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People Are Dying
What should have been a happy occasion turned into chaos at the Boston marathon
race and Patriots day festival. Little did the victims know that their lives
would be changed so drastically. So far only three have been confirmed dead,
which when you watch the video and the carnage that came through the camera
lens, seems so amazing.
Then in the town of West, Texas, a fertilizer plant caught fire and there was
a huge explosion. Early estimates are of many casualties. We also recognize
that the victims were not planning on getting hurt or killed this day. Once
again, lives were changed for the victims and their families.
Another news item showed where someone mailed some poisonous material to several
government officials. Had this been successful, more people would have died.
We read every day about an accidental death, or an automobile incident where
someone dies. We read in the newspaper and other sources where murders take
place. There is a trial going on in Pennsylvania of a doctor that killed many
babies soon after birth, or through a botched abortion where the child lived
and was breathing on its own. Of course when you consider the murder of millions
of babies, a few does not seem significant. I am sure the babies had a different
perception than that.
Every day someone dies in the hospital operating room or waiting room. They
die in their homes and at work. Do you detect a pattern about this article?
Yes, people are dying! Most of those we hear about are of such a nature that
indicates they were not ready to go. Some people have illnesses and disease
where death ends a slow torture. Others die of natural causes, and some natural
causes are killers (tornado's, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.).
The undeniable fact is that everyone is going to die a physical death. The Bible
teaches that all people of accountability die a spiritual death as well (Romans
3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". Hebrews
9:27 reads: "for it is appointed for man once to die, and after this the
judgment."
The best thing to think about is what our spiritual condition will be when that
time comes when our life is over. Jesus spoke of two roads (Matthew 7:13-14);
the broad way which leads to destruction and many will be found on it; or the
narrow way that leads to eternal life. I read about a preacher giving an invitation
and he made the point that the narrow way is so narrow; you cannot take your
sins with you. You have to be rid of your sins so that you can go through that
narrow way. Thankfully, Jesus paid the price to have your sins removed so that
you can enter that narrow gate. In fact that only thing we can take from this
life is our relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you are concerned about your soul, you should evaluate your condition and
make changes now, before it is everlastingly too late. All those people mentioned
that were ripped from the headlines were not expecting the end of their life
so soon. I would hope that some of them were ready to meet their maker with
clean lives, free from sin.
Since we are not guaranteed tomorrow (James 4:13-15), you must ask yourself
if you are ready to meet your maker. You may be young, you may be old, but either
way, you will die and you will stand before God in judgment (Romans 14:10; 2
Corinthians 5:10). So please get on the right pathway and live like you may
die at any moment. We must be ready, and preparation for that readiness should
begin now if you are not already doing so.
By Carey Scott
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