Posted on 07/01/2009 5:22:14 AM PDT by truthandlife
(John 3:16-18)
What you believe does matter . . . FOR ETERNITY!!! In all of the intense media coverage after the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson, the one thing that has driven me crazy has been hearing over and over, often by high-profile Christians, that Michael is now at peace in Heaven. Really? I hear this same thing whenever a famous person dies, regardless of what they believed during their life, as well as from people when a family member or close friend dies, again, regardless of what they believed during their life.
If this is true, then what is the use of the Gospel? If this is true, why should anyone waste their time and effort telling people about Jesus? If this is true, then the death of Jesus on the cross was a meaningless exercise, His resurrection didn't need to occur, and people can believe whatever they want during this life and make it to Heaven. THAT MY FRIEND IS THE UNIVERSALISTIC LIE FROM HELL!!!
The fact is God made only ONE plan of salvation. There is only ONE way to everlasting life and that is faith in Jesus Christ, the Jesus Christ of the Bible. There are NOT many roads that lead to God, only one, the Jesus road!!! You can't believe whatever you want and die and end up in Heaven. That is a lie from satan that is leading millions of souls to the flames of hell for all eternity. WHAT YOU BELIEVE DOES MATTER!!!
It is arguable that Michael Jackson was the most recognized person on the planet. Despite his vast fame and material possessions, Michael was bankrupt in the things that really matter in life, joy, peace, contentment, HOPE! Those things only come through having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and living according to God's Word.
After his child molestation trial concluded, on June 17, 2005 I wrote these words, "Even though he has been acquitted of the charges brought against him, the moment he dies he will stand before The Judge, God Himself. At that moment, if he dies without Christ he will be standing all alone. There will be no high-priced defense attorney, no family, no fans, only God who will judge him for his sins and cast him into everlasting darkness. At that moment, if he has accepted Christ as his Savior by faith, he won't be standing alone. Next to him will be the ultimate defense attorney, JESUS CHRIST, who will tell The Judge that his sins have been paid for and Michael Jackson will be ushered into God's presence for all eternity."
Sadly, Michael grew up in the Jehovah's Witnesses cult. This is the cult born out of the depraved mind of Charles Taze Russell and denies the very deity of Christ. You can go to Google and type in "cults Jehovah's Witnesses" and it will give you many websites to document their false theology. However, Michael has not only followed the false theology of the Jehovah's Witnesses, he made the choice to live his life in rebellion to God and His Word and follow all kinds of false religions and teachings.
During his 2005 trial for child molestation, instead of turning to Christ for strength he turned to a cult I have exposed and talked about, Kaballah which was popularized by singer Madonna, signified by the "red string" bracelet he wore throughout the trial. He had during his life several high-profile spiritual advisors, Orthodox Jew Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and New Age tool charlatan Deepak Chopra, a tool of satan I have warned you about in past Devotionals. Jackson was also heavily influenced by several of his brothers who are deep in the false religion of Islam. Clearly Michael Jackson was a man lost and searching.
I know it makes people feel better when a famous person or someone they know dies, if they think that they are in Heaven. This is why I have literally given my life 24/7/365 these past 20 years for the Gospel, because the FACT is, those who die without Jesus will not be in Heaven but in the flames of hell for all eternity. What you believe matters, and based on what he believed, Michael Jackson is not in Heaven but in eternal torment and punishment for his sins.
I love you and care about you so much. I realize many people will point out all of the great humanitarian deeds Jackson did during his life, the multi millions he has given to charity and those are wonderful acts that should be commended. But we can't work or buy our way into Heaven. No amount of money or good works saves you, only faith in Christ and God's Grace (Ephesians 2:8,9).
The fact is, Michael Jackson like all men, is born into this life with sin, in addition to those sins he has committed during his life, and it is that sin that separates him from a Holy God. The moment he died he stood before God and the number of records he sold, the number of people who saw him perform, and all of his good deeds didn't mean anything. The ONLY thing that mattered was the he rejected the Jesus of the Bible by faith as his Lord and Savior.
