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Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Do you know for sure that
you will go to heaven when your time on earth comes to an end? In life we
must be wise enough to contemplate eternity because our days will pass us
by all too quickly and before we know it this journey that we traveled
through on the Earth will come to an end and that is when our forever will
begin. It is important that we think about our eternity because forever
is too long of a time to be wrong about where our eternal soul will reside.
Having said all of that, let us consider our forever for a few moments
with this message.
The majority of people in this world would consider themselves to be good
people. If I were to ask someone are you a good person, almost always I
will receive a 'Yes' answer. But is being good enough by God's standards?
According to the Word of God it is not. The Bible says that there are
none that are good. The Bible also says that all of our righteousness are
as filthy rags before God. We could never measure up to God's standards
because they are perfect. If we break one of God's commandments, the
Bible says that we are guilty of them all. (Romans 3:10-12) (Isaiah 64:6)
So what are God's commandments? There are hundreds in the Old Testament,
but God gave Moses 10 that are to be followed in the strictest sense. I
will name them all for you.
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make unto thee any graven images.
3. You shall not take the Lord's Name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet thy neighbor's house, wife or possessions.
These are the commandments that are to be obeyed, adhered to and followed
all the days of our life. God's standard says that if we break one of
these commandments, then we are guilty of breaking them all. We read this
in James 2:10-13 “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is
as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws. For the same God
who said, You must not commit adultery, also said, You must not murder. So
if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken
the law. So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will
be judged by the law that sets you free.”
So are you guilty or innocent? Have you broken any of these commandments?
Have you ever lied, have you ever stolen, have you ever taken the Lord's
name in vain? If you answered yes to any of these, then you are guilty of
committing them all. So what does this mean? Yes we are guilty and we
admit to it, so now what? Now we must face the judgment for breaking these
commandments.
What is the judgment one might ask? The judgment is to spend eternity in
hell. That is the price for being guilty. Well that is too harsh one
might say, how can a loving God send someone to hell for breaking His
commandments? The simple truth is that God doesn't send anyone to hell,
we send ourselves there. Imagine if you were found guilty of a crime in a
court of law on the Earth, would the judge be a righteous judge if he
would let you go free? You were found guilty of transgressing the law so
how would he be a trustworthy and righteous judge if he didn't give you
your due justice? People would be in an uproar and call for that judges
resignation because he did not judge justly as he was appointed and trusted
to do. That is how we are to think about our sins. We are guilty for
breaking the law and we deserve a righteous judgment.
(Revelation 20:11-15) (Hebrews 10:28-31)
So what is the good news? What is our saving grace so that we won't spend
an eternity in hell? The simple answer is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord
Jesus is our mediator. He is our advocate. He is also our substitute. He
is the One who stands between us and God and because of the Lord Jesus'
sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, we the human race have a way of
escaping an eternity in hell. The Lord Jesus made a way for us when there
seemed to be no way. He sacrificed Himself for us. He took upon Himself
our sins, our filthiness, our unrighteousness so that in the fullness of
time we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. It was an
uneven exchange, but thankfully an exchange that we should all willingly
and thankfully accept. (Galatians 4:4-7)
When God looks upon the redeemed, He doesn't see us for who we were in our
sinfulness, but rather He sees us through the shed blood of Jesus, His One
and only Son. So have you made this exchange with the Lord Jesus? Have
you repented of your sins and accepted the free gift of salvation? Have
you opened your heart to the Lord Jesus who suffered and died for you so
that you may live eternally with Him? There is not a more important or
pressing decision in your life that you can possibly make. This is the
ultimate decision that will either save your soul or have it condemned for
all eternity and be separated from the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) (Acts 4:12)
I encourage you to pray to the Lord if you don't know where you will spend
eternity. Seek God earnestly and ask Him to reveal the truth to you. God
is not a respecter of persons. He will hear your heart's cry and He will
be faithful to answer you and show you His goodness. Make that decision
to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and exchange your sins for
His goodness, forgiveness, mercy and grace that comes without motive or
pretense. The Bible says that Jesus knocks on the door and He waits for
you to welcome Him in. I pray that you will open the door of your heart
and welcome the Lord Jesus to be your Savior and Redeemer.
(1 Peter 1:17-23) (Revelation 3:20-22)
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Romans 10:9-11 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture
saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
Psalm 103:10-14 “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so
great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from
the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a
father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For
He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.”
Psalm 32:5 “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not
hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou
forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”
Micah 7:18-19 “Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and
passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth
not his anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again,
He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou
wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men
count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Psalm 20:6-9 “Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear
him from His Holy Heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some
trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of
the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and
stand upright. Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: HE IS...
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem44.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: DON'T DOUBT GOD'S POWER
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony148.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
