To late ( Hebrews 4 v 7 )

I am just coming to the end of my study on ,'Heaven and Hell, using the  Bruce Milne's book from the ,'the Bible speaks today series,'It is an excellent book and worth while to have, and study ,I found chapter 19 ,very instructive,it deals with ,the final judgement,the scripture reference is Revelation 20 v 1- 15.As you would imagine it is a very solemn subject, it is sad and indeed serious that many ministers ignore this vital subject,indicating they don't agree with it, or else they don't have the courage of their convictions to preach it. I will possible write again on this subject,in this chapter we read that the dead , great and small ,are standing before the throne,this is none other than the judgement seat of Christ ( 2 Corinthians 5 v 10). The only hope you and I will have on that day to escape the awful judgement that will be pronounced ,is that while living we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour,if we have not done this ,then  it will be to late,our doom will be sealed.

Don't give up. ( Luke 18 v 1- 8 )

Then Jesus told His disciples to show them that they should always pray and not give up, then he goes on to to teach them a parable, to illustrate the importance of this truth,read about in Luke 18 v 1 .It is R. C.Sproul who  quotes a speech by Winston Churchill made during the 2nd world war when England were facing the threat of invasion by Germany. He said this,''Never give in,never give in , never, never, never, never,- in nothing, great or small, large or petty- never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense''.When it comes to prayer we can come to the place  of giving in ,for different reasons, so Jesus is teaching us ,exhorting us not to give up. Whatever difficulties ,obstacles,disappointments ,we may be facing,He is telling do not give up, pray to the last moment in your life and to the last breath in your body.

Our weak efforts. ( Matthew 10 v 42 )

J.B. Phillips draws out the following in relation to our service for God,'Let nothing move you in the as you busy yourselves  as you busy yourselves in the Lords work. Be sure that nothing you do for Him is ever lost or wasted'Bruce Milne goes unto to say,'Every kingdom work, whether publicly performed or privately endeavoured, partakes of the kingdom's imperishable character. every honest intention, every stumbling word of witness, every resistance of temptation, every motion of repentance,every gesture of concern, every routine engagement, every motion of worship, every struggle towards obedience, every mumbled prayer, every thing, literally, which flows out out of our faith relationship with the ever Living One,will find its place in the ever-living heavenly order which will dawn at his coming. It is, and will be, so utterly worthwhile- because he rose.'

We try ( 2 Timothy 4 v 1 - 5 )

Again let us consider  further 2 Corinthians 5 v 11,'Since ,then  we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men'. We try, we may not succeed, but we must try, we may not be very gifted but we must try,we may be laughed at, but we must try.Yes we must try ,

Accountable ( Ezekiel 2 v 7 )

Following on from yesterdays message  concerning 2  Corinthians 5 v 11 ) 'Since we know what it is to fear the Lord we  try to persuade men'. I was struck by those words ,' we try to persuade men', looking back on my Christian  ministry, and my personal witnessing to people,all I can say I have tried like the great apostle to persuade men ,women and children,of their need of Jesus.Early on in my Christian life I was struck with the words God spoke to Ezekiel  in chap 2 v 7, '' You must speak my words to them,whether they listen or fail to listen.''I am not accountable for results I am only accountable as to my faithfulness''.Yes I will keep on trying.

Faithfulness ( Ezekiel 3 v 16 ff )

In 2 Corinthians 5 v 11 we read,' Since we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men' R.V.G. Tasker writing on this verse explains it in the following way,'Paul's' primary work is to persuade man of the truth of the gospel ( see Acts 18 v 4 ,and 28 v 23 ); and had he not continually 'walked in the fear of the Lord' ( see Acts 9 v 31 ) , he might have yielded to the temptation to curry favour with his hearers by whittling down his message to suit their tastes'. There is also that temptation to play to the gallery,but we cannot do that,we must be faithful to our calling to speak  Gods word,taht means the whole of Gods word.I do not get speaking in the church  I attend because of what I preach,I preach about sin,of heaven and hell, and the importance of people making a decision to trust Christ, for I know that one day I will be accountable as to my faithfulness in my preaching.

We all want to go to heaven. ( Acts 16 v 30 - 31 )

Johnny Cash was a famous and popular singer,he had a Christian background,him and his wife  used to sing with Billy Graham.I watched his last interview before he died, and the interviewer asked him about his views on heaven and hell.His answer was simple and uncomplicated,he replied, ''We all want to go to heaven''. Let me ask you a question, do you want to go to heaven?,you don't want to go to hell?. Nobody wants to go to hell,  I witnessed to a couple recently,when I mentioned hell they acted if it didn't matter.Sad because it does matter, do you want assurance that you are going to heaven?. well the answer is very simple,first you cannot enter heaven without you sins being forgiven,secondly the only way our sins are forgiven is by trusting Jesus,who died that we might be forgiven,and go at last to heaven.So ask Him to forgive your sins,accept him  as your Saviour and you will go to heaven.