Prepare to Die — Aaron Hurst

Hello, this is brother Denny. Welcome to charity ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold.

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These messages are offered to all without charge by the freewill offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. I want to share a bit this morning in an opening devotional Opening meditation message.

The Appointment of Death

Prepare to die. Prepare to die. Don't let it be said of You or I. That we waited too long to prepare to die. And it was too late. It was too late. The scriptures tell us that it is appointed unto men once to die.

It is appointed. It is appointed by God Unto men and that is unto mankind that is to women. That is to children. That is to youth. That is to old men. That is to babies. It is appointed unto mankind once to die.

We have an appointment with death. There's multitudes in the valley of decision putting off till tomorrow to prepare to die. The Bible says we must needs die. We are as waters spilt upon the ground. Where is water spilt upon the ground and That water that is spilt upon the ground.

It cannot be gathered up again. I Can't go down here and gather up this water that was spilt upon the ground and put it back in the cup. We must needs die. We are as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again neither does God respect any person.

The Bible is very clear that as When one is born There is nothing in his hand. We are born with empty hands. We come out of the womb with empty hands as He came forth on his mother's womb naked. Shall he return?

To go as he came and shall take nothing of his labor which he has that he may carry away in his hand. He shall take nothing in Timothy it tells us that we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing out.

The Uncertainty of Tomorrow

Prepare to die. It is appointed unto men once to die. We have no promise of today. We have no promise of tomorrow. James tells us go to now ye that say today or tomorrow. We will go into such a city and continue there a year and to buy and to sell and to get gain.

Whereas, you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then it vanishes away. For you ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that.

But now you rejoice in your boastings and all such rejoicing is evil. No promise of today. No promise for me to finish this message. No promise for you to finish listening to it. No promise for us to go out of these doors to our lunch engagement and dinner invitation.

No promise of today. No promise of tomorrow. Go to now ye that say that today or tomorrow. We will go into such a city and we will continue there a year and we will buy and we will sell and we will Get gain for you know, not what shall be on the morrow.

For what is your life? It is even a vapor. It's just like a little bit of steam coming up out of that kettle and then it disappears into the air. It appears for a little time, but then it vanishes away.

Oh that They were wise. The scripture says that they would understand this that they would consider their latter end. The Bible tells us in 2nd Kings that Hezekiah was sick unto death and The prophet Isaiah the son of Amos came to him and said unto him thus say of the Lord set the house in order.

Death Without Warning

For thou shalt die and not live. But you know, this is not always the case. Is it not all men become sick? And hear the word and the Spirit of God begin to speak to their hearts knocking on their hearts door.

Set the house in order. You have a terminal illness. You're going to die. It doesn't always happen that way. Does it some die without warning? Sudden. Some die young. Some die old. Some die in the womb.

Error they were ever born. We were reminded of that this past week dear brother and sister. Late they're stillborn in the grave. Maybe about a week before birth. No signs of life were there any longer.

Last Sunday morning about this time maybe an hour later. Six young men in a car driving down the road thinking they're going to play. With all their hockey equipment in their vehicle. Did not know That it was their appointment with death for five of them and their vehicle suddenly out of control.

Head-on collision into a snowplow. The only warning they had to prepare to die was the preachers. Was the Word of God. Was their co-workers. Maybe you sharing with them. Prepare to meet God. What is your life?

What are you living for? Where will you be when it's all over? No warning. Suddenly God said today thy soul is required of thee. Others they get sick. They have lots of time and as you look back over their life.

Some have deep regrets. But yet their heart is filled with gratitude that God had mercy upon them and They say with a psalmist. It was good for me that I was afflicted Before I was afflicted. I went astray.

I cared not for God. All I was concerned about Was making money. Materialism. All I was concerned about was living for self sports pleasures Revelings and such. Like, you know today I want us to just Stop and think.

Living for the Lord Before Death

Am I prepared to die. Life is a time to serve the Lord the time to ensure the great reward and While the lamp holds out to burn The vilest sinner may return. Life is the hour that God has given to escape from hell and fly to heaven.

