Prepared Escape

Hebrews 11:7 NKJV

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NKJV

while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Zechariah 14:7 NKJV

It shall be one day Which is known to the Lord Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.

Turn to one of the people around you and ask: Do you know what you are striving toward?

2 Corinthians 4:18Turn to one of the people around you and ask: Do you know what you are striving toward?

Hebrews 11:7 NKJV

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

But it shall be one day which shall be known to the lord, not day, nor night, but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

Turn to one of the people around you and ask: Do you know what you are striving toward?

Turn to one of the people around you and ask: Do you know what you are striving toward?

Turn to one of the people around you and ask: Do you know what you are striving toward?

Turn to one of the people around you and ask: Do you know what you are striving toward?

We are not striving and struggling in this life for what is present here. But you and I have our minds eye set upon something beyond this present reality. We are working for eternity. I am not just living this Christian life because it impacts myself, but because it will impact my children.

San Marcos Texas, is located  between the cities of San Antonio and Austin. And though some of the area not far from it can be quite dry, San Marcos enjoys about 35 inches of rain per year, which is only a couple inches off from the national average of 37. The majority of that rain is drawn away by 2 local river basins...the San Marcos  River and the blanco River...both of which have been protected from development, and are quite beautiful and are enjoyed for both swimming and tubing.

The Struggle

It can be challenging. But the real struggle is not that it gets challenging to live according to His word for my life in a world that is set against putting God and His principles first. The real personal struggle… I cannot always see what the outcome is going to be.

Paul Harvey

When I was a kid one of the highlights of this season of summer was spending time at both my grandparents homes in Louisiana. My grandpa, my dad’s father, was an oil field worker. He retired when I was a child, but returned to the oil fields as a contract worker. He was responsible for checking the wells to see that they were producing. There were many mornings that I would get up with him at 4:30. We’d head out the door. I remember jumping up into his old Ford F-150 work truck. A rubber floorboard under my feet. My rear end sliding across the grey vinyl bench seat. He told it was made that way because it was easier to clean the mud out, you just open both doors and spray the dirt and mud out with a water hose.

We would swing by the corner grocery store and grab a sausage biscuit for breakfast. Coffee for him, a chocolate milk for me. When I think about those mornings now, I can almost taste that sausage biscuit. I can almost hear the calls coming over the CB radio. An AM station playing cajun zydeco music in the background on the radio. Those were great days, and wonderful memories.

I knew the days work was almost done when the cajun french voice on the radio gave way to the distinct voice of Paul Harvey bringing us the rest of the story. I really enjoyed hearing everyone of Paul Harvey’s broadcasts.

It left an impression on my life so much that now I will occasionally read something and when the plot twists in my subconscious I can hear Paul Harvey say “And now you know the rest of the story”.

San Marcos Texas, is located  between the cities of San Antonio and Austin. The majority of that rain is drawn away by 2 local rivers...the San Marcos  River and the Blanco River...both of which have been protected from development, and are quite beautiful and are enjoyed for both swimming and tubing.

As Memorial Day weekend was approaching in 2015, there were thousands of people that had planned on enjoying time on the water with friends and family, however, there was a problem, over a foot of rain had already fallen in the month of May that year and then on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, within a 4 hour period they got 6 more inches of rain. Overnight almost 7 more inches of rain...so they got another foot of rain on top of the foot they had already received within a 24 hour period. Plans had to be changed.

The Blanco River rose 20 feet in 1 hour, and a total of 35 feet over the next 3 hours. The flood waters reached heights that had been previously unknown. They were historic, it swept through the town, there were Cyprus trees that were uprooted and when they examined the rings of those Cyprus trees and gauged the rainfall of various seasons, they concluded that these were the highest waters that had hit that area in over 500 years, ultimately it was a 40 foot wall of water that swept down that river canyon, entirely washing away some 300 homes.

Many lives were lost. Many lives were changed forever.

Julie Shields heard these last words from her sister over a phone call, we're in a house that is right now floating down the river, call mom and dad and tell them I love them.

