Post by spiritualdigest on Mar 8, 2005 3:23:30 GMT -5
Dear Beloved,
AN UNDISPUTABLE AFFIRMATION
"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (1 Corinthians 15:32, NIV).
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV).
I was in a burial service recently when the preacher in his sermon asked each of us in the service to tell the person sitting by our side, "You will die!" Each of us said the statement reluctantly because no one wanted to hear such an affirmation. When the preacher noticed the reluctance in most of us to say the affirmation and the countenance of some of us to such affirmation, he referred us to one of the Bible verses above - "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we [will] die" (1 Corinthians 15:32, NIV) - to corroborate the affirmation. He further explained that the "tomorrow" may actually be the next day and it may be hundred years. The certain fact is that each of us will die one day.
As a matter of fact, each of us will die one day - young or old, male or female, rich or poor, wise or foolish, educated or uneducated (see Ecclesiastes 2:14-16; 3:19-20; 6:8). It is a debt that each of us has to pay one day. The only exception is the believers in Christ that will be lucky to be alive when He comes to take them home. Only such people will experience the mystery Paul discussed in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, "We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed" (NIV), and in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "…we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with [the dead that will rise first] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" (NIV). Apart from those that will experience this, death is inevitable!
Such an undisputable affirmation is not what most people want to hear. They want to continue enjoy this life till eternity. This has made some to forget their Creator not do good while they can still do it. Many even refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
The writer of the book to the Hebrews said, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV). Are you ready for this judgment? It is an undisputable affirmation!
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
AN UNDISPUTABLE AFFIRMATION
"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (1 Corinthians 15:32, NIV).
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV).
I was in a burial service recently when the preacher in his sermon asked each of us in the service to tell the person sitting by our side, "You will die!" Each of us said the statement reluctantly because no one wanted to hear such an affirmation. When the preacher noticed the reluctance in most of us to say the affirmation and the countenance of some of us to such affirmation, he referred us to one of the Bible verses above - "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we [will] die" (1 Corinthians 15:32, NIV) - to corroborate the affirmation. He further explained that the "tomorrow" may actually be the next day and it may be hundred years. The certain fact is that each of us will die one day.
As a matter of fact, each of us will die one day - young or old, male or female, rich or poor, wise or foolish, educated or uneducated (see Ecclesiastes 2:14-16; 3:19-20; 6:8). It is a debt that each of us has to pay one day. The only exception is the believers in Christ that will be lucky to be alive when He comes to take them home. Only such people will experience the mystery Paul discussed in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, "We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed" (NIV), and in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "…we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with [the dead that will rise first] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" (NIV). Apart from those that will experience this, death is inevitable!
Such an undisputable affirmation is not what most people want to hear. They want to continue enjoy this life till eternity. This has made some to forget their Creator not do good while they can still do it. Many even refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
The writer of the book to the Hebrews said, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV). Are you ready for this judgment? It is an undisputable affirmation!
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).