From the Pulpit of Bro. JR. Fields
July 26, 2009

Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, we shall live, and get gain.  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appeared for a little time, and then vanished away.  For that ye ought to say, "IF the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."   James 4:13-15

Last week I looked into the face of a ninety-two year old woman before she died.  On Thursday night I walked in on an eighty-year old man taking his last breath.  Yesterday, I went to the hospital when a seventeen-year old boy had just died in a car wreck.  Last week a three year old baby had been taken from its home by a dog.  Its injuries are life threatening.  No doubt, the dog was a friendly dog because he was the family pet.  It was one of those things the parents would have never thought of happening.

As you can see, there is a great span of age difference in all these events.  Death is a reality no matter what the age may be.  When we are young, we think death is not something that is going to happen to us.  We are always going to be strong.  Death only happens to others.  That is what those kids thought when they piled into a truck yesterday (Last Saturday).  Death did not enter the mind of the young man who was killed.  He was only out for a day of fun, a joy ride with his friends.

Who is to say one of us may not be here next Sunday because death came unannounced?  Death often slips up behind someone before they even have time to think.  They do not see it coming.

James asked the question, "What is our life?"  He answered his own question with, "It is but a vapor and it is gone."  We all will face death and give account to God for the deeds we have done.  Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.  When all life ceases here, we do not cease to be.  Regardless of what some might try to persuade you to believe, there is life after death.

This week I was listening to a program on the radio.  There was a discussion between an atheist and a Christian.  They were asked the question, "Where do you go after death?"  The Christian gave some far-out answer that, to be honest with you, I didn't fully understand.  The atheist's answer pricked my heart.  He said, "When I die, my brain will stop functioning, my neurons will stop firing, and I will fade into darkness.  I will cease to be and there will be no one to answer to."  This seemed to be a highly intelligent man, but he was dead wrong.  It is plainly written in the word of God that after we die, then comes the judgment.  As I said before, we will all stand before a Holy and just God.  There the books will be opened and another book will be opened before us -- the Book of Life.  We are told that we will be judged from those books.  How we lived our lives will determine where we will spend eternity.

Do you know why there is such a strong desire to remove God from our perfect life?  If they could take God from our schools, our money, and deny His existence, they can do away with accountability.  No accountability -- no judgment.  But, friends, do you see what they are doing?  They are hiding their heads in the sand.

Sadly, many people are in the category of verse 13 -- Today or tomorrow, we will go to the city and continue there a year.  Are we promised a year?  Are we promised tomorrow?  We are not even promised a day.  There is one step between life and death.  I Samuel 20:3: Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as the Lord liveth, and as they soul liveth, there is but one step between death and Me.  Ecclesiastes, verse 3 talks about there being a time for everything under the heaven; a time to be born and a time to die.  Later in the chapter it talks about these things:

• We receive the blessings of God.  What should a man do that he should eat and drink and enjoy all the good of his labor?  It is a gift from God

• When a man dies his spirit goes to a place of judgment.  God will judge the wicked and the righteous for there is a time for every purpose and every work

I am saying this -- you have nothing to do with the moment your were born; that was completely out of your hands.  Neither have you anything to say about the time of your departure.  Unless you short-circuit the will of God, you have no control over your time of death.  However, you can do something.  We can prepare ourselves for the judgment.

In Ecclesiastes, the judgment is mentioned before death and not after death.  Why do you suppose that is?  Because after death you cannot do anything about it.  You must prepare for it before death. 

To repeat my dear old friend Don Drake "As the tree falls, so shall it lie."  (I have so many things I've heard him say for these many years I have known him).  Judgment is between life and death.  Do not believe for one moment that you have an ironclad guarantee you will see the sunrise tomorrow.

Simply spoken, my lifespan is not in my control.  Your lifespan is not in your control.  So, what do we do?  We get prepared.  Whether He comes to rapture us our, or whether He take us one-by-one, we get ready. 

It broke my heart to see those boys who were involved in that accident.  One of their friends was dead because of one mistake.  The driver of the truck will live out the remainder of his life with regret.  His life will never be the same.  All of the boys will be touched in one way or another -- all because of one mistake.  But do not judge them.  We have all made stupid mistakes at one time or another.  If I ask some of you to share some of your stories with everyone, you maybe would cause us to be terrified with some of your stories.  What is our life?  Its here as a vapor and gone in an instant.  Our life as explained on a tombstone is the date were were born -- the date we died.  It is summed up in one slash.  We were born and we died.

When Brother Don Drake left this world, his arrival was smooth. He glided right into Heaven's International Airport.  There was no turbulence and the landing was great. 

I took part in a funeral one time and the other minister explained it something like this:  This man got on a plane.  There were many he was leaving behind and they were all weeping because o his departure.  They shut the door behind him.  He sat down for just a little while, and then the plane landed.  The door opened and there were people rejoicing because of his arrival.  They were rejoicing because another saint had made it home.  If we are a Christian when we leave this world, there will be weeping at our leaving, but rejoicing on the other side.  Oh my gracious! Think of it -- when our plane lands we will see people like John Hood.  I don't know, but I believe he will be a big man over there, too.  There will be our loved ones rejoicing because we made it home.  I would beg you, if you are here this morning and not saved, get prepared today.  Tomorrow is not promised to you.

Bro. JR Fields
July 26, 2009