Friday, April 27, 2012

Utter Earthly Despair or Divine Joy Through Christ


Job 1:18-22 
18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 
19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 
21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORDgave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." 
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. 



Today, a year ago marks in history, a tragic day of utter despair for Alabama. A tornado ravaged and took lives, changed lives and devastated landscapes across our state. Against these things man has no mercy except for the Lord! I am reminded of the book of Job in God's Word, and how it appears a tornado took the lives of Job's children. They were living life just as the people of Alabama were doing that normal day, never expecting their souls would be required of them that day. Life is funny that way, you must always expect the unexpected!! I remember watching the tornado on TV and feeling utterly helpless, knowing that lives would be lost but praying to God for mercy for the ones in the path of the storm.

Lord, how can people trust in their selves and not You? Lord, forgive us when we think we can rely on our self. Help us to teach that our souls live eternally. Amen

Ecc.12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.


Dan.12:2-3 
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 
3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.


Matt25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

1 Cor.15:12-24

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 
15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

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