Burger and Lies, Animal Style

Mine is a firefighting family. Three generations of firefighters so far, and probably more to come. As the wife, mother and daughter-in-law of firefighters, you can imagine the stories I have heard at the dinner table each night. Sometimes I can’t get the visual version of these stories out of my head for months. It amazes me that my firefighters are able to deal with emergencies, fires, tragedy and death, and then head to the next call, no worse for the wear.

One call that I have difficulty forgetting is when my son ran on a traffic collision and one of the occupants of the vehicle was deceased. He had an In-n-Out burger still in his hand, and a big bite of that delicious double-double-animal-style still in his mouth. The poor In-n-Out dude never knew what hit him. The last thing that young man did on planet earth before being T-boned was take a bite of a burger that he would never finish. He literally died with it in his mouth. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Matthew 24:36. He never saw it coming . . .

None of us knows the day or hour when we will exhale earth for eternity. When that moment comes, there will be a big fat bite of whatever it was we were devouring at the time, still on our lips. And I’m not necessarily talking about food, it could be anything. Are you chewing on bitterness? Unforgiveness? Hatefulness? Sexual sin? Jealousy? Addiction? Porn? A rebellious spirit? Was it a big mouthful of hateful, bitter words to or about someone who doesn’t share the same views as you? Was it a fork full of fornication? Infidelity with a side of lies? Whatever it is might just determine where we inhale eternity. Eternity is a certainty, where you will spend it is the question.

The Bible is clear that from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

The words that are found on our lips are a sample of the content that lies within our hearts. Sadly, the Bible also says “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9. Not very encouraging, right? Does that mean we are destined to die with a burger and lies, animal style, on our lips? Sadly, yes . . . BUT GOD.

God made us to fellowship with Him, we were created to love Him and enjoy Him forever. He knows our frustrations, our unfulfilled desires, our loneliness. He sees the emptiness of our life, our problems, our hidden heartaches, our secret sins are known to Him. There is nothing we can remember that He has forgotten. He longs to have each of us bring them all to Him and receive His peace. “Jesus said, ‘I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.'” John 14:27

Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came to planet earth. He stepped from time and eternity to permanently settle the fatal flaw of sin. God wants a relationship with YOU! He wants YOU in His family! He wants to give you a new life that begins here and now and goes on for eternity with Him! This amazing gift becomes yours when you level with God about your sin, accept His forgiveness and receive Jesus Christ into your heart! Jesus is the only remedy to our deceitful hearts! The only hope for a wicked heart is for Jesus to take residence there.

Because of Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection, you can have God’s gift of eternal life with Him; you can have all your sins forgiven and never counted against you; you can have peace of mind and freedom from guilt! “. . . Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow . . .” Isaiah 1:18

Jesus loves you, He wants you to come to Him, He created you as an eternal being and wants to spend eternity with you and He has made it possible! Come to Him today and take your place in His family as His son or daughter! Follow Him so closely that nothing can take your eyes off Him.

Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.” You have unbelievable strength and power through your faith in Christ Jesus! Use that strength and power to make sure you don’t waste your time, not even one minute, on anything or anyone who doesn’t help you stay focused on Jesus; who doesn’t come along side you to strengthen who you are in Christ. Choose friends who expect the best from you and won’t settle for anything less; friends who will hold you accountable spiritually and never bring you down. Spend your time with those who love you enough to encourage and help you in your desire to be a godly person who honors the Lord with your mind, body and soul. Choose friends who demand godliness from you; someone who wants less is not a true friend and will certainly make you stumble. Give your concerns and pressures to the Lord, He will make diamonds from them. Stay strong. Keep focused totally on the word and He will direct your paths and your thoughts and actions. Listen to God’s voice in your heart and heed to His hand on your life.

If you allow Him, He will hold His umbrella of amazing grace over your head to protect and preserve you! It’s up to you to stay under that umbrella! Once you walk out from underneath His grace you become fair game to the devil and the world. If that’s your story, and you walked out from underneath the umbrella of God’s grace, it’s time to take back your rightful place under His grace. Do it now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I turn away from my sin and choose to live a life pleasing to You. Dwell in my heart as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me and for the gift of eternal life!