What to do? About what, exactly? Today’s title offers no hints. But the Gospel of Matthew sheds light faster than greased lightning, whatever that means. Jesus’ followers pepper Him with questions about His second coming. He’s told them that someday He’ll return. He promises to make everything right that’s plain wrong, restore what’s been damaged, ushering in a glorious Kingdom without end.

But Jesus’ followers wonder. They speculate. When, already? Next week? A month from the last Sabbath? Sometime over the rainbow? Half past never? They wait, with bated breath, for His reply. What’s on the agenda? Not just when, but what to do in the meantime?

Sorry, guys, but the details of Jesus’ second coming aren’t for us to know. Not our business. Only the Father knows (Acts 1: 7-8). And He’s not telling. Sure, lots of preachers and Bible teachers have made their life’s work predicting the how, when, where, who, and what of Jesus’ second coming. And lots of sincere believers have sold the store following someone else’s guesses, only to come up empty.

The Bible is clear as can be that when the time is right, Jesus will come back. That’s all we need to know. However, the Lord does tell us what we’re to do in the meantime. Read Matthew 24: 9-13. Here’s what’s said in a nutshell– times will get tough for Jesus’ followers. Some will pay the ultimate price: their lives. Others will be tempted to follow false teachers. Love will be a rare commodity. Emotional coldness and apathy will foul the air.

But for the one who hangs in there, who endures to the nth degree, who doesn’t give in or give up, who returns to the fold after realizing their mistakes, those followers will be saved. Jesus calls you and me to remain in His camp. Not to go spiritually AWOL. To take our name as Christians seriously. To mean what we say and say what we mean. No more shilly-shallying, lockstep with the latest cultural fad, begging to be accepted, liked, and popular. Also, no more fence-straddling with God’s Word. Either you believe the Bible or you don’t. God said it, I believe it, that’s settled. Take a stand. Be all in for your Lord. As Jesus said–‘But the one who endures to the end will be saved’ (Matt. 24:13). Be ‘the one’!

There’s more on God’s what-to-do list– ‘ And this gospel for the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come’ (Matt. 24: 14). What to do? Get with the program. Support whatever grabs your heart that lets others hear about Jesus’ love for them. Get creative. I won’t tell you what to do. Figure it out for yourself. Better yet, ask for God’s help, His wisdom, and direction. Pray, remembering those on the front lines for Jesus, and especially those behind enemy lines. As you wait on the Lord, has He shown you what to do? Then get with it.

And who knows? I don’t, and you don’t, but maybe, just maybe, Jesus will return even this week. So, as a good Scout–be prepared!

Thank you, Jesus, for promises made and promises kept. Amen.

I don’t like to admit it, but the accusation rings true–I wasn’t listening! Ever heard much the same yourself? Who hasn’t, if you’re honest? How easily we get caught up in our own thoughts. Our plans. Our discouragements. Our politics. Me…me…me. So much so that our clogged ears cut off messages coming our way from those who love us. And even from God.

2 Kings 17 and 18 describe the reasons for ancient Israel’s exile from their promised homeland. Why they were scattered far, far away. Which were? Well, you know. Simply put–disobedience, embracing other gods, bad decisions, and foolish commitments, all of which, and more, got them where they least wanted to be. Far from home. Farther away from their God. Again, why? Because they would not listen… to Him.

2 Kings 17:14–‘But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God.’ And then verses 40-41–‘However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner…and also served their carved images.’ And 2 Kings 18:12–‘…they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. They neither listened nor obeyed.’ Hmm? Did you hear that? Hello? Anybody there?

Take the fingers out of our ears to listen to God. Where? It should be quite obvious. Of course, the Bible. It’s His Word. He speaks to us. Expresses Himself clearly and decisively. All we need to do is, well, listen. Open those pages, blow off any gathered dust, dig in, be all ears, and tune in to the Word of the Lord!

I’ve never met anyone anywhere who regretted reading and digging deeper into their Bible. Have you? All the regrets work the other way around. Not enough time spent listening to Jesus. No idea what God has in mind about almost anything. Lacking comfort and confidence, unaware of our Lord’s promises found you-know-where.

So get off your duff, so to speak. Get into your Bible. Better yet, get God’s Word into you. No regrets. But be forewarned. The more you read, the more you’ll want of your God, who can be heard from in those inspired pages from Genesis to Revelation. The hunger deepens. The satisfaction intensifies and keeps you motivated to spend more quality and quantity time with Jesus.

Got your listening cap on? What do you hear?

Lord Jesus, help me to be a better listener. For your sake. Amen.

It shocked the congregation when I, their pastor, said this- ‘At my funeral, I would like the minister to say that John Fischer was not good enough to go to heaven! He didn’t deserve it.’

A hush descended on the gathered flock. Some whispered, maybe wondering what I’d done that was so bad. Others may not have been surprised–‘we knew it all along. It’s finally caught up with our beloved Rev. Old Goat Fischer!’

What really caught their attention was when I added these words–‘…and none of you are good enough, either!’ Oops, stepped on a few toes, have I? Barked up the wrong tree? Do I smell tar burning in the distance with feathers being gathered? Not really.

For we need to rid our minds of the idea that we can earn our way to heaven. We can’t. Or that we’re good enough. We’re not. Gathering more brownie points than red marks against us. We haven’t. The scale tipped in our favor. It isn’t. Might as well just forget it. Not going to work. Never has and never will.

Okay? Got it? Maybe some of you are with me. If you’re still on the fence, check out Hebrews chapter 9 in your Bible. In your imagination, put yourself into this chapter. We’re now in the Outer Court of the Temple in Jerusalem. We’re on the outside, where we belong. For only certain holy ones are allowed into the inner sanctums, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Hoping to have our sins forgiven, we come with sacrifices to make. To placate our God. To clean our slate of so many messes we’ve made. Our sins against others and God Himself.

