GET TOGETHER- WHAT IF

Lu 12:31-34 “But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Well, it is football season here in the United States. And people here in the South and in other parts of the nation can get very passionate about their favorite team. Sometimes this is a struggle for me. As someone who played football from the 6th grade until I graduated from high school, I have always liked football. I coached football on different levels youth, Jr. High and was an assistant for two years on the high school level. One of the men that the Lord used to bring me to Christ by how he lived his life was Billy Coleman who was our high school coach at my Alma Mater Dora High School when we lived in the Dora- Sumiton area.
With all of that said I just wanted to share a few things that have been on my heart recently. As I was praying about what to write today, I felt like the Holy Spirit gave me the words “what if.” So here are some what ifs that are on my heart today and some scripture that I believe would help us to think about and to respond to what is God saying to us as Christians.
What if we had the passion for the Lord that we see in fans who will cheer without taking a break for three or four hours for their favorite football team? Can you imagine how Heaven would be moved on behalf of us, our churches, and our nation if we had that passion? Quoting Jesus again “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What if we had to give an account to someone like these coaches must give an account, or an explanation to the interviewer asking them why they made this decision, or that decision? We do have to give an account. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (NKJV) I know that we are saved by grace through faith. But how that we are rewarded in Heaven will depend upon how we have responded to being saved. At a critical time, such as this in the Kingdom I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have a greater passion for anything than for Him, and for what He has called us to do in His Kingdom.
What if it grieved our hearts about the souls of the lost and that are without Christ as much as it does sometimes when our team loses a game? It should because Hell is the eternal abode for those without Christ. Re 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.(NKJV)
What if we shared the Good News of Jesus Christ with others as freely as we let them know who our favorite team is? We are all told to share the Good News with others . Jesus said in Mt 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” Paul had this to say in Ro 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

The Holy Spirit did not send this to condemn us. But I believe the Holy Spirit has put it on my heart to help us to be aware of the urgency in the Kingdom for such a time as this.
I will close with this. Just like a well-coached team is prepared to play the game from the Kickoff to the final whistle. What if we were that prepared for when the Lord returns? What if we were executing the Playbook that we have been given as we are called to do and saw us as his missionaries where we are?
The following words from Luke challenge me about my priorities and the seriousness of the times:
Lu 12:35-40″Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
“and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
“And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

I pray for all of us that when we stand before the Lord that we won’t have to hear the what if’s running through our minds, but that we will hear our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ say well done my good and faithful servant.

LET US PRAY
Lord help us today to understand the seriousness of the times that we live in. lord anything that we have a greater passion for than You please remove it from our hearts. Help us to be passionate about what You are passionate about in this critical season in the Kingdom.
In Jesus Name
Amen

Love you all ! Looking forward to preaching at The Stand This Sunday 5:P.M. at the Field adjoining the House of Butch and Lea Benton Littleville Road Haleyville ,Alabama. Hope that you will come no matter where you are.

Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston