ECCE

      Paul referred in part to the prophet Isaiah when writing: "...Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Eph. 5:14-17). This is an incredible truth but people miss it: "Wake up!" We are to walk in wisdom, with which God freely equips the church, and by which we redeem the time in the middle of evil days.     Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica that we are expected to know the times and the seasons of the return of Christ although the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Just when men think they have achieved peace and safety, sudden destruction will come without escape. However, we are not to be like them as they are children of darkness. We are children of light and day: "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober...But let us, who are of the day, be sobe...

There have been many discussions lately on social media regarding heaven and hell, and life after death. Statistics tell us that 305,000 people pass into eternity daily. There have been many books written about NDE: Near Death Experiences. Some of those experiences happened to medical professionals, including a book written by our dear friend Dr. Richard Eby. Some of the recorded experiences describe the glory of heaven, and the presence of Jesus Christ, and some of the Near Death Experiences describe the flames and uncrossable gulf of hell. Scripture attests to the reality of heaven, hell, and life after death, although many refuse to believe in their existence. Because of this unbelief, they also immediately reject the evidence of it, such as the Shroud of Turin. We will see examples of this kind of unbelief depicted in scripture as well. Jesus told of a rich man, and a beggar named Lazarus, who begged crumbs from the rich man's table. Both of the men died, but had very different...