The day of grace and mortals may secure the blessings of the day. The living know that they must die. But all the dead forgotten lie. Their memory and their sense is gone alike unknowing and unknown. Their hatred and their love is lost their envy.

Buried in the dust they have no share in all that's done beneath the circuit of the Sun. Then what my thoughts designed to do my hands with all their might pursue. Since no device nor work is found nor faith nor hope beneath the ground.

There are no acts of pardon passed in the cold grave to which we haste. But darkness death and long despair in eternal silence there. It's too late To go ask for forgiveness. There's no acts or pardon passed.

It's too late To cry out to God for mercy and to escape hell After they're in the grave. Life is a time to serve the Lord the time to secure the great reward and while the lamp holds out to burn the vilest sinner may return the light of the gospel is held forth and The vilest sinner may return this morning.

But life with all of its encroachments pressing in upon us and busyness and things to do. No time to prepare. Later, I'm still young. I had plenty of time. But alas the time has come to die at 18 at 20.

At birth at 55 prepare to die. I Want us to just stop and think if somehow we could just transport ourselves in our minds. Into the very presence of God it is appointed unto men once to die. But after this the judgment when it's time When it's your appointment to be in the box Called a coffin, what will it be?

For you after you draw your last breath. I want us to just stop and Think Where I'm at right now. Am I prepared? To meet God. It's an awful thing to die in sin. It's a terrible thing. No more. Hope it's a terrible thing to die unsaved and awake in torments.

The End of Sin and Earthly Pride

It may say entered into rest. But the Bible says those who die in their sins Awake in torment and their state is fixed. Oh sinner friend. The triumphing of the wicked is short. The pleasures of sin are for a very short season.

The joy of the hypocrites but for a moment. Though his exes excellency mound up to heaven and his head reach into the clouds. And he accomplished a lot of great things upon the earth and full of pride and pomp and show.

Yet he shall perish forever like his own tongue. He shall fly away as a dream he shall not be found. The eye also which saw him shall see him no more. His bones are full of the sin of his youth which shall lie down with him in the dust.

His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall behold and with the cords of his sins and he shall die without Instruction and in the greatness of his folly shall he go astray. They that trust in their wealth And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.

None of them can by any means redeem them. Or can by any means redeem his brother. Nor give to God a ransom for him to pay the priest a sum of money. To redeem him out of purgatory is a lie of the devil.

None of Them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him my fellow Christians. I Believe it speaks to Christians as well as to any other person. The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully and He thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.

The Rich Fool and True Treasure

And he said this will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater. There will I bestow all my fruits and my goods and I will say to my soul. So thou has much goods laid up for many years take thine ease.

Eat drink and be merry but God. But God said Thou fool. This night shall thy soul be required of thee. Then who shall those things be which thou has provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

We see that on every hand don't we? We need bigger warehouses we need bigger barns. The ground brought forth plentifully. Building greater building bigger prosperity materialism. The economy is revving back up in speed and we're building greater building bigger.

But are we rich toward God? Are we in poverty of soul and in poverty of spirit as I live say of the Lord? I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But that the wicked turn from his way and live.

Repentance While There Is Still Time

Turn ye turn from your evil ways for why will ye die? I appeal to you this morning. Whatever it is in your life That is not right. That if you knew that today is my last day upon earth. Whatever comes into your heart and mind that you know Must be done.

Do it now. Please do it now. Don't wait. The death of the wicked is a grief to God. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked and he says why will you die? Why don't you turn from your wickedness and your evil ways and Live, I know we all know this.

I'll just make mention of it. Levi Went in and out among us here in church This past Tuesday. He went out to work on the roof just like usual. It was just another day of work from all that we know he had no indication that my time is Just about finished.

In fact the roof he was working on at the construction site. If I remember correctly, it was just about finished. A lot of it was done. There was one side I believe on the front that needed to be done still.

Just doing like he did so many times before. Start shingling on the bottom edge of the roof. Or roll the paper. I guess it was rolling the tar paper, but that was his appointment day. To meet God if today is your appointment or my appointment.

Are you ready to meet God? Is everything clear? There's no acts of pardon past. After we die as the tree falleth. So it lieth he that is filthy. Let him be filthy still he that is unjust. Let him be unjust still but then comes the judgment.

