Are You Obedient to the Great Commission?

By Justin Edwards

Having the knowledge of this:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. - Revelation 20:11-15

Sharing the Gospel in Uptown Charlotte Today

Are you obeying this:

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. - Mark 16:15

Knowing this:

...in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. - 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10

Are you obeying this:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. - Matthew 28:19-20

And knowing this:

And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night (Revelation 14:11a)...And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10b).

Are you honestly subscribed to this:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. - Romans 1:16

What are some reasons you might not actively share your faith? Care to share these by commenting below? Let's talk about it...

Please also see Evangelism - Equip Youself and Great Commission

"Are You Ready?" mp3 - Second Service Now Available

By Justin Edwards

If you had a chance to watch Loran Livingston's "Are You Ready?" message from 2/13/11, then you know how great and urgent a message it was. The video in that post was from the 8:30am service, but I am pleased to announce the audio to the 10:30am service is now available and "stickied" to the top of the blog permanently.

Having less time restraints in the 10:30am service, Pastor Livingston was able to take his time with the message and elaborate on a few points. I highly recommend listening to the 10:30 message and encourage you to download and/or share the link with friends.

The Day of the Lord is rapidly approaching, so the question remains - are you ready?

For convenience, you can download the message here: Are You Ready? mp3

Sudden Death

By Justin Edwards

Two tragic deaths in town gives us opportunity to think about eternal matters. Should death visit you today, are you sure you will find your expected destination?

Please follow link for story and some important questions to ask oneself: Tragic Death Strikes Charlotte Family

A New Heaven and New Earth

By Justin Edwards

Oh Christian, make your calling and election sure so you may be guaranteed the inheritance of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Revelation 21:1-27

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Revelation 22:1-21

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
A Warning

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Set Your Mind On Things Above

By Justin Edwards

On petitioning God to help him heed to the calling of Colossians 3:1-4, which says,

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory,

Jonathan Edwards penned in his Diary:

Lord, grant that from hence I may learn to withdraw thoughts, affections, desires, and expectations entirely from the world, and may fix them upon the heavenly state, where there is fulness of joy; where reigns heavenly, sweet, calm, and delightful love without alloy; where there are continually the dearest expressions of this love; where there is the enjoyment of this love without ever parting; and where those persons, who appear so lovely in this world, will be inexpressibly more lovely, and full of love to us. How sweetly will those, who thus mutually love, join together in singing the praises of God and the Lamb. How full will it fill us with joy, to think that this enjoyment, these sweet exercises, will never cease or come to an end, but will last to all eternity.

 May we all have a similar prayer as we heed to the Holy Spirit in being conformed to the likeness of Christ and no longer being conformed to the world. May we be cognizant of storing our treasures in heaven and not on this earth, knowing this:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Luke 12:34

Diary entry taken from Dr. Steven Lawson's The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards

Farewell?

By Justin Edwards

The following message is being sent to all friends on my personal facebook page. Facebook limits the length of private messages so I am using the blog to allow the reader to continue reading here. I invite anyone to read this important message.

Dear friends,

I will be deleting this facebook page soon as I will be communicating exclusively from the facebook page of my blog, "Airo Follow":

I am sending this to you for a few reasons:

1) First and foremost I did not want anyone to be caught off guard and wonder why I might have deleted them as a friend if they are not currently a friend of "Airo Follow".

2) I wanted to give you an opportunity to continue following my posts or keep up with me should you desire to do so.

3) Should you decide not to "friend" my other fb profile, I wanted to say "farewell" and invite you to do so any time in the future.

I have had this personal profile for nearly 2 years and it has been a joy to have. Since I started my blog in February, it has been difficult to "maintain" 2 fb pages. This page has become less personal and I do not see a beneficial reason to continue posting here.

It has been a pleasure being updated with old friends that go back as far as elementary school, even if we rarely, if ever, participated on each other’s pages. Facebook has been a valuable tool in this regard, and should this be the end of our "virtual friendship", I wish you the best. It would be my privilege for you to friend me on my blog's fb page, but I will leave that to your discretion and won't solicit your interest beyond this message.

If this might be our last contact, I wanted to take one last opportunity to share the Lord Jesus Christ with you if you do not know Him already, or more importantly, if He does not know you.

*WAIT*, please don't look away. I ask you to take just a brief moment of your time to read what I have to say. I am speaking to you now as a friend and from the love of my heart. I have no other motive than to share the One thing – the One Person – who has the power to change your life forever, literally. So please, whether you profess to be a Christian or not, I ask that you continue reading.

I send this message to you out of obedience to fulfill what God has commanded of every Christian - to fulfill His Great Commission:

Mark 16:15 "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

I am sure by following my posts over these last couple of years, you might consider me "religious", a committed follower of Jesus Christ, or even a crazy fool. Many of you who have known me over the last 12 years or so would likely see a dramatic change from who I used to be and who I am now. I can say with confidence there is only one Person who is responsible for this, and that is Jesus Christ.

He saved me. For nearly 20 years I professed to be a Christian and looking back, I cannot say with certainty that I was indeed a Christian for all of those years. When I started comparing my life to what the Word of God says, I noticed I was largely a contradiction to what the Bible defines as a believer in Jesus Christ (please watch the video below).

And then He broke me. I realized my wretched sin was such an offense against a Holy God. The very sins I took pleasure in were the very sins that nailed Christ to the bloody cross. And each time I rebelled against God, the nail was hammered deeper, the thorns ripped His brow further, the lacerations on His back stretched wider, the agony of a tormenting death grew harsher, and the weight of sin on Christ got heavier. My sin nailed Him to that rugged cross, and it ripped my heart out. That is the day I sorrowed over my sin, and that was the day my sin was covered by His precious blood through faith and repentance.

Being a Christian is not just a label. Having a simple or generic belief in "God" or a "higher power" is not "good enough" for you to go to heaven. One is not a Christian because their parents are or because they go to church. Even saying a prayer once when you were a kid does not make you a Christian. Further, your acts of service and charitable deeds do not ensure your way to heaven any more than the detestable criminal behavior of Adolf Hitler would ensure him access to heaven. In fact, many adults can profess a belief in Jesus and claim they are a Christian, but that does not necessarily mean they are saved.

