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

 

 

 1 John 5:11-13    And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

 John 3:36     Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

 John 5:24    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

 John 6:47    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

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

 John 11:26    and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 Mark 16:16    Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

 1 Peter 1:21   who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

 John 10:27-30   My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

 1 Thessalonians 5:9     For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

 1 John 3:14    We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

 Ephesians 2:5     even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

The second we were born we were given a “death sentence”. Seems harsh, doesn’t it? Some may be born and live 70 to 100 years. Others are much shorter. However, the fact remains that every last one of us will die. We will experience death. Our time on this side of eternity will stop. All of the pleasures, trials, blessings, troubles, love, anger, joy, hate, worry, fear, peace, hope, etc…… on earth will cease for us. We do not know the day or time of our death but it is as sure as the sun rising and setting.  We don’t give much thought to our death, but we sure give much thought to our living. 

We try to prolong life and delay death without giving much thought to death. It seems as though it is something that happens to others and not so much to us, when in fact, it will. We don’t know when our time will be over. And yet it will happen. 

When we don’t give thought to death and what is on the other side of it, our lives become full of only what this world has to offer us. temporal things, things that will decay, things that give us short-lived satisfaction, and they are all left behind when we die. 

There is a spiritual side to every single person born just as there is a fleshly side. We tend to the flesh but give little thought to the spiritual. Think about it, how much of your time any given day is given toward God and eternity compared to things of this world. 

Scripture tells us that though our flesh dies our spirit lives forever. It also reveals that there are two destinations to which our spirit will arrive. Eternal life in heaven with God or eternal total separation from God in hell. How important then is it to give time to thinking about the eternal over what is temporal?  How important is it to give thought to eternal life in heaven and eternal separation in hell? 

Scripture says – Death

 Romans 5:12     Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Hebrews 9:27.  “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”. 

 Job 14:5    Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,

 Job 30:23     For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.

 Psalms 89:48     What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

 Ecclesiastes 3:20    All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

 Ecclesiastes 9:5     For the living know that they will die

 Ecclesiastes 12:7   and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Scripture says – 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.

 Ecclesiastes 12:14     For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

 Matthew 25:31-34     “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.

41  “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.

 2 Timothy 4:1     I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead

 Romans 2:5   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.

 Romans 14:12   So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

 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.

 Jude 1:15    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.”

Scripture says – Life

Jhn 3:16    “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15-16    The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

 John 3:36    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

 John 5:24     Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

 John 20:31    but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

 Romans 5:21     so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Romans 6:23     For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 1 John 5:11-12    And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

God is greater than what you fear

Genesis 28:15   Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6     Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Jeremiah 1:19     They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”

1 Kings 8:57     The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us,

John 10:28-29     I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Hebrews 13:5-6    Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Psalms 121:5-8     The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Romans 8:31-32    What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Isaiah 41:10     fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

There is much happening in our lives, neighborhoods, schools, work place, states, country, and the world that can and at times does give us reason to fear what is happening.  I think this is natural.  The nature of man, without God in their life, ought to be fearful and afraid.  Lying, fighting, partial truths, global warming, natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes, wildfires), sickness, cancer, law suits, pornography, godlessness, financial troubles, jobs, hacking, stealing, death, divorce, bias news, child abuse, wife abuse, foster care, pride, greed, sex trafficking, pedofiles, murder, shootings, etc… are all things that can and do happen frequently.  Who in their right mind would not have fear knocking at their minds door?

Fear is a natural response to a belief concerning something dangerous or unwelcome may happen.

Are any of these greater than God?  Can any of them thwart God’s plan’s and purposes?  Can any of them take God by surprise?  NO!!! they are not and can not.  God is sovereign and King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God above all things.  He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  He knows all, sees all, above all, and in control of all the things that have potential to bring fear into our lives.

He promises to be with us, help us, uphold us,, keep us, never leave us, shelter us, encourage us, go before us, and deliver us.  He has given many examples of these through scripture; creation, flood, ark, Red Sea, manna, fiery furnace, lion’s mouth, serpent’s, blind, deaf, dead, chains, walls, rivers, mountains, and many more.  What do we have to fear?

Fear of the unknown has a way of robbing us joy.  It takes live from our soul.  It confuses our heart and mind.

As much as we want to think that we are strong and fear will not have a place in our heart and mind, it seems to find a place when we least expect it.  This is when faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God must engage.   It is natural to have sudden fear but, once recognized, it needs to be put into it proper place – subjected to faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God.  Recognizing it for what it is “natural fear” and laying it at God’s feet, and trusting in His ever present power, might, strength, and love is where we see fear defeated and God glorified.

The one example I always look at is when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would not bow to the great idol even with threat of being cast into fire.  They said they would not bow and that their God was able to keep them from harm and even if He didn’t they would not bow.

God’s will, God’s plan, God’s purpose, God’s timing, God’s protection, God’s love are never wrong.

Rely on, cling to, and trust in Him whatever may come your way.

They follow Me

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

“Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.”

Joh 9:1  As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.  And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Ecclesiastes 9:1    But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God.

Luke 13:2    And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Acts 4:21     And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

Proverbs 16:3    Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

Isaiah 26:12     O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.

As much as we want to think we are in control and have it altogether, we do not.  We make plans, we do this and that many times without giving God a second thought.  While living this side of eternity our culture can convince us we don’t need God everyday.  In fact we might not even give Him a thought.  Satan would love nothing greater than to have us neglect God and become complacent in our walk with Him.  Our purpose is to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.  With this our purpose this side of eternity how is it possible if we neglect to seek Him, desire Him, listen for His whispers of guidance, and spend time in His word.  It is not possible and without placing God first in all we do, all the time, we live a lie serving only ourselves.  How do we encourage others in their walk if we do not start first with all our heart, mind and soul seeking Him.  Spend time in His word and listen for His whispers of guidance.