The temperature was just right for Jeff
and Daisy’s “white party” disguised as an open house. Both Jeff and Daisy were very popular and
though it was an RSVP semi-casual affair, the “all white” dress code would be
strictly enforced to keep down uninvited guests. Everybody who thought they were anybody would
be there. Eva, Daisy’s sister, was
coordinating the event because she loved her sister, but mainly because it kept
her occupied since her separation from Alec almost a year ago. Soon after the bankruptcy filing, Eva found a
new job making more money than she had before the layoff and she was content.
Roland RSVP’d for two but his date
flaked at the last minute so he called a friend and asked him to attend the
event who reluctantly agreed especially when he discovered he had to wear
white. They arrived at a very nice home in the Oakland Hills. The view was absolutely spectacular (minus
the smog). The greeter directed them to a
second greeter who ushered them down the endless flight of stairs to the
beautifully decorated backyard where the main festivities were taking
place. Alec, Roland’s alternate guest,
saw several people that he recognized but when Daisy and Eva emerged from the
white food tent, he felt light headed as the blood seemed to stop flowing. Daisy saw him first and gave him a look like
“what are you doing at my house?” Eva followed the direction of Daisy’s glance and
ran right into Alec’s eyes. She smiled
and continued to mingle with the remaining guests without moving anywhere near
his direction. Daisy reported the
intruder to Jeff but then he realized the text he received from Roland about a
replacement must be Alec. Jeff assured Daisy
there was no need for alarm, besides it was inevitable that Alec and Daisy would
run into each other eventually. Daisy wanted
Alec gone for Eva’s sake but she trusted her husband and returned to her
guests. Jeff found Alec, greeted him and
told him to make himself at home. Alec
heard the words but felt like a complete jerk because he knew half the people
from his marriage to Eva. Though no one
treated him indifferently, he felt like the uninvited guest. He couldn’t just leave because he rode with
Roland who had disappeared and it was too far to walk down off this hill so he
was stuck.
Have you ever attended a function
that you were not invited to attend? I
have and let me tell you no matter how confident you are with yourself that can
be a very awkward an uncomfortable feeling, especially if you can’t leave for
reasons beyond your control.
During the Victory Declaration
yesterday, we re-capped the Eviction
Notice that lead to the Separation
of Alec and Eva as well as the cause and effect of Adam and Eve’s separation
from God. Today, I want to go further
and discuss the penalty of sin. God judged Adam
right on the spot for his disobedience and then he sentenced him to death, even
though he didn’t die right away, death was inevitable. And
just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment. Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)
Some
people believe that once you die, that’s it, you’re dead and forgotten. Others believe in life after death and they will
return as a tree, animal, another person, etc.
Another group believes they will go to heaven or hell; another group
believes in heaven and hell but if you weren’t quite good enough you go to
purgatory to “get it together” and when you’re holy enough you go to
heaven. Contrary to what many people believe
there is life after death, however, we will not return as other people or things,
we receive eternal life or experience eternal damnation, depending on how you
lived your life.
For the wages of sin
is death, but the free gift of
God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT)
The old school church folk used to say
“payday is coming after while”. The
payment/reward (wages) for sin is death.
Think about it, if a person consistently pollutes their body through
self-medication (drugs, alcohol and food) they will eventually die, having
successfully killed themselves, its legal suicide. Awe, come on Tania, you make it sound so
serious; that’s because it is. If you
voluntarily ingest substances (consistently) proven to be harmful to your body
they will eventually kill you. Maybe not
as quick as a bullet, but death is death regardless to of its cause. That latter part of the scripture above says
God has a free gift for anybody who wants it but it can only be received
through and by his son, Jesus Christ.
There
is no escaping death or judgment because when it calls for us this is one
appointment we will cannot miss, reschedule or arrive late to. So for those who feel like they can do
whatever they want without any consequences or for all of those who think they
have gotten away with this, that and the third.
I have news for you, sweetie, somebody’s watching you and ain’t big
brother, it’s Big Daddy and He’s looking and booking. I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but all
your stuff is being recorded, including the secrets you have never shared with
anybody and it’s not by the federal government.
Big Daddy’s watching you.
And I saw a
great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his
presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead,
both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened,
including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had
done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its
dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according
to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown
into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And
anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into
the lake of fire. Revelations 20:12-15
(NLT)
I
know that we try to “rank” sin based upon our moral compass and laws of the
land, but listen to this: But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt,
murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all
liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second
death.” Revelations 21:8 (NLT). Life is not a game, neither is Salvation
nor hell, it’s real. We will be held
accountable for our actions sooner or later and I have no intention of spending
eternity in hell.
Then the devil,
who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur,
joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night
forever and ever. Revelations 20:10 (NLT)
My husband, Carl’s, grandfather died
in 1998 at the age of 100. He had been
preaching the gospel for well over 50 years.
I’ll never forget something he said which was: “If you go to hell, you will go as an uninvited
guest because hell wasn’t designed for us.”
Are you gonna be a party crasher?
We'll
pick it up tomorrow
In
His Humble Excellence
Tan
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