And here's why:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

A Christian means you have been born again and have been made a new creation in Christ. When God saves you, He changes you. He gives you a hunger to seek Him in His Word, to commune with Him through prayer, and to seek the fellowship of other believers. At the moment of salvation, He begins a process in you to conform you to His Son Jesus Christ. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, and we grow to hate the things God hates, and to love the things God loves. We grow intolerant of the offensive things we use to participate in because God changes our very desires as we seek Him in all areas of our lives.

If your life is no different than before you began professing a belief in Christ, or your lifestyle is no different than your unbelieving friends, you must examine yourself. If the likelihood is pretty slim that someone might consider you a Christian based on your lifestyle alone or because you never talk about Jesus because "your faith is personal", you might want to seriously consider if you are truly saved. But don’t take my word for it, you need to go to the Source and back up what I’m saying.

You need to pick up a Bible.

I have heard it said, and correctly so, that if you do not have a new relationship with the Bible, and if you do not have a new relationship with sin, then you do not have a new relationship with God.

The Word of God tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5,

5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

We are called to examine ourselves. If we cannot pass the test of what the Bible defines as a Christian, then we will be disqualified, which means we will end up in hell if we continue down this path. There are so many who believe they are saved and they will find out the tragic truth of their eternal fate when it is too late. According to Matthew 7:23, Jesus will tell many people that He never knew them, although they professed to believe in Him:

"And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

That means many professing Christians are in hell today, and many professing Christians will die and go to hell in the future. That is why it is so important to make sure that you truly believe in Jesus Christ, and the only way to do that is to read the Bible. And don’t only read it, but do what it says (James 1:22) for that is the evidence that we are saved. We cannot rely on what people have told us from behind pulpits, or what assurance friends have given us, or what our own hearts tell us - for the Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9,

"The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?"

We must go to the Word of God to see if we are truly saved and will surely spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. If you profess to be a Christian, the best place for you to start is in the book of 1 John (towards the end of the New Testament). Here you will find many examinations to test your faith, yet you will also find assurance of salvation if you are truly saved. But if you have never picked up the Bible before, or very rarely read what it has to say, then that should give you great cause for concern.

2 Peter 1:10-11 says,

"10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

If you are not willing to examine salvation with the Word of God, then you are probably not saved.

As I said, when God saves us, He changes us from the inside out. It is not possible to remain a fruitless, carnal Christian for all the days of your life. You cannot love Jesus Christ and love the world and the things of the world at the same time. If your lifestyle is one that pursues self-seeking interests and the pleasures of the world instead of pursuing the holiness of God and the things of God, then you have much to fear until you come to the cross of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8).

This is why I believe pride to be the greatest sin - because it is pride that keeps people from coming to the knowledge of the truth. It is pride that makes people think they have need of nothing. It is pride that many professing Christians believe they can "believe" in Jesus yet live any way they want without ever pursuing the glory and holiness of God. And it is pride that will send many to an everlasting death in hell.

The truth is, you will act on what you believe. Belief is expressed by action. The more you believe something, the more you will act upon that belief. If you profess to have faith in Christ, the proof of that will be in the life you live. True faith yields action; true faith yields obedience.

True faith obeys.

The Christian life is not about following a list of rules (far from it – that would be stale and boring); rather, it is about loving God with all of your mind, heart, soul, and strength. So as we grow to love God more, our love for the world and the things of the world will naturally fade away. As we depend on Him for everything and pursue Him like we would pursue the love of our lives (for that is who God should be to us), He will give us the strength to overcome sin and be faithful to Jesus Christ through obedience to His revealed will.

Whether you profess to be a Christian or express a general belief in God or no belief in God, there is only one truth and one way to heaven. All other roads lead to death. Jesus said in John 14:6,

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

He also said in John 10:27,

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

This same Jesus said, “you must be born again” (John 3:3)(by the way, take a few days to read the Gospel of John to find out just who God is and what He did for you). This means you must come to the understanding that sin is a grave offense against God. You understand that you have broken His Law. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death (hell), but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23 says we all fall short of the glory of God.

We must realize our sinfulness and its just punishment and we must realize that Jesus is the only one who can save us. We must trust in Him alone for our salvation (that means you cannot work for your salvation, whether that is works of righteousness, church rituals and traditions, or being "good enough"). We must then submit our lives to the risen Lord Jesus Christ by repenting of our sins (turning away from your sinful lifestyle) and turning towards God to commit our lives to Him - that is when you will be saved. That is when your sins will be forgiven. That is when you desire God more than the world and Christ becomes more valuable to you than anything else.

That is when you will receive eternal life.

It becomes the end of you and the end of any control you have over your life. In fact, you become dead to yourself and your own desires, and you completely transfer everything that you are to everything that God is. When that happens, Jesus becomes your life and He will begin to change you from the inside out by the Holy Spirit. When God has control of you, you will begin to experience the everlasting joy that is in Christ. The Hope within you will be evident to those around you, and the love of Christ will shine through you as you become more like Him.

This is not a call for you to come get “your best life now”. No, it is a call for you to lay your life down for Jesus Christ because He is worthy. He laid His life down for your sake, and it is the greatest act of love this world has ever seen.

It is not a promise of happiness. No, it is a call to suffer for His name’s sake. It is not a promise of material blessings. No, it is a promise that no matter the difficult trials and tribulations you go through, He will pull you through it. It is not a promise that you will not face persecution. No, in fact, if you follow Christ, you are promised just that – persecution, even unto death. And yet, His glorious resurrection proves that one day we all will be resurrected – some of us to eternal life, and some of us to eternal destruction.

This is a call for you to live!

If you have counted the cost and are willing to forsake it all for Jesus Christ, you are ready to be His disciple, as Jesus Himself said in Luke 14:33,

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

When you value the Lord Jesus Christ more than anything else, that is when you are able to forsake everything for His precious gift of Life. Do you not want Life?

