Verse of the day: Joshua 23:14 “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.”
It is inevitable. “What is” you ask? Death; unless the LORD comes back first that is. Nonetheless, it is likely that many of us will have an experience with death, whether the death of a loved one or someone we know. For those we knew, what do we remember of their life? If they were close relations, what was the impression they left on our life? Let me ask this… What impression will we leave on the life of others once we are gone? How will we be remembered? What will be remembered about the type of person we were? More importantly, what will they remember of us as a follower of Jesus Christ? Will our testimony for Jesus live on long after we are gone? Have we stopped trying to make a difference because we have made bad decisions or choices in our walk with the LORD? What will our testimony reflect? Will it honor us, or Christ? Joshua had something to say at the end of His life, but it was not about his own glory as their leader. His testimony was about all the God had done for them, and a reminder that they were not to forsake the Lord once Joshua was gone. His testimony was a reminder of God’s goodness to them, in spite of them and their periods of rebellion and disobedience. Like the Psalmist, we must make every effort to share with others all the good God does in our life, yes, even throughout, and especially throughout, difficult times. Psalm 66:16 says, “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul.” Psalm 71:15-16 also says, “My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.” Our life in Christ is not about our righteousness or how good we are, as we all stumble and experience some sort of failure at some point in this life. Our life in Christ is about His righteousness. Our acceptance before the Father and into Heaven is about Christ’s righteousness. Those of us who are born again believers have been given the Holy Spirit, not just to seal us and indwell us, but to guide us. Part of this guidance has to do with knowing how to glorify Christ and testify of Him and His goodness. Jesus said in John 15:26-27, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” When Jesus healed the demon possessed man, he desired to follow Jesus, but Jesus said to him in Mark 5:19, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” Regardless of what we experience in life, or what failures we experience, we know that the Lord is always with us, does not forsake us, and can put back together what we have broken during our moments of rebellion and poor choices. The important thing is that we repent, get right with God, and continue walking with Him. As we do this, we must make it obvious by the way we live that true forgiveness from God, and change, has taken place in our lives. In other words, regardless of what any of us have gone through in life up to this moment, we still have the opportunity to live a life that will glorify God. In doing this, we will encourage other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), allow the Lord to open doors of opportunity to lead others to Him (Philippians 1:27-30), and leave a lasting impression with those closest to us, whom we love. A life lived for Christ is never wasted if our efforts are concentrated on glorifying Him, and Him alone. Let us live out 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Let the testimony of our life be, to everyone we know, “And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD our God spoke concerning His promises to us.”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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