That is all that will matter when you take your last breath my friend. If you have never made the commitment to ask Christ into your heart and life by faith, let me tell you that the most important decision you will make in this life is not who you will marry, or where you will live, or what kind of job you will have. The most important decision you will make in this life is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. God's desire is that none be lost, that all come to repentance. He is speaking to you today. The Bible says that TODAY is the day of salvation.
I would invite you to go to, www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html. Pray to ask God to open your heart, read the words, watch the short video, pray the prayer, and accept God's free gift to you today. WHAT YOU BELIEVE MATTERS . . . FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!
OK
It will happen but not until Christ returns. I wish it would happen sooner, too.
So all the dead people that prayed for good health, they didn’t really get their prayers answered, did they?
I had a 99 year old nun tell me something once about prayer. I was having a rough spell at work and not handling it very well. I said that my prayers were going unanswered. She said, “nonsense, God answers all prayers!” I told her that he didn’t answer mine.
She said that God had only three answers to all the prayers that he heard, and that he answered all of them. Answer 1) not now, but later. Answer 2) not now, but something better. Answer 3) Yes!
So maybe those that prayed for good health but then died received answer number 2?
Nope. But God answered them after they died, if they went to Heaven. No tears and no sickness there. Some people get prayed for and are never healed because of unforgiveness, bitterness, self-hatred, hatred of others, fears, etc. Some aren’t healed because it’s their time to die.
Maybe so, we’ll never know.
Well, I guess we’ll never know for sure...at least while we’re alive.
That was my son. He died of brain tumors in 1987 after 8 years of operations, one each year. We were blessed to have been his parents. Our church prayed for his healing, at the end he let them know to stop praying that, just pray. He knew he would be healed and made whole in heaven, and his life would be used by God as an inspiration for others. Miracles sometimes are for non believers, my son did not need a miracle as he was a believer. Kind of like Paul with the thorn in his side, God did not heal him of that, “My grace is sufficient for you”.
It is appointed once for man to be born and to die, during life we have the choice to accept or reject Christ as our Savior, God does not interfere with our choices, He gives us all Free Will, and free will is Love.
No one comes to the Lord except that God sent him. A mystery? No, think about it, read the posted thread through, read the Bible, and IF you have just a twinge of belief, God is talking to you at that moment. Don't reject Him, search Him out, prove Him, He will not fail you, NEVER.
It is ok to doubt,that means you are thinking, now explore and you will find your answer yourself. Doubting Thomas was a disciple, he had to touch the nail wounds in Christs hand before he fully believed.
While none of us knows the condition of a person’s heart at death (the bible teaches that death-bed salvation is quite possible), we do know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father but by Him.
Oh, what a beautiful testimony. I don’t WANT to hang around forever. I want to go home to be with the Lord when HE is ready to call me. I don’t fear death because I know I’ll be with Him when I die.
Just remember that no matter what we go through, God’s grace is sufficient for whatever is happening in our lives.
It certainly should be, since I believe He is ultimately responsible for whatever is happening in our lives.
Thank you. We will be there, I know for sure. I told my son just before he died, “I will see you in the morning”, then his spirit went home. Awesome.
Your testimony is such an encouragement. Thank you,dear sister in Christ. I know it too.
Great response! Amen!
The content of this article in not concerned with punishment and rewards in the hereafter. It is about location. Where will each individual soul spend eternity. It will either be in Heaven with God or apart from Him. The only thing that decides your location for eternity is faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. One’s eternal location is not at all dependent on how sinful/bad/evil a person was or how good/godly/saintly one lived. The verdict of where each person ends up is only based on did they or did they not believe that Jesus Christ was their Lord and was He God. Regardless of how much sin and how wretched the sinner - their faith is what decides the verdict.
That's pretty awesome. I'll remember that.
She said that God had only three answers to all the prayers that he heard, and that he answered all of them. Answer 1) not now, but later. Answer 2) not now, but something better. Answer 3) Yes!
So maybe those that prayed for good health but then died received answer number 2?
The way I heard someone else explain it once (not a priest or a nun, I think it was a pastor or minister) was God that answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is "No."
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