Hebrews 9:27

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die,
but after this the judgment."

Well isn't this just a nasty little verse some might say. No one judges me! We've all heard it many times. " Who are you to judge me?" Well, I am nobody, but God is. The fact is this. Ten out of ten people die. That fact has not changed for all of time. The word for appointed is, apokeimai. It literally means reserved. We all have a reservation. When that day comes, our ticket will be called. There is no escaping that fact. Next we see the word once. It means.....you guessed it, once. Sorry guys, no reincarnation, past life, etc. It's nice to dream about, but it ain't true. The last word to look at is judgment. Oooooo, it's that scary word. The word is kreesis. It means for or against, pertaining to a tribunal. Justice. We are going to be on trial and there is only going to be one charge against us. The charge of what we did with the Son of God, Jesus. When we stand before God, He will either say well done good and faithful servant, or depart from me ye who work iniquity. We won't be able to utter a word. We will be in awe of the one who created all and is all. Thankfully, those who are Christians, Jesus will be our advocate or our defense attorney. We will be declared not guilty due to the imputed righteousness of Christ. When we were alive we accepted Him as our savior. In death we are with Him forever. For those who are not, the last thing they see before eternal torment and outer darkness, will be God sending them away forever. No hope of ever escaping the torment of hell. Is He happy about it? I think not. He hung on a cross and said, over my dead body. His death was our ticket to freedom. God desires that no one go to hell. He gives them the choice and does not force them to accept Him. To wrap up, we all have an appointed time. It could be today, tomorrow, or 30 years from now, but we all have one. That's why I do not agree with people when they say they are having a midlife crisis. Mid life could be 18! The fact is, God wants us with Him when we pass from this world. It's not pretty that people will die and go to hell, but it is the truth. Until that day comes though, we have the out. Jesus Christ. Is it an easy, problem free ride? Of course not. But once the ride is over, we get off at the last stop and stay forever. That's a day I am looking forward to. This might be a tough message for some, but it's the truth. God loves us and wants us to be with Him one day. What are you waiting for? Be blessed this week.

Bob

Mark 8:36

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

This week, I want to take a look at gaining. We can gain many things. Weight, money, power, influence, things. The list goes on and on. What, though, really matters in the end? Is it like the bumper sticker says, " the one who dies with the most toys wins?" Or maybe the more you have the better off you are? This verse gets right to the point. The two words that explain this whole verse are this: Profit and lose. The word profit in the Greek is opheleo, meaning, to be useful or to benefit. The word for lose is zemioo, meaning, to cast away, damage or suffer loss. The subject in the verse is man. If the man gains everything he wants in life, but is void of any true relationship with God, it's all for nought. Look at the world we live in. Every day we are bombarded with advertising, trying to convince us that we can't live without this or that. I mean if you think about it, we lived without it until we saw the ad, right? We are a culture consumed with self and pleasing self. I know I have been guilty of this many times. I want what I want, and everyone else comes after. This is so backwards from Christ and His example he gave us. He was, as Gail Erwin so rightly puts it, "others centered." He wasn't concerned about what He could get to please Himself. He had a genuine concern for others to know who God really was and is. We are told on a daily basis that if we surround ourselves with things and stuff, we will be happy. Obviously that is wrong. If it weren't, then why do we have so many self help books, psychiatrists couches full of people, and a majority of the population on anti depressants? Why? Because it doesn't fulfill. Don't get me wrong, having things isn't bad, but desiring more and more is. Letting it consume you and congest your life to the point you are suffocated by them. How many stories do we have to read about millionaires who kill themselves because they weren't happy, before we wake up? In the case of this verse, losing your soul is final. When you and I stand before God when we die, we will hear one of two things. Well done, good and faithful servant, or depart from me, ye who work iniquity, I never knew thee. The bible makes that point clear. So this week, I urge you. Step back from life for a minute or two. Take an inventory of what is driving you. What is your master passion. Is it to know God more, or to get more things? With option one, you get a much more full abundant life. Option two, temporary satisfaction at best. Be blessed this week and see you next Sunday.

Bob.

John 19:30

"When Jesus had therefore received the vinegar,
he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head,
and gave up the ghost."

Well, after a long hiatus, I am back doing the weekly devotional. I have decided to change the day to Sunday night, instead of Thursdays. Too many distractions pulled me away and I have been chewing on some things during that time. This is not and excuse by any means, just the truth. With all that said, lets get into it. What exactly was finished? What is "it" referring to? Well, Jesus had just endured about 7 hrs hanging on the cross. This is based on scriptural account from the Gospels. Before that, the punishing, cruel time of being whipped, beat, punched, kicked and more. The "it" that is being described, is the final atoning sacrifice for sin. The once and for all payment for yours and my sin. Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God at times in scripture. In the old testament, a lamb was sacrificed on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, as a payment for the peoples sins. People would confess sins and make right that which may be wrong in their life, and more importantly, with God. Every year this was done. Enter the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He was the promised one that would deliver Israel and be their King. Well, from the new testament we can see, they missed that one. The misinterpreted the scriptures and crucified Him. What they missed is that He was the final, atoning sacrifice for not only them, but all of humanity. Unlike in the old testament, Jesus paid the bill in full. The lambs blood was only a temporary covering for sin, not a final payment. When Jesus uttered these words, our sins, past present and future were paid for. We were ransomed back to God. The wrath of the Father was poured out on Him, so that we may be saved. He got what we deserved. Why though? One word, love. God loves us so much, that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us, that we might have life eternal with Him. The gap between man and God has now been bridged by the pierced, outstretched arms of Christ. All because He loved us and still does. The only thing we have to do is acknowledge Him and what He did for us, accept it and step out from darkness into the light. Well, I hope this week you will think on this and really enter into a new relationship with the one who loves you if you don't already know Him. Or renew an old one and get to know Him afresh.
Bob.