It was a balmy, sunny and pleasant day in the ancient Italian city on August 23rd in A.D. 79. People milled about, on their various business, eating, drinking, visiting family and friends; children playing in the streets. Life was good.
The very next day, an unexpected disaster struck, an enormous volcanic eruption, killing the entire unsuspecting population of the city of Pompeii.
In colonial America in the 18th century, people were prospering with hopes of a new life, on a new continent. Farms were flourishing on land both fertile and plentiful. Here was a land one could raise a family in, and look forward to generations of blessing.
Orthopoxvirus Variola Virus, also known as Small Pox suddenly struck.
More than four hundred thousand people suffered and died before the plague ended.
In the year 1928 the Industrial Revolution had firmly been established, people were hard working and industrious, and there were jobs, work and food aplenty for all with every promise of prosperity at the calloused finger tips of those willing to earn it.
The following year, the Infamous Stock Market Crash on March 25th in 1929 wiped out people's savings accounts, homes, jobs; where there was prosperity, now there was poverty. Where there was abundance, now there were soup lines.
On September 10th, 2001 the Big Apple, the well-renowned international city of New York was intent on its usual business. Nearly nine million people scurried about their way just as they had every other day, for years and years.
The following day two jet liners crashed into the World Trade Center, killing almost three thousand people, devastating the area, as well as the hearts of stunned Americans all over the nation, as well as nations the world over.
In each of these circumstances people were caught off guard, and stunned by an unforeseen interruption of their lives, resulting in heart rending tragedy, ruined lives, and suffering and death.
As human beings we are always taken by surprise and shock when tragedy strikes because we engage in (what Chuck Missler like to refer to as) 'linear assumptions' that is, that tomorrow will be just like yesterday. Next week will be like last week; next year will be like last year, etc.
Yet, whether by natural disaster, or disease or economic collapse or evil intents of terrorism, things we don't expect or prepare for, happen and catch us off our guard.
Life is like this, we know not what an hour may bring. It's the unpredictable nature of life that leads us to creating savings accounts, take out insurance policies for our lives, our homes, our cars, and our health. We try to prepare for instability and the unforeseeable future.
In today's world, turbulence and trouble are perhaps more likely than ever.
Tom Robbins, an American novelist in the 1930's said:
“True stability results when presumed order and presumed disorder are balanced. A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed."
It is said that "time waits for no man" and this is the one resource we possess that is non-elastic, that is, a resource that is limited. We really can't 'buy more time'.
True, most of us who are reading this article right now will probably be alive and well tomorrow, but there may be one or two that won't be. There are no guarantees. From God's perspective our days are numbered.
PSALM 90:12
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
We will eventually die, and once we leave this world, there is no turning back, no re-runs, no second chances.
HEBREWS 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
While we will all face death, there are two distinct groups of humanity that have vastly different perspectives on it: the saved and the unsaved; those who have trusted and committed their lives to the LORD Jesus Christ, and those who have not.
For those who are gambling on death, and whatever may transpire afterwards (if anything) with the forlorn hopes that everything will work itself out in the end; those who have not trusted in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior and have not availed themselves to the redemptive power of eternal life through the shed blood of the Lamb of God, let me say this in the following quotes:
"He is no fool to lose what he cannot keep, in order to keep what he cannot lose." Jim Elliott, slain missionary of S. America.
"He who dies with the most toys, . . . still dies!"
Someone else pointed out regarding mortality and our too, too brief time on this planet, "If the atheist is right, and the Christian is wrong, then the Christian and the atheist are both equal after death, they both lose equitably. If the Christian is right, and the atheist is wrong, the Christian wins all, and the atheist loses all."
MATT 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
In Russian roulette there are six chambers with a bullet in one of them. A person has a 1 out of 6 chance of dying. However many days you have left, those are the number of chambers you have and no more: every day the trigger is pulled, and you don't know but that this could be the day that 'bullet' is fired, and you lose your life!
Why gamble with something as precious as your life? Why not rather surrender your finite life (of a total of seventy or eighty years) to the LORD of Life, Who offers to you eternal life? Why not give yourself to the One Who created you, Who desires a love relationship with you that will outlast the sun, moon and stars, well into forever?
JOHN 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
We mortals cannot allow ourselves to be deceived that "life goes on", that it goes on indefinitely. There is coming a day when our hearts will cease beating, our lungs will no longer inhale, our bodies will grow still and cold, and our eyes will grow dark. This is an inevitability that we will all face, and we cannot assume otherwise.
Believing on the Son, repenting of your sin, turning away from the governance of your own life, and committing your soul to the LORD Jesus Christ who loves you and paid already for your sins is the only rational and legitimate means of 'getting out of this world alive (unto eternal life)'.
