|
“It is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
Adam and Eve received the first proclamation
of death, and it has been occurring ever
since. It is inevitable and everyone will
meet it. If that sounds morbid, don’t go
away; that is only the first edition of the
story!
From the beginning of creation, God has
raised up special and unique individuals to
accomplish His will on earth. That doesn’t
mean He cares more for one person than
another; it simply means He chooses people
who will listen to Him exclusively and carry
out the mission assigned to them. Neither
does it mean that He looks down and sees a
perfect person who will never make a mistake
while on their mission. However, He sees
someone who will get up when they stumble;
repent and right the wrong; be compassionate
with others who will fail as they did and go
on with His Kingdom’s business.
Abraham, “friend of God,” was called out by
God from a pagan environment with marching
orders to go to a place he knew not where.
Isn’t it just like God to make sure we knew
of Abraham’s failures as well as his
successes by making it a public record! How
else could we identify with him and say, ‘If
he could do it, so can I.” Though Abraham
is known as the father of Israel, he died.
David, “a man after God’s own heart,” was a
man of many talents—musician, poet, singer,
warrior, shepherd, leader, father, etc. As
a youth, he was chosen by God to be king of
Israel. His father-in-law tried to kill him
often, and during those times he wrote some
of his greatest songs/poems of petitions,
prayers and praises to God. He succeeded
King Saul as king and defeated all of
Israel’s enemies bringing peaceful times for
his successor, his son Solomon. His mighty
acts are recorded for us to learn of them,
but there came a time when—he died.
Consider others we know of: Noah followed
God’s directions and saved the human race
through his family by building an ark to
preserve them and the animals when the flood
came, but one day he died.
Gideon was a “cowardly lion.” Cowardly in
his own eyes, a lion in God’s eyes whom He
called “a mighty man of valor.” An angel
found him where he was hiding from the
Midianites, who were determined to destroy
Israel, and gave him his battle orders.
After God weeded out all the uncommitted
from Gideon’s army leaving only 300 men,
with a cry of “The sword of the Lord and of
Gideon,” they defeated an army that looked
like an infestation of “grasshoppers” in
number. The “mighty man of valor” was
successful in the task he was given, but he
died.
The list is endless of men and women God
called and commissioned to do a great work
for God on earth; they all died.
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost and a
young virgin girl gave birth to the Savior
of mankind. God said He was well pleased
with His Son as He went about fulfilling His
earthly ministry. For about three years,
Jesus “went about doing good” healing the
sick, casting out devils, teaching the truth
that would bring salvation to all who
accepted Him and His message. There came a
time when His faithful followers deserted
Him, the local religious leaders trumped up
charges against Him and brought Him before
the Roman government to have Him condemned
of crimes worthy of death. This sinless
Man, who loved the world enough to give His
life for the worst of its inhabitants, was
murdered by the very ones He was dying for.
He gave Himself! Yes, He died!
So, what is the point of living and “doing
good” if we have already been “appointed to
die”? Good Question! It is in dying that
we live. Jesus died on an old rugged cross
and bore all our sins, redeeming us from
eternal death, saving us to eternal life.
It was the death of the only one in heaven
and earth who was worthy to be the
substitute acceptable to God to abolish
death in us and give us life instead.
“The wages [earned] of sin is death; but the
gift [unearned] of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans
6:23).
Job asked the question, “If a man die, shall
he live again? All the days of my appointed
time will I wait, till my change come” (Job
14:14).
The life we now live is temporal, subject to
end. The life we have in Jesus Christ is
eternal, unending because HE LIVES!
Yes, He died; He shed His blood; His heart
stopped beating; His bodily functions
ceased; He was buried. Oh, but that wasn’t
the end! On the third day, the tomb had to
give Him up! He arose with His glorified
body, thus preparing the way for our
resurrection to a body like His that will
never die again! The blood keeps our body
alive now; lose it and we die. The new body
will be made alive and kept by the Spirit of
God, not blood, to live forever with our
precious Redeemer who made it possible.
We will be able to visit with Abraham,
David, Noah, Gideon, and all those who have
gone on before us, then in our glorified
bodies. Can you imagine what a reunion
will take place as we see loved ones who
have left us and saints of all ages!
Best of all, we will be with the One who
died for us and made it all possible by His
death--and His life.
WOW! Don’t miss it! We must make
preparations now. It will be too late after
we leave this earth by death.
The extra blessing is in the life we live
now. Jesus has issued an invitation to
everyone to have a relationship with Him
NOW. We don’t have to wait until we die to
get to know Him. This resurrected Lord
stands with arms open wide to receive all
who will come to Him.
Now, consider all the gods that earth’s
denizens have erected and created a
“religion” for? Some lived, some were
created by mankind himself and were always
dead; but where are they now? They were
dead to begin with or they all died! Only
our Lord is alive and not subject to death!
Only our Lord can guarantee eternal life for
those who believe in Him. Those who do not
will have to face Him and account for their
unbelief with undying death.
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to
me; and him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out” (John 6:37).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if
any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
“That if thou shalt confess with my mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9)
Are you a Believer? If so, I’ll see
you in the rapture when we have been caught
up in the air to meet our Lord and received
our new life that will last forever, no more
dying--
--Because "He's Alive"!
~~Delores~~
Please continue to Supplement below.
|
