W H E R E  W I L L  Y O U  L I VE ?

This message is directed to those who do not know where they will live after they die. Perhaps you will respond, “I won’t live anywhere after I die! How can I? I will be dead!” But the Bible teaches you will never die. Never, never, never. Your body will die but you will live…. somewhere.

When you were conceived in your mother’s womb you were destined to live forever. Your birth date is not the day you came out of the womb; your birth date is the day you were conceived. Your real birthday is actually about nine months prior to the date on your birth certificate.

Again, your life began at conception and, again, you were destined to live forever. Those who died in their mother’s womb because of miscarriage or abortion are quite alive today…. yes, as alive as you are. Every person killed by accident, disease, murder or suicide is a living person. Every soldier killed in action in each and every one of history’s wars resides….. somewhere. 

You have never seen yourself. The mirror only shows the earth-suit that contains you. The invisible you lives inside that earth-suit, a body designed by God enabling you to survive and thrive on this planet. The Bible teaches us that God created you through Jesus Christ, His Son. The Bible says, “All things were made through Him [Jesus], and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Jesus made everything and everybody. Jesus made you. Yes, you are Christ’s creation. 

Can you comprehend that, according to the Bible, you were designed by God and created by His son Jesus to live on planet earth for a short time? And can you comprehend that when life on earth comes to an end you will live somewhere else? The most important question you can ask yourself is “WHERE will I live?” If you bear with me for just a little while you will fully understand that you, and only you, can and will determine WHERE you will occupy your eternity.

The Bible teaches us there are two locations where every person will live forever and ever and ever. Yes, two locations. Not three or four or five or ten. Two. The Bible teaches you will spend the remainder of your eternity in one of these two locations. These two locations are opposite to each other in every way. Will you give this matter serious consideration? (Jesus: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”)

The Bible teaches that you are both loved and hated. You have a Friend and you have an enemy. Yes, you are thoroughly loved and yes, you are thoroughly hated. “Hated?…. me?” Yes you. The devil (a fallen archangel who rebelled against God) hates Jesus and everyone Jesus loves. Jesus said, “The thief [satan, the devil] does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” The devil’s hatred for humanity is evidenced for all having eyes and ears. He loves perversion and hates righteousness. He loves destruction and hates harmony. He loves sorrow and hates laughter.

You must fully realize that satan has a vast army of underlings – fallen, creepy angels – some of who have been assigned to destroy you and your loved ones. The Bible says we “wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness.” If that doesn’t scare you it should. Keep all this in mind as I reveal the two mentioned locations…..

There is a HEAVEN to gain and there is a HELL to shun. Heaven is where Jesus lives. Heaven is where His Father lives. Heaven is where the angels live. Heaven is where millions, perhaps billions, of people (saints) live. If you reach heaven you will never want to leave. You will never be sick, bored, disappointed, fearful, threatened, intimidated, assaulted or weary. You will be very, very, very happy.

All those who do not attain heaven will go to hell. If heaven is not your eternal home hell will be. (Love tells the truth.) The Bible calls hell the “lake of fire” and “the second death”. The instant you arrive you will be overwhelmed with remorse…. deep, painful, everlasting remorse.You will never be hopeful, peaceful, relaxed, appreciated, befriended, healthy, painless or rested. You will be very, very, very UN-happy.

Hopefully you are now convinced that, according to the Bible,…

You will live eternally.
You will reside in one of two locations.
You are both loved and hated.

The location where you will live, heaven or hell, is up to you. You decide. Both Lord Jesus and satan can and do influence you, but only you decide who to follow, who to heed, who to obey.

Now let’s talk about Jesus….

The Bible tells us that Jesus entered humanity through the body and the obedience of a virgin. Jesus, “the only begotten Son of God”, became a man because only the death of a man, a sinless man, could be just and adequate payment for man’s sins. Only such a sacrifice could satisfy God’s righteousness which decrees that sin must be nullified by the death of a sinless man. Jesus, who “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin”, became that sacrificial offering. Jesus explained it this way….

“God so loved [the people of] the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Himself], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That is the gospel, the good news (news that is very, very, very good). It is important to know that Jesus died for you PERSONALLY. The apostle Paul wrote, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved ME and gave Himself for ME.” Like Paul you can declare, “the Son of God…. loved ME and gave Himself for ME.” Jesus continued to say….

