ARE YOU IN THE BOOK?

When I got married I didn’t have any credit established, if I didn’t have the money in my pocket I couldn’t buy it.

When Hazel and I were wed we were both in the same situation, and we found ourselves in need of a refrigerator.

In those days Montgomery Wards was to us like Wal-Mart is now.  It’s where we went for many of our purchases. It was there we went and bought our first big purchase with monthly payments of about nine dollars a month. The refrigerator was big; we had ice, and a place to keep our food from spoiling. As time went on we bought other things on credit, and always paid on time until we established very good credit.

When I went into business I had to fill out credit reports with many companies in order to purchase materials and equipment. Once my credit was approved it saved me a lot of trouble being able to charge it instead of carrying a check book. There was another benefit, if you paid by the tenth of the month you got a discount.

Then came the day when I had to make a rather big purchase and I had to borrow a large amount.  I had an appointment and was met by, what you might call a pip squeak type of a person with whom I was unimpressed.

I was soon to learn he conducted himself as one with authority. As I told him what I wanted I said I would be glad to fill out a credit report because I had excellent credit and started to speak of different places where I had credit.

He reached up and got down a very large book and said it doesn’t matter where you have credit if your name isn't listed in this book you can't borrow here. I thought to myself, “You little pip squeak, who are you to talk to me like that.”

Later I learned a lesson about the authority of the Christian. To the powers of evil we may look like a pip squeak but the fact is that we have been empowered by the GOD of the universe. We can speak, and we must be respected as one so empowered.

This was the position I found myself in. This little man was in control and his word was law. In the business world that volume had great power for it was the “Dun and Bradstreet credit ratings book.”

I didn’t know what to think, as he opened the book and ran his finger down the pages. After a long pause he said, “Okay here you are,” and a moment later he handed me a page and said, “Sign here,” and the loan was made.

As I left I thought this is what it is all about, getting your name in the book and keeping your name there by keeping up your payments!

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

That is a sobering thought but just as if my name had not been written in the Dun and Bradstreet book I wouldn't have gotten my loan, if one’s name isn't written in the book of life they can't enter into heaven.

This is the most important decision you make, lost or saved, heaven Or hell, eternal life or death.

I am reminded of the words to an old song;

Is my name written there
On the page white and fair?
In the book of Thy kingdom,
Is my name written there?