I understand this message has been long, but there is just so much I want to tell you about Life in Christ. It is so important for you to understand this temporary life we have on earth is not the end of ourselves, it is only the beginning. The decision you make to follow or reject the Lord Jesus Christ will determine where you spend the rest of eternity. Even 100 trillion years is still a vapor in the wind in the backdrop of the eternal. You will either spend forever with the King of kings and Lord of lords, benefiting from the eternal inheritance He offers you, or you will spend forever under the same judgment the devil and his angels will be sentenced to in the lake of fire.

This is no trivial matter. This is serious business. You are not promised another breath from your lungs or beat from your heart. The Lord Jesus Christ could return before you wake up in the morning, but then it will be too late. Do you not want to be absolutely sure where you will spend eternity?

I love you and it's why I have told you the truth.

Although this may be a blessing to a few people, it is likely that more of you may hate me or consider me a fool. Some of you may hate me while you profess to be a Christian. But that’s ok. It is well worth the price to tell you how you can receive life. It is worth telling you that you can be set free from the bondage of the world, from the bondage of your sin, from false hope, from false security, and from an eternity absent the love, grace, and mercy of Almighty God.

There is only one truth, and the source of it is Jesus Christ. No one wants to be lied to, so isn't it worth your time to search whether or not what you believe is actually true? How do you know that which you believe is really real?

I care for you and I love you, no matter the relationship we might have. Should you desire to learn more about the free gift of Grace and what it means to be a born again Christian saved and secured for life and eternity, then please never hesitate to contact me through the Airo Follow facebook page. You can also reach me at airo.follow@gmail.com.

My blog is rich in resources on these matters, and I pray God draws you by His Spirit to search for the Truth, which is the only thing that can set you free in this life and the life to come.

Thanks for taking the time to read this message. I will miss the ones I'll never hear from again, but because of my love for you, it was necessary for me to share this with you one last time. I do hope this won't be the end of our contact.

In Christ,

Justin Edwards

Is Heaven in You?

An old Scotchman was asked whether he expected to get to heaven. “Why, man, I live
there,” was his quaint reply. Let us all live in those spiritual things which are the
essential features of heaven. Often go there, before you go to stay there. It was said
of an old Puritan, that heaven was in him before he was in heaven. That is necessary
for all of us; we must have heaven in us before we get into heaven. If we do not get to
heaven before we die, we shall never get there afterwards. - C.H. Spurgeon


(HT: Spurgeon's Maxims for Living)

Fear of Punishment, Promise of Reward?

Wired by God

There are some people who mistakenly think that it is wrong for anyone to respond to the gospel, simply for the reward of Heaven. Their belief is that we should do what's right just because it's right, not because of fear of punishment or promise of reward.

However, such idealism is unrealistic. We are sinners with desperately wicked hearts, and we are incapable of such noble motives.

However, God has "wired" us to respond to rewards and punishments. From the moment we are born, we have the ability to respond positively to a smile and negatively to a frown. We respond positively to incentives. We work towards a wage, run to win the medal, and climb to reach the highest peak. Again, it's our nature to be motivated by these things.

That's why we have court systems that threaten punishment to lawbreakers. If we violate traffic rules we are punished by a ticket or even imprisonment.

It is therefore evident that it is legitimate for any sane person to respond negatively to the threat of Hell and positively to God's free gift of eternal life.

Today's witnessing clip:

(HT: Atheist Central)

Is Heaven Our Default Destination…or Is Hell?

By Randy Alcorn

The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. — C. S. Lewis 


For every American who believes he’s going to Hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to Heaven. This optimism stands in stark contrast to Christ’s words in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

What would keep us out of Heaven is universal: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from a relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2). God is so holy that he cannot allow sin into his presence: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). Because we are sinners, we are not entitled to enter God’s presence. We cannot enter Heaven as we are.

So Heaven is not our default destination. No one goes there automatically. Unless our sin problem is resolved, the only place we will go is our true default destination . . . Hell.

I am addressing this issue now because throughout this book I will talk about being with Jesus in Heaven, being reunited with family and friends, and enjoying great adventures in Heaven. The great danger is that readers will assume they are headed for Heaven. Judging by what’s said at most funerals, you’d think nearly everyone’s going to Heaven, wouldn’t you? But Jesus made it clear that most people are not going to Heaven: “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

We dare not “wait and see” when it comes to what’s on the other side of death. We shouldn’t just cross our fingers and hope that our names are written in the Book of Life (Revelation 21:27). We can know, we should know, before we die. And because we may die at any time, we need to know now—not next month or next year. “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

It’s of paramount importance to make sure you are going to Heaven, not Hell. The voice that whispers, “There’s no hurry; put this book down; you can always think about it later,” is not God’s voice. He says, “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2) and “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

Hell: Heaven’s Awful Alternative

Hell will be inhabited by people who haven’t received God’s gift of redemption in Christ (Revelation 20:12-15). After Christ returns, there will be a resurrection of believers for eternal life in Heaven and a resurrection of unbelievers for eternal existence in Hell (John 5:28-29). The unsaved—everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—will be judged by God according to the works they have done, which have been recorded in Heaven’s books (Revelation 20:12-15). Because those works include sin, people on their own, without Christ, cannot enter the presence of a holy and just God and will be consigned to a place of everlasting destruction (Matthew 13:40-42). Christ will say to those who are not covered by his blood, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

Hell will not be like it’s often portrayed in comic strips, a giant lounge where between drinks people tell stories of their escapades on Earth. Rather, it will be a place of utter misery (Matthew 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28). It will be a place of conscious punishment for sins, with no hope of relief. This is why Dante, in the Inferno, envisioned this sign chiseled above Hell’s gate: “Abandon every hope, you who enter.”

The reality of Hell should break our hearts and take us to our knees and to the doors of those without Christ. Today, however, even among many Bible believers, Hell has become “the H word,” seldom named, rarely talked about. It doesn’t even appear in many evangelistic booklets. It’s common to deny or ignore the clear teaching of Scripture about Hell. Hell seems disproportionate, a divine overreaction. In the words of one professor and contributor to an evangelical publication, “I consider the concept of hell as endless torment in body and mind an outrageous doctrine. . . . How can Christians possibly project a deity of such cruelty and vindictiveness whose ways include inflicting everlasting torture upon his creatures, however sinful they may have been? Surely a God who would do such a thing is more nearly like Satan than like God.”

