Daily Devotional for Sunday October 26, 2014

Suicide Bombers Total Commitment to What They Believe

(1 Peter 2:12)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, I attended a Messianic Jewish church for four years and really loved it as when you hear and understand the Jewish traditions behind scriptures, it can really open up the scripture for you and make more sense, at least for me. My question is this, the Jewish church is against cremation and stresses that you should have a regular burial, casket etc. Is there any scripture in the Bible that states one should not be cremated?

ANSWER: How to dispose of a dead body is a cultural issue. The Bible mandates that from the dust we came and to the dust we will return. There is NOTHING in the Bible that states a body must be buried, nor is there anything that prohibits cremation. Here is a link to a Devotional on this very issue in great detail. http://www.liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=1025

One of the undeniable facts about those who are committing these horrible suicide bombings if Islam, is their total commitment to what they believe. It is misguided and horribly wrong what they do, but I can only pray today that those who claim to have their faith in Christ would be JUST as passionate and JUST as committed to the cause of Christ.

Of course, these people represent a minority of those who put their faith in the false religion of Islam, but the fact is, they are SO committed to their cause, SO committed to their belief, that they are willing to give their very lives for it!. My question for you today is simply this. Are you as committed to your faith in Christ to give your very life for Him, if that is what you are asked to do?

In the United States, we have had the luxury of being very comfortable in our faith. We worship in freedom, not having to worry about outside interferences from those who do not agree with the message of our Lord. Even today, there are MANY places on this earth that this is NOT the case. We have many who get this Devotional every day in parts of the world where you could literally be put to death for proclaiming faith in Christ.

Sadly, in many parts of our world today, there are man and women who have put their faith in Jesus who are literally giving their very life for their faith!!! Those students of church history understand that this has been the choice many of God's people have had to make since the very first church

I have often wondered what would happen if one Sunday morning a group of Muslims with machine guns came into a church, lined the people up, and simply said, "anyone who wants to renounce Christ and accept allah can go home, the rest of you will be killed." I really wonder how many would stand and claim Christ with their last breath? Are we as passionate about our faith today, to literally give our lives for it?

Today's Devotional is very short on purpose. I don't want you to think about anything else today but this one question, "if you were asked to give your life for Christ, would you?"

I love you and care about you very much. The FACT is, if your answer is yes, then that means you are willing to do whatever God is calling you to do, whatever God is asking you to do to further His Kingdom here on earth. We are clearly living in the last days as Jesus described in Matthew 24 and Paul spoke of in 2 Timothy 3, and 2 Peter 3.

God IS asking you today to surrender your life to Him so that He can use you to reach others with the promise of everlasting life. Are you willing to give your life to Him? Are you wiling to do all that He is asking you to do to see others come into the everlasting knowledge of Jesus Christ? Only a very few will ever be asked to literally die for the Lord, but ALL of God's children are asked daily to surrender their lives to Him so that He can use you for His plan and purpose!

The one thing that we know is that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. It is ONLY through Him that man comes to know everlasting life. The fact is, the suicide bombers are daily giving their life for the lost cause that they have bought into. My challenge to you today is this, ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR CHRIST?

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller