John 19:32 – Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

Hey all, new blog today. I have had a thought in my mind for a good while now. And it has to do with when the soldiers came and brake the legs of the thieves that were crucified with Jesus. Because the Bible we can so easily skip through. It means nothing. Words on paper, same old stories that we are used to. Familiar with them. And familiarity breeds contempt. We can easily become contemptuous of God’s word, that stupid, out of date, irrelevant Bible. But think about what happened. Two thieves were crucified with Jesus. When people got crucified, a most agonizing, slow death, they would use their legs to support themselves. And so they would push up and up, gasping for air. Each precious breath, keeping hope alive, keeping them alive, keeping them in this world. They would push up with their legs, and their legs would support themselves. Because as they say, where there is life, there is hope. And somewhere in humanity, we always have hope. But what happens when hope is gone? What happens when you’ve pushed God too far? When God gives you up? When God is done with you? When you’ve stepped beyond the line? When the finality of eternity hits? Isaiah 5:14 – Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. Hell is waiting for you today. Hell has opened her mouth to receive you.

Because even as they were gasping for every breath, fighting for life… just as we do in our lives here, we try and stay alive to the last moment, our life is one of struggle, fighting to stay afloat, to keep our head above water. Just like those thieves on the cross, we all live like them really, dead in our sin, pushing ourselves up with legs that will fold one day. Legs that will be broken. Because unless Christ lifts you up, you will go down, his legs were not broken. Just like Peter, we will sink in the water. Jesus extends his hand to you today. We are like a drowning person, nonetheless drowning, but we fight, we fight, with our own strength, but we are going under. And we don’t want Jesus. We knock back the saving hand of grace, mercy, salvation. We try to stay ahead of death and hell as long as possible, by our own means, our own legs, our own efforts, our own reasoning, our own intellect, our own way keeping us going… but just like every human being before us, death wins. We live day to day, we live for today, we bury our head in the sand, death is so far off it’s not worth thinking about it, we are so foolish. We are just like the ostrich of Job 39:14,15, Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. The Bible says her labour is in vain without fear (sound like our vain lives? no fear of God), because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. You see, unless God gives you wisdom, and gives you understanding, and he does that when you are born again and you are enligthened and quickend by the Holy Spirit… you cannot see, you cannot hear, you cannot and will not understand. Unsaved people are spiritually DEAD. They cannot receive nor understand the things of God. They are foolishness to him. 1 Corinthians says so.

But as the Bible says, It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgement. And as those soldiers came with their sledgehammers, or whatever they used to smash the legs of those crucified, think about the end of hope. Braking the legs was the death sentence. I mean, they had been sentenced to death and they were hanging there dying, but still somewhere, just like with all of us, we cling to the smallest, faintest chance. And while they are there, supporting themselves, even though it was futile, and delaying the inevitable, there would’ve been some hope. What about a last minute reprieve? There was a chance they could be taken down from the cross and live? Remote chance, but nonetheless, something to hang on to. Think about that thief that rejected Jesus, who mocked and cursed him… the final seconds as he stood on the shore of eternity with the Roman executioners approaching. Of an eternal state in hell. And in hell, hope is extinguished, just like the inextinguishable, unquenchable fire he calls home even to this day. Think about the terror and horror as the Romans soldiers come with their sledgehammers, knowing that they are done, this world’s journey is done, over, and it’s time to meet their maker. The fear, the horror, the uncertainty. Game over. The thief that was saved had the promise of Jesus though, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. He got SAVED! So for him, death was the pathway to victory to life. But for the unsaved thief, this was it. Last seconds counting down. Past the point of no return.

Idolatry is rampant today. Maybe not so much as in the physical statues. But people have made up an idol Jesus. Jesus said many false Christs would arise in the last days. Do you know the God of the Bible? He is love, yes. He is full of grace, mercy, compassion, longsuffering yes. But here is what you don’t know. He is Holy, he has wrath, he is the great and terrible God, he judges, he spares not, he is worthy to be feared. Nehemiah 9:32… our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God. Hebrews says our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews says see that ye refuse not him that speaketh. Has he spoken to you and you refuse him? His voice shakes the earth and heaven! So terrible was the sight when the children of Israel came to Mount Horeb, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. Luke 12:4,5 – And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Fear God and depart from evil. The same loving Jesus who extends salvation to you, who extends forgiveness of your sin and eternal life, is the same Jesus who does this. Revelation 20:15 – And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The God of the Old Testament is God of the New Testament. Read your whole Bible. John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is the Word, and he is in the Old Testament, and in the New. He is God of the Old and the New. Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. God has let you know who is he through his word. John 1:18 – No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Through the Word of God, we know God. He is the SOLE link to God for humanity. Always has been, always will be. You only know God, you can only know or begin to comprehend God through the person and work of his Son. The living and the written Word of God. And we know his character, we know him, we know what he requires of us. But we don’t read our Bibles, and thus people out there have no clue as to the true God, and we believe in these little idol gods… ones that do not exist. God has let us know what his will for man is. What he requires of you. What he wants for you. Read your Bible and find out for yourself. No guesses required. And that’s why we are without excuse. He has made himself known and manifest to every man. No innocents in hell. And he wants you to repent and believe in his Son Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 2:4 – Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Belshazzar was king of Babylon. But he partied his life away. And so do we. Let’s face it, all my readers have a good quality of life. So do I. James 5:5 – Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Think about it, just be honest, is your life really just you fattening yourself for the day of slaughter. James says behold, the Judge standeth at the door. The Bible says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. You and I are in more danger than people really doing it tough. Because we can become confident in ourselves, in our riches, in our prosperity, in our wealth, in ourselves, we get comfortable. Not knowing the sword is coming. We are insulated from realities of life. We become so involved in a world of vanity and deceit. A temporary world. A rug that is about to be ripped out from beneath our feet. Insulated from death. From pain. From suffering. From REAL life. The world lieth in wickedness, but instead we see a beautiful world, that pleases us. We have so much to do and achieve in this world. So much life to live! A bucket list! We love the world! 1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Lets face it, you just live according to your lust, pride and own eyesight. You have gone your own way, your way seems right in your own eyes as well, and you will justify it, excuse it to your dying day. You WILLINGLY deceive yourself, you WILLINGLY believe lies, you LOVE lies, because you have not a love of the truth. Proverbs 21:2 – Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