There were 9 occupants in that particular house and only 1 survived, a man found with traumatic injuries some 12 miles from where that house first washed into the water.

It was the voice that went through my head when I read the story of 68 year old Danny Pullen who in 2015 was driving his truck down highway 80 outside of San Marcos Texas, when he began to pass through some rising water due to flash flooding. He felt confidant that he could get through the water and pressed his way on in his truck, as conditions worsened, the waters were to rough and rising to rapidly. He decided it would be wiser to turn around.

There were many tragedies recorded due to this flood, it was a terrible, terrible time in the history of that small community.

But amidst the compelling news reports that came out of that area and all the tragedies that happened, there was one that was certainly worthy of a Paul Harvey segment on the radio.

68 year old Danny Pullen was driving his truck down highway 80, when he began to pass through some rising water, there were 3 cars behind him, and initially he felt confidant that he could get through the water and press his way on in his truck, but then decided the conditions were to rough and the waters were rising too rapidly and that it would be smarter for him to turn around.

But the water was rising so rapidly that it washed Danny Pullen’s truck off the road, and it came to rest in a precarious spot, some distance off the highway.

He called his daughter Hannah, and told her that he really didn't think he would make it out alive and that he loved her very much...and he watched as the water continued to rise around his vehicle.

When it reached the bottom of the side windows, he crawled out the window at and out onto the cab of his truck.

There he bought a few more moments but as his daughter tried her best to find help, the waters began to lap over the hood and over the windshield and then around his feet and ankles and he was pretty sure at this point that he wouldn't get out alive...

Suddenly over the trees came the welcomed sound of a helicopter that had been dispatched from nearby Randolph Air Force base. The skilled pilot brought that helicopter to a hover above Danny Pullen and his vehicle. A rescuer was lowered from a winch in a specially designed rescue harness....

He was able to go down to Danny Pullen, and the harness which had a second set of straps, was able to secure him and lift him from what could have been certain death to safety. So they lifted the greatly fatigued Danny Pullen into the helicopter and then returned him to the Air Force base.

The Rest of the Story

This base was not new to him, he had grown up there. His father served on Randolph decades previously, Danny Pullen’s father had the distinction of being the very first Air Force pilot to be trained in helicopter rescue.

but Danny Pullens father had the distinction of being the very first Air Force pilot to be trained in helicopter rescue.

In his experience as a rescue pilot, Danny Pullen’s father recognized that there would be times that they would not be able to land in the place where someone needed to be rescued, so the elder mr. Pullen, engineered, designed and built a winch that could be fixed to the side of the helicopter with a 2 man harness. That winch and two person harness would be lowered to facilitate a rescue where before none had been possible.

What a strange but powerful twist of fate, a man developed a mechanism and a system which ultimately would save the life of his very own son!

Do you think the Elder Mr. Pullen had any idea at the time as he worked he was working to save his own son’s life?

Conclusion

That elder Pullen probably never dreamed that what he was doing, the sacrifices made, what he committed his life to… Every time he went out as the first rescue pilot and practiced. He was paving way for someone to learn from his experiences. His experience helped him to see the need for a way to rescue people trapped by flood waters.

He was sowing the seed of what would save his own future generation from loss.

We may not always see the fruit of our commitments today, next week, next month, or in years to come. But one day. The seeds of commitment sown today will bear fruit in the life of a generation that is coming after me.

never dreamed that what he was doing on that day,

and what he was building on that day,

and what he was committed to on that day, would one day save his own son...

but in reality, the sacrifices he made today had affect down the road,

in reality every time he practiced it now provided the base for someone to do it later,

every time he put that thing into practice on this side, he was sowing the seeds of what was gonna save the next generation in years to come!

We would do well today to realize that not everything we do is gonna show us results right now!

Don’t live just for now. Keep praying, keep fasting, keep seeking the face of God, keep worshipping, stay the course of faithfulness. When you fall, keep getting up. Keep sacrificing. Keep serving. You are sowing seeds today for fruit to be born later.

