Daily Devotional for Saturday March 13, 2004

One Moment can Change your Life

(Proverbs 1:29)

I was reading the other morning the latest accounts of the horrible incident that occurred last year at the estate of retired NBA star Jayson Williams. After a night of partying where it has been reported drugs and alcohol were used, at some point a limo driver was accidentally shot to death as Williams showed off a rifle that he owned. Even though all indications are that this was an accidental shooting, because Jayson and those present were not thinking with clear minds, they decided to try and make the accidental shooting look like a suicide. It was a poor attempt to cover-up a horrible accident, and now, Jayson Williams could be facing the next 50 years in prison. This is a man who had it all. Millions of dollars, fame, an expanding TV career -- all gone in one moment.

I spent some time Saturday morning with a family of a young man who had died last week in a car accident. The young man was 17, in his senior year of high school, was planning on attending the University of Florida next year, active in his youth group at church. Sadly, he and three friends decided to go out and use fake IDs to get into a local bar. They drank for several hours and on the way home, the young man lost control of his car on a curve, it flipped over, hit a tree, and he was killed. Fortunately, his three friends survived, will recover from their injuries, but always have to live with what happened that night. A quality young man, with a wonderful life in front of him -- all gone in one moment.

Last night, I got an email from a man who was contemplating suicide. Successful businessman, 52 years old, great family, deacon in his local church. However, on a business trip several months ago, he made the choice to have sex with a co-worker. Afterwards, he repented of what he did and told the woman that he was sorry for what happened and it could never happen again. However, she did not want the affair to end and threatened to tell his wife, his pastor, the owner of the company what happened if he ended their affair. Here is a man who had everything that this world could offer and it was all gone in one moment.

It goes on, and on, and on. The point that I want you to hear from me this day is that I don't care what you have done in the past, how close you have been to God, how close you are to God. The FACT IS; if you don't keep that intimate, close relationship with the Lord EVERY DAY you can have one moment that can change your life forever!

I love you and care about you so much. I try my best every day to share with you how important it is to pray each day, to stay in the Word each day, to be in church, to find ways to serve the Lord with your life. WHY? Simply because once we lose our connection to the Lord, once we allow the enemy to enter our heart and mind, once we shut God out, even for a moment, we are capable of having one moment that can change our lives forever. NEVER FORGET, THE GOAL OF SATAN IS TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY!!! THAT MEANS YOU AND YOUR LIFE!!!!

I will be praying for you today. IF you have had that "one moment," let me encourage you that God is still in the restoration business. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, God forgives us and cleanses us. Trust His Word. The Bible also says God not only forgives, but forgets. If He forgets, then you need to as well. Now is the time to put it behind you and make sure in the future that you avoid temptation so you don't fall back into the same sin. Move forward. God still has much for you to do. He loves you. The goal however is to avoid that "one moment."

In closing, don't forget that ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER! God loves you, but satan is out to destroy you. If you stay close to God, you will be safe. Once you get away from Him, there is a VERY REAL enemy that is looking to destroy you. ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER...stay close to the Lord EACH MOMENT OF EACH DAY!!!!