THE CITY GATES - No fairy tale

When I lived in North Africa with my parents, in the city of Constantine-Algeria, to be exact, times were unstable.It had been a french colony and now the people wanted their autonomy. Constantine sits up in the mountains, at the edge of the Sahara desert, a fortified city with walls and gates.
It was summer and we had been on vacation with friends in the coastal resort of Bône, enjoying the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. On the trip back home, one of our friend's car broke down. We waited there on the side of the road while the men worked under the hood. The sun was going down, everybody was getting nervous. After all, it was civil war. This was not a good place to be sitting.

A military truck and a jeep came by and stopped. They were on their way in, patrolling the road from the coast to Constantine.The soldiers urged us to get back to the city before dark, before the closing of the gates. Once the gates were closed, it was no small thing to get in, if you could get in at all. My father and the other men in our group all worked for an official department and carried official papers. The soldiers agreed to clear the way at the gate with the machine gun clad guards, up in the tower. I remember the uneasy feeling that came on our group once the darkness fell in the hills. Then fear crept in for some of us. Night had come, and it was really dark. We could hear a lot of things, couldn't see anything. Fighting was going on. This was a dangerous place to be.
Eventually the car was fixed and our little caravan started again, making it's way slowly towards the city. At the gates, the guards had been informed and they let us in. We were safe. Everything was okay.THE END - like a fairy tale - all is well that ends well.

Last night, just about 24 hours ago, I had my family on my mind. We are all on the road to the city so to speak. Everybody wants to get there and for everything to be okay. But it's not like my story, once the gates are closed, that's it, can't get in the city. The reality of it is sometimes far from us. This is not a fairy tale. I am just as guilty as the next person in the fact that It seems so far. But every time I pause and get ahold of it, it is anguish to my heart because I am not sure that we'll all get there. I've got to be saved first, my family and friends too and what about all those that I pass here and there? God help me, help us to make our election sure and to get a burden for the lost.

Do you know what I heard at church today? "The Lord is coming soon"

THE FIRST STEP - Where is the sacrifice?

It all depends on how you look at it. Frightening or exciting. Same as the glass full or empty. Only those who try succeed. Even the concept of success depends on how you look at it. If you don't try, you won't fail. But, you for sure will not succeed. You do what you can, only you know if you gave it all.
What! Hold back because of fear? Where did the fear come from?
Very young children/toddlers are not afraid to take the first step. They'll climb up, climb down, jump, or reach to pet that dog. Sure you have to teach them, not to hold them back, but to enable them to go ahead with the knowledge (tools) they need to make it a fun experience. They'll want to do it again.

Now that I've said it, let me try it.

The central air unit stopped working yesterday evening. 92° in the house at 10 PM. Needless to say it was a very long night! All fans on full blast, all windows and doors open, pretty much to no avail. By 4 AM the temperature had dropped to 81°. Not too bad.
Now, it's 7 AM. It's cool outside. I step out on the patio. Ahhh! It feels great. But not for long. In a few hours it will be in the three digits again. The prospect of the discomfort of a day without central air makes me feel nauseated already. I check the fuse box one more time and reset everything. Turn the switch on, and yes! The big fan is going. Get back inside, check the vents, it's blowing cold air. Thank God!

Where is the sacrifice? I'm not talking about living with or without central air. My mind is on our forefathers. They lived a life of sacrifice for the cause of revival. Times have changed. Technology is incredibly advanced. In these parts of the world, there is an overabundance of goods and endless choices in everything money can buy. In the natural, life is easier than ever.

Where is the sacrifice? What is easy for you to give up, may be difficult for someone else. What comes naturally to you, may be a real effort for another.
Time, money, comfort, security, whatever it may be, it will cost you and I.

Don't be scared of sacrificing. Great will your joy be when God rewards you. To win a soul, isn't that worth a sacrifice?