When you go shopping to buy something, it’s only normal to look at the price tag to see what it costs, that is, unless you are rich and don’t care what it costs, but few of us are rich. We try to get the best value for the price. Now if you don’t happen to be satisfied with what you bought, sometimes you can get a refund. But there’s something we all spend, and that is time. And if you don’t like what you got for your time spent, sorry, there is no refund, ever. You can never replace that time, it’s GONE! Well, what does that have to do with you? Everything!

There are people who seek the things of the world, in fact, that’s the majority. You might say that’s our “default” condition, the “normal”. We are all slaves to our desires. In fact, we have jobs because our flesh demands food, and comfort, and THINGS, like a home, and cars, and other material goods. So we spend our time trying to get all that stuff. Every day, we trade “time” for “stuff” that we perceive we need. And like I said, once time is spent, it cannot be recovered. Now, there are those who choose to spent their time seeking God, instead of earthly goods. Not that there’s anything wrong with having earthly goods, but for many, they don’t have “stuff”, “stuff” has THEM. And you may be one of them. But today, the focus is on “time”, and not “stuff”.

Being this is a ministry newsletter, I’m going to preach a little, so please bear with me, I’ll keep it short. It is written in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. That includes you, me, and everyone else that has ever lived, except for Christ Jesus. What is sin? That is defined as transgression against the laws of God. Now I didn’t write those laws, God did, because as the owner of EVERYTHING, God has the right to say what is right and wrong. In other words, we have invested our time sinning. It is written in Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Bible is telling us there that there is a cost for sin, and it’s death. Now I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of any earthly pleasure worth dying for. Yet people do it every day, they put their earthly desires before anything else, and of course, the devil tells them, “Do it YOUR way!” But what he doesn’t tell you, is that it’s going to cost you your soul. In other words, when you invest your time doing “your thing”, you are earning the wages of death. Now I know that isn’t what you want to hear today. No, you want to hear how God wants you blessed, comfy, and rich, and famous. Why? Because that’s the devil talking to your flesh, and your flesh is just eating it up. And you’re not about to want to give up all that stuff you think you just HAVE to have. Plus, the devil will tell you how unhappy you would be serving the LORD, when you could be serving yourself instead. That’s basically what he told Eve in the Garden of Eden. How did that work out for them? Not so good.

But, there is GOOD NEWS! The latter part of Romans 6:23 says, …but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD. That means, if you receive God’s gift, you won’t have to lose your soul. And that is good news indeed!

It is written in Deuteronomy 30:19-20,
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

You see, friend, there is a right way, and a wrong way to spend your time. One leads to life and blessing, the other leads to death and cursing. And whether you want to choose or not, you will, for we are not given that option to “opt out”. Your “time” is the currency of exchange, not dollars. You WILL spend your time, there’s no way to save it up for a rainy day. And what you trade your time for will determine whether you are blessed or cursed, and whether your soul lives or dies. It isn’t God’s decision how you spend your time, it’s YOURS! What I’m trying to say is, God will not send you to hell for choosing the wrong way to spend your time, YOU will send YOURSELF to eternal death, if you choose to pass up the free gift of God.

I’m amazed how the devil deceives people into thinking his way is better. He manages to convince many to stay away from God, to avoid Him like the plague, so they can “enjoy life”. You read every day about people who have committed suicide because they’re having so much fun they can’t stand it anymore, and how so many die from drugs because they’re enjoying life so much. Or how people slave their lives away and end up with NOTHING to show for it. Yeah, the devil is a slick one, alright. He knows he’s going to hell soon, and he wants YOU to join him there for the big BBQ. You know, there are only two things on the menu, and that is either hear Jesus tell you in the judgment, “Well done!”, or you will BE well done, along with the devil and the Antichrist. Only, the devil isn’t letting you in on that dirty little secret. But God is telling you how to avoid the Lake of Fire. God’s offering you the deal of a lifetime, in fact, the deal of all eternity!

Take God up on the free gift of life everlasting. But don’t do it just to escape hell, because you’ll miss the very best part of His gift. Do it because God loves you so very much, that He will spend all eternity loving on you. It is written in Ephesians 2:4-8,
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) note
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Many people seek investment advice, and that’s good, because they don’t want to waste their resources. I’m giving you the best investment advice on planet Earth: invest the one most important resource you have, that you can never replace, which is TIME, in God’s Kingdom. You will never want a “refund”, for you will be most pleased with your investment. God’s Word talks about “benefits”. We ALL like benefits, right? Well, as it’s often said, “Membership has it’s privileges”. Being a child of God certainly has it’s benefits. Will it cost you anything? Yes, it will require you to hand over ALL YOUR SINS to the Lord Jesus. Is it worth it? YOU BET! You’ll be trading your sins and hopelessness, and sickness and fears for joy unspeakable in Christ Jesus! Don’t wait! Do it RIGHT NOW! Call upon the LORD while He can be found.