Daily Bread 12-13-16

Luke 16:27-31

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

ref. - Isa 8:20 - To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it i because there is no light in them.

Jn 12:10 - But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death.

In this scripture this man had already passed on. He was already in hell. But, even though it was too late for him, he was worried about his brothers. He was on the outside and saw Abraham with Lazarus. He wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his tongue with water but Abraham reminded him of his life. you see, he had spent his life serving the world and worshipping the things of the world. He lived it up and ignored the things of God. He even thought that his worldly stature would give him some authority after death. But it didn't. He asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his home and warn them of the wrath to come. He said maybe if they saw someone who had raised from the dead maybe they would listen. He told him that if they would not listen to Moses and the prophets, nothing would convince them. Not even if one was raised from the dead. Today we can see that first of all, if we are going to live against God's will we have nothing to say nor is there any request that will be fulfilled of God. Let us not wait until it is too late to repent. Also, as God draws us to his son, Jesus Christ, we are exposed to men of God. these men give us his word, many give us their testimony, others demonstrate God's power through the Holy Ghost and there are miracles done through Jesus Christ by their hands. All of this evidence and people want to see something more? They want to see a bigger "magic show"? They want someone more important or to have something supernatural to scare others into serving God? They need entertainment? They need an easier way? What they need is Jesus. If those who are being drawn in front of God's chosen Son cannot have any faith without proof then there is no faith. God has put men, on this earth, before us to show us the way in His word, in his Son, and through the Holy Ghost. If we will not be convinced by them, then there is nothing that will truly convince us. And no matter what, if we think that we can help others as we go to hell we are wrong. There is no way that we have any power in heaven or on earth to guide our loved ones to Christ if we cannot live for him ourselves. If this man was so worried about his family he would have clung tightly to the word of God and the will of God no matter what his financial circumstance or situation. But he was not a good example and therefore he lost all of his power on earth through death and never possessed any power in heaven as he was not there. He was in hell and, therefore, his family was probably going to end up there as well. Our examples and our testimonies on this earth are only good while we are living. They are what will help to lead and guide those that we love to Jesus Christ. Once we are gone, it is too late for repentance and no matter what we try to do to help others we will hold no power. So let us look unto the things of God, no matter how rich or how poor, how sick or how healthy, no matter what our worldly stature..........let us be the Moses and the prophets of today through a clean and holy life, clinging to that which is good and leaving behind the rudiments of the world. This, my brethren, will change the world and those in it!!! Have a great day!!!!