In my late teen years, my friend and I decided to take our smaller siblings and a neighbor boy to the County Fair to see some of the local competition, livestock, etc.  As I remember, it was an enjoyable afternoon—that is, until we started home.  We were riding in my friend’s old Nova II; he was driving.  The conversation was light and happy, and the kids were having a blast.

  I turned around to acknowledge what someone in the back seat had said, and in the distance I saw a car gaining on us at what seemed like double our own speed.  I had time to mention it to my friend who was driving and he immediately spotted the car in his rear view mirror.  We both became alarmed almost instantly as the car was on a collision course, and already too close to safely change lanes.

  At the last fraction of a second the driver of the speeding car jerked the wheel to the left, crossed the left lane, and hit the guardrail on the other side.  His car veered off of the rail and headed toward us again.  The speeding car hit us about the middle of the driver’s side and all four tires lost traction so that we hit the curbing on the right side of the highway and started to roll over.  As the car was almost vertical on two wheels, it seemed to be mysteriously held in that position as it slid down an embankment and hit a chainlink fence before falling back on all four wheels.

  The driver of the other car had been drinking and tried to get away but was unable because of damage done to his car when he bounced off of the guardrail.  The neighbor boy who was with us received a broken arm, but everyone else in the car was without a scratch.

  Some would say we were lucky, be we all agreed that we were blessed.   You see, we believed, “… all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Roman 8:28)”  “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)”  I still believe!

  Our word church is from the Greek ekklesia and means a gathering or assembly of people.  Typically it refers to an assembly of individuals who wish to fellowship with God and His people.  The church was founded on the teachings of Jesus.  He referred to it as, “the pillar and ground of the truth.”  

  The teachings of Jesus cover the whole spectrum of truth, which include the laws of spirituality and morality. They are summed up in the Ten Commandments, delivered by the Lord to His people in Exodus 20: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.  Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.    Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.  Honor thy father and thy mother.  Thou shalt not kill.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Thou shalt not steal.  Thou shalt not bear false witness.  Thou shalt not covet.  God has promised to bless the people and nations who recognize the value of these principles.

  Those who take the time to read and understand the Bible will discover that it is eternal truth.  God’s Word provides instruction for every issue of life—the solution to all of its problems.  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2Timothy 3:16–17).”  “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).”

  Our word apostasy comes from the Greek word apostasia, and is translated in the Bible with the words, a falling away. (2Thessalonians 2:3).  It means simply to forsake, or depart from.  God predicts that, as the end of this age approaches, there will be “a falling away” from the principles that He has established and promised to bless.  Those who ignore or disdain the principles of God, whether it be a nation, a family, a church or an individual, will forfeit the blessing of God and, in time, incite His wrath.

  The word progress is always relative to the ism being discussed, and the perspective one takes in that discussion.  e.g. If the debate is about communism, what one calls “progress” or “a move in the right direction,” the other might label as “decline” or “deterioration of a nation.”  In this debate, and all others pertaining to isms, one’s philosophies and goals provide the substance of his definitions for both good and evil.

  There are those who would define progress as: abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, cohabitation of the unmarried, alcohol, legalized drugs, antisemitism, unbridled lawlessness under the flag of peaceful demonstration, governmental control of the conscience and the kids, and global alliance in these matters. Others believe that these things are the epitome of evil and human degradation.  As a wise man once said, “It takes all kinds…,” but perhaps we should ask those who redefine as good, that which was once called evil by everyone,  How’s that working for you?  Are you really better off?

  Isn’t it obvious yet, that when everyone defines good and evil using his own philosophical yardstick and moral compass, that life on earth takes on characteristics that can only be described as mayhem, anarchy, confusion, and unrest?  Are we gluttons for punishment?  Are we not man and woman enough to admit that our ways, ambitions and motives are flawed, …that we are not as capable to order our own lives as we had imagined, …that we need help from something—or SomeOne—more powerful, more knowing, more constant than ourselves?

  The words of Moses, spoken to Israel of old, seem fitting, “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)”

  Have you noticed yet, the older you become, the more quickly time seems to pass you by?  In your youth, a year seems a sizable slice of forever, but as an ancient, it passes like a dream.  For the moment it seems endless, but in the morning, when the senses are awakened, alas, ‘twas only a passing thought in the night.  The Word of God asks, “For what is your life?,” and answers, “It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14)”

  To be sure, most approach the end of life with knowledge and experience gained along the way, and their treasure trove still seems new, exciting and sufficient, even for these waning years.  But eventually, when our old stuff is applied to the challenges of life in this new and ever changing age, it seems diminished, along with our body’s ability to deliver.  Our prime has passed; the sunset years have arrived, and all of time is short.  My point?  You don’t have much time here, make it count.

  Perhaps you have wondered, “Is this all there is?”  “Is there nothing left when my heart grows too tired to continue, when my next breath seems to be approaching my last?”  The Biblical answer is that all is not lost even in death, IF you are prepared.  You see, “…the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)  As living souls, at the end of life as we know it, there will be life as we have not known it.  God promises a resurrection of the just and of the unjust.  The just will be raised to live in His eternal presence and the unjust to eternal damnation, as a result of sin.  God is holy and requires holiness of His creatures, but since we have all sinned and separated ourselves from God, He had to devise a plan whereby He might justify (declare righteous), the unjust:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).”  “…as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).

  “If you think that’s bad, you ought to ride in MY truck.”  This is what one man said, several years ago, when he took a ride in my old pickup truck.  It was not something that you would notice right away, but there was this little vibration at around 40 mph that became more irritating to me with every mile.  When my mechanic agreed that it seemed like a drive shaft problem, we decided to “rebuild” and balance the shaft.  A couple of days and dollars later the new drive shaft was installed, and I took it out for test drive. The truck would still tickle my innards at about 40 mph.  The vibration was still there.

  I don’t know who felt worse about it, me or my mechanic.  He called about three days later and said, “Hey, bring that truck back over here, I want to know what’s wrong with it.”  After a couple more hours of head scratching, he discovered the problem and in a matter of minutes, I was humming down the highway with a big smile.  Years have passed since then, and the old truck is long gone, but when I think back on this incident, I am still grateful that my mechanic took a personal interest in my problem.

  Christian friend, you and I are surrounded by individuals who know that something is not quite right with their lives.  Though they can’t exactly put their finger on it, things seem out of balance and their daily trek is anything but pleasant and peaceful.  Most of them will live their lives a little out of sorts, and step into eternity without God.  Their diagnosis is clearly set forth in the Scriptures—sin has separated them from God.  But you and I have found the solution to their problem; Jesus Christ died for their sins, and rose from the dead victorious over it.  He lives to make intercession for them.  He is all that is necessary for your friends, neighbors and family to put their lives in order.  Don’t you think it’s time for us to take a personal interest, and tell them?

  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).    Jesus said, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10b).”