Quote from Forum Archives on August 25, 2010, 11:56 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries.
Celebrating 11 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the
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The Burning Bush Devotional
Welcome to the 1097 new subscribers since January 1, 2010!!
There were 1367 new subscribers during 2009!!

08.26.10

Surprise!

There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and
fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus,
full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his
sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to
Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in
torments in Hades (hell - KJV), he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, "Father Abraham, have
mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water
and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." But Abraham said,
"Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and
likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so
that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from
there pass to us." - Luke 16:19-26.

In North Conway, New Hampshire, Jeff Allard got a surprise when he took out
the trash. Jeff threw his trash into the trash dumpster and a 300lb black
bear popped out swinging his paw. The bear did manage to give Allard a wound
that needed 16 stitches. Normally, the dumpsters in the area have a bar on
top that prevents bears from opening them. However, this bear was able to
squeeze inside anyway and then was unable to get back out. After taking a
swing at Jeff with his paw the bear ran away.

What a surprise to take out the trash, and suddenly you are face to face
with a bear! Life has a way of giving us some surprises along the way and
all of us have encountered surprises in some form or another. However, are
you prepared for the ultimate surprise? There are those who will die and
wake up in.hell! Surprise! Where's the fun in that? Actually there will not
be any fun at all in that, only misery. The rich man in the parable of the
Rich Man and Lazarus has experienced the ultimate surprise. As good as life
was for him here on Earth, he surely was surprised that the non-life he has
now in hell can be so bad.

The Rich Man must have been surprised to find out that there actually was a
hell. There will be some who are living today who will be just as surprised.
Even though the New Testament mentions the place 23 times many try to
explain it away. Then there are those who think that because they are living
a somewhat moral life that a good God will send them to Heaven. Others
believe that God is sending everyone to Heaven regardless. Won't they be
surprised! No one will be in Heaven because of their good works. Ephesians
2:8-9 makes that clear, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and
that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast." Only by believing in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior
while still living and breathing will anyone go to Heaven. Jesus is the only
way as He says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through Me."

Not only was the Rich Man surprised by there actually being a place called
hell, but he must have also been surprised that there was no escape
possible, and that it lasts forever. We have enough surprises in this life
without having another one when we die. Do you know where you are going when
you die? There are only two destinations possible: Heaven or Hell. You
choose by deciding to believe in Jesus or reject Jesus. It's your choice.
Which place do you want to be in for eternity?

Copyright © 2010. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. 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.

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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Two videos of my sermons are posted on GodTube (now Tangle) at:
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Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma) live on Sunday mornings at 10:55am CST
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There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here
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