Lyle's Blog

Ecclesiastes 3:8 says there’s a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. The first verse says there is a season for everything and a time for every purpose under heaven.

We have to ask ourselves “whose purpose” is it talking about. Of course, it is God who planned this world and determines when these things take place. There is a time to be born again, but the soul that sins will die. The gospel seed is sown everywhere and the time will come when it will be harvested. Then we die to ourselves and the Lord builds us up; we wept because of our sin and laughed when grace took it away.

We mourn for the lost but dance when they are found. We used to throw “stones” at those we were at odds with but Jesus changed all that in Matthew 5:44. Now we’re supposed to love and pray for those that abuse us. Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father, because they know not what they do”. So we embrace the plight of the sinner but not their sin.

We spend much time in this life “getting”, working for money and position. But there is a time to give it all up for the sake of Christ. There is a time to keep His Word close to our hearts but in due time we must cast it out on the water.

Sowing seed, watering it, and working the harvest; that’s all their is to do.

Mathew 2: 13-23 tells the story of Joseph having a dream which instructs him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod is going to try to kill the child.  It sounds like he did so immediately upon waking.  After Herod died Joseph had another dream telling him it was now safe to return to Israel.  Joseph obeys quickly indicating he knew the Lord well and had faith God could be trusted with their lives.  What’s interesting is the reason God had for doing this: to full fill His Word.

The Word of God is important to God.  It should be of all important to us because His Word is true.  Daily we need to read, digest and follow His Word.  We are part of His history.

Psalms 115:17-18   The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.  Psalms 116:1-9  I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.  Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.  Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous yea, our God is merciful.  The Lord preserveth the simple:  I was brought low, and He helped me.  Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.  For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling  I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Hell is a subject of controversy and much of the Christian community puts it on the back shelf. because it’s too hard to deal with. There are people who say a “good” God wouldn’t send anyone to a place like that while others are of the opinion that just about everyone is going there except themselves.  Someone has got to be going to heaven you know.

I’m not going to get into the issue of whether there is a hell or not; if you read and believe the Bible then it becomes difficult to ignore what it says.  Those who don’t repent of sin will perish in an everlasting fire.  It’s an ugly, unthinkable thought.  Is this hideous eternal punishment necessary?  Couldn’t there have been another way?  I’m going to make the argument that, no, there wasn’t another way.  So, hold onto your hats and enjoy this little ride through the mystery of hell.

The law was given through the Jewish nation of Israel.  That’s how we learn how God deals with men while they live on earth.  They/we were given the ten commandments.  Though shall not do this and though shall not do that, pretty straightforward.

Jesus Christ further defined sin like adultery as an act that takes place in the mind (Matthew 5:28).  And the same applies to the rest of the law.  That’s why we are to develop the mind of Christ.  We are to be holy as Christ is holy, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Chor. 10:5).   We are responsible for our thoughts.

So if thinking about these things is a sin, then how do you rid the universe of sin?  Prevent people from thinking.  In hell the only thought is remorse.  In hell there is nothing to be desired, no future, no ambition; everyone is humbled.

The only way to stop sin is to stop man from thinking evil thoughts.  Hell stops the thoughts of man forever.

There is so much in the Bible that edifies our lives it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite verse.  Although I’m picking one here, it just says a lot to me.  It’s short and to the point..

It’s John 11:35  Jesus wept.  In those two words, we learn what God was like.  God had a Son.  The Son and the Father were one.  Jesus had left the riches of glory and became a man.  In the form of a humble man, Jesus could see and feel in a fleshly way the hopelessness of lost men.  He wept.

It’s anguishing to see people in the process of perishing.  He knew the justice of His Father.  The penalty for sin had to be paid.  He was the one chosen to make the payment.  It was planned at the beginning of creation.  It’s one thing to plan it; it’s another thing to feel it.  Living on earth, Jesus became acquainted with the grief of man.  Before Christ died He asked His Father “why have you forsaken me?”  It had never happened before.  He’d always had fellowship with the Father but not on the cross.  Now, He was just a man.

On the cross, Jesus suffered the rejection of men.  The beating, scourging, mocking, all of it was done by men.  Crucifixion was an extremely cruel way to die, but many others suffered that same fate.  The wrath of man is a fearful thing.  But Hebrews 10:31 says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Further Mathew 10:28 tells us not to fear those that kill the body but to fear God who can kill both body and soul in hell.

Vengeance is mine saith the Lord.  It was fearful for Christ to fall into the hands of His Father.  That was the unthinkable suffering of Jesus Christ.

Jesus will not be happy with those who reject His payment for sin; there will be hell to pay.  He’s not crying anymore.