Will you?

 Will you?

In the book of  Ecclesiastes we read,

“Better to go to a house of mourning 

than to go to a house of feasting, 

for all are destined to be mourned; 

the living should lay this to heart.” 

                                                  Ecclesiastes 7:2.

At first glance this would seem to be unusual. Why after all is it better to be in a house mourning the passing of someone, than in a house feasting.

The way I see it, if you attend someone’s funeral, it should at the very least be a wake up call for you. You should take a few moments to ask yourself where you will be spending eternity. Which is the ultimate question.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,

When you were born, you cried 

and everybody else was happy. 

The only question that matters is this - 

when you die, 

will you be happy

 when everybody else is crying?

                                                Tony Campolo.

Thus my question to you.

When you die will you be happy?

Please think about it.

Better

Better
The Solomon the writer of Ecclesiastes writes,
“Better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for all are destined to be mourned; the living should lay this to heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:2.
Here Solomon points out that entering a house of mourning a house grieving the loss of a loved one is better that entering a house that is celebrating.
The way I see it Solomon is right.
Not so long ago my wife’s younger brother died suddenly he was only in his early forties. Young by any standards. One of the common, for lack of a better expression phrases I noted from those who attended the funeral was “he was so young. It just goes to show you, you never know when death will happen.”
Solomon notes,
“The thoughts of the wise are in the house of mourning, but the thoughts of fools are in the house of pleasure. Ecclesiastes 7:4.
The way I see it is the death of someone should cause us to think about out mortality. Everyone knows that we will one day die. Yet it seems in our society especially here in the western nations we don’t plan for death. We live in “the house of pleasure”.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this - when you die, will you be happy when everybody else is crying?” Tony Campolo.
Thus my question to you the reader. Upon your death will you be happy?
I as a believer in Christ Jesus believe you can know whether or not you will be happy upon your death. The apostle Paul writes,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13.
Please think about it.

Pray and Praise

“Is anyone in trouble? 

He should pray.

 Is anyone happy? 

Let him sing songs of praise.”

                                                                                               James 4:13

I think it is safe to say more prayers go up to God when people are in trouble than when they are happy.
Christian, none-Christian it really doesn’t make any difference. If the situation is bad enough people will call on God. To Quote Lisa Simpson of the Fox television show “prayer the last bastion of a scoundrel.”
I disagree with the Simpson quote, I feel it should be the first place we go even before trouble arrises.
The reality is unfortunately, that the only time some people pray is when trouble is upon them.
When we are sick do we call on the elders of our church congregation to pray for us. To hold us up in prayer before God.
Prayer is a powerful weapon. Sadly to few Christians use it and many who do doubt or only half believe it will work.
There is another reality. Too few Christians when they are happy sing songs of praise to God.
When was the last time you actually sang praises to God out side of church or a church meeting? SANG not LISTEN to?
If we are Christians we should be all the way. We should be willing to give praise to God openly when we are happy anywhere, anytime. But do we.
The Psalmist wrote,

“Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD”

                                                                                           Psalm 150
When was the last time you sang praises to God outside chruch?
Don’t think about it and do it.