How odd is it, my Friends, in 2018 Kenny Rogers released the song “The Gambler” about being a Pro-Gambler? Strangely enough, he talks about his teacher going off to bed and “Breaking even” one night, essentially, passing away in his sleep. It got me to thinking, how many people think that when they die they are “Breaking Even.” In my mind, that is an Oxymoron if ever there was one.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.”

The Holy Word of God states that there is a “Highway to Destruction” while, as yet, it states there is a “Path to Life.” Thus, we can understand there is NO Breaking Even, that through a person’s own decision, they will choose ONE WAY or the other. There is a Path to Destruction or a Path to life, but each and every person will be required to choose one or the other and never Break Even. The Path to Destruction is chosen by denying Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, while…the Path to Life is chosen by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Master. Any person must choose of their own free will. Their name will be written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life” or it will not!

With that being stated in the Bible, it is clear, you will either go to Heaven for Eternity…or you will not!

Now, that being clearly stated, why would anyone choose Hell?! Think about this, y’all; most people like their comforts, so why would they choose to go to Hell for Eternity? Please remember, we live for approximately 80 years; am I correct? Now we are able to see that Eternity is far longer than just 80 years, and we already have a problem with having too few comforts in this life! Why…would they choose an Eternity in Hell and damnation?! Do you see? An Extreme Oxymoron…right? And to think, so many people think they are intellectuals, when their final destination is Hell and the Lake of Fire!

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Is that not obvious enough? People already know of their own Sin. What is far worse, is when people choose their own Sinful Life instead of a Life led by Jesus Christ. In other words, they choose their own Sinful life rather than choose an Eternity in Heaven. Somewhere along the way, they have deceived themselves into thinking their own Sin is more desirous. They will tell you that they like comfort and safety, and yet they choose the horrors of Hell and the Lake of Fire…for Eternity!

My Friends, there will never be “Reign in Hell”! That is absolute garbage to believe! Somewhere along the way, they believe they will be leaders in Hell. The Truth is, they will be isolated in true darkness in Hell, never to see another for Eternity! Forever separated from the Lord God, tormented and horrified forever. And there will absolutely No End to it!

How sad it will be to KNOW they could have chosen Jesus Christ and Heaven forever…but they chose otherwise!

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

Once you die, there is NO second chance; your future destination is written in stone! As the verse above says… not me! If one recalls, our lives are indeed short; and this is because we are here to choose either Jesus Christ or Satan. That, my Friends, IS the reason for this life here on earth.

Psalms 90:10 “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (A “Score” is 20 years; 3 score = 60 +10 = 70 years.)

Notice in the Passage of Scripture above it says, “Yet is their strength Labour and Sorrow.” That is indeed something to think about and consider. We already know that it is very difficult to live on this planet, trying to eek-out a living, some with comforts, and others, not so much. In Genesis, after the Lord God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, God told them they would till the ground by the sweat of their brow. And so, ever since, everyone has done so; we must work and work hard all the days of our lives. This will never change until we die!

Along with that, we live in constant fear of losing our lives in some horrible manner. We fear losing our stuff to some burglar, having our homes broken into, to a Car-Jacking, our money stolen, and so many other things! Would you like proof? Why do we fear these things, especially death, and yet we go to theaters and watch a movie that scares the living-bejabbers out of us… why is that? Is that not an Oxymoron? Any other time, you would wonder if we even liked ourselves at all!

Why is it that we are more concerned with our “Stuff” than we are being concerned about our Eternal Home? We spend large amounts of money for Insurance, on our lives and stuff, yet we seldom consider where our home in Eternity will be. I believe that is proof enough when you consider this. We don’t understand, and that is because we are not willing to read the Holy Word of God! We need to clearly understand what God’s Plan is for us, and then follow it. If you want the Comfort and Safety of Heaven…you NEED the Word of God…you NEED Jesus Christ!

There is NO…”Breaking Even” in this life, and there never has been. Simply put, “It is the Lord’s Way or the highway!”

May the Lord Truly Bless and keep you.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

All Passages of Scripture come from the King James Version of the Bible.

