Dandelions
by David J. Stewart | April 2008
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"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." —James 4:14
Life is short my friend, too short. The dandelion is one of my favorite things in life, it looks so beautiful for just a short time, and then withers away into ugliness and nothing. I've always been amazed at how fast the dandelion grows and then dies. This is such a perfect reminder to us that life is so short (and I believe that God made the dandelion to teach us that). Just as the beautiful flower springs up one day, it's GONE the next. Everyday on the news, we hear about people dying from car accidents, crime and disasters. Even still, you probably never have fully realized just how many people die in a day's time. If you do the math, it is fairly simple (and startling). There are an estimated 6 billion people living upon the earth. The average life expectancy for people varies from location to location. In most westernized culture, people can expect to live to be 75 to 80 years old.
However, the life expectancy in countries like Afghanistan, East Timor and Papa New Guinea are MUCH lower. Even in the new millennium, there are countries in this world where the average life expectancy is no higher than 50 years old. But let's just assume an average life expectancy of 60 years old worldwide. With the millions of people dying from aids, starvation and poor nutrition...I'm sure that age is much lower worldwide. If you divide 60 million into 6 billion, you get an astounding 100 million people which die every year. Divide this number by 365 days in a year and you have a startling 273,972 people DYING EVERY DAY. Think about it! Every day! On average, there are 273, 972 people who pass away into eternity each and every day! How many of those folks do you think make it to heaven? If you say "all of them," you surely do not understand the Bible, not do you know God (kindly said). I say that not to be mean, but to be truthful.
You see friend, the Bible , God's preserved Word, declares to all the world that men and women are wicked sinners, deserving of hell. The Bible teaches that hell is a place of suffering and torment, a place of fire, a place of darkness and falling, a place of awful memories and resentment, a place of weeping and gnashing and teeth, a place of misery and woe. The name of the wicked shall rot...
"The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot."—Proverb 10:7
Worst of all, Hell is a place where you won't find God. 2nd Thessalonians 1:8,9 tell us, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."
Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God..." The Word "glory" in the Hebrew means "goodness." God is a Good God. As miserable as you may think you are in this life, you have always enjoyed the goodness of God's air, food and water. If you go to Hell, God's goodness will not be there. There will be no water in Hell, it is a place of horrible torment. There will be no sunshine, breezy winds nor sandy beaches. Oh to God that people would repent of their unbelief and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of their sins.
"To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins"—Luke 1:77
The bottom line is that you are a horrible sinner and must face God someday! Maybe not as horrible in your own mind as the person you just heard about on the news, but you are a wicked sinner when measured by the inspired, preserved, inerrant and eternal Word of God (the Bible). You cannot turn over a new leaf to impress God. You cannot do good deeds to please God. Only "faith" pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). It is your faith in God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ that pleases the Father in heaven. Jesus paid a debt that He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). Life is short friend. What will you do with Jesus? Will you accept Christ as your personal Saviour and have your name written in heaven? Or will you reject Jesus and continue your path of unbelief towards hell and destruction (Matthew 7:14)? The decision is yours.
Here today...
Gone Tomorrow...
What will you do with Jesus? It matters not how much money you may have in this life. It matters not how popular you are. It matters not how many good deeds you did or how much charity you donated. It matters not how religious you were or how many times you went to church. You can get baptized, pasteurized and cauterized all you want to, it won't help you get saved (just kidding on the pasteurized, etc). Seriously, baptism won't help you a bit. Salvation is not found in a religion, but in a divine person--The Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus has already paid your ticket to heaven friend, by shedding His blood to pay for your sins and mine. All we must do is cease from our own works and unbelief, and turn in faith to the Saviour for forgiveness. Jesus has the nail-scared hands and feet. We can only find salvation in Jesus Christ (John 14:4; Acts 4:12).
Life has it's thorns, just as does the beautiful dandelion plant (weed). It's a superb picture of life. Even though life can be beautiful at times, it surely has it's thorns and pains. Ultimately, death is inevitable. Life may be beautiful for some while upon the earth, but this world WILL pass away (1st John 2:15). Only what's done for Jesus' sake and the gospel's will matter in eternity. Oh to be more like Jesus.
Please don't misunderstand. Charity is fine, and helping the less fortunate is a blessed thing. But none of that will buy your way into heaven, you need to have your sins forgiven and that can ONLY take place through Christ and Hid shed blood. You need to be born-again of the Spirit of Christ (John 3:3-7). You are a sinner and Jesus is the Savior. You must trust Jesus to forgive your sins! The pope or priest cannot forgive your sins. Once your dead, no one can pray your way out of Hell (purgatory is NOT taught in the Bible). Now is the time to get saved!
"...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." —2nd Corinthians 6:2
Simply admit to Jesus Christ (God the Son) that you are a sinner. Believe on Jesus to forgive your sins. That's it friend. You're not saved because of any certain magical words or a prayer you say. No, you're saved because you believe on Jesus as the Christ (the Savior) to forgive your sins (Romans 4:5; 10:13). Don't go to the church or to the pope, go directly to the One Who died on the cross for you—Jesus Christ (John 10:9).
