In all of this weather watching, I have become a pretty good weather predictor. If there is a chance of snow, call me and I’ll tell you if we will get it here. I know that if the snow is coming from the west, we won’t see any. If it is coming from the southwest, up through Atlanta; get ready for long lines for bread and milk.
I get a kick out of weather predictions on the news. Today in Edgefield, the weather forecast is a high temperature of 68 degrees, with a 40% chance of rain tonight. I can understand how they can predict the temperature, but how do they decide that there is a 40% chance of rain.
In my estimation, there is always a 50/50 chance that it will rain. Think about that for a minute. On any given day, either it will rain or it won’t. That’s a perpetual 50% chance of rain.
I was making another 50/50 observation during the Clemson football game against Florida State last week. Clemson’s kicker missed several extra-point kicks and two field goals during that game. I remarked to a friend that the kicker has the hardest job on the team. I said, “Unlike the offense, the kicker always has no better than a 50/50 chance of scoring. They only have once chance per attempt. If they make it, they are a hero. If they don’t, they’re a goat.” Just like rainfall, either they’ll make it or they won’t. There is no second chance.
I heard Mike Glenn, who is pastor at Brentwood Baptist Church in Nashville, TN, (and a former pastor at EFBC), speak at Anderson University a couple of weeks ago. He was preaching to the student body during chapel. One of the things he said was that life on earth is like studying for a final exam in a pass/fail course. You will either pass the final exam, or you won’t. There is no second chance.
The great thing about this final exam is that we have been given the answer. I said answer in the singular, because there is only one question. At the end of this life, God will administer the test. He will ask us if we knew, trusted, and believed in Jesus Christ. If indeed we did, then we pass. If we have not, then we fail. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)
What a tragedy to fail a class where all of the actual questions and correct answers are given ahead of time. You have been made aware through the scriptures you have read, the Sunday School lessons you have attended, and the preaching you have heard.
This is our study time for that final exam. It is a pass/fail exam. You have a 50/50 chance of passing. You either have the correct answer in your heart, because you have truly accepted Jesus into your life, or you have rejected the calling of the Holy Spirit and thus, you fail the test. There is no middle ground. There is no riding the fence. You are either for God, or against Him.
I don’t really have any idea if it will rain or not. I have no way to predict if the football will leave the kicker’s foot and make it through the goalposts. Those are true 50/50 chances. I do know, however, that if you have given your life to Christ, you have a 100% chance of passing God’s final exam.
My prayer is that you have already passed that exam in your heart. If you haven’t or are not sure, please find a Christian friend and talk with them about it. Also, I and any of the EFBC staff will be happy to speak with you about how you can know for sure where you will spend eternity.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:13-14, 21-13 NIV)
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