Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Death is a certainty, where will you go?

Death is a certainty, where will you go? 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21-23, John 12:26, John 11:25, John 5:21, Romans 10:9/10, 13.

Do you ever think about your own death? George Bernard Shaw said, "The statistics of death are quite impressive. One out of one dies." Death may be a certainty, but the more important question is this: "Am I going to heaven when I die?"

The Bible teaches that not only does God make it possible for you to go to heaven, He wants you to know that heaven is your destination the very instant you die. (See 2 Corinthians 5:8.)

Receive
The apostle Paul looked at death this way: "'For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live'" (Philippians 1:21-23, NLT).

On this earth, the presence of Christ is in us. When a Christian dies, we are immediately in the presence of Christ in heaven. Jesus said, "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also" (John 12:26).

What do the following verses tell you about life and death, about God and love?

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying'" (John 11:25, NLT).

"For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will" (John 5:21, ESV).

Reflect
The good news is that you and I can choose where we will spend eternity. But we have to make our choice this side of death. Not to choose is to make a choice. I can think of no better time to nail down your eternal destiny than now.

How?

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved...For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'" (Romans 10:9-10, 13 NKJV).

Respond
If you have never prayed and asked Christ to be your Savior, forgive you of your sins and give you a home in heaven, why not do that right now?

If you have done that, why not take a moment and thank the Lord that the greatest tragedy in all of life can never happen to you: standing before God with Jesus not as your Savior.

My Comments: You will hear it said, "I can wait to choose,”  "I'm good enough so why try,” or "I don't believe in heaven and hell" or well ....  There are any number of comments to cover why people do not believe God and accept Jesus as their Savior. I will just address a few of these types of comments.

I have a car and it requires oil changes, tune-ups, new brakes and even new tires now and again. If I said I can just wait and choose to take care of my cars needs until later then sooner or later it will break down on me. If I do not take care of my health or my families health then that is not being responsible with my families, and my health. We can tell ourselves we are healthy enough and just do what we want, "eat, drink and be merry" and everything will just be fine. We can say I don't believe in going to a Doctor or taking medicine or eating properly or even my body knows what it needs and I drink or eat what I feel it needs. Are you laughing yet? Our bodies, cars, homes, and families need to be cared for and even preventive measures taken for the future needs of each.

So it is with our souls and choosing where we want our souls to go after the death of our bodies. We don't wait until our bodies or our cars or families are at the end to finally take care of them do we? Why do some feel they can wait until the end life, or even just take a chance the Bible is wrong, and reject God? None are good enough to stand by themselves before the God of the Universe and claim a place in heaven and standing before Him who created all of us, and trying to get away with, “I did not know.” Will not be what gets one into heaven. Jesus said, He is the way and that to go to the Father we have to go through Him (not Buddha, Mohammad, Joseph Smith, Hari krishna or any other person or other thing nor can we just be good enough) so we have no other mediator with the Father (not Mary His Mother either or any saints). Just Jesus!

A lot of people do not believe in God or that He exists yet do you see the piston in your car or the cells of your body? We do not have to see God to know He exists (yet we can see His works and His glory in the world around us) anymore than we have to see the piston in the engine of our car to know it is there and we see the leaves on the trees move when the wind blows yet we cannot see the air moving. God is and His promises are true and because they are true do you want to stand before Him without His Son Jesus interceding for you?

Imagine yourself in a court of law without a lawyer or even yourself as your lawyer. Imagine now you have a lawyer and he says whatever punishment my client deserves put on me. This is what Jesus did on the Cross. He took on our sin once and for all so we could stand before the Creator of the Universe and not get our just punishment because He already took it for us. We just have to accept it and Him as our Savior and be God’s own adopted child as precious as a new born baby and as pure as the new falling snow. Without accepting His gift of Sacrifice we could do all the “good works” we wanted or the world said were good and still be sinners and not worthy of heaven.

The God who cast out Adam and Eve from Paradise because of sin will not accept us into Heaven with sin. I hope you accept Jesus as your Savior and then you will never have to wonder, “Am I good enough,” You will be because of the righteousness of Jesus the Christ foretold of in the Old Testament. If you have accepted His righteousness then pray for others and do as Jesus instructed and go and make disciples and if you accept Jesus today or when you do then go and tell others the “Good News of the Gospel.”

Abba, we praise You and glorify Your Holy Name and thank You for all You have done for us and in our lives. We thank You for bringing us to the Cross and sending Your Son so we may have His intercession before You. Protect us as Your children and be with us as we go forth in the Name of Your Son Jesus to proclaim You to the world and make disciples who make disciples. In Jesus Name. Amen
Rebishka

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