Dr. Rick Mandl - October 5, 2020
What Does Your Future Look Like?
Devotional Manuscript: What Does Your Future Look Like?
Message by Dr. Rick Mandl, October 5, 2020
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
Hey church family, I’ve got a question for you, and my question is . . . What Does Your Future Look Like? What Does Your Future Look Like? You may never have thought about it, but the fact is. . . Predicting the future is big business. As long as there have been people, there has been a desire on their part, to know what their future was going to hold. In fact it’s that desire to know the future, that has made horoscopes, psychics, and weathermen so popular. Of course, scripture warns us to stay away from those things. Well maybe not weathermen, but those other things. And the reason is, because they don’t work. The only one who knows the future for sure is the one who holds the future in his hands, and that’s God.
This week I was reminded that even though we can’t predict our future circumstances, we can predict our future responses to those circumstances. Think about the Apostle Paul. When it came to his circumstances, his future was uncertain. Paul was sitting in a Roman prison. He didn’t know whether he would be released or executed. Yet, he could rejoice, because he saw a positive end to either result.
In Philippians 1, Paul wrote, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (v. 21). If you were to take that verse and personalize it to make it your own, what would you say? For me, to live is _____, and so, to die is _____. Let's say that for you, to live is wealth. Then you'd have to say to die is a total loss, because you can't take your wealth with you. You leave it all behind. If you said “For me to live is fame and status, then you'd also have to say to die is loss… Because you lose those things when you die. If you said to live is having a perfect physical body… ou're going to have to put loss next to that one too, because when you die things go south really quickly. In fact, the only thing you can put in that first blank that makes death a gain is Christ. That's why this verse was the perfect summary of Paul's life.
Paul really believed Jesus' words in John 11: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die". Paul didn't know if he was going to live or die, but either way, he wasn't afraid. He reasoned . . . "If I live, I'll preach Christ.” “If I die, I'll be with Christ.” So for Him it was a win/win proposition either way.
I mentioned that you can't predict your future circumstances, but the fact is, there is one circumstance you can predict – and that is where you’ll spend eternity. Will you spend eternity in heaven or in hell? You can know for sure. Not because you’re relying on your own good works, and hoping that at the end of the day, your goodness will have been good enough to earn admission to heaven. But rather because you have believed and trusted in Jesus Christ and His finished work: If you’ve done that you can know for certain that you’re going to heaven. I know that. Without a doubt. What about you?
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
From Series: "Daily Devotional Videos"
Find daily inspiration and motivation with our video devotionals!
Signup for our e-newsletter if you would like to receive these in your personal email account. Or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter to be notified when we post a new devotional on any of our social media accounts.
