June 29, 2023
Download MP3 (right click to save)
I used to think I didn't dream much. But I guess that's scientifically inaccurate. I guess we all dream a lot, but some of us like me don't remember them. Now, my wife? Oh, she dreamed in these Technicolor epics! I mean, I'm lucky if I remember a black and white short subject. Once in a while, though, I do remember a bad dream I've had. Not usually about monsters or murderers. I think you're going to laugh when I tell you what a lot of my nightmares are about. Not being ready. Yeah, you know, stepping up to a microphone totally unprepared; having a huge audience waiting for me to speak in an auditorium. I'm being introduced. I have nothing to say. Some women have told me they've had nightmares about not being ready for a date. Others have told me about their nightmare about not being ready for a meeting, or a board of directors where they have to give an important report.
You know what? If our dreams reflect our fears, then there must be this fear deep down inside of many of us that we won't be ready when an important moment comes.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The 'Not Ready' Nightmare."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from the Old Testament prophet Amos. It's pretty simple, straightforward. Amos 4:12 - "Prepare to meet your God." Wow! Now, if not being ready is nightmare stuff, then not being ready to meet God must be the ultimate nightmare. I mean, meeting Him is the surest date you have.
Hebrews 9:27 in the Bible says, "It is appointed to man once to die, and after this the judgment." So, the moment you take your last breath, there's God. Earth appointments? They can be postponed. They can be canceled, but God has this one in indelible ink in His calendar. The One who gave you your life is the One you will meet at the end of your life. The question the Bible raises is, "Are you prepared?" You say, "Well, yeah, I'm a good person." Unfortunately, that doesn't answer the question.
Romans 3:20 says this, no one will be justified by observing the law. "No one will be declared righteous in God's sight by observing the law." Not protestant good things, not Catholic good things, not Jewish good things. Unfortunately no one is ready to meet God as long as he or she is still carrying around their sin.
You say, "Well, we've all got sin we're carrying around." Yes, that's what Romans 3:23 says in that same chapter. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." If sin were something you could repay, maybe you could work it off with a lifetime of good deeds. But it can't be repaid. It's got to be removed!
The penalty for sin is a death penalty; separation from God eternally. And it cannot be paid in good deeds. Somebody's got to die for a death penalty, and I deserve to. But the same place where it says "all of us have fallen short of the glory of God" says, "And we are justified (that means made right) with God, freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Somebody did die for your sins and mine; the One who didn't deserve to. The only One who could - God's Son.
Now, how do you prepare to meet your God? Romans 3:25 says, "He was a sacrifice of atonement (that is to pay for your sin; to cover our sin) through faith in His blood." Faith in Jesus' dying for us. See, you open your heart to the One who paid your bill with God. Like this, "Lord, I put all my hope in Jesus Christ's work on the cross." And once you've told God that, that you're totally trusting in what Christ did, your nightmare is over. With your sins erased, you're ready.
If you say, "Well, I'm not sure I am. How do I get started with this relationship with Jesus? How can I have my sins forgiven?" You tell Jesus, "I'm yours" today. Would you go to our website? I'll do my best there to help you know you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com.
You've got an appointment with God. You ready? Going into eternity without Christ? That's the ultimate nightmare. If you're not sure, please don't risk another day without Jesus.