Many imagine that it is civilized, humane, and compassionate to deny the existence of an eternal Hell, but in fact it is arrogant that we, as creatures, would dare to take what we think is the moral high ground in opposition to what God the Creator has clearly revealed. We don’t want to believe that any others deserve eternal punishment, because if they do, so do we. But if we understood God’s nature and ours, we would be shocked not that some people could go to Hell (where else would sinners go?), but that any would be permitted into Heaven. Unholy as we are, we are disqualified from saying that infinite holiness doesn’t demand everlasting punishment. By denying the endlessness of Hell, we minimize Christ’s work on the cross. Why? Because we lower the stakes of redemption. If Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection didn’t deliver us from an eternal Hell, his work on the cross is less heroic, less potent, less consequential, and thus less deserving of our worship and praise. As theologian William G. T. Shedd put it, “The doctrine of Christ’s vicarious atonement logically stands or falls with that of eternal punishment.” Satan has obvious motives for fueling our denial of eternal punishment: He wants unbelievers to reject Christ without fear; he wants Christians to be unmotivated to share Christ; and he wants God to receive less glory for the radical nature of Christ’s redemptive work.

What Did Jesus Say about Hell?

Many books deny Hell. Some embrace universalism, the belief that all people will ultimately be saved. Some consider Hell to be the invention of wild-eyed prophets obsessed with wrath. They argue that Christians should take the higher road of Christ’s love. But this perspective overlooks a conspicuous reality: In the Bible, Jesus says more than anyone else about Hell (Matthew 10:28; 13:40-42; Mark 9:43-44). He refers to it as a literal place and describes it in graphic terms—including raging fires and the worm that doesn’t die. Christ says the unsaved “will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). In his story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus taught that in Hell, the wicked suffer terribly, are fully conscious, retain their desires and memories and reasoning, long for relief, cannot be comforted, cannot leave their torment, and are bereft of hope (Luke 16:19-31). The Savior could not have painted a more bleak or graphic picture.

How long will Hell last? “They will go away to eternal punishment,” Jesus said of the unrighteous, “but the righteous to eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). Here, in the same sentence, Christ uses the same word translated “eternal” (aionos) to describe the duration of both Heaven and Hell. Thus, if Heaven will be consciously experienced forever, Hell must be consciously experienced forever.

C. S. Lewis said, “I have met no people who fully disbelieved in Hell and also had a living and life-giving belief in Heaven.” The biblical teaching on both destinations stands or falls together.

If I had a choice, that is if Scripture were not so clear and conclusive, I would certainly not believe in Hell. Trust me when I say I do not want to believe in it. But if I make what I want—or what others want—the basis for my beliefs, then I am a follower of myself and my culture, not a follower of Christ. “There seems to be a kind of conspiracy,” writes novelist Dorothy Sayers, “to forget, or to conceal, where the doctrine of hell comes from. The doctrine of hell is not ‘mediaeval priestcraft’ for frightening people into giving money to the church: it is Christ’s deliberate judgment on sin. . . . We cannot repudiate Hell without altogether repudiating Christ.” In The Problem of Pain, C. S. Lewis writes of Hell, “There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason.”

Is It Unloving to Speak of Hell?

If you were giving some friends directions to Denver and you knew that one road led there but a second road ended at a sharp cliff around a blind corner, would you talk only about the safe road? No. You would tell them about both, especially if you knew that the road to destruction was wider and more traveled. In fact, it would be terribly unloving not to warn them about that other road.

For the same reason, we must not believe Satan’s lie that it’s unloving to speak to people about Hell. The most basic truth is that there are only two possible destinations after death: Heaven and Hell. Each is just as real and just as eternal as the other. Unless and until we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, we’re headed for Hell. The most loving thing we can do for our friends and our family is to warn them about the road that leads to destruction and tell them about the road that leads to life.

It would upset us, but would we think it unloving if a doctor told us we had a potentially fatal cancer? And would the doctor not tell us if the cancer could be eradicated? Why then do we not tell unsaved people about the cancer of sin and evil and how the inevitable penalty of eternal destruction can be avoided by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

Teresa of Avila, a sixteenth-century Carmelite nun, had an agonizing vision of Hell. She later wrote of the torment she endured:

I was terrified by all this, and, though it happened nearly six years ago, I still am as I write: even as I sit here, fear seems to be depriving my body of its natural warmth. I never recall any time when I have been suffering trials or pains and when everything that we can suffer on earth has seemed to me of the slightest importance by comparison with this. . . . It has been of the greatest benefit to me, both in taking from me all fear of the tribulations and disappointments of this life and also in strengthening me to suffer them and to give thanks to the Lord, Who, as I now believe, has delivered me from such terrible and never-ending torments.

If we understood Hell even the slightest bit, none of us would ever say, “Go to Hell.” It’s far too easy to go to Hell. It requires no change of course, no navigational adjustments. We were born with our autopilot set toward Hell. It is nothing to take lightly—Hell is the single greatest tragedy in the universe. God loves us enough to tell us the truth—there are two eternal destinations, not one, and we must choose the right path if we are to go to Heaven. All roads do not lead to Heaven. Only one does: Jesus Christ. He said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). All other roads lead to Hell. The high stakes involved in the choice between Heaven and Hell will cause us to appreciate Heaven in deeper ways, never taking it for granted, and always praising God for his grace that delivers us from what we deserve and grants us forever what we don’t.

Earth: The In-Between World

God and Satan are not equal opposites. Likewise, Hell is not Heaven’s equal opposite. Just as God has no equal as a person, Heaven has no equal as a place.

Hell will be agonizingly dull, small, and insignificant, without company, purpose, or accomplishment. It will not have its own stories; it will merely be a footnote on history, a crack in the pavement. As the new universe moves gloriously onward, Hell and its occupants will exist in utter inactivity and insignificance, an eternal non-life of regret and—perhaps—diminishing personhood.

