Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5 v 6 - 10: "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
Sooner or later we all have to face the moment of truth, its the circle of life. If you are a born again Christian you are already experiencing eternal life here, because Jesus took our death for us. We merely step from our body into the Lord's presence and continue there forever.
There are interesting and documented testimonies of Christians who were sent back here after death to share what they saw in Heaven. I love the story of Betty Malz from Houston, Texas who died from peritonitis after a 28 day coma, and was in Heaven. She asked to be sent back to care for her daughter, and was granted this request.
The moment she died she found herself walking up a gentle green hill with her now familiar guardian angel beside her. She stood outside the translucent walls of Heaven hearing believers singing the name of Jesus over and over. The Light from His Throne came through the partially open door. Jesus healed her completely and allowed her to return to Earth.
She became aware of lying under a sheet that covered her face and pulled it off as one of the early morning rays of sunlight touched her arm. In ivory letters an inch high the words "I am the resurrection and the life, though you were dead yet shall you live" flowed into her arm and brought her back to life.
And Betty Baxter who was in a twisted crippled state from birth who died and was taken by Jesus to Heaven to see there were no cripples there. He told her she was going back to Earth and would be healed completely. He kept His Word and she was healed completely one Sunday afternoon at 3.00 p.m. She went to church that night and brought the whole assembly to its knees.
My Father was a Freemason until 3 weeks before his death when he converted to Christianity. The day before he died I flew down to visit him at the request of the Matron. He was in and out of coma but so excited about the love of Jesus. He told me quite simply, "I am going to die tomorrow! I can see your mother and others standing just inside the gates of Heaven waiting for me. Goodbye, have a good life, I love you." Those were his last words before he lapsed back into a coma and never woke again.
The Bible says that Christians fall asleep when they die. It is because the power of death has been conquered by Jesus. He is our Saviour and Redeemer. He paid the full price to buy us back from the claws of the Devil. He shed His Blood to save us and reconcile us to the Father.
On the Day of Judgment, those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will give an account of what they did to help others get saved, and to help those who further the gospel. Jesus, the rightful judge will bestow the rewards of faithful service.
Those who refused the offer of salvation will stand before Jesus and all their sins will be displayed. The Father will ask, Did you know My Son? If they answer YES, He will ask, Did you obey Him? Many church leaders and followers of doctrines contradictory to the pure Word of God will find out at that moment that religion is a vanity unacceptable to the Kingdom of God. They will be lost forever.
Millions of people of different faiths will follow the same fate. It is our duty to communicate the truth to them. When we refuse to share Jesus with others, we are in danger of falling away through complacency and selfishness to be counted among the unbelievers.
I have to tell it like it is, because so many are glossing over the truth and believing lies. Our God did not banish Satan into eternal fire, to lower His standards to permit any of us to bring sin into Heaven.
This Earth is your voting booth where you choose your own destiny. You can choose to serve Jesus or Satan in this booth. There is no other choice. Living life your own independent way is a cross in Satan's favour. We are spirit beings who are ruled by other spirit beings. On Earth we are clothed with a soul and body. If we choose Jesus His plan for our lives begins to change us into His likeness. If we don't the Devil's agenda kicks in. Basically his evil agenda is running from birth.
Only by being born again can we break his power. There is no other way, no other person but Jesus who can save us from death and Hell. Only the Holy Bible can instruct you on the way of life of Christianity. You have to actively follow Jesus. Not Interfaith, not some Guru, not bowing to idols or belonging to cults.
John 14 v 6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Our Father wants every one of us to escape Hell and spend eternity with Him in Heaven. It's our home where we originated. We are not from here. We are strangers and aliens on this planet. When a young child asks, Mummy where did I come from, its not sexual knowledge of birds and bees he or she wants to know. Their pure minds still have glimpses and dreams of Heaven and want you to tell them how to get back there. Will you?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Soon, very soon, we are going to see our King, as the chorus goes. What will our answers be, and where will we be thereafter? To live or not to live, that is the new question. I pray, Lord, that they will all turn to You and be saved. The good, the bad and the ugly. Let the Holy Spirit loose on this world and let us faithfully allow Him to use us to reach the lost. In Jesus' name. Amen.
