I have many times sat alone and looked at our planet from a position not too far away (in my mind) and I see a beautiful blue and white globe, half covered in clouds with shiny blue seas. I am able to pick out the northern and southern American continents Europe and Africa, Russia and China as well. I never like going in any farther than that though, it seems the earth is peaceful and serene, all the while I know it is anything but that.

I know that if I should venture any closer, the stench of human existence will raise its ugly head, caustically replacing the peace and beauty. Please, don’t misunderstand me here, I am as human as anyone else and I have added to the situation, I am a part of the problem as well.  Sometimes I just want to see the earth and enjoy the beauty without all the problems, the same as with a sunrise or sunset.

What if, everyone, everywhere, put that picture in their mind and all did nothing, no movement, nothing else, just pictured it for two minutes, no talking or moving, absolutely still, eyes closed. Can you imagine what that quiet two minutes would be like? I can’t think of anything more than it being a two-minute pause, of respite (rest if you will) absolute calm! Do you ever wonder if everyone would want to do that again, a second time?

Problems exist because we want them to exist. We choose these problems, even though we are so ardent about denying that. We love it when we are the center of attention and so the statement, “It’s all about me” is more prominent than anyone would be willing to admit. The majority would rather fain being a part of the community, than say, the more obnoxious side of me, me, me!

And yet that is the point of us all, whether we are willing to admit it or not. You can sit and talk with someone for a period of time and somewhere along the way that ugly, “It’s all about me” thing will pop up. You must understand true love sees someone else, FIRST, there is no second. So, for everyone alive at some level, it’s truly “Me, Me, Me.”

That is the point though, that one thing God is able to do and we simply wish we could emulate at any level: true love. Oh, I remember when I first fell in love. I believed with all my heart it was true love, she was cute and I was all so handsome, we were going to set the world on fire! It lasted a month or two, that’s all it took.

Was it true love? Not by a long shot! So why is it that we have such a hard time finding out what true love, is truly like? Ask yourself, if you have ever known true love. Was it true love when you got married? When or better yet, how did you ever know it was true Love and are you absolutely sure, it was true Love or would you be willing to accept the idea that maybe it was always hopeful wishing?

John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It was God that loved the world, and who is the world? You and me of course! And God had one Son─Jesus Christ, and God gave HIM up to be crucified by us, for our sin!

If anyone is willing to believe that Jesus Christ IS the Son of God and accept HIM as the Lord and Savior of their life, they would NOT perish (be sent to hell for eternity) but will have eternal life in heaven!

Actually Jesus Christ is God! So if we look at this verse and reread it and listen to it, we will instantly know what true love is and what it requires. I don’t know about you, but for me, that bar is set really, really, high! Do you truthfully know of anyone that has that level of love? I don’t!

It doesn’t matter how bad you are, what sins you have committed in your life, if you bring it all to Jesus Christ, HE is willing to forgive your sin and wash you clean, just for asking HIM to. Who else do you know of that would be willing to go through all of that just for you?

Not only that, but do you know of anyone, that would be willing to go through that for you and ask nothing in return? Yeah…didn’t think so and neither do I. So why am I bringing this up?

Well, I have been writing about this and also eschatology for quite some time. I have brought to your attention God’s precepts for us to follow. I have shown you in the Bible where a day will come, one that no one knows when God, Jesus Christ, will return and take HIS people home to heaven. Of course I am not the only one saying these things, there are many more around wiser than me.

I believe the Lord has asked me to write and reinforce these same beliefs, all in an effort to get people to pay attention and believe as well. We have spent time together pouring over the verses that spell everything out for all to understand, to take to our hearts and believe. It is an awesome wonder to hold such promises in our hands and KNOW that God intends to make good on them, for our behalf.

The problem is that there are so many that are being deluded by false prophets in the pulpits, on your neighborhood streets and trying to get inside your front doors. It is obvious that they know something is up, that something is about to happen of biblical proportions. Everyone to some degree knows about it, they feel it somehow and yet they just can’t put their finger on it or name it.

Ya know, “doubt” is a funny thing! Your kids run up to you at the theme park and want you to take them on that roller coaster ride. You say, “Sure” until you actually see it. That’s the point where “doubt” begins to set in. You begin to “doubt” how much enjoyment you are going to experience on that ride. But you know you’re there to have fun, right? It’s not until that first big hill that you are no longer “doubting!” You are about to mess your pants in a most undignified manner.

First you didn’t have “doubt” but then you had never seen the ride. But then when you saw it for what it truly is and then you had “doubt.” Now you’re in the midst of that big drop and there is absolutely “no doubt” the mess is in your pants! Of course before you ever got to the park, everyone was saying how much fun it will be for you and the kids. Now that your here and are on the ride, dirty pants and all, you “doubt” the veracity of your friendships!

In your angry mind, someone is going to die before the stroke of midnight, tonight! They just don’t know it yet OR they are sitting there thinking about you on this ride and laughing their collective butts off! What’s coming though, is not too dissimilar to our spiritual situation here and now: “Oh, heaven is going to be so great!” Everyone keeps saying but you begin to wonder how great that’s going to be, IF you can’t do this or that or have this or another!

As you may understand, you are presently in the here and now and you just can’t stand it, if you don’t have this or that. In your heart, you know that is against God, but…well…it’s so good and I just know I’m going to love it! You see, the “doubt” always there, telling you it’s wrong. So you fight it, you rationalize it, you change its name, whatever, but you still want it. And you are going to go through with it, no matter what!

Why? Because if it’s a sin, but no one knows about it and you get away with it, it’s just that much more sweet, right? So there you are knee deep in your sin and you suddenly see it isn’t what you thought it would be, oh, how sad, how profoundly sad! Now it’s no longer fun and the doubt floods in, but are you able to get out of it, as easy as you were able to get into it? Probably not! Or at least that’s the majority consensus!