Scripture says of those who die without Jesus, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Because God is the source of all good, and Hell is the absence of God, Hell must also be the absence of all good. Likewise, community, fellowship, and friendship are good, rooted in the triune God himself. But in the absence of God, Hell will have no community, no camaraderie, no friendship. I don’t believe Hell is a place where demons take delight in punishing people and where people commiserate over their fate. More likely, each person is in solitary confinement, just as the rich man is portrayed alone in Hell (Luke 16:22-23). Misery loves company, but there will be nothing to love in Hell.

Earth is an in-between world touched by both Heaven and Hell. Earth leads directly into Heaven or directly into Hell, affording a choice between the two. The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.

The reality of the choice that lies before us in this life is both wonderful and awful. Given the reality of our two possible destinations, shouldn’t we be willing to pay any price to avoid Hell and go to Heaven? And yet, the price has already been paid. “You were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). The price paid was exorbitant—the shed blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Consider the wonder of it: God determined that he would rather go to Hell on our behalf than live in Heaven without us. He so much wants us not to go to Hell that he paid a horrible price on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to.

As it stands, however, apart from Christ, our eternal future will be spent in Hell. Jesus asks a haunting question in Mark 8:36-37: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” The price has been paid. But still, we must choose. Like any gift, forgiveness can be offered, but it isn’t ours until we choose to receive it. A convicted criminal can be offered a pardon by the governor, but if he or she rejects the pardon, it’s not valid.


A pardon must be accepted. Similarly, Christ offers each of us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life—but just because the offer is made doesn’t make it ours. To have it, we must choose to accept it

For more information on the subject of Heaven, see Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven.

(HT: EPM)

Urgent Message Gospel Tract Resource (Free PDF Download)

By Justin Edwards

Many of you have read the Urgent Message over the last year and have shared in my excitement that Jesus is coming for His Church - and soon! Lately I have wanted to format it in a way to share it in person and was able to do that over the weekend. Most importantly, I updated with Scripture and made it more concise for easier reading. Perhaps some day soon I will be able to have these printed in bulk, but in the meantime, I am printing them from my computer.

I welcome you to do the same if you are able with your own printing resources. Printing the 2 pages front and back allows for the letter to be folded nicely. I recommend printing with the option "fit to printable area". I plan on handing these out and leaving in random places. I'm really looking forward to following in Mark Cahill's footsteps and leaving them in a case of beer - what a surprise that would be, huh?

In all seriousness, I pray God takes one of these pamphlets to stir someone to realize just how urgent it is they come to Christ today. Whether the urgency is to escape the tribulation to come or escape death itself, every person breathing oxygen is in dire straights without the Lord Jesus Christ. Please, if you do not use this message to share Jesus with the lost, by all means share Him any way you can - with Gospel tracts, your mouth, or through the internet.

Time is indeed of the essence, make sure you KNOW where you will spend eternity, and make sure you are obedient in proclaiming His name to the ends of the earth.

To download the pdf, please click here: Urgent Message PDF

I will keep you updated if I am able to offer these pamphlets in bulk.

God bless you all and continue to look up as our Redeemer draws near!

"R.I.P." - Is That True? What Do We Say?

What Do We Say?

By Ron Graham

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:17-18.


A friend’s mother passed away recently, and the lady was a devout Jehovah’s Witness. She might have lived but she refused a blood transfusion. Another friend of ours mentioned “Well, at least she’s in a better place” to which my wife gently responded, “I don’t think so”.

Should we lie to people and tell them that their loved ones are in Heaven even though they were devoted to following a cult built on lies? “I think God will take into consideration that she was a good person and went to church every week”. Oh, really? Not according to my Bible. I guess because the JW’s have re-written the bible to say what they want it to say, they’re okay salvation wise. As my wife so appropriately states, “I don’t think so”.

So, how do we contend with people who, as they are grieving, make statements such as “at least they’re in a better place”, when we know that the deceased did not believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? Where do we draw the line when it comes to being sympathetic? Considering that it’s too late for the dearly departed to change their minds about their faith in Jesus Christ, will it do any good to be honest when addressing the loved ones left here and grieving? I believe it will.


Those of us who are left here after our loved ones pass away must still contend with our choice in regards to eternity. Our loved ones who have passed on are gone for good. There are no further choices for them to make. They either believed the truth of the Gospel or they believed a lie, of which there are many. Either way they can’t change their minds and choose to believe the truth after they’re dead and gone. Those loved ones who remain can still make the correct choice when lovingly confronted with the truth.


Many of those who are left here grieving are just as lost as the ones that traversed the dimension of death. And these lost people comfort themselves with the thought that their dearly departed are in a better place. Whether they believe that place to be Heaven or some made up after life existence, they are comforted by a false assumption; they believe everyone who did good in their lives goes to that “better place”. They know they’ve done plenty of good things themselves in this life and so they find solace in the belief that they will someday be reunited with their loved ones in that mythical afterlife they’ve invented.


There are believers who will not go to funerals of people they know had rejected Jesus Christ for their entire lives. They say it’s just too hard to sit there and listen to a pastor make claims of how good that person was in their life, and even though they weren’t saved “Surly they are with God”. Some will say “Who really knows how God saw that person? After all, who are we to judge a person’s salvation status?” They may have believed in God and even trusted in God to supply their needs and to heal their ills; they just couldn’t get around the idea of God dying for them on a cross.” And there’s the rub. They didn’t believe Jesus Christ was and is the Savior of the world; thus, according to the word of God they weren’t justified (saved) in God’s eyes. They’ve condemned themselves “because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. John 3:18b.


We can know God’s will regarding salvation. All we need to do is pick up a Bible (His word) and read it. But we must read God’s word not, man’s made up words. Think about it. Does God pull any punches in His word? I would say no. In the Gospel of John we read “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. This is Jesus Christ speaking. Jesus Christ is God and as such He has the authority to make the statement in the verse above. He did this so everyone who follows a lie, a false gospel, a Christian cult, or any religion that teaches another way to the Father, would have no excuse when they die in their sins.


Why is it deemed cold hearted to tell someone the truth? Why should we remain silent? The one who died is gone and there’s nothing more we can do for them. But those who still remain must be told the truth so they can make an informed decision and hopefully one that would keep them from following a lost loved one to that same horrible eternal existence.


