For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 John 3:16-19
Our church is starting a new sermon series on Revelations. This last book of the Bible gives us a glimpse into the future, and what will someday happen on earth and in the heavenly realms. This book is written by the apostle John, who walked with Jesus and watched him die on the cross. John also saw the risen savior three days later (and other times), so he is an eye witness to the amazing resurrection of Jesus. John, along with the other disciples, goes out and starts preaching about what he saw. All of the disciples endured great persecution, but could not be stopped. Can you imagine seeing something that is impossible and being quiet about it. They could not be quieted. All of the disciples, except for John, were put to death. The church lived on.
Studying Revelations makes you think about the last days of this earth, and more importantly, the last days of your own life on this earth. We will all have a last day because we can not avoid death. There is no point in obsessing on how your life will end, but you can do something about what happens once it does end.
My alert tone for receiving a text is "Temporary Home" sung by Carrie Underwood. My family is complete sick of hearing this song, but I like it because it reminds me that this earth is not my permanent residence. I have something ahead of me that is beyond comprehension or description, and it involves meeting Jesus. That thought is almost too big to wrap my head around, but it keeps me focused on what is important.
Living life backwards could be the most important exercise you ever do. Asking yourself questions like, "What will happen to me when I die", and "Do I believe in heaven and hell" should cause you to evaluate your life and what you are doing about it today. Another thing that you should be asking is, "What will people say about me at my funeral." I know these are kind of morbid thoughts, but stay with me.
When you honestly think about those questions, you will find yourself living for the answers. If you want people to talk about your money, then I guess you will live to acquire lots of it. If you want people talking about your faith, and how you loved and helped others, then you have a whole different agenda to work towards. If you believe in a God, then you should start having a relationship with God so He recognizes you when your time comes to meet Him.
"This Is My Temporary Home
It's Not Where I Belong.
Windows And Rooms That I'm Passin' Through.
This Is Just A Stop, On The Way To Where I'm Going.
I'm Not Afraid Because I Know This Is My
Temporary Home."
I have great peace in knowing that life does not end with my last breath. I have another place to be someday, and I hope to see you there. It would be sad to live a "good" life and then find out that you failed to get to know the God who was trying to get your attention, but you did not have time for Him. We can't get into heaven on our own merits.
Blessings,
Sandy
Food for thought: In Revelations there is a description about what the last days will look like. They shockingly sound very much like the world we live in today. Over 2,000 years ago, John wrote this letter to seven churches. He described many things, but one that hits close to home is the idea of a one world currency, and the inability to buy or sell anything unless you are marked with the number of the beast (Satan). See Revelations 13:17 In the computer age we are in, our credit cards and bank accounts can be shut down without our consent. Interesting...
