Just sharing a short devotional thought from Hoekstra. Being reminded about the ultimate reality of eternal life is very needy in our material western lives.  

So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Mat_13:49-50)

Here are some more “unpopular” promises from Jesus. This series of promises intensifies the warning He gave in our previous meditation concerning the consequences of sin. “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (Joh_8:24). Our present verses reveal by promise the absolute certainty of, and dreadful extent of, sin’s consequences. In a world that wants to ignore eternity and deny accountability, these are unpopular promises.

All who die in the guilt of sin will definitely be judged some day. It is an absolute certainty. A day of accountability is coming. “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just.” Those who die before this day will also face judgment. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb_9:27). The place of final judgment for the unsaved will be the great white throne. “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it… And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God… And the dead (the unredeemed dead) were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books… And they were judged, each one according to his works… And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:11-15).

This absolutely certain judgment also has a dreadful extent. It is eternal. Sin is a spiritual crime against God. The true and living God is eternal. He is the great “I AM” (Exo_3:14 and Joh_8:58). Therefore, the consequences of sin are also eternal. Thus, all unbelievers will be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone… And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev_20:10). The ultimate torment of hell will be separation from God’s presence for eternity. “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2Th_1:9).

The absolute certainty of, and the dreadful extent of, the consequences of sin make earlier promises we have examined all the more critical. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord… And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (Rom_6:23 and Joh_10:28).

 

I am starting a campaign here in Australia to get the ABC (our public broadcaster) to stop playing their week of Playschool episodes themed around dinsoaurs. It presents evolution as fact to preschool children, when they are at their must vulnerable and will believe ANYTHING that a Playschool presenter tells them is true, particularly when it is presented in an easy-to-remember song form.

These episodes seem to be broadcast far more frequently than other episodes. I believe that this should stop. They are not presenting any other religious material, and if they think that evolution is not a religious view they are mistaken. It takes a great deal of faith to believe in the dodgy pseudo-science of evolution.

If you agree with me, please email a complaint to the ABC at www.abc.net.au/contact

The specific episodes in question are the dinosaur episodes. Have at them people! This should not be allowed to go on unchallenged, it is teaching misinformation to tiny tots ARG!!!!!!

Read on for a copy of the text I emailed to the complaints department…

Feel free to copy, paste and edit it to suit yourself. It would be great if you could add in some more information about how evolution has been debunked over and over again…

Dear Sir/Madam

I am deeply concerned at the number of times that Playschool Dinosaurs week has been repeated recently. It seems to be repeated more often than other themes, which concerns me because of the content it contains.

This week of Playschool presents concepts that contain evolutionary theory as if they are established scientific fact, which they are not. I and my family are bible believing Christians. I do not appreciate evolution being presented to my children at such a young and impressionable age. Children of this age believe everything a Playschool presenter tells them, whether in word, story or song. It is not the place of the ABC children’s programming department to teach children what to believe in the religious arena.

It may be your opinion that evolution is established scientific fact, not a religion. I would argue that with such enormous gaps in evolutionary theory and science still present, it takes a great deal of faith to believe such a debunked branch of pseudo-science. There is no evidence that would indicate that one species can become another, that nonliving matter can or ever has become living matter or that mutations produce advantageous differences within a species. “Things” simply do not become more organised through a combination of time and chance, no matter how much time you factor into the equation.

If you wish to believe in evolution that is your prerogative. I would disagree with you and encourage you to rethink, but I would respectfully request that the ABC stop teaching our children to believe in evolution. It is simply not your place. Evolution is an article of faith and as such not something I think is appropriate content for Playschool.

Yours sincerely,

OK - still looking for more of Easter? I don’t think u can get a much finer Easter Sunday message than this one on Luke 23:50 - 24:12.

• Why is it so hard for people to believe Jesus is risen from the dead?
• Why were the first witnesses a group of women?
• Why did Jesus have to die and be risen again?
• Are we foolishly seeking the living among the dead?    
   

These questions an more are answered in Fred Van Hulst’s Easter Sunday message.

How do you get saved? Each religion has a way. Can you spot a running theme in this list: Soteriology - Wikipedia Also, can you find the one that is uniquely different in quite a significant way?

Here is a quick Easter message from Alistair Bain that I heard this morning at The Branch. 

It’s entiled Why do we call it Good Friday?
Either play it in snap preview or right click, save as (win).