Why don't you? Why don't you just turn everything over to God? Is there anything in this life? Worth gaining and losing your soul. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God. It's eternal life. You needn't be lost.

The Necessity of the New Birth

But you must be born again in order to be saved. Coming to church here isn't good enough. Being a member is not good enough. You must be born again. You must oh how sad when the person Whose soul has departed and his body lays in the box and those who knew him or her Know that he wasn't prepared.

Oh What weeping oh? What grief what sorrow may I may you so live. Then when it's our turn to be in the box We can rejoice. Because we know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord For this person.

Oh my brothers and sisters Let us so live Every day That we're prepared to die for some. Yes, he has a terminal illness. He's sick and There's lots of time for others. It's in a moment as sudden as the clapping of the hands together as Sudden as a head-on in impact of collision as sudden as a heart attack while they sleep.

Christian Hope in the Face of Death

I knew a man very well Who his wife died in her sleep? She wasn't old. She might have been 50. I'm 46, but you know For the Christian we need not fear death. Yeah, though I've walked through the valley of the shadow of death.

I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Paul said I have a difficult problem. I'm in a straight. I Have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is better so for the Christian. To die is gain.

Numbering Our Days Through Scripture

Let us read Psalm 90. In closing Psalm 90. Lord Thou has been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever thou has formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting.

Thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction and say has returned ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are as but as yesterday when it is passed and as they watch in the night Thou carriest them away as with a flood.

They are as asleep in the morning. They are like grass which groweth up in the morning. It flourishes it groweth up in the evening. It is cut down and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath.

We are troubled. Thou has set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath. We spend our years as a tale that is told. The days over years are Threescore and ten and if by reason of strength, they be fourscore years.

Yet is their strength labor and sorrow. For it is soon cut off and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Return O Lord how long and let it repent be concerning thy servants. Oh satisfy us early with thy mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou has afflicted us and the years when we have seen evil let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and Establish thou the work of our hands upon us.

Yea the work of our hands established thou it just in closing. Teach us O Lord to number our days That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Make me O Lord to know mine end and the measure of my days what it is that I may know how frail I am.

Behold thou has made my days as in hand breath and Mine age is as nothing before thee. Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah think upon these things. Let's kneel together in prayer father in heaven Lord we pray.

Prayer for Repentance and Readiness

Oh God teach us how frail we are that we may Apply our hearts unto wisdom and number our days. Let us not presume upon tomorrow. Teach us how To live in prosperous America Lest we be overcharged and overtaken When the ground bringeth forth plentiful and our herds are increased and our businesses flourish.

Oh God Stamp eternity upon our hearts. Knowing that as we came into the world with nothing in our hand, we are going to go out with nothing as Far as material is concerned. Oh Lord father this morning I pray that you would just put your finger upon my heart upon our hearts Lord.

Is there something I have yet to do? Before I die. Is there some act of forgiveness need to be granted? Is there some act of repentance needing to take place? Is there some act of fleeing and turning away from sin?

Needing to take place. Is there some things to sell and lay up treasures in heaven. Oh God is there some bondage of sin? Is there some Selfish stubbornness in my heart some rebellion. Oh God Lay your finger upon our hearts this morning for we have an appointment with death.

And we have an appointment with God. Show us how frail we are. How suddenly life can end and then we're in that box a coffin Dust to dust but then to stand before God in judgment. Oh Lord Settle down upon every heart.

Please Lord, let us not just push it aside and Say another time for we know not what is today. We know not what is on the morrow. Oh God save some unsaved souls. Thank you Lord for your word and Thank you for your provision Through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that he that believeth in Christ Jesus the Lord.

Though he were dead Yet shall he live. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus Father we just to commit the rest of the service Into your hand and pray God you would have your way in Jesus Christ name. Amen.

God bless you all for coming today. Welcome the visitors. All of the church family here. God bless you for coming for your prayerful attention going to continue on with the service brother Ron if you would come and lead us in a few songs and We'll receive the offering while we have a few songs.

God bless you, brother.