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Carried or Buried

Many people are afraid of aging. The fear of death lingers as one advances in years. Yet in the Kingdom of God, advancing years of life is a Huge Blessing. Psalms 91 says, "With Long Life I will satisfy You and show You my salvation." I love to insert the word "RESCUE" for salvation. Jesus came to rescue us from the fear of death. He wants to know us and we to know Him. "In Him was LIFE and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men," John the Apostle wrote in John 1. To know Him is to know LIFE.

DO YOU WANT TO BE CARRIED OR BURIED.

Jesus tells the story of the Rich Fool and The Believing Beggar Lazarus.

The Rich Fool and The Believing Beggar Lazarus. - Luke 16:19 - 30

The poor beggar Lazarus who never could accumulate enough finance to maintain a descent lifestyle. Sickness attacked his body years ago and he could no longer work. Yet, this Jewish man loved the God of Israel and carefully followed the Lord and his words. He was sick with no one to care for him, and he was laid at the beautiful iron gates of a wealthy land owner - the Rich Rebel. Thinking that surely the wealthy home owner would have the servants take some leftover scraps to the beggar. The Rich Fool completely ignored Lazarus wishing someone would move him away from his property.

Lazarus was hemorrhaging from long term blood disease that created infectious boils. Dogs were his only companions who daily tended to his sores. He didn't have long to live with no medical help or daily food. The Rich Fool got his wish as one day Lazarus died and was taken away from the beautiful gate of the rich fool. Old Lazarus never experienced the terrors of death as he was suddenly translated and CARRIED to Abraham's bosom in the Paradise of God.

Abraham, The Father of Faith in the Old Testament loved the God of Israel and obeyed and trusted him for his 175 years on the earth. Lazarus was a member of the HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. He believed by Faith in the God of Israel, who sent His son JESHUA to die as THE LAMB OF GOD who takes away the sins of the world. Lazarus wanted to be just like believing ABRAHAM who is mentioned being in the Paradise in the story Jesus told. (Before the cross, a waiting place was prepared for those who died on the earth. BELIEVERS in the GOD OF ISRAEL who obeyed God and sacrificed the lamb to cover their sins went to PARADISE.)

Paradise had two compartments. Sheol or Gehenna spoken about 66 times in the Old Testament was one compartment and was where the unbelieving rebels went at death. Old Testament Believers went to Paradise where they waited with believing Abraham and other Old Testament saints. (Note: when Jesus rose from the dead He emptied out Paradise.) Believers went up with Him and Rebels went to Hell. This was the beginning of the New Covenant where the Apostle Paul tells us.... "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." - II Cor. 5:8 - So lowly Lazarus was rewarded with joy and everything he needed in Paradise. No tears, no sores, no disrespect, no sorrow. He had nothing in earth life, but because he believed in the God of Abraham by faith he was rewarded with eternal life and pleasures.

But the scenario is quite different for The Rich Rebel Fool who also died and was buried. No angels came for him. He immediately descended to Sheol or Hades, where he saw Abraham along way off. The ugly old beggar that he disdained was enjoying comfort and provisions close to the great prophet Abraham. (The bosom means the front of the body between the arms where a parent carries a child or the protected place where merchants carried their money. It can also mean a bay by the sea or creek.) It was a wonderful, protected place.

In his agony Rebel Fool called over the GREAT DIVIDE to Abraham. "Please Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus with a drop of water. I can't breathe or swallow in these hot flames!" Abraham replied, "There is no passage between Hades and Paradise. It's too late now to believe." --- "Well then, please send Lazarus to my 5 little brothers and testify to them to REPENT and go with God to Paradise. I don't want them to come here to this awful place of torment", the Rich Rebel responded.

"Nope", Abraham replied. "They have Moses and the Prophets to obey. If they don't follow the Word of God that they already gave, they wont listen to Lazarus." The Rich Rebel protested one last time. "Please, Please, Abraham if they see You or Lazarus who were dead preaching to them, they will repent and believe." "Not true," Abraham said. "They won't believe even if one from the dead preaches to them." ----- When a person dies, time is up. It's too late to change your mind. --- "COME" JESUS calls!

☦️ Beloved, TODAY is the day of salvation. - II Corinthians 6:2 - "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I brought you the gospel: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.

20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ----

21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 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.

23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “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.’

25 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.

26 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.’

27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,

28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’

29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’

30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

☦️ IF YOU ARE ADVANCING IN YEARS, GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A GIFT OF MORE TIME. CHOOSE JESUS!

☦️ The Lord wants people to return to the Ancient Paths: The Path of Salvation. But sadly to say, Many people are like the RICH REBEL.

Jeremiah 6:16 - Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

☦️ Isaiah 46:4 - And even to your old age I am he; and even to your grey hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

☦️Ruth 4:15 says, “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.”

DON'T LISTEN TO THE EVIL ONE: The devil says “oh you’re old, you’re finished.”

☦️Job 12:12 says, “Wisdom belongs to the aged!

☦️Psalms 92:12-14 says, I shall be anointed with fresh oil. ——- The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, ——— He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

☦️Psa 92:13 - Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

☦️Psa 92:14 - They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,

☦️Eccl. 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is betterthan the proud in spirit.

Hey, I was so encouraged this week as I read an update from the New England Journal of Medicine.

An extensive study in the U.S. found that the most productive age in human life is between 60-70 years of age.
The second most productive stage of the human being is from 70-80 years of age.
The third most productive stage is from 50-60 years of age.
The average age of the Nobel Prize Winner is 62 years.
The average age of Presidents of prominent companies in the world is 63 years.
The average age of pastors of the 100 largest churches in the U.S. is 71.

The best years of your life are between 60 and 80 years.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that at age 60, you reach the apex of your potential and this continues to your 80s.

We are advancing in age, but we’re not old.

Pat Robertson was in his late 80’s when he began building the beautiful
Media Arts Studios for Regent University.
Pat’s son, Tim, who lost his wife last year at 66 yrs old just recently
remarried Kim Douglas the Christian Actress.
Moses started at 80.
Caleb started at 80 and Joshua started at 85.
Jacob started at 77.