Saturday Night Musings

One greater than General Douglas MacArthur is here, whose famous one liner has been etched in our minds, “I shall return”, as he was captured in the Philippines during WWII. Two years later he did return dealing a stunning victory. The greater being is the Captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ, who also left us with an indelible promise: “And if I go…I will come again…” Two angels were dispatched from heaven and confirmed what Jesus said as a cloud received Him out of the disciples sight saying: “This same Jesus…shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven”. This truth of the coming of the Son of man was addressed to theThessalonian Church, when Paul stated: The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout…” 

Neither I nor any other man knows the day or hour when Jesus will come again, but this I do know, we are 24 hours closer to His coming than we were yesterday. Yet, there are those who say, “Where is the promise of His coming”. These will go on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, and will not know of it until it is too late. That day has now come, everything is now in place and ready for the coming of the Son of man. Israel is getting ready, the church is getting ready, the nations are getting ready, the rebuilding of the temple is getting ready, the Antichrist is getting ready, Armageddon is getting ready, and Jesus is ready. Question: Are you ready? I hope so. If not, trust Him right now. 

Learn the lesson of the fig tree with tender branches and full of leaves. The budding of the fig tree tells us summer is near: a time of refreshment, enjoyment, and fulfillment. This is a picture of Israel experiencing a time of hope, peace, and being back home. The fig tree took root on May 14, 1948 when she was declared statehood having rights to exist as a free country. The bones were joined together with the sinew (muscle) covering them and maturity has developed them into a strong country. We today have witnessed this generation come to pass as she has been prophetically portrayed. It seems to me having this in place, the coming of the Son of man is near, even at the doors! 

With summer here, there is one thing for sure, winter is coming soon. The coming of the Son of man will be as when the world wide flood took place and swept the entire human race away except Noah and his family who entered safely into the ark. There is coming a time for Israel known as Jacob’s trouble— great tribulation. With the church being caught away to meet the Lord in the air, this world will enter a time of chaos and calamity of world-wide catastrophic proportions. The coming of the Son of man will happen when men are living more for their career, their investments, and  their retirement, rather than looking for the coming of the Son of man.

Christ as a thief! That is—the coming of the Son of man will be come as a thief. But know this, the Son of man will come suddenly, unexpectedly in a day and hour when men think not. Therefore, get prepared, watch, stay faithful and be ready.  Christ will surely return as he said he would. If you are a goodman, set your house in order and get your family ready. As with Noah‘s family, are all of them safe in the Ark/Christ? The clouds of darkness, discouragement, and death are on the horizon. This is the “terminal generation” who will see the coming of the Son of man, look up your redemption draweth nigh! If you have been saved, you then can say, “Even so come Lord Jesus”?  Visit: cliffhartley.com

“Since I’ve never been one to quit, I’ve decided that the best course of action is to remain here and fix the problems. That is exactly what I am doing.”  Alberto Gonzales,  Attorney General (Fox News, July 20, 2007) 

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise”. It was a way of saying I’m a committed person, I’m ready, and I’m firm in my standing and state. I am fixed as sure as the great gulf is fixed which separates those from heaven and those in hell. I will not be moved!  

We live in a day when nothing seems to be fixed with any surety or longevity. People are on the move—moving to another state, to another job, to another wife or husband, and to another “god”. Commitment is a rare quality and virtue in this new millennium. Their resume is endless where they have been and what they have done. “Been there and done that, got the tee shirt” .

God is looking for a person to stand in the gap. Stand and keep standing for a cause and purpose until we are called home one day to meet the Lord and to receive a full reward. Are you content with who you are, where you are, and what you are doing? If so, do it with thanksgiving, do it for His glory, and do it until He comes. “Occupy till He comes”.  

Stay loyal to a wife or a husband, until death do us apart, not till we tear each other apart. God’s ideal is one man for one woman for a life time. My Mother and Daddy lived together for 45 years, my wife’s Mother and Daddy lived together for 55 years! Rev. Billy and Ruth Graham were faithfully married for 58 years. Children need to have have one mother and one daddy, not, “Heather Has Three Mommies”. Our God is God of forgiveness and grace—but in the beginning it was only Adam and Eve!   

Stay faithful to the call of God in your life. 20% of ministers will quit the ministry this year!  If God has separated you from the crowd and called you into His service, do not quit. He has equipped you with talents, abilities, and gifts to do all that He has called you to do—these He has given to your trust. He will never ask you to do what you can not do and will give you grace to do it faithfully. The commandments of God are not grevious. Keep your hands on the plough and do not ever look back—remember Lot’s wife”!  

Stay committed to the local church that preaches the gospel of Christ. It is the life-line of any service to the Lord. You can not stay wrapped up in the Cathedral Mattress on Sunday Morning and be that lightening rod for the Lord. The gospel is an un-changing message in a changing time and people. The church that preaches the sufferings, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ will save our homes, our towns, and the world. Out of some 6 billion people living today, 2 billion of these are believers in this old-time gospel message of the cross. When men repent of their sins, their lives changes into better men, better people, better neighbors, better workers, and a better thorn in the Devils side.  

