We, here in this congregation, have really been going through a lot over the past few months as most of you are well aware. Especially concerning the loss of loved ones. Please keep the Parks family in your prayers in their loss of Sheila’s mother. Pam and I had to go to Broken Bow last week to help with the funeral of a wonderful Christian lady, Jane Ross, there. We first met Jane 17 years ago when we first moved to Broken Bow. She helped in bringing us meals to help us get settled in. Of course, these are just two of many losses experienced by our church family here. All of these have really driven a one particular verse of God’s Word home to me. That particular verse is Hebrews 9:27 which says, “ And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”
How much do we, do you, really think about what this short little verse says? Do we honestly, truly comprehend the seriousness of this verse? This verse is telling us that the day is going to come when every single one of us is going to find ourselves laying in a coffin. We are going to die and our lives will be over. Then, the very next things is, we will find ourselves standing before God in judgment. At that point, we will answer to God for every single thought, action and desire we experienced while alive on this earth. It will not matter how successful we were on our job or how popular we were with people. It will not matter how much money we had in the bank or how much we owed to others. When the day of our death comes, when our physical life comes to an end, there is only one thing that will matter. That one thing is; did we truly believe in God and obey Him by putting Him first in our lives above everything in this world! “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Brethren, we all need to honestly look at ourselves and ask ourselves, “Am I honestly, truly putting God first in my life above everything in this world?” If we answer “yes”, then the next question is, where is the proof of our answer? What does the world around us, what do our friends, what does our family see us giving up, letting go of to put God first? In other words, this is not just something we claim for our lives, it is something that must be demonstrated, something others see in our lives. The apostle Paul emphasized this in his letters to both Timothy and Titus. “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:12). “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,” (Titus 2:7). Think about it this way, when your times comes, what will be the emphasis of those speaking at your funeral, your worldly accomplishments or your devotion to Almighty God?
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan
How much do we, do you, really think about what this short little verse says? Do we honestly, truly comprehend the seriousness of this verse? This verse is telling us that the day is going to come when every single one of us is going to find ourselves laying in a coffin. We are going to die and our lives will be over. Then, the very next things is, we will find ourselves standing before God in judgment. At that point, we will answer to God for every single thought, action and desire we experienced while alive on this earth. It will not matter how successful we were on our job or how popular we were with people. It will not matter how much money we had in the bank or how much we owed to others. When the day of our death comes, when our physical life comes to an end, there is only one thing that will matter. That one thing is; did we truly believe in God and obey Him by putting Him first in our lives above everything in this world! “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Brethren, we all need to honestly look at ourselves and ask ourselves, “Am I honestly, truly putting God first in my life above everything in this world?” If we answer “yes”, then the next question is, where is the proof of our answer? What does the world around us, what do our friends, what does our family see us giving up, letting go of to put God first? In other words, this is not just something we claim for our lives, it is something that must be demonstrated, something others see in our lives. The apostle Paul emphasized this in his letters to both Timothy and Titus. “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:12). “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,” (Titus 2:7). Think about it this way, when your times comes, what will be the emphasis of those speaking at your funeral, your worldly accomplishments or your devotion to Almighty God?
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan
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