Sometimes people will ask about a loved one who has died; they want to know if that person is in heaven. I don’t say anything about one who has passed on, other then they are in the hands of God who who judge them according to His word (Revelation 20:12; Acts 17:30-31). The Bible teaches those who obey the word of God will be saved (Matthew 7:21), and those who don’t obey the word of God will be lost (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).
Even at funerals some preachers will get up and pronounce that the person in the coffin “is walking the streets of heaven with Jesus.” Now they don’t know that for sure, all they are doing is talking a good game trying to make the grieving family feel better. It certainly is our hope that the departed is safe in the arms of Jesus, but we here on earth don’t know that, and we need to keep our mouths shut when it comes up and leave that up to the Lord (Matt. 25:34,41). We can talk about the good things we remember about the person, comfort, and aid the living and also warn the living by the teaching of the gospel, but leave it at that (Hebrews 4:9-13). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Some men refuse Christianity because they feel it is not macho. These fellows walk around saying, “I’m cool” “I’m good looking, and I’m 100% man, so don’t call me a boy”
The problem is, these guys make the same mistake Hitler made, for he too felt that religion was for women and sissies. Pride always goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Being a Christian is no small feat for any man. For to do so, one must possess discipline, stability, and fighting skills. The wisdom of the kind of warfare that will conquer the beast, and of course that beast is Satan—the biggest and baddest opponent any man will face. It takes a real man to defeat Satan and only a man who has given himself to Christ stands a chance of doing so because a man can do all things though Christ (Philippians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Prov. 16:32, Ephesians 6:10-17; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; 1 Cor. 15.32; Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 2:3-5). These so-called macho men who scorn God are really weak because they are in the clutches of Satan. They don’t try to fight him because they don’t have the power to resist (James 4.7). When the Devil tells them to “jump,” they quickly reply, “Yes Master Satan.” The real macho man is a godly man who strives to bring his will into harmony with God’s law and enters each day determined to turn back the challenges of Satan (1 Cor. 16:13; Acts 21:13; 1 Tim. 6.12). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Some say, “enjoy your life,” “do what you want and then you die and all is over.” I don’t buy that! There has got to be something greater than what we see now. If not, it makes hope a myth because this life would be all there is, and there are too many bad things (1 Corinthians 15:19). Also it would throw justice into the meat grinder because evil of men would go unpunished when they cannot be caught by the police (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17).
The Bible speaks of a better place which is ready to receive the righteous after this life ends (John 14:1-3; 2 Peter 3:13-14; Revelation 21:1-6). It is for that reason the faithful press forward. It is for that reason the faithful endure the trails and challenges that this life places before their feet. They march on knowing that when death calls or the trumpet blows, their reward will then begin (Colossians 4:1-4). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. “Of that day or hour, knows no man” (Matthew 24:36). “You must be ready, for you don’t know what hour the Judgment Day will come” (Matthew 24:42). “You must be ready, because the world will end when you lest expect it” (Matt 24:44). “Just be ready, you don’t know when the world will end” (Mark 13:32-37). “The Judgment Day will come like a thief does”. (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; 2 Peter 3:10).
What happened last week is a example of what occurs when people don’t study God’s word for themselves. Some quit their jobs and got rid of their personal goods because they believed what a preacher said about the end of the world. What will become of those people now? Don’t let a preacher mess up your life (Isaiah 3:12, 9:16). Study God’s word for yourself! (1 John 4:1; Revelation 2:2; Acts 17:11; John 5:39). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. When discussing hardship people will often say, “I’ve been though hell.” But guess what? That statement is false. They haven’t been though Hell. One day they may end up in Hell at the close of this life, but they sure haven’t faced anything like Hell. You see, Hell is the final punishment for the devil and his angels, created by God for that very purpose, and since many love to do the devil’s work, they will join Satan in eternal torment (Matthew 25:41,46).
