(Disclaimer: Some articles and links to articles published in this ezine may contain false doctrine. They are included due to some valuable content. The fact that they are printed here does not mean that we accept or endorse their doctrine. All writings of men, including ours, should be carefully compared to the New Testament writings.)


I count among my myriad blessings, that God has allowed me to see and gently stroke many of His baby creatures. One reason I love animals is that they, excluding man, do exactly what God intended. JH

Whether the Lord returns later today or tonight, or whether it be thousands of years...it makes no difference. We all know the day is coming. If it occurs within our life time, so be it. If not, then our death will usher it in, one way or another. And there should be no fear or regrets on our part. If we have failed to serve God as we should have, it is now high time that we make that right in His sight. As Loweezy Smif says, "Times a'wasting!"

If we have done our best, we need to give all diligence to recheck our steps and make certain. Plus we ought to strive even harder to go on out in a blaze of effort trying to do good, those things that are right in His sight. Jesus lived like a pauper here and had to walk everywhere he went. If you stop and think about the difference in His life and your own, you ought to be ashamed. Me, too. What have we sacrificed...for Him?

He could not run by Hardee's for a burger and fries. He ate whatever He could find. He and His apostles ate raw grain, and probably like John the Baptist, locusts and wild honey. Fish, we don't even know if they were cooked! He slept where ever he was at night time. There is no evidence that he had a 42+ inch waist like some of us have. And then he died a cruel death for US!

1 John 1:7 says: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

The word "cleanseth" carries the meaning of "continually cleans" which is the wonderful part of the law of Christ. As long as one is in Christ (the light) and striving to remain there, his accidental sins are not imputed to him.

Romans 4:8 says: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

If, tomorrow morning early: "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree." (Isaiah 34:4)

Will we be ready or "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us" (Luke 23:30)

Throughout the ages, countless speculations have been made about the final day of history. Some speculate about the time, others about the events that shall transpire. Such surmising has produced all sorts of strange doctrines, religions, and cults. The honest Bible student, however, sets aside speculations and accepts as doctrine only that which God reveals in His inspired Word, the Bible. With this in mind, notice from Matthew 25:31-46 a few facts that can be known about that final day.

It is a Day of Certainty (Mt. 25:31-33)

Consider how Jesus began this portion of his discourse: “When the Son of man shall come....” There are no questions of if or perhaps — it is definite! This same certainty is proclaimed throughout the Bible. Solomon wrote, “For God shall bring every work into judgment” (Eccl.12:14), Paul preached that God “hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world” (Acts 17:31), and Peter penned that “the day of the Lord will come” (2 Pet.3:10). Truly, the Bible teaches the certainty of that great day. It Shall be A Day of Welcome (Mt. 25:34-40)

Often, preachers point out from the Scriptures that heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people (cf. Jn.14:1-3). The text under consideration plainly emphasizes this point. Those who heard the words, “Come, ye blessed of my Father,” are those who diligently prepared themselves for that heavenly welcome. One Bible student suggested several reasons why we should prepare for that beautiful place called heaven: 1.) We cannot stay here (Heb.9:27; 2 Pet.3:10); 2.) All the faithful shall be there; 3.) The righteous have an investment there (Mt.6:20); 4.) It is a better place (Heb.11:6); 5.) We have been invited (Rev.22:17); 6.) Our Lord is there (Jn.14:3). Surely, those who want to hear those words of welcome on that day will diligently prepare themselves this day. It Shall Be A Day of Departure (Mt. 25:41-46)

Sadly, those who fail to prepare themselves for heaven, in essence, prepare themselves for hell. Even though that place of eternal torment was designed for the devil and his angels, much of humanity shall be doomed there to everlasting destruction (Mt. 7:13,14). In contrast to those who demonstrate their faith by good works (Mt. 25:35,36), those who shall hear the dreadful words, “Depart from me,” are those who demonstrate their lack of faith by their lack of obedience (Mt. 25:42,43). While separations from friends and loved ones are often difficult, no separation can compare to the eternal departure of an immortal soul from a just and benevolent God.

While numerous individuals and groups might choose to make broad and ungrounded speculations about that final great day of history, there are a few things we can know for sure about it:

1. It is definitely going to take place;

2. Some shall prepare for it and thus hear, “Come, ye blessed of my Father;” and

3. Others shall neglect opportunities to prepare and thus shall hear, “Depart from me.” Friend, since you know the day is coming, do you know what you shall hear?

