68.   For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off

Joshua 4:6   that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

Exodus 12:26-27     And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’  you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Exodus 13:14     And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Deuteronomy 6:20-21    “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’  then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Deuteronomy 11:19     You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Psalms 44:1    O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

Psalms 71:18     So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 78:3-8     things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,  that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,  so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;  and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Acts 2:39     For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

When you children ask in time, you have heard and know,, teach to their children, fathers have told us, asks you, and when your children say to you…. all indicate that your children will see something in your life, something you do, something say, something you set aside, something you don’t do, something you don’t say, something you give away and they will ask you about it.  Obviously they as well as others should see something different in our lives.  They might even ask us why.  We might be given chance to tell them the reason for the hope that we have, the reason for the way we act, speak and think, the reason we give, the reason we forgive, the reason we study His word, the reason we pray, the reason we have belief, trust and faith.  Spending time in God’s word will give you reason, purpose, and meaning.

1. ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’

Exodus 22:28  “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

Ecclesiastes 10:20     Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

Acts 23:5     And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

Romans 13:2-7     Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,  for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.  For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.  Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Titus 3:1-2     Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,  to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people

1 Peter 2:17     Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

It surely takes godly wisdom to apply these verses.  How do you honor a leader you do not respect or trust?  How do you not speak evil of one who is authorizing the murder of innocent men, women, and children?  How do you not speak out against the Leader who is taking people into unrighteous paths for their life?  How do you follow a leader who rejects Christ?

These are human questions but are not the right way to approach the situation of a bad leader.  God wants and expects us to come to Him alone for the resolution of a bad ruler, authority, leader.  We are to go to Him confessing the sin of what we see and ask His intervention.  We are to seek Him for our refuge.  We are to rely on Him alone.  We are to find peace in the midst of trials and troubles in Him.  We are to find strength in God to face the injustice.  He is our refuge, hope, rock, fortress, and calm in the storm.

We are to pray for our leaders not complain about them.  We are to seek God not speak evil.  We are to be submissive and obedient.  There are times when we don’t like or approve of our leadership.  However we must respect and honor the position.

There may be time when you have to take a stand when asked/told to do something that is against what God teaches us.  We accept the consequence gladly as serving God is our goal.  We do not speak evil. We speak the truth.

Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

After that comes judgment

“ because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world”

Genesis 50:19    But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?

Deuteronomy 32:35     Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Job 34:19-29     who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?  In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.  “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.  For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.  He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.  Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.  He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,  because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,  so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—  When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Hebrews 9:27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Acts 17:31    because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

2 Corinthians 5:10    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Matthew 25:31-41    “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

The easiest way to get through life without out worry of judgement from God is to deny God exists.  To do this one must look at all of creation and believe it happened by chance.  They must deny the complexity of the vast galaxies down to a single atom.  They must deny Jesus Christ existed and that His purpose on earth was to redeem mankind.  They must deny the love of God.  They must deny existence of angels and demons.  They must deny the written word of God and that it was given to mankind through men inspired and led by God.  The denial of God has eternal consequences.

Denial of God can take on many subtle forms.  Neglecting His word.  Not being intentional in living for Him.  Not seeking to be led by Him. Not desiring Him.  Not listening to Him.  Not placing Him first in all your thoughts, words, and actions.  Not allowing or acting on the conviction of the Holy Spirit to walk blameless before Him.

How can we humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God if our walk with Him is shallow, self centered, and with our eyes focused on what this world has to offer?  How can we grow in our walk with Him when we think we are good enough as we are and in need of no change or understanding of what it means to walk with and humbly serve God?

Judgement is coming, but it is not for the judgement of God we seek to do right and good, but rather because of who God is and His love for us.  Some children grow up with the fear of punishment from their parents and this keeps them from doing wrong.  Others fear getting caught and that keeps them from doing wrong.  Others do not do wrong so as not to disappoint their parents.  Yet these are all self serving reasons.  Oh how great the child who not only seeks not to do wrong but chooses to do good to bring honor their parents.

Commit to living intentionally to bring honor and glory to God rather than advert judgement.

Let your ear be attentive

Genesis 24:10   Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah…

Genesis 24:26   The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”

Genesis 24:42   “I came today to the spring and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’

“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water.