How do we know? How can we say for certain when a person passes on, if they passed on to Heaven or Hades? We aren’t God. We don’t make that decision, that’s God’s domain. A person might have had a change of mind within the last few seconds of their life, and just before they expired they might have said yes to Jesus Christ. Perhaps never verbally speaking the words out loud so family and friends would know they made that decision. Well certainly if they lived a life as a Christ rejecter and in those last few seconds silently changed their mind, only God would know that. But when a person lives their life as a devout member of a cult, and throughout that life they continually rejected the deity of Jesus Christ, then more than likely when they breathed their last breath they did so in that same frame of mind.


Either way the truth needs to be promoted. The loved ones who knew their dearly departed family member was never a follower of Jesus Christ wouldn’t know if they silently made a confession to God just before death and so they would need to be told that if they don’t want to suffer the same end as their loved one they must make a decision for Christ while they are still breathing.


If we tell people, or even agree with people, that their loved ones have gone to Heaven because they were a good person, even though we know they were devout in their cultic faith, or had no faith in Christ at all, we are leading them astray. We might just as well be telling them that there are many roads that lead to Heaven. In a way we are denying Christ by not speaking the truth. He gave His life to give us the only way to Heaven, but if we tell others that a “good person” who dies goes to Heaven even though they had not accepted Christ, we deny His sacrifice.


“...whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33. When we keep silent we deny Him, when we agree with a falsehood such as many paths lead to Heaven, we deny His payment for our sins. Either way we’ve mislead the loved ones who remain.


So what do we do when we have loved ones who are thoroughly immersed in a cult or some other false religion? Do we keep peace in the family by remaining silent about the truth of the Gospel? How will remaining silent or even condoning a cult or a false religion help to bring a loved one out of that false, and very damning, teaching? If we love them we must tell them the truth. Even attending a religious function with loved ones who are in a cult at their place of worship should be avoided at all costs. Those who belong to a cult might perceive a nonexistent softening towards their false religion or worse, a condoning of their practices by those who join them even as spectators of their rituals.


Should “In Christ” believers bend over backwards to keep civility and peace in the family, a family which is separated by those who have turned away from the truth of Jesus Christ and embraced a lie? After all, they’re condemned to Hell. How does keeping the peace with these folks show our love for them, especially when we keep silent about the truth? The truth of the Gospel is the only truth with regards to salvation. Love means telling people the truth about Jesus so they will not follow all the Christ rejecters who went to Hades before them.


Let’s see what Jesus says about keeping peace in the family. “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Luke 12:51-53. Clearly Jesus knew that following Him would cause division even in the sanctity of our own families. But should we be deterred by this division? Absolutely not. We must continually and without hesitation remain faithful to Christ by contending for the faith.


Most would probably consider it common courtesy to avoid the subject about Heaven or Hell altogether at a nonbeliever’s funeral. After all, as long as we are saved that’s what matters, right? As born again believers we should all have a tremendous burden on our hearts concerning the lost. The lost who have passed on have reached a finality believers in Christ can do nothing about, but nothing is final when it comes to the lost loved ones who remain.


It is simple to stand on God’s truth. But if you don’t know where to find the answers to rebuttals and outright disparagements which will undoubtedly come from the lost, then you will probably just go along with their self affirmations of everyone goes to Heaven when they die. Jesus said “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14. Here again Jesus makes it clear that there is only one way to Heaven and that is through Him and Him alone. He refers to Himself as the narrow way and few will find that way. And even fewer will find it if we keep silent.


“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Luke 10:27. We’re commanded to love one another. If you love your neighbor as yourself you won’t just let them live a lie without explaining the truth to them.


Funerals are tough on the ones left here, but not on the one who departs. For the nonbeliever or cult follower who’s funeral we’ve just witnessed, Hell is their next destination and that’s the truth whether we want to admit it to the lost loved ones remaining at the funeral or not.


On the other hand, those lost folks who are left here in mourning, even though they are fully condemned to Hell, can still hear the truth from a believer and perhaps they will make a decision to accept Christ and avoid Hell. There’s no grey area when it comes to salvation, Heaven is only available to those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no other option, there is no other way, “...for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.


God bless you all,


Ron Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

All Scriptipture is from the KJV

Meet Me in Heaven

If you are saved yourself, be on the watch for the souls of others. Your own heart will not prosper unless it is filled with intense concern to bless your fellow men. The life of your soul lies in faith; its health lies in love. He who does not pine to lead others to Jesus has never been under the spell of love himself. Get to the work of the Lord—the work of love. Begin at home. Visit next your neighbors. Enlighten the village or the street in which you live. Scatter the word of the Lord wherever your hand can reach.

Reader, meet me in heaven! Do not go down to hell . There is no coming back again from that abode of misery. Why do you wish to enter the way of death when Heaven's gate is open before you? Do not refuse the free pardon, the full salvation which Jesus grants to all who trust Him. Do not hesitate and delay. You have had enough of resolving, come to action. Believe in Jesus now, with full and immediate decision. Take with you words and come unto your Lord this day, even this day. Remember, O soul, it may be now or never with you.

Let it be now; it would be horrible that it should be never.

Again I charge you, meet me in heaven. - C.H. Spurgeon

Don't Play Games with Your Eternity

By Justin Edwards

It is an absolute fact that you will spend eternity somewhere. There are only 2 options: heaven or hell. Many professed Christians are banking their eternity on what they think they believe. Some might say they will go to heaven because they are a good person. Others might say it is because they are active in church (merely playing the role). Others might say because they pay their tithes, serve the poor, or do any other number of religious deeds they will see the "pearly white gates".

Some think calling themselves a Christian or saying they believe in Jesus seals the deal (contrary to James 2:19), yet never do they open their Bibles (if they own one), conversations about Jesus are taboo, they only pray to God when they need something, Christmas and Easter services are the only times they make it to church, they have no Christian fellowship, truth might be relative and Jesus isn't the only way, or the whole of their life is marked by habitual practice of sin, but they are still Christian because they "believe in their heart".

The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it - Jeremiah 17:9

They are idolaters, for the god they believe is the one they have made up to justify their lifestyle. Their invented god is not the holy, just, righteous, and sovereign Lord God of the Bible, and it is certainly a god that does not save. It is for this reason there will be professing Christians in hell.