Pray with me: Our Heavenly Father, thank you for fixing our heart for the long haul of this glorious journey with peace, joy, and purpose in life.  We remain yours until you come.   Visit: cliffhartley.com

  “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; “ (Ecclesiastes 12:1). “…then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12: 7).  

Every day is a gift from God. Each passing day as we grow older, and as our strength wanes, we must accept we are not as young as we use to be. Ridding our selves of denial, we begin a process of adjusting to the frailty and reality of life. Life is as a vapor, it appears for a little while and then vanishes away. One day the silver cord that held all vital members in tact with vitality and purpose will weaken all of us who have been made is the image of God.  We will no longer will be used as a conduit to channel that vibrant quench thirsting water to the thirsty like we use to do. As our Lord told Peter, you are a young man today, there will come a time when some will have to carry you (John 21:18). As there is a time to be born, there will come a time to die—which can not be avoided. 

Someone has carefully penned the following metaphors for we who have come to such a time as this: keepers of the house—Your arms and hands tremble. strong men—Your legs, knees, and shoulders weaken and you walk bent over. grinders—You start to lose your teeth. windows—Your vision begins to deteriorate. doors—Either your hearing starts to fail, or you close your mouth because you’ve lost your teeth. grinding—You can’t chew your food, or your ears can’t pick up the sounds outdoors. rise up—You wake up with the birds early each morning, and wish you could sleep longer. music—Your voice starts to quaver and weaken. afraid—You are terrified of heights and afraid of falling while you walk down the street. almond tree—If you have any hair left, it turns white, like almond blossoms. grasshopper—You just drag yourself along, like a grasshopper at the close of the summer season. desire—You lose your appetite, or perhaps your sexual desire. long home—You go to your eternal [long] home and people mourn your death. 

Until the silver cord in your life breaks, enjoy the will of God each day. Remember, who you are and what it took for you be made in the image of your Creator. Learn how to live life to the fullest until your last breath. Trust God when life makes no sense and glorify Him in all that comes your way. See that your next step gives way to an abundant life or the next stop gives way to an abundant entrance into the everlasting presence of your Father. 

Pray with me: Our Heavenly Father, I ask that these words will help us to number our days in the light of your Word. Prepare and get us ready for when our time comes to die, help us to embrace death as our appointed time when you welcome us home.  We pray together in Jesus name, amen.  

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Okay, you are now asking, what is the greatest word? If you ask a hundred people, you may get 100 different greatest words. But you ask what is the greatest word, then you must ask the one who knows all things—that, my friend, is God. There is nothing that God does not know, he is all knowing, and with him also there is “no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).  

The Second Greatest Word, gives way to the greatest word. Both the greatest word and the Second Greatest Word are found in Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. It is a story which needs no introduction, for it is one of the most famous excerpts in the life of our Lord and one most remembered by Bible lovers everywhere. (Luke 19:1-10)   

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, he was very rich, he was of little stature, and he wanted to see Jesus as he was passing through his town. Because of the great crowds, Zacchaeus, ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he came by. As Jesus was passing through, he stopped and looked up into that tree and said to Zacchaeus—”make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). Zacchaeus did make haste, came down from that tree, and received Jesus joyfully not only into his home but more so into his heart. Life took on a new meaning and a new direction for Zacchaeus that day. In this one setting, Jesus   made an all important statement: “This day is salvation  come (has occurred) to this house, forsomuch as he is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:9,10). 

So here is the greatest word—Salvation. “This day is salvation come…” It has always been the greatest word and forever it will be. It is the greatest word to any culture, race or creed. Salvation is the number one word with God which has been personified in His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Zacchaeus did not know it at the time, but he was waiting for salvation, for Salvation would be soon passing by. Salvation is God’s only deliverance from sin, Satan, and eternal death. If God did not provide a light in a dark place, all men would be in an eternal state decay, death and dammed for a Christ-less hell. Salvation hinges totally on the One who brings it—that, dear friend, is an all-loving God who sent his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life—salvation is forever! 

This so great salvation can occur to any one any where (even up in a tree) anytime. Salvation, God’s greatest word can happen today. Are you willing receive him now, he says; “(…now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)      

The Second Greatest Word is come. “This day is salvation come…”. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost. God’s salvation has come to all men so that all men could come to Christ. No man can come to the Father except by Jesus. He said: If any man comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out. Come to Jesus now, come to Jesus just as you, come to Christ—He is your salvation. Do not delay, do not neglect what God has provided and promised to you. The Father is waiting for you to come to Him. You have no promise of salvation tomorrow, only today!  

 Visit: www.cliffhartley.com