Place of Torment

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, prostitutes, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”  Revelation 21:8   Personal responsibility is a concept that is disappearing quickly.  Nowadays there are people who look towards others to bail them out of troubles that oftentimes they have gotten themselves into.  Whether it is trouble with the law, troubles with finances or a host of other issues.   In all reality men and women, by and large, need to have the personal responsibility, when they are capable, to provide for their own families and obey the laws of the land.  Failure to do so results in consequences.  Likewise, preachers also have a responsibility to God to preach His truth regarding the condition of man, Salvation and declaring what God says about the ultimate destiny of mankind and their personal responsibility regarding their sin.    “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,  desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it happened that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on...

Set In Order

“Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,  but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all nodded and fell asleep.  And at midnight there was a cry: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!  Then all those virgins arose and prepared their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.  But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us!  But he answered and said, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man comes.”  Matthew 25:1-13   When king Hezekiah was going to die, the prophet Isaiah told him to set his house in order.   “In those days Hezekiah had become sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, Thus says Jehovah: Set your house in order, for you are dying,...

Uncertainty

“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God which He has witnessed about His Son.  He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”  1st John 5:9-13   Certainly there is a certain amount of prudence in keeping up with the news.  For myself there is a limit, as there is no end to the amount of information that is readily available in print and online (Ecc. 12:12).  One thing seemingly prevails from time to time and that is the amount of uncertainty regarding events that are taking place in the United States and throughout the entire world.  Quite simply, these words often come to mind.   “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And...

In A Moment

“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”  Jeremiah 8:20   Driving home from the sleepy town of Bigfork, Montana the other night, my family and I were listening to a CD.  Suddenly the CD went silent then resumed.  Ahead the should be yellow flashing caution traffic light had went out, the CD went silent again, once again resuming.  As we turned on the highway heading towards Kalispell, I looked just to make sure the glow of lights from Kalispell was still apparent in the distance, presumably the CD probably has a scratch or a fingerprint on it.    Heading down the highway I began to contemplate the reality of the world we live in.  The uncertainty of a normal tomorrow, the unknown lying ahead.  As a Christian, I know that if the Rapture occurs I will meet Lord in the air, along with my wife and son.  Yet the troublesome times that we live in often has my thoughts comprehending the possibility of disaster striking the United States before that awesome Day.   “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you sorrow not as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with...

Warn Them!

“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:3   I want to take a moment to stress the importance of Biblical Salvation, which all Believers know.  Biblical salvation is repentance and by faith believing into Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  So true Believers, true Christians, those who have repented and believed into Jesus have their names written in the Book of Life (Rev. 20:15).   We know that Christ died for all.   “For the love of Christ holds us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again.”  1st Corinthians 5:14-15   We know that God wishes that none would perish.   “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is longsuffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  2nd Peter 3:9   “Do I delight with pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should turn back from his ways and live?”  Ezekiel 18:23   Consider Christ, He gave His life so that we may have life in Him.   “In this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for...