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (Jesus came to rescue you, not to condemn you.) “He who believes in Him is not condemned.” (You will not be condemned to hell if you entrust yourself to Jesus.) “But he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (If you refuse to believe in, trust in, rely on Jesus you will be condemned.) “And this is the condemnation” (judgement is based on this fact), “the light [Jesus] has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (If your love for sin is greater than your love for truth and goodness you will reject the light [Jesus] and suffer the consequences.)

Now let’s talk about the Holy Spirit….

Jesus called Him “the Spirit of truth”. His importance cannot be overstated: men were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the Bible…. the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead that resurrection morning…. nobody comes to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ without His intervention.

Before returning to His Father in heaven, Jesus said of His replacement, the Holy Spirit, “When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness.” These words reveal that the Holy Spirit was and is convicting you of your trespasses against a holy God. He is constantly nudging you to Christ and Christ’s great salvation. So far you have stubbornly resisted that prodding. (Love tells the  truth.)

So let’s recapitulate what the Bible teaches….

You will live eternally.
You will reside in one of two locations.
You are both loved and hated.
There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.
Both the Holy Spirit and the devil are influencing you.
You alone decide your eternal location.

Sadly, most people will choose hell by not choosing heaven. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me.” Refusing Christ is refusing heaven; refusing heaven is choosing hell. Again, most people have chosen, choose and will continue to choose hell.

Both Jesus (through the Holy Spirit) and the devil (through his vast army of deviants) contend for every person’s eternity. The devil wins many; Jesus wins comparatively few. Does this surprise you? Why, you may ask, does the devil win so many? The answer is simple: the devil fights dirty and Jesus doesn’t. Your enemy lies, cheats, coerces, confuses, manipulates, threatens and entices.

The Bible teaches that you are now travelling on one of two roads, one leading to happiness and the other leading to remorse. Because you have refused the beseeching (wooing, beckoning) of the Holy Spirit, you are at this very moment on the road to hell. Should you die suddenly you will go straight to that awful place Jesus warned us about.   

The Bible teaches the Holy Spirit “bears witness” to truth. (“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit.”) While the lies of the devil – passed on to you through the media, books and magazines, acquaintances and teachers – have power, truth has more power. The Holy Spirit, right now, “bears witness” that the words you are reading are true words, Bible words. But nonetheless….

Nonetheless most reading these Bible words will not embrace them. Tomorrow perhaps. Of course, ‘tomorrow perhaps’ probably means never. (Love tells the truth.) Why would one embrace Jesus Christ tomorrow if he/she rejected Him in the past and rejects Him today? And who can guarantee a tomorrow?

And now let’s talk about you….

Will you be your best friend or worst enemy? Will you enrich yourself immeasurably or harm yourself immeasurably? Jesus Christ extends to you an invitation to a life superior (very, very, very superior) to the one you are now living; will your response be YES, JESUS or NO, JESUS? (He considers a non-reply a refusal.) Remember, neither Jesus nor the devil designate your eternal home; you do.

Should you be one of the few reading these Bible words who will make a decision for Christ as your Lord and Saviour (and Teacher and Shepherd and King) I strongly suggest you make my website – www.larryjones.ca – a component (factor, inclusion) of your new life in Christ. Because….

Because I have had fifty plus years to learn from my mistakes. And because unlike almost every christian preacher/teacher I am not attached to a religion. (I am not a religionist.) And because I have not been indoctrinated by a seminary or Bible college. And because Jesus Christ is my “first love”. (I love Jesus more than money, religion, family, ministry and fellow christians.) And because I strongly endeavour to be led by “the Spirit of truth” in all of my writings (including this posting). And because I want to influence you to always be faithful to Christ and never succumb to religionists (those who have given themselves over to “commandments of men”.) And because there will be times when my library of books, articles and videos will be needed encouragement. And because I will never hint for financial support (and I have nothing to sell). So…. I suggest you keep my website close-at-hand by storing it in your memory. To help you memorize, repeat it out loud a few times, larryjones.ca…. larryjones.ca….. larryjones.ca   Will you do that?

And now let’s talk about SINCERITY….

Jesus hates insincerity and Jesus hates lukewarm. (Jesus: “I wish you were cold or hot.”) Jesus is passionate about you and would be slighted if you are apathetic to Him. He gave you His all; hopefully you will give Him your all. Your commitment to Christ must be SINCERE. If you decide to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour do so earnestly. Okay?

The instant you make a SINCERE decision for Christ there will be several occurrences – a long list of incredible, amazing happenings: you will INSTANTLY pass from death to life (Jesus: “I have come that they may have life”)… your name will be recorded into the “Book of Life”…. you will be delivered from “the god of this age” (satan)…. you will be transferred from the road to hell to the road to heaven. And more….