One day at a time, you keep your commitment. You might be building the spiritual harness and winch that will save your family and loved ones.

because we need to do some things now, that's gonna bear fruit over there,

We need to invest in some things now, that's gonna pay dividends over there,

We need to sow some things now, that we will reap over there.

And you may not think it's making any difference right now, and you may not see the fruits of your commitment right now, in fact it may appear that all the seeds that you're sowing are falling on hardened soil right now...

but Let me encourage you,

you just need to keep praying,

and you need to keep worshipping,

And you need to keep getting back up,

and you need to keep being faithful,

and you need to keep coming to the house of God,

and you need to keep giving, because you're sowing seeds today that may not bear fruit right now, but someday it's going to save your family!!!

Don’t entertain weariness, don’t entertain giving up. The most important thing my children see is for me to pray, worship, be faithful to church, serve in ministry. It’s not when everything is fine that has the impact. It’s when they know I am tired, I am beat down, I am depressed and I keep praying, worshipping, going to church and serving.

A day you can't see yet.

A day you know nothing about.

A day which God forbid may even come after you're gone...but it's a day the lord knows all about...

And it's a day when a rescue from above may not save the life, but save the very soul of your children!

It's a day that only God knows about right now.

I don't know when they are, but I see days when the presence of God is moving and they're lifting up their hands and worshipping the lord, and the power of God touches their lives in an altar service,

You and I have to be committed today, for their spiritual renewal tomorrow.

We have to sell out today, so that they'll sell out Tommorow.

I'm encouraged, Every time I look down and see a dad, that brings his family to an altar, and they might not get anything out of it right now, but I know what's happening, he's building a harness and he's building a winch that one day is gonna save the souls of the next generation.

don't get weary,

don't give up,

They need to see you with your hands raised,

they need to hear your voice in worship,

they need to see you in the altar praying,

they need to see you being faithful, and it may not seem to make any difference right now but one day, on that day!!!

Every prayer you pray, every praise you give, every day you're faithful, every dollar you invest in the kingdom, all of it collected together on that day may very well save your children!

Noah was a perfect example, for 100 years he labored at building that Ark, 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet high. He worked for 100 years, 100 years of being faithful...not one rain drop, just 100 years of sawing boards, no thunder in the heavens, 100 years of going to church and worshipping God, no rain, 100 years of his kids seeing him dedicated to God, no lightning…yet still everyday he's out building, everyday he's out working, for a day that only God knew about, and on that day, when God shut the door and the rain began to fall...all those 100 years came together and lifted his family out of destruction...

He worked for 100 years, 100 years of being faithful...not one rain drop, just 100 years of sawing boards, no thunder in the heavens,

Hebrews 11:7 NKJV

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

I assure you that Elder Mr Pullen had no idea, that when he was in the machine shop sweating and building, when he was designing that harness, he didn't know what it would do one day...on that day.

100 years of going to church and worshipping God, no rain,

100 years of his kids seeing him dedicated to God, no lightning…

yet still everyday he's out building, everyday he's out working, for a day that only God knew about, and on that day, when God shut the door and the rain began to fall...all those 100 years came together and lifted his family out of destruction...

I assure you that Elder Mr Pullen had no idea, that when he was in the machine shop sweating and building, when he was designing that harness, he didn't know what it would do one day...on that day.

don't fall into the trap of thinking faithfulness doesn't matter because I just can't see all that much difference.

don't fall into the trap of considering all compromises to be insignificant.

don't fall into the trap of deciding that minor lapses in devotion really won't matter...

I tell you today your children are the ones who may pay the price for that, or the ones who may be blessed by that, on some distant day, when our kids face that day.

A moment in there teen years when they're tempted.

On that day

A moment when the word of God speaks to them and they have a crucial decision to make in their life. On that day.

In a moment when the enemy would try to destroy them...on that day.

In a moment when a bad choice could altar the rest of their life, on that day.

What you and I have done today, may make the difference on that day.

I assure you that Elder Mr Pullen had no idea, that when he was in the machine shop sweating and building, when he was designing that harness, he didn't know what it would do one day...on that day.