Hell is a special punishment devised by God for that special Day, which is the Judgment (Hebrews 9:27; 1 Corinthians 4:5; John 5:28-29). I’m not denying that man can suffer badly in life. I’m also not denying that some call that suffering “Hell.” It’s just suffering, and we cannot compare it to the horror that awaits the wicked at the final Judgment. Hell is a place of everlasting darkness, fire that won’t go out, pain explained to us in earthly terms like, “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 3:12, 13:38-43; Mark 9:43-50; Luke 16:22-25; Romans 3:4-9, 14:10-12; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. The United States and Pakistan is going though their troubles concerning trust and maybe, in time, the truth will come out. Either the Pakistanis knew Osama Bin Laden was there, or they did not. If they did know, then they were guilty of aiding and abetting, and that is not good when the person you are protecting is a wanted man. Anyway, the lesson for us on a more personal basis is not to protect the guilty. I don’t care if it is family, friend, or foe. If the person is guilty of wrong doing, they aren’t worth you standing up for them (1 Timothy 5:22).
Yet every day, people will commit evil deeds, and there will be someone who will stand by them and even cover up for them. Don’t do this thing. Speak out against wrong, and correct those dearest to you when they are wrong. You sure aren’t doing the wrong doer a favor by helping them. In the end, they will give account to Jesus for their evil deeds, and you will give account for helping them (2 Corinthians 5:10; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Hebrews 4:13). So don’t be guilty of aiding evil doers. Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. The Bucket List is a movie about two men who were soon to die and their attempts to do as many things possible before death claimed them. In the movie, they did things which were fine, but they also engaged in sinful behavior. The men only thought about enjoying earthly things, and while it is fine to enjoy our last days on earth, it is foolish to do nothing to save the soul (Mark 8:36-37; Luke 12:15). When one has been told that death is near, that person should begin to think about where they will spend eternity, rather then climbing the highest mountain or sailing around the world (Matthew 6:19-21). The only chance one has to save himself is while alive because after death there is norepentance (John 8:21, Luke 16:22-26).
After death, man will have to stand before Almighty God and answer for every deed, and it will be pitiful for anyone with a “bucket list” of trips, clothes, cars, etc, and nothing else (Hebrews 5:9; Matt. 7:21; Acts 16:30-33; Matt. 25:31-46; Ecclesiastes 12:13; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. We have heard it many times before: a house burns down and people suffer injury or death. But then we see a fireman saying “there were no working smoke detectors in the house.”
Those words cause us to lament the lost of life or health because no one took the time to do what was needed in order to protect themselves. Well, let me use that example in another way. The Bible which is the word of God, is our smoke detector. Do you have one? And as for batteries, are you doing what His word commands you? You see, it is one thing to have a Bible in your house, but a totally different thing to be doing what it teaches (Luke 6:46; John 15:14, 8:31-32). If we can be of help to you in learning God’s will for your life, let us help you with a Bible study (Acts 8:26-40, 16:11-15, 17:11). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. The term “litter bug” is for those who throw trash where it ought not be. Such conduct is wrong because it is against the law and offensive to those who take pride in community by working hard to keep the streets and lots free of trash.
No law-abiding person would ever be caught dumping trash onto vacant lots, spray painting walls, or even throwing tissue and drinking containers down on the ground. Remember, that is why we have trash cans, so put your trash in the can. Next, sit down and read 1 Peter 2:13, where we are told to “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme.” Afterward read, Titus 3:14, which said, “And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.” Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. During this month, readers of the Philadelphia Inquirer were exposed to a seven-part series dealing with the problems in the school district. While it was a great piece, I would like to talk about what the series should have placed more emphasis upon. The parents! Where do those bad students live, and who is at home once they get there? Every student comes to the school from a home, and students are the products of homes. It is not the responsibility of the school to change bad students. Those students should be properly trained before they set foot in a school.
Since that isn’t the case, we now know many homes are wastelands. Not all households can be saved, but I believe that some can be. First, parents must realize that they need to do a better job at parenting. Next they must take control over their sons and daughters and if that child doesn’t want to do right, the child needs to find another place to live. Next, there needs to be teaching of God’s word in the home. When children learn the values taught in the scriptures, they will carry those virtues into the school and that will do away with the problems (Proverbs 22:6, 4:1-27; Ephesians 6:14; Prov. 2:1-22, 20:11; Ecclesiastes 12:1; 2 Timothy 2:22; Titus 2:6-12; 1 Timothy 5:1-4). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. |