But then we find ourselves off to the side, making way for the One who has come with the ultimate gift that will forgive all sins. It’s Jesus! He comes to take our place. To do for us what none of us can do. Forgiveness is His gift to all who trust Him. It is. For all who believe in Him. Yes, for them. Who forsake efforts to gain favor with God by our own means, as lofty as we think they are. They’re not.

Hear from Hebrews–‘But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come…he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption …how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God’ (Heb. 9: 11- 12, 14).

Do you read anything about doing enough good works to garner God’s favor? Check it out again. Nowhere and in no way. It’s all about Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross. So, depend upon Him. Alone. He’s done it all. And all still means all.

Okay, don’t sit around watching TV all day or playing video games, smugly self-serving.  Do something good for a change, for someone else. Feeling sorry for yourself? Get off your selfish high horse. You know what I mean.

Be alive, working for Jesus, not to earn His love, but to show how much you love your Lord.  After all, we’re no longer lingering in the Outer Court. We’ve been invited into the Holy Place and, in time, the Holy of Holies with Jesus Himself!  How about that? Pretty good, huh? Do I hear an ‘Amen’? Do I?

Thank you, Jesus, for all you continually do for me. Amen.

My wife and I live near a joint Army/Air Force base. Often, planes and helicopters are heard and seen flying overhead.  Sometimes, without prior warning, we hear bombs being tested off in the distance. At least we hope that’s where they stay. Miles off. And only a test. So far, so good!

One day recently, while my wife was outside gardening and I was upstairs writing what you’re now reading, a humongous military jet flew rather low overhead, catching the sun’s rays at just the right angle, casting the largest shadow she’d ever seen. As if all life and property would soon be in the past. Scary, to say the least.

Thankfully, it was only a shadow. A huge, ominous one, but with no attendant dangers at all. When Sue recounted this experience, I immediately thought of Psalm 23, which says–‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…(Ps. 23: 4).

With some rather large medical issues thrust in my face the last few years, the grim reaper seems ready to knock at my door. Not yet, though. But when he does, and he will for all of us unless the Lord returns first and snatches His own out of all this mess, it will be like a shadow. The reality is that in one moment we’ll close our eyes and in the next open them in the presence of glory we can’t even imagine.

The Bible gives us lots of hints about heaven. Not to make us so heavenly-minded that we’re no earthly good, but to show us shadows of things to come. A tip-off and hot lead about life forever in God’s presence and with all the saints who’ve gone before us. Heavenly whispers.

Death is not the final word. Jesus promises that we will never die–‘Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ (John 11: 25-26). Yes, our bodies will give up the ghost. Okay, I get that. But the end of this life will be more like a shadow passing over us, exhibiting no lasting grasp. A shadow, a silhouette, and a smidgeon that soon gives way to the substantial. The shadow of death ushers in what’s ours forever. Life eternal!

Still Jesus asks the question–‘Do you believe this?’ (John 11: 26). Well, do we?

Lord Jesus, thank you for holding onto me when I need you most. Amen.

Someone I used to know would bug me, begging to know how many of my two published daily devotional books I’d sold. They were for sale through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and a couple other retail outlets that I can’t remember right now. He just knew that I’d sold almost nothing. Or so he wished. That I was probably a big failure. At least in his eyes. Smugly playing the numbers game with me. Sorry, I opted out at the very beginning. Actually, I’ve never known exactly how many have been sold. Too bad, so sad. But that’s me!

Pastors love to compare budget and membership numbers. Egos run amok. Pegging each other on some success chart. Strangely, others wallow in poor performance, satisfied with little or even less. ‘Woe is me, ‘ they chant almost with glee. Never could understand them.

The bloke, who wanted to play the numbers game of my book sales, bristled at my wishy-washy answers. He just had to know how many were sold. Probably thought three at the most, with me buying those paltry few tomes to foist on a couple of unlucky distant relatives. So, I became like a stubborn mule when he’d badger and bully me for results. I doubt I would have fessed up with the right number, anyway! Even if I knew, which I didn’t and still don’t!

Now the Bible is filled with numbers. Even one of the Old Testament books is so named. What I’m looking at can be found in Exodus chapter 18. Moses leads his people out of Egypt through God’s miraculous intervention. Old man Moses gets weary to the bone with people’s issues, arguments, compromises, lack of faith, and you name it. Moses winds up worn to a frazzle.

His father-in-law urges him to get some help. To lighten the load by sharing the burden with qualified helpers–‘…look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace’ (Ex. 18: 21-23).

I can see Moses coming my way, not asking about book sales, but checking out how much of a helping hand I’m offering. What I can handle with compassion and care. Not trying to stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong, but pointing others to the Lord for His help and guidance. Bottom line: to be a godly man, not just to display a lapel pin, but to have a heart for Jesus. That’s what Moses will look for in me.

His conclusion? You’d like to know, wouldn’t you? So would I, but in reality, if I get to manage the smallest group, those ten, then I’m happy as a clam. If that’s what the Lord sees in me. If more, I’ll sink my teeth into the project not to let down Moses, that old duffer. But to give him a much-needed break. Maybe have him around longer, as we need good, godly leaders. Don’t we?

Then do your part. Help out. In little or big ways. Refusing to be bamboozled by another’s heavy-handed verbal taunts. Do what the Lord wants you to do. Someone needs your help. Doing whatever for Jesus would be much better than playing that toxic numbers game. Wouldn’t it?

Lord Jesus, use me to further your Kingdom. It’s such a privilege to work for you. Always for your sake. Amen.