Early this morning, Makenna Eden Johnson met Jesus face to face. I can clearly see Ellie jumping up and down with excitement as she saw Makenna coming into Heaven! I wonder if they hop around, just for the fun of it, like they did on earth? I wonder if they play a game of leap-frog? I know that Makenna is complete and whole and has no remembrance of anything but peace and love. All that you have prayed and interceded for on our behalf, I ask that do for the Johnson Family. Their suffering weighs on me. And so the urgency burns in my heart. Makenna, Jenni; and I've attended eight other little funerals in the last two years alone. Lord, what are you doing? Why are you calling some of your Saints home in big numbers?
I would be a fool not to notice that something significant is taking place. Is it just me? After all, I know that God has called me to love those who are dealing with special needs of all kinds, so that means I am around a lot of sick people. Oh, but it's more than that . . . it's deeper than that, more global.
Believer and Non-Believer alike. Open your eyes. You cannot miss it. The unrest, the wars and rumors of wars, the beheadings, the sickness, the floods, the fighting, the senseless murders (I am not referring to one single event, but rather to many very recent events that have taken place). It is more rampant now than ever. Am I wrong? I am not - in my lifetime, this is the most volatile time in history.
Those ten funerals I attended in the last two years - well, I know EXACTLY where ALL of those precious people are. Their bodies are here on earth but their Spirits are in Heaven with Jesus Christ. Innocent children dying from sickness and tragedy. A beautiful believer and sister in Christ. Their eternity is secure. PEACE. Everything we love and enjoy here on earth, only perfected and a million times better than we can possibly imagine! in Heaven And most importantly, once we are in Heaven, we are with Our Jesus.
Did you know that God's love for you extends to the "uttermost" and that it is for "always" Hebrews 7:25? I haven't always understood that, which may come as a surprise to many of you. Only in the recent years have I come to even get a glimpse of these precious truths. No matter what you've done or who you've been, God wants you to be His child. He wants to rescue you. He wants to give you eternal life in Heaven with him, and He wants to give you abundant life here on earth. Oh, Believer, this is true for you too! No matter what your sin is, even after you have given your life to Him, He will go to the uttermost for you and He will always love you the most; His love cannot change.
This is not a mystical illusion drawn from my physical pain. This is not a memory of mine or a fantasy that I cling to in times of trouble. It's not a fairytale that I've grown up with (quite the opposite). This is truth: That God sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to live here on earth and experience full life as a complete human. Jesus chose to suffer and die for you, taking your sins and your punishment upon the cross. Your sins died with Him! He rose again on the third day to show us that Life conquers Death every.single.time. God is greater. God is stronger. God is bigger. God is GREATER, My Friends.
Do you know where you will spend eternity? Oh, My Dear Friend, I want you to know. I want you to know because let me tell you, life does NOT go as planned (I'm sure the families of all of those ten precious lives will gladly share that with you firsthand). Go to God. Run to Him. Cry out to Jesus like never before, Sweet One!
Like never before, we must be ready. Our hearts must be ready. Stop posting on FB and Pintrest and all of the other things and places and internets, and yada, yada, yada (talking to myself here too). Stop shopping for back-to-school clothes and thinking about what you are going to wear at that first school event. STOP. Let us not be like those mentioned in Ezekial. Let us love boldly and graciously those around us - love them recklessly and serve the Lord. Nothing else matters.
Ezekiel 16:49 (ESV)
49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.
I'M RAMBLING AGAIN! Bottom line:
- Something is happening and the Spirit of God is on the move; be open to it
- Believer, stop what you are doing and listen to your Father
- Believer, stop what you are doing and recklessly love the World around you. RECKLESSLY LOVE.
- Friend, make sure you know where you will spend eternity. It's the most important decision you can make and you can't make it lightly.
Something is Coming and Changing . . . The Spirit of God is moving . . . Let us call out together, in one loud voice, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus"! Let it be!
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