Jesus says the Truth will set you free, but nominal Christians are in double bondage for not only are they lost, but they are deceived in thinking they are saved when they are not. It's such a tragedy, especially when they reject any discussion on the matter of genuine salvation. The Bible clearly teaches there is false conversion, and we find these examples in Matthew 13 with the Parables of the soils and of the wheat and tares.

Additionally, the book of 1 John shows the contrasts between genuine faith in Jesus Christ versus those who profess with their mouths they are saved but their life gives no evidence of their faith. They love the world and the things of the world. They say they have fellowship with God, but they walk in darkness and the truth is not in them. They say they love God, but hate their brother. The commandments of God are burdensome to them. They justify their sin or say they have no sin at all. They are not sensitive to their sin. They live according to their sinful nature and have their minds set on that nature's desires. They are not submitted to the law of God, nor can they be. They are slaves to sin. They practice lawlessness, and they remain unrighteous.

Dear friend, when Jesus saves you by the grace of God, you become a new creation, you are given a new nature, you are changed from within, and you will outwardly begin to produce fruit that manifests the characteristics of God. You are a slave of righteousness. You are a slave to Christ! You have died to yourself and have been made alive in Christ. Your life is marked by repentance. Out of love, you seek God, you pursue God, you obey God, you long for Christ, you draw close to Christ, you are sanctified, purified, washed, justified, regenerated, and you will be renewed, conformed, made holy, and transformed. You are born again of the Spirit of God! The sole reason one does not experience change in their life is because there is no repentance. Jesus says in Matthew 13:15,

For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their and turn,
So that I should heal them.

There can be no healing without turning, and there can be no turning without hearing and seeing, and there can be no hearing or seeing without seeking. God says in Hebrews 11:6 that He rewards those who diligently seek after Him and that without faith it is impossible to please Him.

Do you find your life not adding up? Do you find a void in your heart that you don't know how to fill? The bad news is you can't fill it, but the good news is that God can! The only thing required of you is surrendering to Jesus Christ through faith in Him, His finished work on the cross, and His bodily resurrection from the dead. This means it is the end of the road for you and your sinful passions and desires. You must give up on yourself and turn to God for He is the only one who can save you. If there is anything you are not willing to give up for God, then you are not ready to receive Him as Lord and Savior of your life. Jesus asked the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-30  to sell all of his belongings and give them to the poor, and when he realized how high the cost, he turned and walked away in sorrow for he was not willing to forfeit everything he was and everything he had.

It will cost you everything. But isn't everything worth an eternity with Jesus Christ? Are you willing to reject eternity for the riches and cares of this life now? Your religiosity and churchianity, your job, your friends, your parties, your entertainment, your drug of choice, your sexual immorality, your drunken stupors, your fame, your fortune, your lying, and your cheating - are you still willing to let these rule your life instead of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Your sin and pride are killing you! This life is nothing but a vapor in the backdrop of eternity. There is no computer known to man that can count the years of infinity. It never ends. It is forever. Trillions times 10 trillions times 100 trillions of years - and yet that is even a vapor. 

C.H. Spurgeon spoke of hell:

You and I can never imagine all the depths of hell. Shut out from us by a black veil of darkness, we cannot tell the horrors of that dismal dungeon of lost souls. Happily, the wailings of the damned have never startled us, for a thousand tempests were but a maiden’s whisper, compared with one wail of a damned spirit. It is not possible for us to see the tortures of those souls who dwell eternally within an anguish that knows no alleviation. These eyes would become sightless balls of darkness, if they were permitted for an instant to look into that ghastly shrine of torment. Hell is horrible, for we may say of it, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the horrors which God hath prepared for them that hate him.

We are all running after something. Are you running in vain?

Turn to Jesus Christ in faith and surrender your life to Him today. Tomorrow may not come, and then it will be too late. Which words of Jesus would you rather hear?

Well done, good and faithful servant

or

I never knew you; depart from Me, you worker of iniquity!

 Repent, and believe the gospel.

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. - Jesus in John 6:35-40

No Longer My Friend

By Justin Edwards

How many of us are bold enough to speak the truth to our loved ones? I know I have been guilty in not having the courage to talk about life and death to some of those closest to me. In reading Mark Cahill's One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven, God is changing how I think of these matters. As Mark says in the book, one of the things you CANNOT do in heaven is most assuredly sharing the Gospel with an unbeliever - for there will be none! Every chance we have to share our faith must take place while we walk this earth. God has trusted us with His ministry to proclaim His Good News to the ends of the earth, and while we must be diligent in witnessing in every opportunity we get, how many of us can say we have been faithful to witness to those closest to us?

I encourage you to read the poem below found by Mark Cahill. It really hit home for me as I'm afraid there may be someone who can no longer call me their friend because I failed to share Jesus with them. They may be condemned to an eternity of physical, tormenting hell because I failed to obey Christ in telling them His love for them. When I finish the book, I hope to give a brief review for the sake of exhorting believers to be bold in sharing their faith. In the meantime, you can check out Mark's ministry here: http://markcahill.org/  

My Friend

 
My friend, I stand in judgment now,
And feel that you’re to blame somehow.
On Earth I walked with you day by day,
And never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him.

Though we lived together here on Earth,
You never told me of the second birth.
And now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.

You taught me many things, that’s true,
I called you “friend” and trusted you.
But I learn now that it’s too late,
And you could have kept me from this fate.

We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the light,
You let me live, and love, and die,
You knew I’d never live on high.

Yes, I called you “friend” in life,
And trusted you through joy and strife.
And, yet, on coming to this dreadful end,
I cannot, now, call you my “ friend.”

Can Christians become too heavenly-minded?

No! It may sound paradoxical to say this, but heaven should be at the center of the Christian worldview. A proper Christian worldview is uniquely focused heavenward.

Though some would deride that as escapism, it is, after all, the very thing Scripture commands: "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:2). The apostle Paul penned that command, and his approach to life was anything but escapist.

In fact, Paul is a wonderful example of the proper biblical perspective between heaven and earth. He faced overwhelming persecution on earth and never lost sight of heaven. In 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 he says,

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Then in verses 16-17 he adds, "We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Elsewhere he told the church at Rome, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom. 8:18).