Genesis 24:48   Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.

Nehemiah 1:11     O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

Nehemiah 2:4    Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Psalms 37:5   Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

Proverbs 3:6     In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Abraham’s servant prayed that God would make his way in this matter plain and clear before him. Nehemiah prayed for success and also on how to respond to the King.

Our times are in God’s hand; not only events themselves, but the timing of them. We must be mindful of being over-bold in urging what God should do and when He should do it, rather than seeking to ensure we are honoring God by willing to allow His will and time take place.

How many, of faith, have been weakened by being so bold to speak and leave no room for God’s plans and purposes?  How many have lived with God at arms length and seek to define what and when God should do something.

Keep close to God, learn of Him and His ways, and choose to humbly serve and honor Him.  You will hear the quiet whispers of God and see His hand at work around and through you.  He is able to give you wisdom, courage, strength, patience and confidence in whatever you are facing.

Hear and Learn

Deuteronomy 31:12  Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Psalms 78:4-8     We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,  that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,  so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;  and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Proverbs 22:6     Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Ephesians 6:4   Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 11:2     And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm,

We have an awesome responsibility and privilege to speak of God and live for Him so that others might hear and see the hope we have in the power, might, strength, grace, love, and mercy of God.

We should not take this lightly for each day gives us opportunity to bring glory, honor and praise to Him.  God’s word spoken will not return void, our prayers will not be unheard, and a softening of their heart can take place.  Yet at the end of the day it each persons choice to believe in God and through faith come to salvation through Christ.

When we believe, and are saved, redeemed, forgiven and have heart, mind, and soul deep knowledge and understanding of God and the everlasting light He has opened up to us, it is hard to make sense of how we lived and believed before.  We are born again, a new creation, where all things are new and morning by morning new mercies we see.

God’s word in our lives each day will have purpose for growing our love for Him and faith in Him.  Many will try to make sense of the world through wisdom of man, denying God.  Be mindful we too were once lost and without hope.  Live to bring light of God to those still living in darkness.  You never know who those  who choose to live in darkness will have their heart softened by God through you.  Tell of all of his glorious works, wonders, might, and ever lasting love for those who call upon Him.

In His word

Psalms 119:137   Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules.  You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness.  My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words.  Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.  I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.  Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.  Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.  Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.

Psalms 19:7-9     The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;  the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

Nehemiah 9:33     Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.

We might say that God’s written word is an incomplete display of His character and nature; that is, there is more to God than what we can receive from His word. But what we do have in His word is accurate and properly displays to us who He is.

We might say that the God who actually exists is not different than His written revelation to us. He is greater than what can be comprehended through His written word, but He is not different than what is revealed to us through that word.

God’s words are especially helpful for establishing that He is very faithful. We often judge a person’s faithfulness by seeing if their words and their actions match. Along with other believers through the centuries, the Psalmist could say that the words of God and the actions of God were and are consistent, and show Him to be very faithful.

“Trust in the reliability of God’s word is directly proportionate to one’s trust in the Lord himself.” (VanGemeren)

“The Bible mirrors the character of God. Anyone who cares about knowing what is righteous and wants to act righteously should study the Bible.” (Boice)

Zeal implies energy and action. The appreciation of the Psalmist for the word of God was not passive. The living and active word of God brought forth a living and active response from the Psalmist. “Thus we see every man is eaten up with some kind of zeal. The drunkard is consumed with drunkenness, the whore-monger is spent with his whoredom, the heretic is eaten with heresies. Oh, how ought this to make us ashamed, who are so little eaten, spent, and consumed with the zeal of the word! . . . Oh, what a benefit it is to be eaten up with the love and zeal of a good thing!” (Greenham, cited in Spurgeon)

3 He is coming

Psalms 98:9    for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Psalms 96:10     Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 96:13     before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Revelation 1:7     Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen

Psalms 67:4     Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

Acts 17:31     because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Romans 2:5-6    But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.  He will render to each one according to his works:

He is coming.

He has fixed a day.

He will judge.

Every eye will see him.

