“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

Nobody likes fresh, home-grown tomatoes any better than me. I can eat ’em morning, noon and night. For the last few years, I have tried to grow some in my backyard. My gardening friends assured me I could and told me how to do it. Every year so far, something has gone awry. The wrong soil, where I had them located, the plant variety, when I planted, and on and on. Well, this year, I was all set: planted when I was supposed to, the best mixture of soil, the best plants, location, not too much water but just enough. You know the rest of the story: the heat zapped them. The heat didn’t just fry mine but just about everyone’s that I know. I’ve had a backup plan with a lady in the country who really has great tomatoes, but even she is without fruit this year. The heat is a killer.

There is one thing the Lord looks for and expects from His people, and it is fruit. In the Old Testament, God lays this out plain for His chosen people. Through the song of Isaiah, God compares the calling out of His chosen people to a man planting a vineyard. God chose fertile land; it was tilled and cleared of rocks. He planted it with the choicest of vines, and he built a winepress in preparation for a good harvest. When harvest time arrived, God was expecting good fruit (obedience, faith, love, thanksgiving, worship and service) but instead found foul-smelling wild grapes (disobedience, rebellion and idolatry). In Isaiah 5 in the New Testament, Jesus presented this same picture to the unbelieving Jews. And then He presents the truth of how God will have the fruit He desires.

Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-7).

Jesus also said that whoever would come after Him, let him take up his cross daily and follow Him. I believe our cross is the daily labor of putting the old man and his works to death. The world, the flesh, and the devil work daily to excite and incite the passions of the flesh. I believe that Satan uses whatever tricks and devices he can to put the heat on God’s children, to dry us up spiritually, to render us fruitless.

Christian people are called to walk in newness of life, to put on the new man who has been created in the image of Christ. Remaining faithful in prayer will keep us spiritually fertile, whereby the Holy Ghost can continually feed and water us with the faith, hope and love of Jesus Christ. And not only will the heat not dry us up, but we will bear fruit that will remain: “Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22).

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Brother Bill is a Bible teacher and can be contacted at bboldham@sbcglobal.net.

Having met and worked with some of the most famous people on the planet and having been in ministry for over forty years, I feel well qualified to call out my fellow artists and other outsiders for whom I have love and sympathy. As much as I don’t condone some of their grievous folly and outright sin, hopefully, these people will heed the call of God in their lives and avoid the great tribulation that is about to befall the world when many will be hungry and afraid.

My heart goes out to you all – as even now, we are all beginning to be troubled about the future of our country and humanity at large.

Just so you know, my personal story begins like this: (The whole 240-page story is told in my book titled Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.)

Years ago, I repented of my foolish lifestyle and received Christ’s forgiveness in a dark forest at night – by moonlight. I didn’t even know what I was doing – I just cried out to God in desperation because of the collapse of my marriage and the eventual loss of two very young, beloved children. “God, if you are real, please reveal yourself to me. I’m sorry for having lived the way I have…. Jesus, HELP ME! After collapsing in a heap, I felt the heavy burden of sin lifting off me.

Afterward, I finally slept that night for the first time in a long time. The next day while at work, I felt a warm stirring in my stomach as if water was gurgling up and giving me a sense of contentment. Not understanding what was happening, I stopped into a small, empty church after work looking for a Bible and miraculously found one. Unfamiliar with it, I opened it randomly, and my eyes fell on this verse: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” So from that moment on, I’ve been an outspoken evangelical – never doubting that I had been “born again.”

Little did I know that this was a rare phenomenon since, in those days, Pentecostal preachers were even claiming to raise the dead.

Nevertheless, I became a Baptist because of their study and adherence to scripture. (Not so much anymore, because in these days of apostasy, we need to be careful where and what we learn and adhere to. However, anyone can ask for the Holy Spirit to help them understand the Word of God, and He will do it.) Today I adhere to scripture alone, read it daily, and have memorized many scripture verses.

In any case, this conversion altered my lifestyle and opened doors that I never thought were possible. So, since I loved to do artwork, my new Christian wife and I headed south to Florida, where I had aspired to become a professional artist.

The Ringling school of art had just begun the new semester, so I was too late to enroll. On that same stretch of road, I spied a sign declaring open auditions for the new season at the Sarasota Community theatre. The play was Take my Wife. With nothing better to do, I went inside to audition on a lark, having had one semester of drama in high school. Low and behold, I got the part of a Jewish playboy doctor, Dr. Roth. Charles Livingston portrayed my father in the play. I soon found out he was the former director of the Lone Ranger series – first on radio – then on television. He was the one to urge me to study drama at the University of Miami, saying, “I think you’ve got what it takes to be a professional actor.” So off we go.

Incidentally, I worked as a Portrait artist on Miami Beach at the Fontainebleau while I was being tutored by Ladislou Vaida, the head of the drama department at the U of M. That was over forty years ago, during which I snagged my first TV commercial – the first time auditioning. I also snagged my Screen Actors Guild card at the same time! God was truly working in my life, and I give Him all the credit and glory.

I loved going to Saturday matinees at the Plaza Theatre for ten cents with enough left over for popcorn and candy. Hopalong Cassidy and the Lone Ranger were my favorites. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would meet and work with movie stars, famous directors, and screenwriters.

Please don’t throw caution to the wind like Elon Musk recently did – eternity in heaven or hell is a very long time.

Mr. Musk recently tweeted to his accuser, writing this message about hell in response: “Thank you for the blessing, but I’m ok with going to hell, if that is indeed my destination, since the vast majority of all humans ever born will be there.”

To Mr. Musk and other celebrities, I would tell this little story.

There was a very wealthy man who snubbed his creator God and imagined himself to be far above all other kings who preceded him. His name was Belshazzar. One day as he was feasting and partying with the utensils and drinking wine from the golden cups taken from the Temple of God, he and party-goers dropped their food and drinks in absolute shock as a huge, dismembered hand wrote on the wall above their heads that wrote silently, “Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin.”

Daniel, the prophet of God, interpreted the words, which held the party goers in terror and no one else could interpret. He said, “This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Daniel 5:26-27). Immediately he lost everything – even his life.

Belshazzar should have known better; his father was put out to pasture when he defied God. Nebuchadnezzar immediately lost his mind and spent seven years eating grass like a cow. His nails grew to become like claws, and his hair grew long and covered his face. In other words, he had lost his mind.

We should all be careful not to provoke (our creator) God to anger.

God has, in essence, let us get away with murder, sexual perversion, and all sorts of criminality. But the day is coming, and soon, when he will pass judgment on the world. Then it won’t matter how powerful, famous, intelligent, talented, or wealthy you are.

In telling that story, I can’t help but think of the many actors and actresses I’ve worked with who fit that description. They have power, money, and fame, but their lives are devoid of meaning. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll just don’t cut it. Dear actors and other outsiders, please consider repenting of your indifference to God – asking His forgiveness and asking to receive Christ into your heart and life.

Today, while in retirement, I write – mostly screenplays with the hope of getting my movie about the end times on the big screen and with time running out. (The beginning of the tribulation period is almost here.) I want to sound the alarm, and I am currently seeking producers to help me do so. People willing to lock arms with me on this venture can contact me at the email address below for more information and a synopsis (outline).

YBIC

Jim Towers

Write me at jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com or visit me at www.dropzonedelta.com and visit my website www.propheticsignsandwonders.com.