but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28
Then, as she'd sing that third verse--
On a fill or curve or tunnel, they will almost ditch your train.
Put your trust alone in Jesus, never falter, never fail.
Keep your hands upon the throttle and your eyes upon the rail."
--she'd smile and tears would course down her cheeks.
Stretching out ahead of us, the years of our life may seem to be a great deal of time. Yet even for those who attain such years, they seem to be only moments of time when looked back upon. Sadly, vast numbers of people never reach those aged years. Many souls are called into eternity each and every day: many of them exit this life without ever having come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
Just a few weeks ago, our hometown lost a young police officer when his motorcycle struck a car that turned in front of him. Responding to a call off his break--moments later he lay dead. Just three days past her 23rd birthday earlier this year, our niece left her job and started home with two friends. She didn't know that in less than five minutes she would be the only one to die when that car rolled over. Last football season, a young man collapsed and died on the practice field, just seventeen years of age. Suddenly, without warning, they were gone from this existence! I don't imagine that a one of them started their day thinking, "Today is the day I will die." Yet they were called, at an early age, away from us. Our hope to be reunited with each of them, and others like them, lies in their (and our) salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
The eternal destination of every soul is sealed at the moment of physical death. ...It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27. Just as we make choices every day in our lives which determine what we do or do not accomplish, we have a choice about our final destination. No, not the physical one--due to the circumstances of our passing from this life unto death, we may not have any choice as to what is done with our earthly remains. Yet, as painful as it is to be separated from those we love, we need to remember this: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 (see also Luke 12:4,5).
Every day, every day without fail, people leave this life unexpectedly. Death doesn't come just to the old and/or infirm. Are we ready to meet God? Are we? Are those of us who claim to be "born again" sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, that marvelous message of Salvation with others? Or are we so caught up in debating the possibility of a "B" train, that we are failing to witness? Do we care? How are we going to justify ourselves when we stand before God?
So many of us who call ourselves "Christian" keep trying to wash our hands of that which the Lord taught: "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." (Luke 14:23). Christians are not bringing the unsaved into the "church houses" to hear the message of salvation and they are not taking the message to the unsaved. Instead, we so-called Christians use that old refrain, "Well, you have to wait until they're ready to hear the message--then they will seek it out." What a shame! What arrogance! What selfishness! Each of us will answer for those opportunities we've had to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and didn't!
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12:34-37.It is NOT the Will of God that any should perish: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9. Yet, we so-called "Christians" are allowing thousands to perish every day, lost and undone without the Lord Jesus Christ because we literally refuse to witness to them. We're unwilling to take the message of Salvation to the lost, and we are not bringing the lost in to hear the message of Salvation. We keep saying, "That's Somebody Else's job." Let me tell you this: It is the "job" of every Christian to witness to others about the Lord Jesus Christ!
My friends, that "A" train is coming: And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:10,11.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I Thessalonians 4:13-18.Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall ALL be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. I Corinthians 15:50-52.
Did you see it there? "We shall not ALL sleep..." There will be those who are alive when that trumpet shall sound--that trumpet that heralds the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is coming again to receive unto Himself those who ran their race with patience, those who finished their course, along with those who have their lamps trimmed and burning. ...I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2,3. Whether it be that I am called from an earthly grave, or whether I am alive, I want to be in that number that is "caught up together with them in the clouds". I am unwilling to risk anything else, anything less than the first call, the "A" train. I am not willing to risk that there could be a "second chance"!
We need to focus our energies on encouraging one another in the Lord and witnessing about the Lord Jesus Christ to those we meet every day--sharing the message of Salvation with them. ALL of us who have read and studied the Word of God KNOW THE "A" TRAIN IS COMING; no one can prove the existence of a "B" train! Controversy over various doctrinal interpretations and the mere possibility of a "B" train ought to set within each of us a determination to be on that "A" train! Who amongst us wants to be "left behind" to see IF there is a "B" train? Which of our children, grandchildren, other loved ones are we willing to leave behind for a "B" train?
My friends, we cannot risk putting off our salvation and "banking" that there will be "another opportunity" (the "B" train) to be saved. I call your attention to the parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins, in Matthew 25:1-12. When the five wise virgins went in to the marriage supper, the five foolish were locked out. There was NO second chance, no "B" train.
To think in so foolish a manner is dangerous and deadly. The theory of "second chance" causes folks to be led into delaying that all important decision for Christ:
- "Well, after I get Janie and Johnnie through college...."
- "I'm too young to think about such things. I want to enjoy life...."
- "It's not convenient right now. I haven't done all I want to do, yet...."
- "Even if I don't make it the first time, I will have another opportunity and then I can get serious...."
When that great day of the Lord's appearing arrives, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God. I honestly believe that every one on the face of this earth is going to know what is taking place--God is not limited to our questions of how shall those at the North Pole know the same as those at the South Pole or those in England know the same as those in India. The word of God says "every knee" and "every tongue" and I believe it.
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away... Matthew 24:37-39. People didn't believe it then: "Why, we can climb the high mountain and outwait this 'flood' that crazy old man is talking about. And look there, not even a cloud in the sky! Not to worry!" Yes, they laughed and they mocked and they scorned old Noah, but still he worked. I imagine even members of his own family thought he was daft for sure.
When that great trumpet sounds, there will be no escape for anyone. EVERY knee shall bow, EVERY tongue shall confess. To put it into terms everyone can relate to: no bomb shelter is Jesus-proof. No space station is Jesus-proof. There is no place far enough away, deep enough, high enough in which to hide. When that "A" train pulls in, when the Lamb of God descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (I Thessalonians 4;16), it WILL be the wake-up call of all time!
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:22,23. "But Lord, I went to church three times a week. I paid my tithes. I sang in the choir. I obeyed the laws of the land." Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21.
All the theories and ideas that are floating around are just another way of satan causing confusion and deluding people into putting off not only salvation, but working for the Lord: "Well, even if I do get left behind, I can make it all OK then." We KNOW the Lord is coming back. The Word of God tells us so. We don't know when, but we know He's coming. I urge you, don't bank, don't book, don't rely on the possibility of a "B" train--let's get that "A" train. Let's make certain we get that "A" train! Whether we go by way of the grave or whether we are alive when the Lord returns, we MUST get that "A" train. Yes, there may be those who will laugh and scoff, but let that "A" train pull in, and just watch: EVERYONE will be clammoring to get "on board". There's not but one way to be on it: through personal, one-on-one knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even now, as the years add up and the days of my life wind down, I, too, recall those words penned long ago:
You behold the Union Depot into which your train will glide.
There you'll meet the Superintendent, God the Father, God the Son.
With a hearty, joyous plaudit, "Weary Pilgrim, Welcome Home!"
Please, let's make certain we have our reservations on that "A" Train!
"The 'A' Train" Copyright © 2000 by Patricia Sikes.
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