"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God". Colossians 3:3.
 It feels kinda weird reading the title of this post: Rest in Peace Richard Hobart. It really does.Quite the paradox if I must say so myself.... obviously in order for me to write this  I must be alive.

      You see back in September of 1977 I had the pleasure of receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior and at the split second I did so,  that person I was before that split second, died. I instantly received a brand new nature and became a new creature: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". 2 Corinthians 5:17 This is what happens at the moment of salvation...a person once dead in trespasses and in sins becomes born-again with the seed of God in him or her."And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" Ephesians 2:1 That word quickened means made alive. "Whosoever is born of God.... his seed remaineth in him" 1John 3:9  Much like a tiny little seed once planted in the right soil dies and becomes a new life form, so does the one born of the spirit of the living God. Dead yet very much alive Amen!

        Rest in Peace Richard Hobart  "for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's... What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6: 20,19 Whoever, whatever I was has died. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20...  "Buried
with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Colossians 2:12  Real quick, just as a footnote...that phrase: Buried
with him in baptism has nothing to do whatsoever with water baptism; rather, Spirit baptism. Once I was buried, whereby Christ brought me into an intimate relation with Himself, then my life became hid with Christ in God and I might add, began to truly live!
       If you are getting this then perhaps you will now understand why some so called professing Christians aren't exemplifying Christs' character and attributes.... not in a judgmental way but a genuinely caring way. I call it a counterfeit salvation. Simply put, they have never been born-again. Oh they may know of Him but not know Him personally and sad to say are NOT going to heaven. The only reason you and I are going there is because of Christ."Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5 Wait a minute, are you going there? Are you going to heaven? If you are not sure please don't fool around with this? Make your calling and election sure!! 2Peter 1:10
      Let's summarize this message. In order for you to Rest in Peace you need to die. Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." John 12:24 I already gave you an illustration of  a seed dying. Paradoxically speaking, in order for that seed to truly live it had to truly die. In like manner in order for you to truly live you have to truly die. You need to be reborn from above by repenting of your sin(s) and calling out to Jesus to save you: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13 Once you do, at that very second you can join with me: Rest in Peace Richard Hobart