Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtSudden Occurrences...I suddenly woke up! Something didn’t seem right. There was too much light coming in through the window. I looked at the clock. It was 7:00 a.m. I was in shock. My alarm should have gone off at 6:00 a.m. I reached for it, but it wasn’t turned on—I had forgotten to set it.I looked for Renee. She was already gone. She had left town to visit one of our sons and his family, but I wasn’t able to accompany her. She had set her alarm for 5:00 a.m. I had planned to get up with her, but I was in such a deep sleep that she didn’t want to wake me. She thought I needed the rest. Now she was gone, and I hadn’t gotten to say goodbye or pray with her before she left. It felt so strange. I had an immediate pang of missing her. I was caught off guard.A few years ago, my dad called me late one night. My mom had suffered a heart attack. The ambulance was on the way, and he wanted me to come get him and go with him to the hospital. Renee and I jumped in the car within seconds, picked him up, and rushed to the hospital. Mom never regained consciousness. She died two days later. I never got to say goodbye. I was caught off guard.Many years ago, during my airline career, I was on a flight that nearly collided with another jet. It was a near miss. I survived, but I assure you, that day I thought about how close my life had come to being over. I was caught off guard, but that day changed my life.Not long ago I found out that an old friend I hadn’t seen in over 20 years had died in a motorcycle accident. He was a great guy, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about how his wife, his family, and all of us were caught off guard.There are moments in life when things happen suddenly—unexpectedly—and they usually catch us off guard. Had I been in that mid-air plane collision, I wouldn’t have been ready to meet the Lord. When my mom died so suddenly, I longed for one last conversation to tell her how much I loved her. When Renee left without waking me, I missed the chance to pray with her and kiss her goodbye. And my friend—I’ll have to wait until Heaven to see him again.God doesn’t want us to be caught off guard—especially when it comes to the second coming of Jesus. It could happen at any time, or it could be years from now. Jesus said that no one knows the day or hour, but one day, in the twinkling of an eye, the rapture of the Church will take place, and all believers will be gone.1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 (NLT) reveals:“For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet Him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words.”As you can see from the last verse, these words are meant to bring us comfort—not fear or paranoia. If you are ready, you won’t be afraid. We want to be ready when the Lord comes.
Jesus prepares those who have repented of their sinful lives, received Him personally as their Lord and Savior, and had their sins washed away. Have you taken that step? Have you turned from your life of sin and given your life to Jesus, making Him your Lord and Savior? If He comes back soon and the trumpet sounds, will you be ready, or will you be caught off guard?Don’t be that person. Don’t be caught off guard.Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior today! If you aren't sure how, click here so that you will be ready! Your life will never be the same and it will have become the greatest decision of your life!Romans 13:12-14 (NLT) "The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires."In His love,Pastor Tim BurtIf Fresh Manna is a blessing to you, I'd love to know. Click here: FreshMannaFeedback
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