Rejoice!

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

-- Isaiah 12:3

There’s not much to feel happy about these days — at least according to the news media. But the truth is that billions around the world would do just about anything to trade places with us. That’s because even the poorest of the poor in the United States are considered rich (at least statistically) when compared with much of humanity.

Of course, poverty and wealth are relative terms. And they don’t respectively go hand-in-hand with misery and happiness. Money and possessions can be blessings, but having a big bank account is no guarantee of contentment. The 2018 Gallup Global Emotions poll seems to confirm this biblical truth. It revealed that Paraguay — a relatively poor nation — has a population with some of the most positive emotions in the world. And the peoples of other impoverished lands such as Ecuador, Guatemala and Uzbekistan follow close behind on the happy list. Meanwhile, Singapore — a nation with one of the highest per capita gross domestic products (GDP) — didn’t make the survey’s Top 10. Even the residents of El Salvador and Indonesia were more upbeat!

Regardless of what the marketers say, money and possessions

can’t buy joy and happiness. In fact, the Bible reveals that for many people, wealth can be a stumbling block to spiritual health. Rather than a reaction to something external, like a new car or a diamond ring, real joy is an internal source of gladness and thanksgiving that helps us see the true picture though the most difficult of circumstances. As Christ-followers, our relationship with Jesus grants us access to our Creator, a loving Father who hears our prayers and looks for ways to bless us. So no matter how bad things get in our lives, we already know that our ultimate story will end on a very positive note.

The life of the apostle Paul is a rich illustration of this important principle:  

“Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,” he wrote in 2 Corinthians. “I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.”

That doesn’t sound like a fun-filled existence. Yet Paul wrote that he was joyful.

With so much negativity in the world today, what’s the secret for achieving a joy-filled, Christ-centered life? The Bible tells us to blend thanksgiving for our blessings and authentic, regular prayer with discernment — the ongoing, intentional functions of living, thinking and acting positively. Christ-followers must habitually look for the good and dwell on the positive.

When we have lives that are filled with joy, even the most unpleasant of circumstances can’t bring us down. Paul spent years in prison chained to his guards while under the constant threat of death. But he always prayed thankfully. And instead of feeling sorry for himself, he used his plight to change the lives of fellow prisoners and jailers alike — all while writing much of what we today know as the New Testament.

The human experience is often difficult, and many people feel that they have little to smile about. But Paul’s advice to weary Christ-followers remains both simple and profound:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

The Gift of Love

Give him a generous farewell gift from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Share with him some of the bounty with which the Lord your God has blessed you.

-- Deuteronomy 15:14

Christmas is just around the corner, but we shouldn't despair if we're still looking for that perfect gift for that someone special. After all, there are plenty of options, and a quick trip to Amazon.com will confirm it. But with money particularly tight these days for so many people, every purchase has to count. We need gifts that will make an impression. We need value. It comes down to getting bang-for-the-buck.

There's nothing wrong with trying to stretch a dollar. But maybe a gift's real

value has much more to do with the meaning and person behind it than its Low Everyday Walmart price.

That's certainly the case if we're to believe the Bible. So what does it say about the characteristics of a good gift? And more to the point, what does Scripture tell us about being a good gift-giver? We can find the answers through its vivid portrayals of Jesus related to the issues of living, relationships and love.

It's from Christ's example that we learn to give with an attitude of generosity: one that exceeds what we expect to receive. Our gifts should also affirm the value of the recipient. But most importantly, our gifts -- whatever they may be -- should be given out of love.

The Bible doesn't say that an Apple iPhone is a better gift than a bicycle or a sweater. But the same principles apply. And what we also learn is that when it comes to gift-giving, it really IS the thought that counts. (Your grandmother was right!)

Christmas is straight ahead ... and time is running out. But before we head to the mall, log onto Amazon.com or tune into the Home Shopping Network, let's follow the examples of Jesus, who was and is the ultimate gift-giver. His greatest present was the salvation he bought for us through his death on the cross. It was an incredibly valuable gift that we can never repay. It was also given out of love. And it's free and available to anyone who's willing to open the package. 

Making a Difference

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds,
and I will show you my faith by what I do.

-- James 2:18

Do Christ-followers make a difference in the world? And would life really be any different had Jesus never been born?

These are fundamental questions that our skeptical society raises about Christianity. And they're nothing new. In fact, disbelievers and doubters have been around since Jesus' death and resurrection. Nevertheless, they're questions that deserve honest answers.

And the answers are all around us. Several years ago, D. James Kennedy and

Jerry Newcomb responded by writing the book, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? Foremost it contends that no Jesus means no Church. This is the same Church that helped stop slavery, cannibalism and the killing of children -- all permissible practices in their respective cultures. Modern hospitals trace their origin to the church. And it's also likely that mankind would be less educated in a Christ-less world. For example, all but one of America's first 123 colleges were Christian institutions. Harvard was even founded on this statement:

"Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life, John 17:3."

If Jesus had never been born, there would also be no Church to promote the biblical principles of free enterprise, private property rights and the work ethic. It's because the United States was largely founded by Christ-followers that The Declaration of Independence cites self-evident truths and unalienable rights from the Creator. Our nation also recognizes the rule of law rather than the authority of man -- a concept traced back to the Old Testament and the Ten Commandments. Even the words embossed on the Liberty Bell comes from the Bible: "Proclaim Liberty throughout the land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof..."

The truth is that Chris-followers and the Church HAVE made a big difference over the last 2,000 years. Today, Christ-followers continue to change the world in ways both small and large, such as by delivering meals to shut-ins and constructing housing for the homeless. Samaritan's Purse, the Christian relief organization headed by Franklin Graham, distributes Christmas packages internationally as an expression of Christ's love for the world's children. This organization also helps thousands of refugees cope with man-made and natural disasters, such as the 2004 tsunami that devastated Indonesia and other nations, as well as the deadly wildfires that swept through California in November 2018.

Their accomplishments are undeniable. But what Christ-followers must never forget is the Power behind the difference they make:

"I am the vine; you are the branches," declares Jesus. "If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Walking in Our Shoes

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

-- Luke 2:12

If you have a teenager, he or she has no doubt reminded you that you just don't understand.

As a humble parent, you’re told that you're hopelessly out of touch when it comes to clothes, school, social media and a hundred other things. But of course, you know a lot more than they can imagine. You were once a teenager. And you probably said many of the very same things to your own parents.

So, maybe you really do understand after all. At least a little bit.

Do you ever wonder if God understands the many problems you face each day?

The familiar Christmas story in Luke's gospel holds the answer. It's there that we read about Jesus entering the world in the poorest of circumstances, with a manger -- an animal's filthy feeding trough -- as his first bed.

But was that necessary? As a king's son, Jesus could have lived in marble palaces while enjoying only the finer things in life. And God could have commanded the people to worship and obey him.

But it wouldn't have been the same. As our loving Father, God gives us free will. And he won’t force us to accept his gift of forgiveness and salvation. He knew from the beginning that men and women are without hope because of the ways they live and treat others. That's why he came to earth in the form of a man to live out the perfect life in our place. But not just any man: He lived among us through Jesus Christ.

Fully God and yet fully human, he walked in our shoes.

Throughout Jesus' brief ministry, the religious elite despised him and cursed him. And soon our Savior would die in a most painful and humiliating way -- nailed to a cross between common criminals.

His mission was finished. It was by coming to earth that God experienced mankind's struggles and suffered for all of us. And through his resurrection, he also won victory over death.

This plan of salvation certainly wasn't logical -- at least from a human perspective. But it was the only way that our Creator could truly understand.