Posted on 02/25/2024 11:01:43 AM PST by Roman_War_Criminal
On the morning of Feb. 21, 2018, my grandfather slipped silently and sweetly into the presence of Jesus. He was called home in a manner that was fitting for a servant of Christ who had uncompromisingly served his Lord for the better part of a century.
He closed his eyes in the earthly realm, only to open them once again in Heaven.
I believe it was something that my grandfather anticipated with great joy and peace. Why? Because he knew—with no doubt in his mind—that it wasn’t the end. Death for him was just a door that must be walked through in order to get to his real and true home.
On the other side of that door was his dearly beloved wife (my grandmother Ruth), his parents and two siblings, and many wonderful friends and partners in ministry who had gone on before him. Most importantly, the Savior was there with arms open wide to welcome His good and faithful servant.
Many people have a fear of dying because they don’t know what is in store for them. They want to get to Heaven but don’t know if they’ve done enough good things in life to warrant their place. They feel like there’s no way of knowing until they die and their tallies are counted.
Others openly admit that they don’t believe in a God or in Heaven and hell. In their view, there’s nothing on the other side of that final breath. You live and then you die. You cease to exist.
My friends, if you hold one of these two views, it makes complete sense that you are afraid of dying. If you can’t say with certainty that you know Heaven awaits you, it probably doesn’t.
If that describes you, please hear what I have to say next. Rather than fearing death, you can consider it your friend!
Since Christ has conquered death, it is now subservient to Him. Death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55). For those who call on the name of Jesus as Savior and Lord—like my grandfather—death is now the friend that opens the door and introduces us to eternity with Jesus in Heaven.
Therefore, the real question isn’t about life and death; it’s about Jesus and what you’re going to do with Him.
It’s not a matter of being good enough. The Bible says that we’ve all fallen short of God’s perfection (Romans 3:23). No amount of good works can change that.
Rather, it’s a matter of accepting Jesus’ free gift of salvation, paid for by His sacrificial death on the cross (taking your sins and mine) and then His victory over the grave. Ask Christ to forgive you of your sins and be the Master of your life.
Like my grandfather, you can have the peace of knowing that when your time on earth is done, you will be in Heaven and see Jesus face to face. Don’t wait another minute—surrender your life (and death) to Him today.
bkmk
If you dont believe and you are right you have lost nothing.
However if you don’t believe and are wrong you have lost everything.
There is absolutely no down side to believing and never-ending downsides to not believing
Pascal in the 17th century took your premise and created an equation to show that belief in Christ and living your life that way was mathematically the best direction your life should take.
Hebrews 11:1 -- "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
I have seen Jesus' work.
I don't believe in Jesus.
I KNOW Jesus.
I KNOW Jesus.
Good point!
Of course, the deceivers' slick bait and switch has been to swap out the Jesus of the NT for a popular Establishment Jesus who tells people what they've decided to hear.
The former constantly ran afoul of the establishment for being the no-nonsense, maverick, direct care Can-Do solution to business, cutting out all of the fraud, waste, abuse. There goes the neighborhood.
The latter has quite an empire of merchandize and tips and tricks to help the folks keep the faith.. just don't open the light-block shades.
2000 years of settle dogma couldn't possible be wrong! Well, unless it's the doctrines of those blinded, "stiff-necked" Jews, or Catholics for that matter (/established "logic").
The opposition is meanwhile certain that the wrongthinkers are you people.
Then comes the shock and awe and fear and dread that was supposed be for those other people filled with wrongthink.
Or, how warnings fall upon deaf ears for not being in agreement with the lockstep programming that everyone loves and knows to be true.
Lockdowns are only bad when governments do it. (/s, just in case.)
And on top of all of that is the abject logic fail of those who can point to where Christian interpretation of the Hebrew texts is sketchy and deceptive, yet they trust the Christian interpretations to learn what's in the NT.
Well, if Christian teachers can't be trusted with the Hebrew, on account of ignorance or ulterior motives or whatever, why on earth should they be any more responsible and reliable with Greek?
🤔
I strongly suspect that nobody is supposed to notice these sorts of glaring anomalies.
Seems to me that the actual Messiah needs to step up quick before all the people claiming to be his fan base argue or puff themselves up to death. Or they'll simply put themselves out of their misery by the Oceangate method.
One way or the other, everyone's going to learn to get along finally.
That's the dream of those who get banished to solitary confinement. It's not like they have anything better to do. Might as well dream big.
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