REMEMBER..BE READY

My daily devotional is usually a good source of inspiration. Today was no different. Bob Gass writes......"We live by our emotions rather than by our wills. We say stuff like, 'I don't like studying the Bible, or praying, or witnessing.' Feelings have nothing to do with living the Christian life! Why? Because feelings come and go. The key to spiritual maturity is to live for Jesus not because we feel good, but because (a) it's the right thing to do; (b) God expects it of us; (c) it's the way to grow into spiritual maturity; (d) it's the only enduring basis for stability in your Christian life."

I don't ALWAYS feel like making a full day of church on Sunday. Yesterday, however, when my husband said he wanted us to go to Sunday School and Church, I didn't resist and I can honestly say how glad I was! We always get great teaching in Sunday School, but it starts at 9:00 AM. We had a guest teacher who is so full of the word that he talks so fast he sounds like an auctioneer and that is without notes. He is the son of a mountain preacher and he was 'made' to be in church every time the doors opened. He shared a lot of things I'm quite familiar with, but it's always good to be reminded and get stronger faith as a result of hearing the Word repeated.

Yesterday, he shared an insight that I've never "gleaned" from reading the gospels or hearing other preachers teach. It's about the occasion when after the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing Jesus tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat. When they obeyed His word they pulled in a great catch...and the Bible tells us there were 153 fish in the net.

This teacher shared that the exact number is mentioned so that we could understand that there are a certain number of converts to be made before the door is closed. So much time has passed for Jesus to have gone back to Heaven where He is preparing a place for those who believe is because His father is waiting to gather every single "human" that the disciples were told to fish for...and the disciples words as recorded have made more disciples right down to this very day. Once the last convert is "caught" in Jesus' evangelistic "net", then we who believe will be "caught up" to meet Him in the air for a wonderful "feast." That's the good news!

The bad news is there will be A GREAT TRIBULATION for those who aren't invited to this "feast." There is so much to learn from reading the Bible, but if we find a good Bible teacher...it can come quicker and easier! I'm not lazy spiritually, but when it comes to all day church....I can decide to opt out. I'm thankful I didn't yesterday because it was well worth the trip!!!