If many a lost soul could communicate with this world, he would express a similar interest in unsaved friends still living. We are living in a very materialistic age; people are wrapped up in the things that are material. A woman was asked to attend the services of the church, and she replied, "I have too much business on my mind to worry about attending the services of the church." A man promised a minister who visited him when he was sick that he would attend the services of the church when he was better. He failed to keep his promise, and a few months later he was taken seriously ill and died, apparently without being saved.
The pleasures of the world, the matter of making a living, and the seeking after worldly gain consumes so much of some people's time that they will not yield to God and dedicate their lives to Him. Men will strain themselves to make a few dollars, only to drop dead of heart disease. Paul said, "The love of money is the root of all evil." He told Tirnothy that many who had coveted it had "pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Then he admonished young Tirnothy to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, and patience. It is not sinful to make money and much of it if we can do it honestly and will use it properly. But to love it to the extent that we let it bar God out of our lives is very unwise and dangerous; it is unwise for both time and eternity.
A life lived in the fear of God produces true happiness here and a bright hope for the future. One may lose wealth and valuable advantages by failing to grasp opportunities and as a result suffer regret. But such regret cannot compare with the remorse of a soul that goes through this life looking after every interest except the salvation of his soul.
Many people think they cannot be happy without engaging in and partaking of sinful pleasures. In a certain city a group of ministers were discussing the use of the high school for a dance for the young people of the town. One of these ministers asked another, (who objected to its use for dancing), what the young people could do if they did not dance. The minister replied, "There are plenty of things they can do to entertain themselves without dancing." He spoke truly. if one will take care of his spiritual welfare by putting God first in his life, there will be plenty of legitimate things to do for physical relaxation, things he can do without robbing him of his fellowship with God.
A pastor was taking with a man eighty-nine years old about his soul's salvation, and the old fellow replied, "I have not made up my mind yet to be a Christian." Evidently the old man was not thinking of the nearness of death. He did not seem to realize that it was a matter of haste in his case. There are many people young and old going through life just like this old gentleman, procrastinating and putting off the most important thing in life. Day after day goes by, and still they are not ready to serve God. They seem to give no heed to the warning, "Now is, the day of salvation, behold, now is the accepted time." And the "now" for some people does not mean the whole of the gospel dispensation, but the "now" of their own existence.
Putting off the matter of salvation from time to time makes yielding more difficult. We are told in the Bible to "remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth." This is, of course, the opportune time to become a Christian. Becoming a Christian is not just a matter of getting ready to die but a getting ready to live, and to live more abundantly. If you are not a Christian, let me urge you to become one right now, for you can find in Christ all you need for true happiness here and hereafter.
An old Indian chief was told of the Savior, but he said, "The Jesus way is good, but I have followed the old Indian road all my life, and I will follow it to the end." A year later he was on the border of death. As he sought a pathway through the darkness, he said to the missionary, "Can I turn to Jesus now? My road stops here. It has no path through the valley!" --Sel.
This article appeared in the January 4, 1947 publication of "THE GOSPEL TRUMPET" A publication of the Gospel Trumpet Company Anderson, Indiana.