Category Archives: Am I too late?

There Is Still Time to Accept His Offer!

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus helps us to understand what the kingdom of heaven is like and what God is like.

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

“At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

“At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

“They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

“That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

God is so different from the world that many struggle with this passage. They read it on the surface and agree with the workers who came early in the day. They say it is unfair that all workers get paid the same wages. Many even miss the point that Jesus is telling us about salvation, not people working in a vineyard.

I am glad God is not “fair” in the eyes of the world. “Fair” means I should have eternal separation from God due to my sinful nature. “Fair” means that Jesus should not have died for my sins so that I could be reconciled to God. And I am very thankful that the lost people of this world have as much time as possible … until they die… to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then we can rejoice together for each person that is saved, even in their final moments.

Take a few minutes to pray. Come humbly before our God. Thank Him for not being fair. Thank Him for His mercy and grace toward us. Now try to show mercy and grace like that toward others in your life who do not deserve it.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ


Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

The LORD Will Not Turn His Face Away from You If You Return to Him

Israel had turned away from Yahweh and His ways for decades. Hezekiah became King and led the people back to the LORD’s ways. I am sure it was not easy, even for a king, to turn the hearts of the people. He was not content even to do so just in Judah, His kingdom, but sought to bring in all of Israel to join in returning to Yah’s ways.

While we are not kings and most will not have command over large groups of people in this way, we each can follow this example and seek to understand where we are no longer following the ways of Yahweh by carefully studying His word in scripture against what is taught and lived in our culture today, including in churches. Seek to return to the LORD’s ways and bring others with you!

If we return to Him, He will not turn His face from us.

2 Chronicles 30

All Israel Invited to the Passover

      1Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. 2For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3since they could not celebrate it at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4Thus the thing was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was prescribed. 6The couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “O sons of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7“Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them a horror, as you see. 8“Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you. 9“For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

      10So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.

Passover Reinstituted

      13Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very large assembly. 14They arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD16They stood at their stations after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the LORD18For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon 19everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20So the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day after day with loud instruments to the LORD22Then Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the LORD. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers.

      23Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24For Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep; and a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and all the assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open our eyes to Your ways and clearly show Your people where we are not following You, but rather the traditions of men. Help us have courage to test everything against Your word. Raise up leaders and teachers to show us clearly how to follow Your word in our daily lives, how to return to You! Give us a teachable and humble spirit with courage to change and a hunger to pursue You more fully. Amen. 

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Views of the Cross

I want to share a good resource available to you at AnswersInGenesis.org. I visited their Ark Encounter in Kentucky and my family truly enjoyed it. Far too many present the historical event of the great flood and the ark as if it is a fairy tale. They present a Biblical view of the historical account and provide much more engaging material as well to help provide answers for how science and history line up with, not against, the Biblical word of God. I encourage all to make the trip if they can. They have another sister exhibit about 45 minutes away near Cincinnati as well, The Creation Museum. We enjoyed both and found both educational and stimulating.

The following is material from Views of the Cross tract from Answers in Genesis. You can order printouts from them online at the link I provided above.

Views Of The Cross (views-cross-tract PDF)

Examine Your Heart

Take a sincere look at your own life. Are you like the thief on the cross who mocked Jesus and remained obstinate, refusing to trust in Jesus Christ? Perhaps you are like the soldiers at the foot of the Cross gambling for Christ’s clothes. They were too distracted by worldly desires to realize they were part of the most important event in history.

Have you been too preoccupied by the busyness and cares of this world to consider your eternal destiny? If you are like any of these individuals, don’t wait until it is too late. Be like the repentant thief who confessed his sin to Jesus, asking for mercy. Turn from your sinful ways and call out to God, asking for His forgiveness. He is ready and willing to graciously forgive all who come to Him.

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

For more information, visit arkencounter.com/gospel.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Vineyard

Jesus teaches us about the kingdom of heaven by comparing it to a vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16. Once again He clearly shows the contrast between the kingdom of heaven and the ways of man with a stark contrast that at first read appears “unfair”, but in reality demonstrates the mercy, grace, and love we all want to receive.

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage[a] and sent them out to work.

“At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

“At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

“They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

“That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

People often misunderstand this parable when they view it through the eyes of men rather than the eyes of God. As is true of all parables, Jesus is using an illustration people should be able to understand to explain a greater concept about the kingdom of heave.  Jesus’ point is not about the sum of money that people receive for working in a vineyard. Rather, Jesus is speaking about the offer God has extended to each of us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He offers salvation to all of us, no matter if we find Him early in the day (e.g. early in our lives) or late in the day, just before work is completed (e.g. on our deathbed).

None of the workers “deserve” or are “owed” the right to work in the vineyard and receive payment. All of them are invited at the discretion of the vineyard owner, who represents God. We can all receive salvation and forgiveness from sins no matter how close to death we are. What a wonderful God we serve that he receives us even if we come to Him late in our lives. We may have hope of eternal life with Him and hope for others we know that it is never too late for them, until the very moment of death and judgment. God shows mercy, grace, and love to all of us by extending the offer to serve Him through submission to Jesus Christ.

For those who submit to God, we will be like the angels in heaven, rejoicing when a single soul repents and asks Jesus to be Lord of their life, submitting fully to God and proclaiming Him publically. For those who see life only through the eyes of their own selfishness, they will continue to wrestle with and complain about this parable… claiming that it is not fair that they worked longer for Jesus and do not appear to get a higher reward. Truth be told, these people are often far from the kingdom of God. We are not saved by works and when we love and submit to Jesus as our Lord, we do not consider it a burden we resent carrying but rather rejoice that we may serve Him. If we serve Him longer it is all the better to further the kingdom! If others join us late, it too is cause for celebration!

Jesus later gives us a very tangible illustration of the meaning behind this parable as He hangs upon the cross.  He clearly shows us that we are saved not by works, but rather by grace through faith. Praise God! None of us is good enough to meet God’s standard by works. Only Jesus met the standard. And He carried our sin to the cross on our behalf. Even the criminal who was deserving of death was able to be saved in the closing hours of his life when he could do no works, join no church, and take no action to repent other than with his heart and his words.

Luke 23:39-43

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

God gives us all the opportunity to be saved, but not by our own works. We can have hope in knowing it is never too late for us or for those we love. But with this hope comes great opportunity. Each of us should consider:

  • Have I accepted Jesus’ offer to work in His vineyard… to submit to Him and serve Him in the work He wants done? (Am I saved?)
  • Am I working hard in the vineyard to do the Lord’s work or am I content to just do the bare minimum to get paid at the end of the day (e.g. make it into heaven)?  (Am I fully submitted to Jesus and His work or only committed to the point that it is convenient and comfortable for me?)
  • Am I studying and learning God’s word, seeking Him prayerfully to develop a more intimate relationship with Him? or am I content to be baby in the faith, requiring constant care and feeding (e.g. spiritually). Such as these are not able to disciple others and may fade even themselves over time. They are easily misled by false prophets.
  • Is my goal to convert others to Christianity (e.g. bare minimum for them to be saved)? or is my goal to make disciples of others such that they can share God’s word and bring the good news effectively to others?
  • What changes should I make today to fully submit my life to Jesus?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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