Quote from Forum Archives on January 31, 2012, 8:37 am

Posted by: edwrather <edwrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
There are 18,000 Subscribers to the Email Devotional
Classic from 2003

01.31.12

An Appointed Time

Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My
time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples" -
Matthew26:18.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.A
time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck
what is planted. - Ecclesiastes 3:1; 2.

Lake Superior State University of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan has issued its
26th annual extreme list of words "banished from the Queen's English for
mis-use, over-use and general uselessness, which the world needs 'now, more
than ever.'" They received a record 3,000 nominations for the list this year
with most of the nominations being received through their Website.
Nominations were, and are being accepted apparently from everyone who takes
the time to nominate. This year's list contains 23 words and phrases such as
"must-see TV," "got game," "mental mistake," "frozen tundra," and "an
undisclosed, secret location." Last but not least according to the list was
the phrase, "untimely death," sometimes used by obituary writers and others.
The phrase according to some would indicate that some deaths are more tragic
than others. Donald Burgess of California asks, "Has anyone yet died a
timely death?"

The answer to the question asked by Donald Burgess is, "Yes!" Some have
indeed died timely deaths. At the top of the list, is our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. Jesus began His physical life on this earth at the proper
time, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His
Son.(Galatians 4:4)." He also died at the proper time, "My time is at hand
(Matthew 26:18)." There is a "time" to be born and a "time" to die according
to Ecclesiastes 3.

If there is a "time" to die, then it is reasonable to assume that there is a
wrong "time" to die. The Bible also addresses this in Ecclesiastes 7:17 and
says, "Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before
your time?" It is possible to die ahead of schedule before your appointed
days (Hebrews 9:27) upon this earth have been completed. The word
"appointed" in Hebrews 9:27 comes from the Greek word "apokeitai" meaning
"reserved, awaiting, laid up." It has been appointed a proper time for us to
die and for Christ, which is mentioned in the next verse, "so Christ was
offered once to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28)." Since there is an
improper time to die, how could that happen? Man has a free will. We can
choose to commit suicide. We can choose to do unwise things such as mountain
climbing without the proper skills, driving to fast, using illegal drugs,
and we know we can be unwise in a vast number of other ways, which could
lead to death. That is why we are warned in Ecclesiastes not to be foolish.

We can die in peace when we die in the Lord at the proper time. Simeon is an
example of this. Simeon was "just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of
Israel (Luke 2:25)." "And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (Luke
2:26)." When Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus into the temple, Simeon
"took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 'Lord, now You are
letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes
have seen Your salvation (Luke 2:28-30).'"

Let us live, not as "foolish", but justly, and devoutly so that we too may
"depart in peace" at our "appointed" time.

Copyright © 2003 - 2012. Ed Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been
online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began writing devotionals
in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first devotionals was
primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to prison facilities
throughout the United States and Canada.

Please continue to pray for my wife, Jeanie, as she recovers from surgery
and ovarian cancer, and is now going through chemo. Many prayer needs are
posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You can also
post your prayer requests there and they will be forwarded to the Burning
Bush Prayer Group (Of course, I am always in need of prayer - please pray
for me.).

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You can listen to services at my son, Clark Wrather's church (First Baptist
Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma) live on Sunday mornings at 10:55am CST
www.kkbifm.com/
Several videos of Clark's sermons can be found at his church website:
www.fbcbrokenbow.com

There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here
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