As I started to pan this weeks article, I got a message that changed the topic and direction. I got a text from someone that had just lost a good friend. And the sender asked why God would take the friend so soon in life. And why He would not fix the friend’s disorganized mental state. These questions bring up important things we have all asked at one time or another as Christians.

None of us, I believe, are as stoic as Job. His response to loosing everything and almost everyone was ‘God gives and God takes away’. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.   And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.   His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.   And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.   And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 
   Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.   And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.   And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?   Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?   Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.   But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.   And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. 
   And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:   And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:   And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:   And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,   And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (Job 1:1-22).

We have all asked these questions. Whether is be the loss of a friend, parent, or child. The truth is, God does not always gives an answer as to why. If you read the entirety of the book of Job, You see that God allowed Satan to do as he willed to Job, except take his life. Why? To prove Job’s faithfulness. Job didn’t know this. Nor did God ever explain it to him. In fact, when Job questioned God, God did’t replay with an answer, He questioned Job. (Read Job chapters 38-40)

There are, however, scriptures that enlighten us to things like death. Scripture tells us in Ecclesiastes, ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; (Eccl 3:1-2). God has appointed when we come into this world. And has appointed the time we leave this world. Nobody lives beyond there appointed time. Taking from my own life, I have survived three heart attacks (I’m 54). My father died at 39 from his first heart attack. Everybody goes when God says so.

Another question that arises is, that person was such a good person and died young while this other person is wicked and lives a long life. And while it seems unfair, it brings two answers that are prominent. The first is the fairness of the righteous and the unrighteous suffering the same things. And let it be remembered that while some do good and others do evil, Jesus told us that only God Himself is good.‘And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. (Luke 18:19). We are told in the Psalms ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalms 14:1-3).

What the writer is saying is not that people don’t do good things. He is stating that without God, the human heart and mind are evil, even if they do good things. This is why eternity in heaven is not works based. ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph 2:8-9). Faith in Christ produces good works, but just being a ‘good’ person (without faith in Christ) will not get anyone into heaven.

While loosing someone close to us, or seeing innocent lives be taken (murder, war, etc) is a tragedy, the real tragedy is how their soul is at the time of death. And their final, eternal place. Make no mistake, there is a final place that we all go to. HEAVEN or HELL.

Those with Christ as their Savior will be in HEAVEN. Those without, will end in HELL.

And despite what society, and many preachers like Joel Olsteen say, there is only one way to HEAVEN. That is by accepting Jesus Christ and following His commandments. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Rev 14:12).

Without having received the grace of God through the saving by Christ on the Cross, HELL is the eternal reward. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,   And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:42).

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh (Isaiah 66:24).

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.   And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt(Dan 12:1-2).

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:   Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.   And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:   Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.   And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:   Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:43-48).

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:   Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thess 1:8-9).

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7).

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:   And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name (Rev 14:10-11).

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.   And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.   And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:10-15).

WILL YOUR NAME BE FOUND WRITTENIN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE? OR WILL YOU FACE JUDGEMENT INTO ETERNAL HELL?

SEEK CHRIST NOW WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME. FOR WE KNOW NOT WHEN WE WILL TAKE OUR LAST BREATH.