All of a sudden, millions and millions of people through out the world have suddenly disappeared, but you’re still here. What the hell is going on? There is another name for “doubt” and it’s “procrastination!” Actually, it’s more like they are identical twins. You knew it was wrong, but you went ahead and did so anyway, now all the “doubt” has been removed and all you can see is how much time you lost.

You wallowed back and forth. You waited too long and thought that you had plenty of time. Now, in the twinkling of an eye, the believers in Jesus Christ are gone and you’re sitting here in your unforgiven sin. Ooops!

Mark 8:34-38:

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

I didn’t say that, Jesus Christ said it and Jesus Christ IS God. So where do you stand with Jesus Christ? Got any Doubt?

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” ─Ezekiel 18:20-21, emphasis added

There is NO question here as to what is being said in the previous verses by our Lord and Savior. The word “IF” leads us to understand that there is a choice at hand. The other thing mentioned here is this: Each and every one of us will be held responsible for our own sin. And then it turns around and gives us the same question again: “IF” we are given the opportunity to “confess our sin” and be forgiven by Jesus Christ.

I am sure you understand that this is the single most important decision you will ever make in life. Whom do you wish to follow, Jesus Christ or Satan? The context above is concerning the final Salvation to Jesus Christ or the destruction according to Satan, but the point has to do with our “sin.”

Everywhere we look today, we see or read about suffering, pain and disease. We read about or we are victims of droughts and plagues. The cry for assistance is overpowering and yet if no one reads these verses and complies there will be no end to the destruction. So many fall victim, there are so many that die and there doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to stand up and state the true nature of the situation.

If you have sinned you will die and that’s the end of it, “IF,” you have not been forgiven by Jesus Christ. What I’m trying to say is that you must come to Jesus Christ and have your sin covered by HIS blood from the cross at Calvary. That is the only way to have “life eternal.”

If you were born (which all of us have) then you will surely die one day! This is nothing new to anyone even though there are some that wish they could come up with a different scenario and elude death, but it will never change. There is a point to be understood here! There is a difference between “death” as a human and death as a “soul.” We clearly understand that all of us (for the most part) will grow old and die a natural death. The body dies (ceases to function).

The verse, on the other hand speaks of the second death─the soul or spirit death, which comes after judgment. And that death is when the spirit or soul dies in hell. You need to understand that death of the body is nothing in comparison to the second death.

What I find so surprising is that everyone is more concerned with the first death, that of their body as a human. I figure they do not understand that the first death is nothing more than a “change” from the “corruptible” to the “incorruptible.” It is simply the change from this flabby, water and bone-filled body, to a spiritual body and nothing more.

There is a spirit inside each of us, inside our flabby, fluid and bone-filled bodies, that we use while we are here on the earth. This particular earthy body is only useful while we exist here on this, Planet Earth for the three score and ten years. What most are either unwilling to accept or do not understand, is that this body must die one day, that we are who we are by virtue of our spirit!

It is this spirit that gives us the ability to see, hear, smell, taste, laugh and cry. It is the center of the gift of life while we are on this planet. As we see, death of this body is truly nothing and yet we spend so much time, we bow to the sadness, thinking this is it, the end. And why should things be this way, why all the pain and misery, why should we be so filled with hopelessness, despair and fear of it? When we all know it is the natural process of events in our lives.

I truly believe that we should be more concerned with what will happen to us after this first death. After all, this is the significance of the Scriptures, in which we choose either Jesus Christ or Satan, while we live on this planet.

The significance is about our sin, it is not whether we will sin or not, but that we are already sin filled and separated from God and we must come to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of our sin or die a second death. This is the part that is so surprising to me that people feel they are so intellectual and educated and yet they (the majority) fail to understand where they stand with God…concerning their own sin.

Romans 3.19-23, emphasis added:

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

That makes the situation as plain as the nose on your face, everyone is sin filled and Jesus Christ’s blood from the cross is the only thing that can wash that sin away. The bottom line is this: Everyone must accept Jesus Christ, be washed in HIS blood from the cross in order to have life eternal. Jesus Christ is the only way!

John 14.1-11, emphasis added:

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you,I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?

He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”

So now, should we be so sad and unhappy when a loved one dies? Yes, of course! That is a natural reaction to a loved one dying and Jesus clearly understood this situation. The question remains though, how sad and unhappy should we be, if we know the one who died was never saved to Jesus Christ? What is peculiar here is this: If we know that person was not saved to Jesus Christ, what were we doing about that…before they died? Did we do all we could and say all we should?

One important thing is evident; the final outcome for that individual is between Jesus Christ and that one person. It is a relationship that is too personal and singular for us to know and it truly is none of our business to speculate on it. We need to have our own “ducks in a row” first.

We must let the Lord do HIS perfect will in our lives and we need to be concerned with that and let the Lord work in someone else’s life, in the Lord’s way for them. We need only to give that person the opportunity and information about Jesus Christ.

If you clearly understand this, you will see that we are to be concerned with our relationship with Jesus Christ. We are to be concerned with Jesus Christ shining through us, and then for others to see that reflection in us.

John the Baptist said it best in John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He also stated a verse to remember in John 3:35-36, emphasis added:
“The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth NOT the Son shall NOT see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

I must say here that God never designed us to experience HIS wrath. The only way to have life, after this first death as a human is through Jesus Christ and only HIM!

I would rather die in this life, knowing HE will come for me and take me to heaven, than to deny HIM and die alone forever and live in Hell with out HIM!!

Jesus Christ is the ONLY way!