It leaves earth for Heaven--or for Hell!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(James Smith, "CONSIDER!" 1859)

"This is what the Lord Almighty says: Consider your ways!" Haggai 1:7

God commands you to consider--and you cannot neglect to do so, but you sin. Your circumstances require it of you--and you cannot neglect to do so, but you must be losers thereby. God complains, "My people do not consider!"

Inconsideration has ruined thousands--and will ruin thousands more. But shall it ruin you? It will--if you give way to it. Let me entreat you to do so no longer.

Consider that you are immortal--and must live forever.
Your BODY will die--and perhaps soon.
But not so your SOUL--it never dies.
Death changes its place--but not its nature.
It leaves earth for Heaven--or for Hell! It lives as much when the body is dead--as it did before. It is conscious--and capable of enjoying the highest pleasures--or of enduring the most dreadful torments! And one or the other will be its lot.

Heaven--or Hell,
happiness--or misery,
always follows upon death!

Surely an immortal being ought to consider:

Where shall I be after death?

What shall I be?

Among whom shall I have my eternal portion?

Is it rational to confine our attention to the present time, and the present world--when time bears no comparison to eternity; and our stay in this present world must be brief?

Consider that you are a sinner.
You have broken God's law.
You have incurred God's displeasure.
You are condemned by God's Word.
You deserve God's wrath.
Your heart is alienated from God.
You act in opposition to God.
You lie absolutely at God's mercy--and at any moment He could cut you down, and send you to Hell.
You have no right to expect anything but justice at His hands! And if He dealt with you after your sins, and rewarded you according to your iniquities--your doom would be indescribably dreadful!

Reader! "Consider your ways!"

Consider that you are immortal--and that you must live somewhere forever!

Consider that you are a sinner--and that you cannot live in Heaven as such!

Consider that you may be saved--for the Lord Jesus Christ is both able and willing to save sinners!

Consider that you can only be saved by sincere faith in Christ!

Consider that you must denounce your own righteousness, and rely solely on His finished work!

Consider that if you are saved by Christ--you will live to Christ.
He will be your Lord--as well as your Savior.
He will be your example--as well as your atoning sacrifice!

Consider that faith is the root of holiness, and a holy life alone proves our faith to be genuine.

"This is what the Lord Almighty says: Consider your ways!"