He could have become a Christian, but he became a criminal. He could
have lived a missionary, he decided to be millionaire. Early in life, you
would have thought a John was in the making, but he ended up being a
Judas. We thought he would be another Paul, but he became another
Pilate. If he had given his life to Christ on that day of decision, the
world would have rejoiced for another Wesley, a proclaimer of holiness,
but years after his day of opportunity, he was seen as an aimless
vagabond carrying on his face regret of indecision.
Only one life, but with various possibilities for fruitfulness or
worthlessness.
“And as IT IS APPOINTED unto men once to die but after this the
judgement” Hebrews 9:27. We must face that fact. We must think
straight and think right on this - “IT IS APPOINTED” How solemn - so
unspeakably solemn! But if we die, is there not a chance to come back
and live again? Can we not live a vicious life now and then come back
to earth to live a virtuous life? Is there a single life - only one - to live?
Indeed, only one life. What a disturbing disappointing thought if that
life is wasted. What a terrifying realisation: “IT IS APPOINTED”!
“ONCE TO DIE” “AFTER THIS THE JUDGEMENT! Is death certain?
Is there a day of reckoning, a day of judgement? Is there a reward, a
recompense for a life of sinful career, without a second chance to live?
God, angels and men, heaven and hell, all give the same answer “IT IS
APPOINTED” ONCE TO DIE” “AFTER THIS, THE JUDGEMENT”.
What account will you give? “Give an account of thy stewardship for
thou mayest be no longer steward”! (Luke 16:2). What account? When
you come to the end of the road, when you get to Jordan’s shore, when
the last bells ring? When the pleasures of life cease to be pleasures,
when beautiful buildings and equipage are no more seen or delightful?
When you are on the brink of eternity, what account would you give?
What will your answer be? What a day that will be! No doubt, friend,
you would tell of church membership, of baptism and confirmation, of
monthly contribution or tithe paying, of trips to holy lands and of self-
righteousness! But your answer would be void of Christ as your life on
earth had been void of Christ. And your hope would be shattered! The
hope of heaven would be replaced with the reality of hell. What is your
hope? It would depend on what your decision is now - wise or
otherwise!
Only one life! And only one TRUTH that matters for time and eternity!
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”
(John 3:16). “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save His
people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). “God commended His love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8). Only one TRUTH! Believe and act on this truth. Tell
the Lord of your sinful condition, sinful actions and sinful state. Ask for
His forgiveness and ask the Lord to come into your life and heart, to
become your Saviour. If you do that with sincere, hearty repentance,
believing from the heart as you pray. Christ will come into your heart
with peace and joy unspeakable flooding your soul. And you will have
the ONLY ONE EXPERIENCE that would put purpose into your living.
“Only one life”; Only one TRUTH; “Only one experience.” Think and
act on these things.
Only one life! And there is only one hindrance to stop the flow of
God’s love into that life: Only one hindrance - sin. Be it the sin of
fornication or wickedness, or covetousness or maliciousness or envy or
murder or rebellion and debate against God’s word or deceit and lying
or hypocrisy or malignity or whispering and backbiting or gossiping or
hatred of God and man, or pride and boasting or disobedience to parents
or any unrighteousness, it is the one hindrance, the one barrier between
you and God. What shall I do? Forsake the sin, accept the Lord! Ask
for the cleansing flood of His blood to cleanse you on the inside. On
your knees, pray, be clean and renewed. Only one life! Only one truth!
Only one hindrance! What a sobering thought. Believe and act on these
things. “Come NOW, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though
they be red like crimson they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and
obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:18-19).
Only one life, and it’s length or span so very brief and uncertain. How
old are you? Not much time remains! What is your age? Take that
away from seventy! If you sleep for 8 hours a day, you are asleep one-
third of your life! If you are now 24 years old (one third of that is 8),
you have been asleep for 8 long years! If you sleep for only 6 hours that
means one-quarter of your life in sleep! How thoughtful we should be!
If you waste 2 hours in idle chatter - talking, rattling, always having
words to sow into the wind to reap a whirlwind later; spend about 3
hours on cooking, eating and caring for the body: spend 2 hours on the
road travelling to places of work or other places you have to go: add
also hours spent on idle visitation! How about hours given to secular
work - 7 hours? 8 plus 2 plus 3 plus 2 plus 7 = 22. Twenty - two hours
for the body, leaving two short hours for God, Christ and your soul!
You must rethink and plan anew! Why this waste? To what purpose is
this waste? Forget the old, make a new start for a fruitful, meaningful
life. Two hours is only one - twelfth (if regular every day!) to prepare
for eternity! “My brethren this thing ought not so to be”! Only one life -
and it’s so brief! Think on these things. Only one life - one brief life.
So brief like the sleep of a single night. Many pass through life quickly
like “the weaver’s shuttle” - others pass through life like a bird passing
through the air without leaving a mark behind, for good on any life!
Only one brief life!
Perhaps the past 20, 25 or 30 years of your life have been wasted or
worse than wasted. They have been spent to no purpose or worse still,
to bad purpose. A waste! How much has your life been worth? Put a
price tag on it! What has been the value of your life? A soul-winner or
only a breadwinner for a small family? How unspeakably solemn!
Only one life - and that’s wasted and squandered! How disturbing that
will be on the DAY of reckoning - Only one life - and that life, wasted
and squandered. It will never leave the memory: The thought the words
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will be like the “worm that dieth not” “in the fire that is not quenched.”
What regret, what sorrow, what loss! What misery and agony, the
thought: I Could have lived in Christ but I lived in Chaos: I could have
been a Christian, but it was crisis all my life through, without Christ!
What misery - a regret in eternity, a regret for eternity!
But life with Christ is life indeed. He is the answer to every question of
the human mind, the answer to every longing of the heart and the
answer to every need of man. He is the fountainhead of all true
pleasure. Is He yours? He should be. He died for you. Is He yours?
He can be. He knocks at your heart’s door and seeks admission. Is He
yours? He will be - the moment you make Him your all in all. “Now is
the accepted time: Now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).
Only one life. Only one TRUTH, only one hindrance. Only one
experience. Only one decision - will yours be wise or otherwise.
Prayer for forgiveness: “O God, be merciful to me a sinner! Forgive me
all my transgressions. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and make
me clean by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and by the power of the
Holy Spirit. I will forsake sin and consecrate my life to your service
and to the good of others and walk in the light of your Word as I learn it.
I believe that you do forgive me according to your Word. In Jesus name
I ask it Amen.”
Your spiritual welfare is our concern.