Plunge Readings for Oct. 11, 2009

October 11, 2009

BEGIN WITH PRAYER – Heavenly Father, we come before you in humble awe. You are the One true God, and there is none other like you. Come, we pray, and bless our hearts and minds as we study Your Word. Send Your Holy Spirit into our lives so that we may grow in love and grace, and that we may go forth into all the world, proclaiming Your Gospel so that others may learn of Your saving Grace. Amen (Lin Flechsig)

WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
A friend told me about a Pastor that compared this world, and our journey through it, to the Titanic. Do you remember Titanic? You know, the big beautiful boat that everyone thought was unsinkable – until it sunk. What would Jesus have said, if He was on the Titanic? He probably would have warned them the ship was not unsinkable and to be prepared so that when it hit the iceberg, everyone could be saved. Like the passengers and crew of the Titanic, we are sailing along on a big beautiful earth that many think is unsinkable; except Scripture tells us it’s not. The question then is not IF, we sink, but WHEN, and WILL WE BE PREPARED!!!! What does Jesus say to us about our “Titanic?” As we near the end of the church year, our readings become more and more focused on the end times. Listen as Jesus tells us how to be prepared so we don’t “sink” eternally.

WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
“Seek the LORD and live… Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said” Amos 6:6 &14
Do you think the passengers and crew of the Titanic thought they would have to know where they lifeboats were? I doubt it, they truly believed the boat was unsinkable, why would they need lifeboats? WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? Don’t be those guys. Don’t let the beauty of this earth fool you into thinking it’s unsinkable – it’s not. The end is coming – the iceberg is inevitable. Jesus Christ is our lifeboat - climb aboard and live!!!

WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” Psalm 90:12 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end”… Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." Hebrews 3:12-15
Do you think the passengers or crew of the Titanic counted the number of days until the crash? I doubt it. They didn’t know the iceberg was there, much less that they would hit it. They trusted in the reliability of the ship so they were comfortably having a good time. But are we any different? Don’t we get comfortable in the day to day activities of life, forgetting this world is only temporary and our journey here is oh so short compared to eternity? WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
Don’t get to comfortable here – it’s not your permanent home. Instead, number your days, encourage each other, share Christ, hold firm to Jesus, believing in HIM and the reliability of His promise of salvation.

WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
“What must I do to inherit eternal life? …"Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Mark 10:17&21
What do you think the people who died on the Titanic held on to as the ship was going down? Jewelry? Money? Family? Friends? None of them bad in and of themselves, but at the end of the day – none of them were able to keep them from drowning. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? Those things, no matter how good they may seem won’t give you eternal life. Give up everything, follow Me, and find your treasure in heaven!!!

Of the 2,200 passengers and crew members aboard the Titanic, only 750 survived - the rest died because the builders didn’t think the ship could sink so they didn’t put have in enough lifeboats. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? "I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

We know the end is coming, we know Who our lifeboat is, and we know there will be plenty of room for anyone and everyone.

Week ending: October 11, 2009

Monday – (Old Testament)
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
READ

Tuesday – Psalm 90:12-17
MARK

Wednesday –(Epistle)
Hebrews 3:12-19
LEARN

Thursday – (Gospel)
Mark 10: 17-22
INWARDLY DIGEST

Friday – what do you hear Jesus saying TODAY?

Saturday – Are you ready for His coming
Sunday – Listen to Jesus, Seek His face and live