He comes to judge the earth

God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

He will render to each one according to his works

Some will cry and wail at His coming for they have rejected Him and the light of salvation knowing they have chosen to live in darkness.  Others will be glad and sing for joy for they have heard His calling and have chosen to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  Our Holy Creator lives and is coming again to bring His chosen into eternal fellowship with Him.  He also is coming to exert His stored up wrath and anger on those who have rejected Him and His plan for salvation through faith in the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Judge with equity

Psalms 96:10  Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 46:10     “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Malachi 1:11     For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations,

Isaiah 49:8     Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,

Hebrews 1:3    He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Acts 17:31     because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Romans 2:16     on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Jude 1:14-15     It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

2 Peter 3:7     But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Matthew 25:31-46     “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Being recognized and separated can be a good thing or bad thing.  A line up as it were. Scripture speaks of those who are separated and will be with Jesus Christ and those who will be judged and found convicted of rejecting redemption.  For those of us who are saved it is a glorious day when sin is fully put to rest at the final judgement and we are forevermore with Christ in His kingdom.  If you were the person able to give this gift of eternal life and someone accepted the gift, how would you expect that person to live out their time this side of eternity?  Give thought to this.  Give thought to this in light of scripture.  Give thought to this in light of the willing sacrifice Jesus gave on the Cross for our redemption.  Live humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying the author and finisher of life.

And my reason returned to me

“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”

Psalms 93:1  The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

Psalms 96:10     Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 97:1    The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

Psalms 99:1    The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

Psalms 145:13   Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

1 Chronicles 29:12    Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

Isaiah 52:7   How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Daniel 4:34   At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

Revelation 19:6   Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Psalms 75:3    When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars.

Isaiah 45:12    I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.

Isaiah 49:8    Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people,

Isaiah 51:16     And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

Hebrews 1:2-3     but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

and my reason returned to me” We all battle the thoughts that come in and deny God’s power greater than what is attacking us, strength greater than our fears, love, grace and mercy greater than our sin. Paul says to take these thoughts captive.  We are not going to stop them from jumping into our head but we can bind them in God.  We can acknowledge them and then discard them.  Sounds easy but in reality it may require us to continually repeat this especially when we are in a situation that seems unbearable or so big we are totally lost.  Keeping God’s word in our heart and mind gives us other brain food to dwell on and fight these thoughts when they appear.  It is also good to be mindful of others who may be going through a rough spell and we need to be filled with God’s word so that we can speak hope, faith and love to them.  Helping each other in these times can be very uplifting.

A passing shadows

“Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

Psalms 89:47  Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man!  What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah  

Job 7:7     “Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.

Job 9:25-26    “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good.  They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.

Job 10:9    Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust?

Psalms 39:5     Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah  Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

Job 14:1     “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

James 4:14     yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Ecclesiastes 3:19     For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.  All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Ecclesiastes 8:8    No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

Hebrews 9:27    And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

John 8:51     Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Psalms 49:15     But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

2 Corinthians 4:14     knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Sometimes I wonder if we live without thinking about our end.  There is an end to life as we know it.  What then?  Eternal life or eternal death (a death without being dead – a death of total separation from anything good – a death without the presence of God).  We hear of people saying things like -“well most of my friends will be in Hell so it won’t be lonely for me”, – Or “I’ll see you in Hell”,  – Or “All the fun people will be in Hell so it won’t be all that bad”.  Lies!!  Separation for God while we are alive might be a sliver of what it will be like – no peace, no hope, always striving for something more but never getting that which satisfies the soul.  This is what a life this side of death without Jesus Christ is.  It is made up of things that have no eternal value.  Scripture says this life is like a passing shadow or a vapor, here one day and gone the next.  It says no one has power over the day of death.  Yet man listens to lies as if this day will never come and that there is no eternal judgement after death.  If you live to be 100 years old, life is short in comparison to eternity.  If there is lies, no satisfaction, always needing and looking for more stuff to satisfy in this short life, imagine what it will be like for eternity – Scripture says those who reject Jesus will be cast into the “lake of Fire” that burns forever and there is weeping and gnashing of teeth forever.  Separation from God now is the choice people take in the presence of God, while He is near.  After judgement God separates Himself from those who rejected Jesus.  Come to Jesus, seek Him while He may be found, and find peace for your soul this side of eternity and forever.