Skip to main content

Be remembered in history for the right reasons

Are you intending to be a part of history? Do something really silly and foolish. Or, do something that would leave behind a legacy. Obama, a previous President of the United States, is said to have tried to do everything possible to protect the legacy he created from his 8 years in the Oval office.  For many, he will be remembered as putting in place the greatest number of liberal policies the United States has ever known. What were his motivations? We don't know. But we know why John the Baptist did what he did.

Luke 3:2-6
While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

This chapter starts with an elaborate listing of all those in authority at the time. John was going to impact all the way to the highest authority of his region. Both secular and religious. He did it to turn people back to God. He did it because of the calling of God on his life before he was even conceived. He did it with the risk of being persecuted and killed, which eventually happened in Herod's hands. Short life but he prepared the ground for Jesus' ministry as was foretold in the Old Testament.
The chapter ends with Jesus' genealogy. Again, detailed for us to be understand that what was happening was truly a fulfillment of God's promise given in prophecies through the ages. Jesus is remembered not just as one who died on the cross for our sins but also as one that rose from the dead.

What do you want to be remembered for? Do at least the one right thing. Receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart. I did that at age 14 and billions of others have also done it. God has a plan for your life. Don't waste it.

Father, let me fulfill your plan for my life, even if it means dire situations for me.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Journey of Faith

Sreedhar standing to the left of his grandfather in the center Almost 55 years ago a son was born to a Hindu family.  The parents were 2nd generation Malaysians raised in a rubber estate near a small town called Sungei Petani in Northern Malaya at that time.  This first child was given much love and care by their parents and had the privilege of growing up in 3 different states of Malaysia, most of which was in Petaling Jaya.  He was blessed with his first domestic airplane ride when he was 10 years old, and made his first trip by airplane to Bangkok at the age of 11.  In the mid 1970's the family moved to a large house in a relatively exclusive neighborhood in Petaling Jaya. This was a result of the favor his father, aged about 35 at that time, had in the workplace,. As a result, this son grew up in a mostly multicultural environment with Indian, Chinese and Malay children.  In the process, his perspectives became cosmopolitan and racially neutral.  On...
Post a Comment
Read more

Heavenly courage and capability

Anybody reading this belongs to the military or was in the military? I commend you if you were. Whatever reason you were part of the military, it takes great courage to perform your role. If you are protecting the sovereignty of a country and you go beyond the call of service, your work is beyond anything money can pay. Such a person that acted in this manner was Abram. Genesis 14:14, Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. Abram had 318 men and he was going after 4 kings who just defeated 5 kings. He was rescuing, among others, his nephew Lot and his family. He is acknowledged and blessed by Melchizedek . Genesis 14:18-20, Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Being Ready" cannot wait

Ready for the end of the world? Ready for death? I am sure many reading this are indifferent to this question. You don't care. But if you care about what you eat each day. You care about who you meet. You care about your health. And perhaps, you even care about people, your community and/or the environment. Then, you are avoiding the question about being ready for the most important event of your life, because you don't know the answer. John writes about this in Revelations. Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. The time is near!  In the KJV it says, the time is at hand!  The revelation given to John is difficult to completely appreciate because He is sharing God's perspective on time (from eternity to eternity).  In the human context, time cannot be stored.  If you missed it, you missed it.  It is spent.  You cannot redeem time.  It is...
Post a Comment
Read more

There is a silver lining

The phrase "silver lining" is used when you want to emphasize the hopeful side of a situation that might seem gloomy on the surface.  The origin of the phrase seems to be John Milton's 1634 poem "Comus," which includes the line, "Was I deceived? or did a sable cloud/Turn forth her silver lining on the night?" ( Source ).  When you think about it most things is not doom and gloom.  There is a positive side that you can pick up on, because God is watching over us. Jeremiah 46:14 “Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; Proclaim in Noph and in Tahpanhes; Say, ‘Stand fast and prepare yourselves, For the sword devours all around you.’ Egypt had great military might and was a great civilization with years of history. Yet they were no match for the new Super Power of the day, Babylon. They had hired workers as their soldiers and great expertise in warfare but all this is nothing when God declares that you will be defeated. In times like t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Time to return to an old and faithful relationship

Unfaithfulness or lack of loyalty is prevalent in our society today.  But was it any different "back then"?  This issue is a perennial one.  From ancient times you see switching of loyalties and allegiances to suit the personal agenda of the person.  Sometimes this could involve an entire nation.  The kings, peoples and nation of Israel were no different.  But there is hope. Hosea 3:5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days. Hosea was again asked to do a prophetic illustration. He was to take on a harlot and demonstrate Israel's unfaithfulness. It was sad. Chapter 3 of Hosea goes on to mention that there will be no king and no sacrifices. Therefore, no leader and no forgiveness of sins? But in actual fact the situation is reversed.  The people return to God and David their king. It is not talking about the dead David but the J...
Post a Comment
Read more

Be unconventional; it is okay!

In every society and organization there are cultural norms. There are practices that are observed and are deemed normal. Anything else would be unacceptable and may cause the person committing this to be taken out. In a religious context many of these may have no relevance to the practice of the faith. They are just ways to deal with all other aspects of life together. In this regard, Jesus was fairly unconventional. Mark 2:5-7 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus constantly brought up or did things that were never seen before. He forgave sin. He healed the paralytic. He caused a tax collector to join His discipleship group. He had close fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. His disciples did not fast while He was with them. His disciples picked grain in t...
Post a Comment
Read more