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Playing
games with God
Are
you
GAMBLING
WITH YOUR SOUL?
What
does the Bible say?
by:
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
Jesus
said, "What shall it
profit a man, if he shall gain
the whole world, and
lose his own soul?" (Mark
8:34-38).
 THE
WORLD HAS TAKEN ON A GAMBLING
SPIRIT OF CHANCE
Today's
world seems to be marked with
a daring, adventurous,
gambling spirit of chance.
Millions
of people seem to be gripped
with this spirit of stupor and
slumber and have become numb
to the danger of certain
things. We have become
resigned to a "let
come what may" attitude.
There
seems to be a real
challenge involved in games of
chance and gamble - a win all
or lose all to "count the
cost" or evaluate the
situation.
In
games of chance such as
gambling at poker, pool, slot
machines, crown and anchor and
others, there seem to be no
common sense, reasoning or
thoughtfulness involved.
The player seems
possessed with a fever for the
competition and for the win,
regardless of the
consequences.
What
time is it? Possibly one
of the most used numbers in
our city directory is
421-1111. That is the number
that gives the exact time.
Well, what time is it, anyway?
FATHER
TIME MARCHES ON, TIME WAITS
FOR NO MAN
It's
later than you think!
And very definitely, Father
Time marches on. That's right,
"Time waits for no
man."
Do
you recall reading of Ponce de
Leon, the 53 year old man who
walked into a Florida jungle
searching for the fountain of
youth? Was he sincere?
Did he find it?
Of
course he was sincere, and
"NO" he did not find
it. The year was 1513 and he's
been dead ever since!
FOR
PONCE DE LEON, TIME HAD RUN
OUT!
ONE
DAY OUR TIME WILL RUN OUT - TIME
WILL NOT WAIT FOR US EITHER
And
one day it will be over for us
all. Time will not wait for us
either! What we do with
our time is so important. Some
waste their time, while others
strive to utilize every
moment.
IN
OUR YOUTH WE SPEND TIME PREPARING
FOR LIFE
How
we spend our time in our
youth, often determines how
the rest of our time is spent!
If
we prepare for life - by time
invested in the process of
learning - it usually pays
dividends throughout our
lifetime. How? A feeling of
accomplishment, more
amenities, better working
conditions and financial
rewards!
Often,
young people throw caution to
the wind and sow their wild
oats, but time always brings
with it the pay-day! A harvest
of unwanted pregnancies,
broken relationships, scarred
memories, bankruptcies, bad
reputations and deteriorating
health are but a few.
TIME
HAS THE ABILITY TO DULL PAIN
AND HEAL MEMORIES
Time
often heals memories and dulls
the pain! Time allows you to
remember the good in the past
and forget the unfortunate.
And time usually mellows us
and gives us opportunity to
meditate, contemplate and
think! Of our failures as well
as achievements, our glorious
moments and our defeats; of
the joy, sorrow and pain!
TIME
CAN ALSO HARDEN OUR HEARTS
ONE
WORD OF CAUTION - Time also is
deceptive and can harden the
heart of the sinner! And time
is so short. It is but a
fleeting moment and then it is
gone!
All
we have to do is look at
photographs, step on the
scales, go for a run with a
teenage son, attend a high
school reunion or look in the
mirror. My, how time can
change us physically and
mentally. Time can also
change us spiritually.
We can grow spiritually or
time can deaden our spirit if
we allow it to.
TIME
CHANGES US - IF THE CHANGES ARE
GOOD OR BAD IS DETERMINED BY
US
Physically,
it is so easy to allow a
deteriorating process to
escalate. We have to
work hard to keep our physical
body strong and we constantly
must fight the ravages of
aging.
Our
mental state, our minds, need
constant care and attention in
order to stay strong and
vital. The more we apply
our brains to learning and the
'getting of wisdom', the
wiser, sharper and more alert
we will be as time goes by.
ARE
WE GAMBLING WITH GOD & OUR
SPIRITUAL HEALTH?
But
what are we doing with our
spiritual health. Are we
working to keep that vital
part of us strong? Are
we taking time to draw closer
to God? Have we
become cold and distant, and
taken our relationship with
the LORD for granted?
Spiritually,
we must not grow complacent
and cold. We must
constantly draw closer to our
Maker, the Lord God.
We
must continue to develop and
grow a much deeper fellowship
with Almighty God through His
Son, Jesus Christ, Who died
for our sins and was raised
from the dead for our
justification!
We
put so much emphasis on our
outward appearance and spend
so much time accumulating
possessions. But are we
spending time on the most
important part of us - our
souls.
We
are created in God's image and
are spirit, soul (mind) and
body. God created us for
himself, that we may worship
and praise him and develop a
personal relationship with
Him.
Some
people are giants in the
physical and mental sense but
are unfortunately, spiritual
dwarfs. Let us keep a
healthy balance !
King
Solomon gave the young
generation some good advice: "Remember
now thy Creator in the days of
thy youth'" And
Jesus issued an invitation to
everyone: "Come unto
Me all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give
you rest."
IT'S
TIME TO CHANGE - IT'S NOT TOO
LATE
Premier
Peter Lougheed rose to power
in Alberta with a smashing
victory in 1971 - unseating
the Social Credit government
that had reigned for 36 years
- using that slogan! I
will never forget his campaign
literature declaring, "It's
Time To Change"!
And
it's time for sinners,
backsliders and lukewarm
Church members to change as
well. It's time for Revival in
the Church and an awakening of
'God consciousness' in our
nation!
IT'S
NO TOO LATE TO REPENT &
RENEW OUR FAITH IN GOD
It's
not too late. Repentance of
sin, faith toward God and an
acknowledgment of Jesus Christ
as Lord and Saviour is all
that is needed!
God
invites: "Come now,
and let us reason together...
though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be
red like crimson, they shall
be as wool." (Isaiah
1:18-19)
THE
BIBLE SAYS THAT ONE DAY
"TIME WILL BE NO
MORE"
One
day an angel will place one
foot on the sea and the other
on the dry land and lifting
his hand to heaven, swear by
Him that liveth forever and
ever, that "Time shall
be no more"!
(Revelation 10:5-6)
THE
SUN WILL GO OUT LIKE A CANDLE
IN THE WIND - THE MOON WILL
TURN TO DRIPPING BLOOD
Then,
the sun will go out like a
candle in the wind, the moon
will turn to dripping blood,
the stars will fall from
heaven. The sky will roll away
like a scroll and the earth
will melt with burning heat!
THE
CLOCKS OF TIME WILL STOP AND
THE 'WHEEL OF ETERNITY' WILL
BEGIN
The
clocks of time will all stop
and the 'wheel of eternity'
will begin! A thousand
years will come and go - A
million years will be like a
drop in the bucket and
eternity's wheel will just
have begun to move!
DON'T
TAKE A CHANCE WITH GOD - DON'T
GAMBLE WITH YOUR SOUL
I
WISH TO POSE JUST ONE QUESTION
- "DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU
WILL SPEND ETERNITY?"
YOU'LL FIND THE ANSWER IN
GOD'S WORD!
If
you wait until eternity
begins, it will be too late
for you then!
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BIBLE
SCRIPTURES / VERSES ON SALVATION
Isaiah
1:18-19
God
invites: "Come now,
and let us reason
together... though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be
as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool."
(Isaiah 1:18-19)
MARK
8:34-38
Jesus
said, "What shall it
profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and
lose his own soul?"
(Mark 8:34-38).
JOHN
3:16-17
"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."
"For
God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the
world: but that the world
through Him might be
saved:"
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