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Just in the month of January alone, there has been a serious amount of deaths you have heard about all around the world, if you have been paying any attention. Such as: murders, suicides, accidents, sickness and diseases. Natural disasters, a commercial airliner shot down in Iran. Kobe Bryant and eight other passengers including his daughter and pilot, all killed suddenly in a helicopter crash.
Some of those deaths this month could have been your friends, family. A co-worker or a beloved pet, even a spouse. All these have one thing in common, death comes suddenly and without warning. I remember a conversations I’ve had with a seasoned Pastor who’s now a evangelist.
In conversation about the thief on the cross, I’ve asked him, “how many people have you ever lead to the Lord on their death bed?” He look at me with a serious tone and said, “In all my years (decades) as a Pastor and Evangelist, I can honestly say, death bed salvation’s are rare. Most people die suddenly, very few die slowly in their death bed.”
The Holy Bible warns us all about sudden death that comes upon us all. James 4:13-14 Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
That statement cant be any more real and true than today. We are literally here today and gone tomorrow. Even Jesus Christ dealt with this very issue, debunking the myth that sudden death comes because people are so sinful in,
Luke 13:1-5 There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
He’s teaching death comes suddenly to all people, weather they are righteous or sinners. The point Jesus Christ was making here as His focus, in order to make Heaven you must be ready when your days on earth is over and your life suddenly is called into account. Because you do not know the day or hour when death comes so suddenly. You must be ready ahead of time.
Without Jesus Christ you will not enter Heaven, but split Hell wide open. In that day when your life is called into an account suddenly, you will stand before God and Jesus Christ. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He will say to you, “I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity” as He has taught in Matthew 7:21-23.
This reveals, in order to enter Heaven, we must know Jesus Christ and God His Father on a personal relationship level. Having communion and fellowship with God in His Holy Bible and prayer. It’s not enough to know about God, you must know Him first hand and experience Him personally and do His will.
Jesus Christ promised eternal life with Him in Heaven if we repent from sinning and give our heart, mind, body and soul to Him, John 11:25-26 I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?
You see, Jesus Christ is the only answer to salvation. There is no other that can save you from the eternal pit of Hell. It’s not about doing good works only to make Heaven, because our good works alone are like filthy rags in the eye of the Lord. You cannot love enough to make it into Heaven, it’s about knowing Jesus Christ and following Him as Lord and Savior of your soul.
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Jesus Christ also preached in John 3:5, ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ What does Jesus Christ mean ‘born of water and of the Spirit’? Water is referring to water baptism which is repentance from sinning; ‘and of the Spirit’ is referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11).
So Jesus is teaching here: without total repentance from sinning you cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you cannot be born-again. And if your not born-again (regenerated), you cannot enter Heaven.
You see this is what Jesus Christ meant with such teaching to be ready! To be ready is proactively getting prepared for eternity because the soul lives forever. It’s all based upon our own choices now on earth, determines which direction of eternity shall you go…Heaven or Hell. Being saved is ultimately having our name written in the Book of Life. This is truly the eternal evidence and reward of being Christ’s children.
But the opposite is also true, they that do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are not Christ’s. Those who are not born-again, are also not Christ’s (Romans 8:9). Those who are not Christ’s are not found in the Book of Life. And those who are not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire as it is eternally written,
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.
Death we see all around us day today, is a reminder that it’s more than possible that you can die today, tonight or even tomorrow, for tomorrow is not guaranteed. The very next hour is not guaranteed either. The only guarantee is, death does comes suddenly and the Holy Bible asks this simple and power question, “What is your life?”
This life today without Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is absolutely meaningless and without purpose against eternity. This life without Christ has absolutely no eternal value at all. So what are you going to choose this day?
If your reading or hearing this message and are without Christ, I have good news for you, you can know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now. This is not an accident why you are here. The Spirit of God lead you to this place and moment in time, calling you to Himself. This maybe your first invitation or your last, who knows. But what I do know is this… life is not guaranteed at all and “For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
So why put it off, when you can be ready for salvation now while God still maybe found, while God is leaning towards you with a listening ear. All you have to do is simply ask God right now to forgive you of all your sins, while determined in your heart to stop sinning. Ask Him to cleanse you from all your past sins. Ask Him to come into you Heart and be Lord of your Life. Dedicate you heart, mind, body and soul to Jesus Christ and also ask Him to fill you with God’s Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 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. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Matthew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.
Confess & Repent Repentance is acknowledging and confession of all your sins to God sincerely from the heart, while turning away from the life of sinning. It’s not feeling sorry and asking God for forgiveness. It’s a full surrendering of your heart, soul, mind and body to Jesus Christ, where ever you are right now. Don’t put it off, remember, life is not guaranteed the next hour.
Believe Believing is active faith. Faith is knowing without doubting, when you ask God to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all sins and unrighteousness, He will.
Call Calling upon the name of the Lord is crying out and asking Jesus Christ to save you. Ask the Father and His only begotten Son from this day forward, for forgiveness of all your sins. Ask them to come into your heart and be Lord of your life. Ask God to write your name in the Lambs Book of Life. And ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit
Luke 11:9-13 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?
Hope For A Hopeless Generation 