Paul was saying exactly what Peter told the scattered and persecuted believers he wrote to: we endure the sufferings of this world for the sake of the glory of heaven (1 Pet. 1:3-7). Whatever we suffer in this life cannot be compared with the glory of the life to come.

In other words, we don't seek to escape this life by dreaming of heaven. But we do find we can endure this life because of the certainty of heaven. Heaven is eternal. Earth is temporal. Those who fix all their affections on the fleeting things of this world are the real escapists, because they are vainly attempting to avoid facing eternity--by hiding in the fleeting shadows of things that are transient.

From Grace to You 

It's a Dog's Life (and Death)

By Justin Edwards

My dog, Brooklyn, went away to die early Sunday morning. She was acting funny around 1am, so my Mom let her out as she thought Brooklyn just needed to do her business. Mom went into the kitchen and saw puddles of drool, the thick and white kind. 15 minutes later Mom went to let Brooklyn back in but she was no where to be found. She was gone. This was not like her at all. Morning came around and still no sign of Brooklyn. Mom and Dad went to look for her in the woods and around the neighborhood, but still nothing. The only thing we can think of is she went off to die.

Brooklyn was the sweetest dog. She was the Lassie-figure. She loved kids and got along with any dog. It's pretty funny how I ended up with her. On my 20th birthday, my friend Brad and I went with our friend Amanda to pick up a dog. Amanda was responding to an ad in the paper I believe, and we found ourselves in a trailer park somewhere outside of Charlotte. This place was a mess! Picture a double- wide sitting on red clay, scarce trees, rainy day, a couple of toddlers running around in t-shirts only, and a "Bubba Joe" as our host. He takes us to the "pen" where we found a 10x10 foot grid of chicken wire, half-covered with that ruffled green roofing, with 5 or 6 puppies - no older than 6 weeks old - flipping and flopping around in their poop and just as filthy as you could imagine. Amanda already had hers picked out and one of us asked what he was going to do with the rest of them. Bubba Joe (or was it Billy Bob, Cletus, or Rufus?) told us in a way only a good ole redneck can, "well-if-I cain't git rid of 'em I figure I jus' drown 'em." So at that, Brad and I also left with a dog each.

I was always one to bring animals home to my parents' house. There's been a ferret, a red-tailed boa constrictor, and now a puppy. I thought I could get away with hiding Brooklyn in the closet, but of course Mom hears her barking and it was over from there. Mom was so upset and it was clear I'd have to get rid of her. So I left for the day and came home later, only to find Brooklyn asleep with Mom on the couch! Obviously, Brooklyn stuck around.

Through the years Brooklyn brought us so much joy. I tried to take her with me when I moved out of the house, but my parents wouldn't let me. That was her home and she was to stay. And I'm glad she did. My nephew Luke really got to enjoy her over the last several years. She was so loyal to him and followed him everywhere. Even when he went inside to play with his friends, she would remain on the front porch for him to come back outside. Luke still doesn't know. In fact, just a few months ago he said to Mom, "Maama, it's gonna be a sad day when Brooklyn dies." So I told Mom today while we were looking for her that would be a good way to break the news to him, "Luke, remember when you said it would be a sad day when Brooklyn died? Well, today's a sad day."

But all is not lost, of course, on Brooklyn's death. She leaves behind a great legacy that we will remember. She also gives me reason to write this blog post, one that I hope reaches someone here in cyberspace.

You see, Brooklyn was 11 years old and knew her time had come. She knew it was time to die and she went off to die in a hopefully peaceful way. It is my understanding this is commonplace with dogs - that they go off to die comfortably if possible. But guess what? We humans don't generally have that luxury apart from the 90 year old in the hospice unit.

The truth is, none of us know when our time will come. Aside from life insurance policies and things of that nature, we really can't plan for it - or can we?  When was the last time you said, "hhmmmm....I'm about to die, let me go over there and die". Or when did any dead person say, "ok, I'm about to die. Let me go take care of this, that, and the other. Let me say goodbye to my friends and family, and oh yeah, about what that preacher said last week, 'yes, God, I'd like to go to heaven now, so please save me.'" Um, it doesn't really work like that.

There must come a time in every person's life where they come to a realization there is a physical hell and a physical heaven. They are real places indeed. In fact, in his book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn explains, "In His story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus taught that in Hell, the wicked suffer terribly, are fully conscious, retain their desires and memories and reasoning, long for relief, cannot be comforted, cannot leave their torment, and are bereft of hope (Luke 16:19-31)." What a bleak and graphic picture painted by Jesus.

So what about heaven? Well, heaven is where Jesus is. And heaven is where I'll be when I die. It's not because of anything I have done, but because of what Christ has done in me. This Jesus knew that He was going to die. It was His mission. He was sent by His Father in heaven to come pay for the sins of the world, so that those who believe in His atoning sacrifice will be saved from the consequence of their sins - eternal hell. God has called all humans to saving grace. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." But you have to respond to the calling!

Do you know where you will go when you die? Do you believe in God? Does your lifestyle indicate you love Him and truly know Him? A simple belief or general intellect that God exists and He's waiting for you to come join Him in the clouds is a myth. If you want to be assured of Jesus welcoming you with open arms one day, then you must repent and come to faith in Jesus Christ. You cannot work for your salvation, it comes from faith alone. And true faith bears fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16). If you do not know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then today is the day of salvation! If you realize you are lost and in desperate need of His love, then come to Him today, don't wait any longer!  If you're not sure exactly how, then just ask. I'm here for you.

So while this weekend was a sad day for me and my family, it brings me joy to share this good news with you - that Jesus loves you so much and He wants to call you His own. And if you already know you are redeemed and rest in the hope and peace of Christ, then perhaps you can glean from this Alcorn quote, "The most loving thing we can do for our friends and our family is to warn them about the road that leads to destruction and tell them about the road that leads to life." Have you been doing that lately? Why not start today?

To Brooklyn, thanks for all of the memories and thanks for being such a great dog. I will remember you until it is my day to pass away, and when that time comes, I know I will be ready.

Will you?