REMEMBER PASCAL’S WAGERS
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TODAY WE HONOR AND REMEMBER PEOPLE’S SERVICE AND GOD’S LOVE.
CORNONA VIRUS, COVID 19 --- HAS FORCED A PARADIGM SHIFT… YET MANY ARE STAYING THE SAME…
SAME LACK OF COMMITMENT, SAME BLAME GAME, SAME EXCUSES, SAME BAD ATTITUDES, SAME NEGATIVE WORDS, SAME TRAIL OF TEARS AND BITTERNESS --- HOW CAN WE EXPECT CHANGE BY STAYING THE SAME?
COME UNTO ME --- I WILL GIVE…
Matthew 11:28 (NLT2) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Text:
Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Ecclesiastes 12:1 (MSG) Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,
Ecclesiastes 12:1 (NLT2) Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.
DO WE HAVE A BATTLE CRY? REMEMBER HOW IMPORTANT BATTLE CRIES CAN BE:
Remember the Alamo! The Alamo was a rallying point in the Texas Revolution. For 13 days IN 1836, Mexican troops reclaimed the Alamo near San Antonio. REMEMBER THE ALAMO was the battle cry for Texas. Every man died in the fort. The yell became REMEMBER THE ALAMO. Sam Houston yelled to his men “REMEMBER THE ALAMO!” Davy Crockett and James Bowie died there.
Remember the Maine, USS MAINE, USA Navy ship sank in Havana Harbor in February 1898… This led to the start of the Spanish-American War. To be real honest the US Battleship exploded and sank at Havana, Cuba. This became a RALLYING point to start the war. Maybe a coal bunker ignited the ammunition causing the explosion and sinking the ship? “REMEMBER THE MAINE! TO HELL WITH SPAIN!” NEVER FORGET!
REMEMBER PEARL HABOR! Became the WAR SLOGAN after Japan’s Imperial forces attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii, December 7, 1941. Remembering Pearl Harbor became the entry point of the USA into WW 2. The USS ARIZONA… 1,177 MEN DIED THAT Sunday Morning. Still to this day visitors lay down a penny to speak of their visit. A nickel is laid down by comrades, a dime is left by those that serve, and a quarter is left by fallen navy sailor’s families. Others throw flowers that float on the waters.
The UTAH had 58 deaths. The Utah still protrudes above the water’s surface. People throw coins and flowers in the ocean to REMEMBER THE COST OF FREEDOM. NEVER FORGET!
**WAGER: gamble, bet, making a choice, something at risk on an uncertain event, something on which bets are laid, giving a pledge, to take a risk on a final outcome, to play a game of chances with uncertain out comes,
*REMEMBER PASCHAL’S WAGER?
IN FRANCE THERE LIVED A MAN NAMED BLAISE PASCAL FROM 1623 TO 1662. HE WAS 39 AT HIS DEATH.
Paschal was a philosopher, mathematician and a physicist of his day. PASCHAL IS BEST REMEBERED FOR HIS TEACHINGS CALLED RISKY WAGERS.
PASCAL never taught that GOD WAS REAL? Or that GOD WAS NOT REAL? FAITH VS REASONING…?? PASCAL’S WAGER IS THAT EVERY MAN HAS A COIN, HEADS OR TAILS. EACH MAN WILL GAMBLE THAT GOD IS REAL OR GOD IS NOT REAL? THIS WAGER IS UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL. Pascal’s wager is the lesson I WILL BET MY LIFE GOD IS IMPORTANT? OR I WILL BET AGAINST GOD --- AND SAY HE IS AGAINST GOD.
EACH LIVING PERSON WILL MAKE A WAGER ON HOW IMPORTANT CHURCH REALLY IS? He will wager by his attendance or lack of attendance how important GOD and the CHURCH ARE? Pascal never made a conclusion about God as real or not… PASCAL’S LESSON was we are playing a game of HEADS or of TAILS. You must make the call, you must take a side FOR GOD or AGAINST GOD.
Pascal called it a GAME OF WIN OR LOSE? If you believe in God and invest in faithfulness to the church, what will you gain if GOD IS REAL? WIN? LOSE? Then he stated what will you WIN OR LOSE if God is not real? His lesson was it is up to the individual TO BET THEIR HUMAN DAYS TO WAGER GOD DOES EXIST? OR GOD DOES NOT EXIST? FLIP THE COIN, IT IS UP TO YOU! YOU WILL BET WITH YOUR LIFE STYLE IF CHURCH IS IMPORTANT OR IF CHURCH IS OPTIONAL AND NOT IMPORTANT.
REMEMBER: WHAT KIND OF WAGER AM I MAKING ON HOW IMPORTANT GOD AND CHURCH ARE TO MY DAILY LIFE? AM I MAKING THE WAGER CHURCH IS NOT IMPORTANT? DO I WAGER THE GAIN OR LOSS? REMEMBER MY BET?
Philippians 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Remember: what are the benefits if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
REMEMBER A DYING MAN’S WAGER: TWO DIFFERENT WAGERS THE SAME DAY OR THE SAME TIME…
Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Remember one thief on the left was mean and abusive, IF THOU BE THE CHRIST, GET US DOWN RIGHT NOW? This thief wagered Jesus Christ was just a man --- get me down out of this mess.
REMEMBER THE THIEF ON THE RIGHT WAS PENITENT and sorry. He recognized Jesus --- DON’T YOU FEAR GOD? REMEMBER ME JESUS, REMEMBER ME! REMEMBER… Many teach Jesus waited for the thief to take him home to heave.
Remember: to keep in the memory, flash back, recall, recollect, think of, bring back to mind, (those that serves)
Antonyms: forget, ignore, neglect, disregard,
Conclusion: REMEMBER: FEAR NEVER STOPS DEATH. IT STOPS LIFE. REMEMBER, WORRY DOES NOT TAKE AWAY TOMORROW’S TROUBLES. IT TAKES AWAY TODAY’S PEACE. May we remember to cooperate with God’s plan and wager all on God’s judgment.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Will you wager to pass this on to another?