All Emphasis is mine.

twobears44@gmail.com

Let’s pretend for a moment. One day, some Police Officers show up to your house, and they forcibly handcuff you and throw you in their squad car. You have not done anything wrong that you know of, yet still they persist. The next thing you know, you are in a court of Law and standing before a Federal Judge. Now the Judge asks you, are you a Christian, and you reply that you are. The Judge slams the gavel down and declares you are guilty. Then you are taken into a public courtyard and handcuffed to a huge stump where you will be lashed with a whip.

Now I am sure you will be hollering and yelling for mercy and asking what you have done to deserve this sort of treatment. Am I correct?! One thing is for sure, you are definitely upset and fearful and angry at the same time. Jesus Christ was not any of those things!

The next thing you see is a huge man full of muscles walking toward you with a whip, full of hooks firmly embedded in the ends. Now you are crazy scared because this man is going to tear you a new one for sure! The man begins to hit you with that whip! Each and every time he hits you, those hooks dig in, and every time he pulls that whip back, he tears a chunk of flesh out. Can you imagine the pain that is inflicted on you?! The huge man does not stop with a couple of whips; he continues until you almost pass out! Not only is there pain, there is a lot of blood, your blood, being spilt and splashed everywhere. Now this is on your back, your sides, your neck and head, and your legs and buttocks!

Can you imagine for a moment the humiliation for not only being whipped out in Public, but being naked as you are being whipped? (People love watching all the gore in front of them. Why do you think people crane their necks as they pass a car accident?) They stand there and watch as you are beaten within Passing out! And no one does a single thing about it; no one dares to holler out that you are innocent for fear they will replace you on that stump! How bad does this hurt? How much pain must you endure? Can you imagine this scenario? How would you deal with this?

Isaiah 52:14 “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”

John 19:1 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.”

What is being stated here is this: Jesus was beaten so badly that no one was able to recognize HIM. For a moment, ask yourself this: how bad would they have to beat you before no one would be able to recognize you? THAT, my Friends, was SCOURGING. It was meant to cause as much pain and bleeding before passing out as possible so that the time in hanging on a cross would be minimal. Not a quick death by any means; and Jesus Christ did this for you and me without complaint!

As a matter of fact, Jesus Prayed and asked the Father to NOT hold what they were doing to HIM against them.

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

So, by now, they want you to carry a cross that they will soon nail you to, to a place of crucifixion! You are already in severe shock and almost dead, and you have not been crucified yet! Are you able to see my point here?

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

My Friends, stop and think for a moment; what does that Passage of Scripture mean? HE was wounded and Bruised for OUR SIN. Please remember, Jesus was guilty of NOTHING. Still as yet, HE took that punishment for YOU and for ME. We deserve that beating and that Crucifixion, NOT HIM. What kind of Love…does it take for HIM…to accept that punishment for US? I am sorry, but I have no idea of that level of Love! That was incredible to say the least! No One has ever done anything of that sort for me. Jesus Christ is the only one!

Many of the Pastors and Scholars will say that HIS Stripes healing us means Spiritual Healing. I do not believe that! I have sat a number of times dealing with pain, and I have asked the Lord to alleviate that pain, and HE has, when pain medication did not work. So, you tell me, do “HIS Stipes heal us?!”

We must always remember Proverbs 5:3-8, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”

I believe the Word of God has answered that question for us! And I will always BELIEVE the Bible! I have proof for myself that the Word of God is Truth and that HE is always there to help us. It says so in the passage of Scripture above…and HE has worked in my Life as well…therefore, I KNOW.

Are you willing to take the “Leap of Faith” in your life? Are you willing to not only accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but are you willing to “Surrender All of your Life to HIM?” That means “Heart, Body, Soul and Spirit,” as in everything that you are or ever will be. Please remember, my Friends; it’s a big, thick, line…it is ALL or nothing! And there ain’t two ways about it!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

All Passages of Scripture come from the King James Version of the Bible.

All Emphasis is mine.

twobears44@gmail.com