Uncle Brewer : On this side of the grass
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Mankind has one opportunity at this thing called life. In order for God Jehovah to be just He has to be "no respecter of persons. "Every human born has 24 / 7. We all are exposed either to His Word or His creation. Everyone knows that their grandmother didn't create what they know and see. It came about by a higher Power and that Power is God Jehovah.
So, what we do about Him or for Him, has to be done in this life," on this side of the grass. "David said," What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit ? Shall the dust praise Thee ? Shall it declare Thy truth ?"Psalm 30: 9. Also," I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my god while I have my being"Psalm 104: 33. Use the time He gives us for His purpose, not ours.
Every time I pass a cemetery I wonder how many of them are with Jesus in Heaven. All their questions about eternity or whether Jesus is really the Son of God and the Way to Heaven are settled. Both groups know the an swer to that now. All their records are sealed until the judgment day. Nothing can be added or changed. No power can steal good records or change bad records to look good. The books will be opened at the judgment (Revelation 20: 11, 12 ). Ones who said," I don't believe in God or a devil or a Hell," well, that did not change the fact. Others who did things they thought were more important and didn't take the time He gave them to go to His house and live for Him cannot go back and change it. They would give everything they accomplished on Earth for the chance to come back for "one minute"to make their heart right with God. But that decision has been made "on the side of the grass."
Jesus told a story about two men that lived once: Lazarus and Mr. Dives, as some scholars call him. It's recorded in Luke 16: 19-31. The rich man no doubt was of royal blood since purple in scripture stands for royalty. He also wore fine linen. Fine linen in scripture stands for righteousness. He may have been a good moral man. Jesus never condemned him for being rich. Solomon was rich. A person can be rich and still be good. The bad thing about riches is, do they "have us"instead of "us having "them ? Did we obtain them lawfully ? Do we share it with those who do not have ? "Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase"Proverbs 13: 11. Was the rich man blinded to the needs of Lazarus ? Did he know Lazarus was at his gate ? Surely he saw him if he was by his gate, that's right by his front door. But Jesus did not say. He may have been too busy preparing banquets for his friends to pay attention to a dirty beggar. The word "sumptuously"means luxuriously, radiantly, magnificently or brilliantly. It would take a lot of wealth to live like that every day. But sooner or later, death comes to us all.
Lazarus died and was carried by angels to Abraham's bosom. That place was paradise, somewhere under the Earth, across from Hell. The two places were separated by an impassable gulf. Before Jesus came to Earth as Savior, righteous souls, when death came to their bodies, went to paradise. Wicked souls went to Hell. Souls in either place could see each other. Since the ascension of Jesus, paradise is in the third Heaven (2 Corinthians 12: 2, 3. The rich man died "and was buried. "It does not say Lazarus was buried. I can see the rich man's funeral procession. No doubt it was long. Riches, highclass living, accolades, pats on the back or "he was a good-ole-Joe "does not a Christian make. We must settle the sin question "on this side of the grass."
To me, the "mother of all terrors"is to be born into existence, live a few years in this life, never accept what Jesus did for me on the cross than die and end up in the lake of fire for all eternity. It that happened to me, it would have been better for me if I had never been born (Mark 14: 21 ). For you see the grass will cover us (our bodies ) all green, blades down.
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