(Reprinted from the Gospel Preceptor archives)

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go --Abraham Lincoln

I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know who his grandson will be. --Abraham Lincoln

I frequently find myself reminding patients I see in the emergency room of what they have to live for. Many of my patients have lived tragic, unrewarding lives and believe terminating their physical body will relieve them of their hurt and pain. Preparing this article has transformed my thinking. Rather than remind them of what they might have to live for, I should instead remind them they have nothing to die for. They will perish, and far from removing their pain, will have to endure an eternity of weeping. Christians, however, have nothing to "live for" in this sense and everything to die for. We know we are but sojourners (I Peter 1:17-19) on this physical earth and our reward awaits us and is being held secure for us by Christ on the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1-4, I Peter 1:4).

What has God revealed to us about our fate after we die? We are given three discourses on this subject by three different apostles. The apostle John was given a glimpse of Heaven and revealed this to us in the book of Revelation. While Revelation is highly symbolic, Christians can still understand the message that Christ has already conquered Satan and He will return shortly to gather His saints together (Revelation 22:6-13). John was so affected he fell down and worshiped at the feet of the angel who showed him the vision. His final comment to the Lord's words: "surely I come quickly", were "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). After seeing what was to be, John was ready and willing for it to happen and encouraged the Lord to carry out His promise.

Peter's discussion of our fate is different in that he looks forward to the coming of Christ as the time when all shall be revealed. Peter states that our salvation is protected by our faith (I Peter 1:5). This salvation, eternal life with God, will be revealed to us in the last time, Christ's second coming. He affirms that though we have not seen Christ, we love Him, and though He is not among us physically, we believe in Him (I Peter 1:8). This love and belief is cause for inexpressible joy, for as a result of this he says you will "obtain as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (I Peter 1:9). This salvation was something even the prophets were not able to see and, in fact, angels longed to look into (I Peter 1:10-12).

Finally, perhaps Paul's account is the most specific. Paul, himself, when discussing the choice of remaining here on this earth said it was "far better" to depart and be with Christ (Phillipians 1:23). How did he know this? From the second letter to the Corinthians we read an interesting account (II Corinthians 12:2-10). A man (from the context we know this is Paul) is taken up into that part of Heaven known as Paradise (this is the same word used in Luke 23:43 by Christ when He told the thief that "today you will be with me in Paradise."). Paul saw where Christ went after His crucifixion. It was so vivid an experience he couldn't tell if he was still in his physical body or out. There he heard such glorious words that a mortal man is not capable of expressing and in fact words that a man is not allowed to speak (II Corinthians 12:4). The revelation was so magnificent that God gave him a physical ailment to keep him humble (II Corinthians 12:7). Paul knew that it was better to be with Christ in Heaven because he had seen the glories of Heaven! What awaits us in Heaven is so splendid that apparently it is not good to know about it while still on earth.

Christians can rejoice in the assurance of our fate. The reward for living a righteous life while on the earth is unimaginable. John symbolically describes its glory and encourages the Lord to come quickly. Peter tells us that prophets and angels were not able to see into salvation and the "glories to follow" (I Peter 1:11) but that it is reserved in Heaven for us through our faith. Paul saw and heard things that were so marvelous he was not allowed to reveal them and in fact suffered physically for seeing them himself.

Truly, we have a lot to die for. Peter places the correct interpretation on earthly tribulation in I Peter 1:6-7: "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Amen.

Most of you have read previous articles I've written concerning eternity after death. I don't want to belabor the issue, but after reading brother Coffman's article (reprinted above), I have become more and more convinced that I can partially, at least, visualize the basics of life in the Spirit realm. There are a number of things we can absolutely know, and then by the process of elimination, see what shapes up. It does indeed, become very interesting and appealing. Following are some biblical facts that we can know:

1. The physical matter that forms this entire universe, including flesh, blood, elements (i.e. chemical and mineral elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, etc) will be totally and completely eradicated. ( 2 Peter 3:10-12 ) ( 1 Corinthians 15:41-58 ) ( 1 John 3:2 )

2. Paul records that he was taken up to the third heaven and brother Coffman explains that Paul used the same word for "third heaven" as Luke used for "paradise" referred to by Jesus as where he and the penitent thief would rest. Paul says he could not "discern" whether or not he was in the body.

3. There will be no pain, no sickness, no dying, no crying, no gender, no hunger, no thirst, no bills, no worries. How do I know that? Because the Bible says that and besides, all of those are physical! Nothing left, except the spirit. God is a spirit. A spirit is not confined to an area. It is mentality. A spirit does not grow, does not age, does not deteriorate. It is not affected by any physical thing, not by cold, not heat, not disease, not bullets, not explosions.

So, what can we expect that eternity in heaven will be like? We don't know fully how that will be, but Paul seems to have been super-impressed even in the third heaven. But it is a given that it will be wonderful indeed, realizing the fact that our Father knows everything there is to know, that he can do anything that can be done and that he wants us to be happy.

Sin: it seemed like such a good idea at the time

We would completely understand God if we were omniscient. If we had infinite IQ.

Famous last words: I did it my way

Sunrise: A gift from God.