You will INSTANTLY become an adopted son/daughter of the living God (“we should be called the children of God”)…. you will actually become a new creation (“old things have passed away; behold all things have become new”)…. you will be an heir of God (“heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ”)…. you will become justified, as if you have never sinned (“You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus”)…. you will actually become “the righteousness of God” in Christ Jesus”…. Jesus will become your shepherd (“The Lord is my Shepherd”), your teacher (“One is your Teacher, the Christ”), your protector (“I will never leave you nor forsake you”)…. and the Holy Spirit will take up residence within your earth-suit (“your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit”).

But there is a price attached to this great salvation God has provided for you. (Love tells the truth.) Christ is free and Christ costs. “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” Friends may not admire or appreciate the new you. Brace yourself for exclusion, criticism, even ridicule. (Jesus: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”)

So now you have a decision to make: YES, JESUS or NO, JESUS.

 

 

Hopelessness…. Real Hopelessness
By Richard Crocker

 

It was about sixteen years ago, and my wife Rachel and I were at a Sunday evening service at the Rutland Gospel Tabernacle Church. The pastor had preached a message about the reality of a literal hell. I had heard this same word before from other preachers, yet I listened intently.

The service over, most people were headed for home when I noticed a Christian brother kneeling at the front of the church by himself. I discerned that he was struggling, so I joined him. What happened next is hard to put into words, but I feel I must try. I’ve got something very important to say and I ask you hear me.

I was suddenly taken into the spiritual realm, into the place of the departed souls, those who had died without receiving Christ as their saviour. God let me feel what they felt. I experienced the agony of eternal separation from God, and it is this sense of eternal hopelessness that I am trying to convey.

The feelings, the emotions of hopelessness I cannot describe. The despair, the agony of separation I cannot fully relate. But I felt them, tasted of them. No, I didn’t feel the torment of flames – Jesus spared me that – but a total separation from the One who can save and deliver. And I was made to feel what it’s like to have rejected Him and be in the situation of never being able to accept Him. For the opportunity has slipped by. There is no Redeemer in hell.

That life, the life in hell, has no Saviour, no Redeemer. It is this life, life on earth, that has hope. This life has opportunity. This life offers a time to change. Only in this life is there redemption. In this life we set our eternal destinies. In hell there are no choices. The time of decisions is past. One is conscious of one’s past life, conscious of what once was, but fully aware that is was now all over. ALL OVER.

In that  spiritual encounter I had this sense that I was taken down and I could only look back up with memories of what once was. But I couldn’t go back. I no longer had choices. Before, there was always a chance. I had a Redeemer, even if I rejected Him. At least there was hope. I could always choose Him if I wanted.

But now! There was no Redeemer to save me. Cry as I might, no one would rescue me. I became totally aware that the Redeemer is for life on earth, not life after death. The souls here had no hope. I know that I keep saying those words. No hope. Hopelessness. Oh what grief! Oh what sorrow!

I cried out loud in that church. I screamed. The people who had not yet gone home after the service looked on amazed, not knowing what had happened to me.

And why was this happening? Sermons were fine, but often they don’t affect us as they should. God wanted me to know what the lost people felt. He wanted me to experience eternal hopelessness. Perhaps I lacked compassion for the unsaved. It certainly gave me an appreciation of my salvation.

I thank God I have made my peace with Him. I had long ago accepted Jesus Christ as my eternal saviour. I know my sins are forgiven, and my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I have found redemption through His shed blood for my guilt and iniquities. I am not ashamed of being called by His name, and to confess Him as Lord. I so appreciate what He did for me at the cross. He made a way of escape for every one of us.

Hell was something I was casual about. But my experience has forever changed me. What was just words on pages of Holy Scripture I have felt for myself in this experience. But praise God I also have experienced forgiveness and the joy of knowing my destiny is now in God’s loving hands. And my future is in heaven with my Redeemer.

But what about you?

I want you to know there is no such word as hopelessness in this life. You may think that you have sinned too much. You may think that you are beyond God’s mercy. But you’re not. The Bible says, “Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

And that’s the issue. Christ is the issue. It doesn’t matter what you feel – feelings come and feelings go – but rather what you decide. What is your decision? What will you do with Christ?

 

 

LET…. MY…. PEOPLE…. GO !!

“Let My people go, that they may serve Me”

L E T…. M Y…. P E O P L E…. G O !!

“Let my people go, that they may serve Me”

Larry Jones (larryjones.ca)