PREPARATION FOR THE LAST DAYS

Ernest Hemingway told the story of a father whose teenage son sinned against him, and plagued with guilt and shame, the boy ran away from home. The father frantically searched throughout Spain, and finally in desperation, placed an ad in Madrid’s daily newspaper that read: “PACO, MEET AT HOTEL MONTANA NOON TUESDAY ALL IS FORGIVEN. – PAPA.”

He prayed his boy would see the ad and maybe, just maybe, come to the hotel.

On Tuesday, when the father arrived at the hotel, he could not believe his eyes. Eight hundred young boys named Paco had come to meet their father in front of the Hotel Montana.

Eight hundred boys named Paco read the ad in the newspaper and hoped it was for them.

Eight hundred Pacos showed up to obtain the forgiveness they so desperately needed.

Forgiveness is medicine, a remedy for the sin-sick, shame-soaked soul.

Who do you need to forgive?

The prophet Daniel needed to forgive the Babylonians who had, in the prime of his life, abducted him from his parental home and mutilate his teenage body. The Bible says they made him a eunuch, fixed him physically, so he could never have children of his own. Yet, you never hear a word of complaint from Daniel about this harsh treatment he suffered at the hands of the Babylonians. Instead, Daniel treated his enemies with tender love and respect, without a trace of holding a grudge.

The Bible informs us that Daniel’s book was written especially for “the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4, 9). Consequently, the way Daniel treated his enemies shows you and me how to treat our enemies in these last days of earth’s history.

There is a lot of anger in the world today, necessitating forgiveness. There are “wars and rumors of wars …Nation, …rising against nation” (Matthew 24:6,7). And people are “lovers of self, …abusive, …heartless, …brutal” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). The list goes on.

So, what’s the best way to prepare yourself in these last days?

You and I need the spirit of forgiveness to love as Jesus loved when He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Recently, a young man who had been shamelessly bullied at school protested: “You mean to tell me that I am supposed to tell myself that everything they did to me was okay!? Like, I have to say, ‘Oh, it’s all right.’ I’m sorry, I can’t do that!”

I swiftly assured him that what he was talking about was not forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean that when someone abuses you, what they did was all right. No! Never. It’s not okay!

True forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release your own feelings of resentment or vengeance towards a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.

“But,” he complained, “it’s not fair! Why should I be the one to forgive when I am the one who has been wronged? They didn’t suffer the way they made me suffer.”

“If someone stabbed you with a knife,” I queried, “would you want a doctor to treat your wounds and stop the bleeding? Or would you complain, ‘Why do I have to go to the doctor? It’s not fair! Why should I be the one to receive medical attention when I am the one who has been wronged? They didn’t suffer the way they made me suffer.’”

The light came on, and he realized how forgiveness was the only mechanism for healing—for rooting out the bitterness, resentment, and anger from his heart.

Forgiveness is a divine act—an act of love that sets YOU free to love your enemies the same way Jesus and Daniel did.

Friends, you will have plenty of opportunities to be sinned against in these last days. Pray that you will be able to: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

Here at It is Written Canada, the urgency to bring hope and healing to hurting souls sets us on fire, giving us the desire to keep going, and we feel compelled to push forward with a burning desire to rescue those who are perishing all around us.

Donna was one such soul who watched It Is Written Canada on CTV and sent us a request for our Bible Study guides. Once she completed the studies, she asked if we could visit her, so we sent her contact information to a pastor in her area. The pastor and his wife visited Donna and invited her to church, which she excitedly accepted.

Donna’s new church family loved her into the faith, and she was very recently baptized with five other precious souls.

We ask you to, please, pray for these souls, that they will remain faithful to Jesus.

We thank you for your ongoing prayers and encouragement. Without your partnership, we would not be able to make this happen.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

“Everywhere there are hearts crying out for something which they have not. They long for a power that will give them mastery over sin, a power that will deliver them from the bondage of evil, a power that will give health and life and peace” (Ministry of Healing, pg. 143). What a joy will be theirs when these thirsty souls learn to walk with Him and talk with Him: The Source of all power, The One so willing to give us health and life and peace everlasting!

– Mike Lemon