Money cannot buy God's blessing; if it could, the rich alone could claim it, and the poor would go wanting forever. But God has made His salvation free; it is an absolute gift from Him to all who will receive it.
There are some who would like to put God in the place of the merchant in the marketplace, bartering His goods to the highest bidder, but this He will never do. There are two reasons why God will never sell His blessing: 1. Men are far too poor to buy it.
2. God is far too rich to sell it.
But He gives it gladly and freely to whoever will take it in simple, child-like faith. In Isa. 55:11Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1) He says, "Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
On the other hand, when a man offered Peter money, Peter said, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." Acts 8:2020But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. (Acts 8:20).
The gift may be taken, or it may be refused, but it cannot be bought.
THIS IS NO JOKE!
“You say you’re going to a funeral? You’re going to drive all that distance just to go to a funeral? I wouldn’t! Why, I’m too lazy even to go to my own funeral! Ha ha ha!” And the speaker laughed loudly at his own joke. It was not such a joke as he thought. Truly, he will not go to that funeral. His body will, but it is only the shell he has lived in all his life. His family and frends will look at that body in the casket and murmur, “Doesn’t he look natural? He looks so peaceful. He’s at rest now.” But the real essential being of the man will not be there. He will have gone — gone to an appointment he had to keep. The question will be, where has he gone?
The other place is “the lake of fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” That’s right; it was not prepared for people. God did not want to send anyone to hell. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). But God will not force anyone to receive His Son; He will take no unwilling, unbelieving soul to heaven to enjoy the "pleasures for evermore" and the "fullness of joy" in His presence.
When you next go to a funeral, think for a moment about the soul that once inhabited that body. Say to yourself: "Where is he—or she—now?"
Then ask yourself one more question. "If I were lying there, where would my soul be?"
Think of it. Think of it NOW!
When your body lies in its casket, it will be too late.