Bible Study Verse
James 4:13-15
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." (NIV)
Hebrews 9:27-28
Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. (NIV)
Thoughts
It's was a sad Summer in the lives of Arizonans last year. A lightening caused fire began burning the brush in the mountains near Yarnell, about fifty miles west of Phoenix which terminated an elite "Hotshot" team comprised of 20 firefighters that was sent in to fight the blaze. Understand, these were the best of the best, they don't come any better or are any more well trained.
Many of you undoubtedly know by now of the unfathomable tragedy that occurred. Something went terribly wrong and the fire reversed its course. Suddenly the flames that were blowing away from the firefighters were blown directly back to where they were. There was no escape.
Nineteen of the twenty Hotshots perished in that inferno. All of these men died trying to save the community of Yarnell when the residents of this small community were helpless to save themselves.
(Cliff S)
Action Point
James is telling us that time is of the essence regarding our salvation. We all face death, we just don't know the day or the hour that we will breathe our last.
I've often said that we all have a ticket to get on the train, we just don't know the day our ticket will get punched. We plan for the next hunt, for the next day's work, for the next vacation with our family, and for a variety of other wonderful experiences that we expect to enjoy in our lives.
But, as James says, we have no idea what today or tomorrow will bring. So, do we plan for the event that we will all experience? God says in the Bible in Hebrews 9:27-28 that it is appointed unto all men once to die, then to face judgment, but that Christ sacrificed Himself and took our judgment upon Himself. If we believe in Him. Jesus' death brought salvation to us when we were helpless to save ourselves.
All we have to do is accept Jesus by faith. So, have you planned ahead for your death? Will you face your appointed judgment or will you let Jesus face that for you? It is going to happen.
As a friend of mine, when he's speaking of the day he stands before God and God asks why he should be let into His eternal kingdom, says his response will be to point at Jesus and say, "I'm with Him!"
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
If you love your family have a will or trust written in order to take care of your family when you pass from this life to the next. It is one of the most loving things you can do for them.
And, remember to thank a Firefighter and/or a Law Enforcement Officer for what they do. They never know on a daily basis if they will go home to their families.
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