If you would want to know more about the G.O.S.P.E.L., that is, Gods Omnipotent Salvation Proclaiming Eternal Love/Life, please visit the web site The TRUTH Under FIRE (www.thetruthunderfire.com) to read the first of a few articles on this vitally important subject:
The SIMPLE and SERIOUS GOSPEL of SALVATION - Part 1
For those of you who are Christians, death holds no such terror for we have entrusted the keeping of our souls to the One who now possesses the keys of hell and death, Who by His victory on the Cross has stripped the power of the fear of death from our great enemy, Satan!
REV 1:18
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
HEB 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
So while we Christians have our "fire insurance paid up" - - not because we could pay ANYTHING at all towards this end, but have believed on Him who by His own blood paid ALL the premiums for that insurance; we also have a termination date that should give us pause and some measure of concern.
What am I speaking of?
2 COR 5:10-11
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
You know, long before I became born again, when I was a Roman Catholic, I remember hearing the expression "holy terror" and "the terror of the LORD" and I used to think that was a reference to Judgment Day when God decided who goes to heaven, and who goes to hell.
Yet we have in the passage above this very phrase, and as you read it in context, its not a verse about the damnation of lost souls, its in reference to the judgment seat of Christ where He will be rewarding (or not) the faithful (or unfaithful) service of the saints!
AMAZING!
I must admit that I myself tremble inside when I think about this Day appointed that will come as certainly as my birth, and my spiritual rebirth, and eventual death; that Day when I see my LORD and Savior, and I witness those scars on His brow, His wrists and His feet.
He shall say to me, "I have redeemed you with My own blood, and delivered you from sin, death and hell; I have indwelt you with My Spirit and freely imparted My love and peace and joy; endowed you with spiritual gifts, and granted to you my Holy Word and Great Commission of the Gospel and the command to go forth and make disciples. All of these things I have given to you. What therefore have you done in life, in My Name?"
I shall stand alone before my God and my Judge Whose eyes are a flame of fire, from Whom nothing is hid, and all my deeds done in His name will fall under His scrutiny. His all knowing, all seeing eyes will then determine the quality of all my works, whether they are fashioned of gold, silver and precious stones or just wood, hay and stubble (1 COR 3: 11-15).
Oh, how I hope and pray that I might have something to show for ALL THE INCREDIBLE WEALTH THAT THE LORD INVESTED IN MY LIFE! THAT I MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE GLORY TO GOD WITH; SOME LASTING FRUIT AND HOLY WORK THAT WOULD HONOR HIM WHO DIED FOR MY SINS!!
How worthy is JESUS to receive ALL honor and power and glory and blessing! He is the exalted KING of Heaven, and ever worthy of that High Exaltation for the Divine Deed He completed, in humbling Himself to that deplorably depraved damnation as our Sin-bearer! Without His sacrifice we would ALL PERISH in eternal hell! THIS is our SAVIOR! THIS is our GOD!
REV 5:12
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
It is my sincerest, most heart felt prayer that all of us, you and I, and all the saints, that we would "apply our hearts to wisdom" and acknowledge that our days are in the hands of the LORD, and once He recalls us, there is no turning back, there are no remedial courses that we can take and produce fruit and good works for His glory and honor, the fix will be 'in' and it will be "all He wrote"!
May we seek our LORD out with diligence and a heart yearning for fellowship and communion; may we yield up our members to righteousness and petition that His grace would work powerfully in our lives, that He would enable us towards fruit-bearing and production of good works which can only be produced by our good God who works in us!
Please understand that God is not going to judge saints for their sin on that Day, for our sins were ALREADY judged at the cross! Those sins are washed away. No, the judgment we face as Christians is a judgment of rewards based on our conduct and performance while on Earth, wrought through obedience to His will, and empowered NOT by our own will or determination or struggling, but by our LORD Father God, His Son the LORD Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit!
JOHN 15: 4-5, 7-8
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
EPH 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
2 TIM 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Remember, that the LORD is interested in faithfulness, not fanfare and phenomena, that is, our work for the LORD doesn't have to be some grand production or some tremendously towering work, that might impress all of us; rather He is impressed and will reward faithfulness and good stewardship, no matter how grand or tiny that stewardship might be!
MATT 25:21
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
REV 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
REV 17:14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
In the time that we have left on this planet, either until we depart it and go to be with our LORD or until His Return, may we seek Him, sit at His feet and receive from Him, and empowered by His grace, work in the fields and produce fruit for HIS GLORY and HONOR! In the Name of the LORD Jesus Christ, AMEN!
NIKAEO AIONIOS!
your brother,
James Fire
