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Today's Bible Verse: 2 Peter 1:10 So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing…
Branau am Inn is a simple yet attractive town in upper Austria. Its rustic stores are neatly lined up with fashioned displays, the church steeple proudly towers above the skyline, and flowers decorate the streets, the remains of medieval walls, and the houses, some of which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
This quiet little town can also be found in the history books, for it hosts the birthhouse of one rather well-known name from the past: Adolph Hitler. Adolph, the 4th child of Klara and Alois Hitler, was the only one in the family to make the history books. His dad, a hard-working man, held considerable status in the Austrian custom services and he provided well for his family's needs.
Adolph was a medium student, whose only ambition in life was to become an artist. Unfortunately, this ambition did not please his father. He eventually left school with the equivalent of a ninth grade education, and his 1907 application to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts was denied. It seems that Adolph was "unqualified" for their programs.
After both of his parents had passed away, Adolph lived on his inheritance, as well on an orphan fund, which required that he continue his studies. He pretended to do just that, but he was unwilling to work, and after exhausting all of his money, Adolph ended up in a homeless shelter.
Between 1910 and 1913 Adolph painted and sold postcards and pictures. He also began debating his unique ideas with others in the shelter. He failed to register for the Austrian draft and ended up fl
eeing to Munich, Germany. He eventually was extradited back to Austria, but was then rejected by the army as physically unfit.When World War I broke out, Adolph volunteered for the German army. While he laid in the hospital, temporarily blinded by mustard gas, Germany was declared defeated. It was at that time that he began to blame Jews for the defeat of Germany, and he decided to enter politics in order to save the country.
Little by little Hitler began developing his speaking skills, and he eventually rose to power and changed the world with his ambitions. This led to World War II, and it has been estimated that between 50 and 70 million people were killed during this atrocious War.
How could someone from such a quiet little town grow up to make the kinds of choices made by Adolph Hitler? Interestingly, it was just one decision leading to another, but these affected the world.
Our own actions are no different. We may think that our petty sins have no consequences on anyone, but they do. Think about it: families are destroyed, children become estranged and people are herded into a life of hell. All because of one wrong action that lead to another.
Beauty may surround us. We may even be attending church regularly. But if we live for ourselves instead of for God, we will eventually cause damage that will affect not only ourselves, but our loved ones as well. True love cannot co-exist with selfishness. It is utterly impossible.
This is why the apostle Peter urges us to not put off our choice to accept God's invitation to salvation through His son Jesus. Only Jesus can bring meaning and purpose in our lives. Only He can turn our lives into blessings to others.
"So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing…" (2 Peter 1:10 The Message)
If in doubt about the consequences of your actions, consider Adolph Hitler's life. He had a promising future, but his choices didn't fulfill him.
Are our lives making a difference to others, or are we just barely trying to exist? Are others blessed by our decisions, or do our decisions hurt them? In the hereafter, will we be received with open arms or with disdain?
It's not too late to accept the offer of the Lover of our soul. He can change our destiny around and make it worthwhile! The choice is ours to make!
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13 NIV) Rob Chaffart
Announcements:
Answers2Prayer ministries is offering a series of non-denominational bible studies called "Getting to Know Him". These consist of three in-depths studies:
1. Can you believe the New Testament?
Discover how reliable the New Testament books are. The verdict will be yours to make!
2. Jesus, a Fraud, a Lunatic or the Messiah?
Who was Jesus Christ? Were His claims true? Was He really who He said he was? Is there anyway to verify who He truly was? Who do YOU think Jesus really was? Was He a liar, pretending to be someone that He truly was not? Was He a lunatic, truly believing He was someone that He was not and deserving to be locked up in an institute? Or was He the one He proclaimed Himself to be?
3. Basking in God's Unfailing Love, An Open Invitation to Experience God Personally
To a world gone mad, trying to get to know Jesus may seem foolish. However if you give Him a try, you will desire to get to know Him more and more at the deepest level possible. His relationship with you will be more precious compared to any other human relationships out there. Enjoy getting to know Him.
These Bible studies are available on the Net at http://answers2prayer.org/studies.html Subscription is free.
Come and discover the wonderful purposes Jesus has for you. Enjoy!
