Skeptics: The Stubborn Kind
They refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.
Zechariah 7:11 (NIV)
Because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a Day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:5 (NLT)
As told by Jesus, The Rich Man and Lazarus is scary– possibly His most sobering story. * It gives a terrifying glimpse of hell… along with who goes up (or down)… and why.
It’s a wake-up call to born-again saints: those who believe in Him and obey Him.
In It, a rich man died and went to hell. (Previously, a beggar at his gates, named Lazarus, died and went to Heaven.)
The rich man was able to see Heaven and spotted Abraham with Lazarus. He pleaded for help in his misery. Abraham said that divide can’t be crossed.
But the rich man had brothers who still lived--and he feared for them. He asked Abraham if they could be warned of the dire danger, that they might repent. Abraham replied… they wouldn't believe 'Though one rise from the dead.'
Conclusion? Stubborn skepticism can be fatal.
God describes the crime and its punishment.
'Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry' (1 Samuel 15:23);
'So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels' (Psalm 81:12).
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
You're the polar opposite of stubborn. You're supple… especially your soft heart.
But descendants of the rich man still live. They cling “stubbornly” to worldly values, because they don't know the Source of true wealth.
While they may not (yet) believe in Jesus, they MAY follow you and come to believe…
If you act, shine, and love like Him, who knows? The Father of love says, 'Love never fails' (1 Corinthians 13:8), and…
When love is applied to the course concrete of a stubborn heart, miracles happen! Concrete can chip and ultimately break. It may hurt, but glorious life awaits!
'God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the Truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will' (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
Skeptics: The Stubborn Kind (Part 13)
* The Rich Man and Lazarus: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16:19-31
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings. This series is a rewrite of a prior 2014 series.