If we choose to take a chance, every week we can buy city, county, state, and international lottery tickets for chances to win… sometimes billions of dollars! Even millions would be chance worthy! Lotto tickets make great gifts, they are easy to handle, easy to slip into a purse or pocket. The main thing to remember, they are only good for a limited period of time, and we must follow the instructions!
Think about it! Publisher’s Clearing House offers chances to win thousands of dollars in a scheduled month for a scheduled number of years, maybe for the rest of our lives. All we have to do is to return our entry form. We don’t even have to buy anything! Even with their fully transparent posting that there is only 1 chance in 6,000,000 chances that any one person could win the prize, they still rake in millions of dollars for the stake. The main thing to remember, the forms are only good for a limited period of time, and we must follow the instructions!
We can play Bingo or Poker, or slot machines in Vegas, in person or online, for chances to win the stakes! There are many digital apps on the market now that allow us to take a chance to win something.
It can be a horse race, a football game, golf tournament, darts, racecars, or whatever excites you to the point of placing a bet, taking a chance on a winner! The main thing to remember is that those events are only taking place for a limited period of time, and we must follow the instructions!
Highly intelligent people with knowledge about many topics and trivia take a chance by being contestants on TV game shows like Jeopardy, and they win lots of money! I could not be one of those people. Smiling. I know a little bit about a lot of things, but not a lot about a lot of things!
The Promise of the Prize
Jesus said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3).
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:7-11)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (The apostle, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (The apostle, Paul, in Philippians 3:24)
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12, 13).
Follow the Instructions to Win the Prize
In the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament, INSTRUCTION, is mentioned 23 times.
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
It’s clear to me… I hope it is clear to you as well. The main thing to remember, the chances for us to prepare to get into heaven are only good for a limited period of time, and we must follow the instructions!
Blessings,
Sandra