The Date

                                 Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door; jump right out & count to four.
                         If that chute don’t open wide; I’ve got another one by my side.
                         If that chute don’t open either; I’ve got a date with old Saint Peter.

     In some military circles, this is one of the more popular thoughts about death these days.  Of course, not many folks take the issue of death seriously, but since we all roll over and die eventually, let’s look at it now.
    There is an old book that speaks of such facts, and it has a way of being “right-on” time after time.  Whoever wrote it must have had his “head together” because it has even predicted the future hundreds of years in advance dozens of times.  This old book also speaks much about a pretty popular character we all hear about and speak of each day.  In fact, the average American male refers to Jesus Christ about six or eight times a day. (Too bad it's in a profane way.)  It is this Character, and not Saint Peter in any sense, that we have that date with when we sigh our last bad breath (or explode from hitting the landscape at 150 miles per). 
See John 5:22.
     I am impressed that we won’t recognize Him at first due to his terribly disfigured face and scarred body.  The old book says, “his appearance was so marred beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men.”  The setting will sober us to the marrow - its vivid color, sound, and living realness beyond anything of this life.  Then He will speak.  His voice will resound from the ends of the universe with ultimate authority and blood curdling finality.  “He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power.” Whether we are right with Him or not, truly “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  And we will all fall into those hands. (See "I Saw the King" Link 7)
      At that time there will be only one thing that matters - whether we have passed the test of life or not.  The grading will not be curved - the cut off score will be, “you rejected Jesus Christ and His salvation.”  Now He spoke of the loser’s reward as a place of "gnashing of teeth” and “eternal fire.” My friend, no one is destined to that place - it’s his own personal choice.  Are you making that choice?  “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at first was spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”
      Let’s cheat death and hell by simply aligning ourselves with that Man from Galilee who said, “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” And, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by me.”  And when we live the Christian life, God typically blesses his redeemed people real good.  See “What’s In It For Me?”  Link #28 Scriptures referred to are: Isaiah 52:14, Hebrews 1:3, 10:31, 2:3, John 10:9, 14:6 respectively.  KJV and RSV   Choose Jesus He is alive.

Many other Titles:  www.gospelnotes.org                                                            *  *  F. J. Stone  *  *
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