Dear friends,
We have had our first frost. As usual, there were preparations for the garden. Peppers, tomatoes, and some late planted cucumbers were covered. They survived the chill; however, I have my doubts for the next time. Most folks are welcoming the cooler temperatures after the hot summer, but I suspect it won’t be long before we want it to warm up. That’s just human nature, I guess.
I observed another birthday anniversary last week. As the old saying goes, if I had known I would live this long, I would have taken better care of myself. We know that aging is part of life, and no one is guaranteed a long life. It is important that we have a personal relationship with the Lord, so that when our life is over, we know we will be with him. The Bible says nothing about second chances. “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28).
Salvation comes to all who believe. A favorite scripture of mine reads, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Then this; “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10: 9-10). Verse 13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I suspect some who have read these devotional thoughts over the years have yet to place their faith in the Lord Jesus. My prayer is that you do not wait any longer. As I wrote earlier, no one is guaranteed a long life, in fact we are not even guaranteed tomorrow. As it is written in God’s Word, “today is the day of salvation.”
In the words of the old hymn, “Why do you wait dear brother, O why do you tarry so long?” Jesus is waiting.
For Him,
Pastor Jerry
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