We do not walk circumspectly, we do not redeem the time. Ecclesiastes 12:1 – Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. But we don’t remember our Creator. And we live it up, we do as we really want, we pursue our own goals, desires, ambitions. We sow to the wind, and we will reap the whirlwind. We fritter it away. Years pass. We do not prepare ourselves, we do not prepare our hearts. We sleep. We are one heartbeat away from eternity. We become so immersed in vanity and deceit we cant even see it. The rich man in hell received good things in his life time, he fared sumptuously… but in hell he is in torments forever, he just wanted his tongue cooled with a drop of water. He was first in his lifetime, he lived it up, he ate well, he had good things in his lifetime. He was FIRST, but Jesus said the first shall be last, and the last first. It is much harder for people the richer and more well off they are. Jesus said in Mark 10:25-27 – It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Let’s be honest, it was the people who were not well of who received Jesus. It’s not a crime to be rich, but riches are uncertain, you and I are pretty well off. We complain, but we are doing a lot better than many around us. James 2:5 – Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Are you rich in faith?

Belshazzar made a feast. He was partying. Living it up. Meanwhile his city had been breached. The Chaldeans were coming. They were at the gates, the enemy is right at the gates of your life. But you are oblivious to it. Judgement had already been pronounced. He was dead even while he lived. And then the finger wrote on the wall. Daniel 5:6 – Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. Read Daniel 5. And we are not dissimilar to Belshazzar. We so easily read the Bible and think, I’m not like that, I wouldn’t be that stupid, I’m not making that mistake. But we are and do. We make all the mistakes they did. And that makes us worse, because we have their lives to learn from. But we don’t learn. Humanity does not change. We all have the same sinful nature. We are all utterly deceitful, and deceived. When God turns the light on in our lives, we begin to see just how far fallen short of the glory of God we are. How deep the pit is that we have been pulled from. Just how lost and astray and going our own way we were. How utterly sinful and wicked and unworthy we are.

Eternity is scary stuff. What happens when you push God too far? When you tempt him, provoke him? The children of Israel provoked God. And are you provoking God with your life? You’re trampling all over the blood of his Son, you’re trampling on his grace, you count his word for nothing? And you don’t SAY it like that, but you live like that. And our lives, who we are, what we do, how we live, how we behave, our character, speaks louder than our words. We need to get saved, and get right with God. Get some wisdom today. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In Luke 13:3, Jesus said that, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Revelation 19:3 says the smoke of her torment rose up forever and ever. Forever and ever is a long time. You don’t have to go to hell. But you will if you do not repent and believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Where are you at today. Where’s your life at. What’s the direction it’s TRULY taking? Those Roman soldiers are coming. Your legs have carried you many places, but your legs will be broken. And you your own self will not be able to hold yourself up much longer. You’ve done pretty well in life, you’ve lived it up, but you’ve neglected what’s important. You may be religious, but you are not saved. You’re moral, you’re pretty good, you might be in the ministry, you may be anything… but you are not saved, you are not born again of the Spirit of God. We all need to look at ourselves. We all need to examine ourselves, and take a good hard look at where we are at. Death is coming, hell is forever, and God is terrible and worthy to be feared.

Proverbs 1:20 – Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

Proverbs 1:21 – She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

Proverbs 1:22 – How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 1:23 – Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Proverbs 1:24 – Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

Proverbs 1:25 – But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

Proverbs 1:26 – I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

Proverbs 1:27 – When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Proverbs 1:28 – Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Proverbs 1:29 – For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Proverbs 1:30 – They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

Proverbs 1:31 – Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Proverbs 1:32 – For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Proverbs 1:33 – But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

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