"Why should I let you into My Heaven?"
When Christian author and speaker Dr. Bob Hill was seventy-one, his mother passed away. She was nearly ninety-four. Family and friends gathered in St. Louis for the memorial service, and Bob rose to open the funeral. “Friends,” he said with a smile, “this is not a time for grieving but a time for celebration.” At that moment, Bob suffered a massive brain hemorrhage and slumped to the floor. As his wife and children rushed to the platform and gathered around him, he slipped into glory. Bob had written sixty books and had preached hundreds of times, but his last words were perhaps his most memorable. He had intended for them to be about his mother, but they became instead a comfort to those he himself left behind. While it’s necessary and normal for us to grieve, we also sense a celebration going on in heaven when a loved one falls asleep in Jesus, and we sorrow not as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). But such an occasion also causes us to revisit our own lives and reexamine our walk with the Lord. Are we really living a life worth living? Are we doing those things that when we stand before the Lord, we’ll wish we had been doing? - Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening
Wow...my Dear Reader...wow. Really! Wow!
"Are we doing those things that when we stand before the Lord, we’ll wish we had been doing?" What a question!
Now the other part of the same devotional...
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. JAMES 1:17 In contrast to the evil enticements that come from within us, every good gift comes from God, who is over us. The text literally says that such benefits come down to us in a steady stream from the Father of lights. God’s nature is unchanging. He will forever be both good and trustworthy. Jesus (Matthew 6:30; 7:11) and Paul (Romans 13:14) shared the same perspective. James might add to Paul’s words that the believer should not only refrain from thinking about gratifying his desires but also avoid thinking about not gratifying his desires. We are not to grit our teeth and make up our mind that we will not do a certain thing. The key to dealing with temptation is to fill our minds with other things. Since temptation begins with our thoughts, changing what we think about is the key to victory. - Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening
"Are we doing those things that when we stand before the Lord, we’ll wish we had been doing?" What a question! Add to it, what do you think about?
Our thoughts, actions and intentions will all be on display when we stand before Christ. If a believer, you won't face Him in judgment, but just the same all 3 will be put to the fire. Some will come away with nothing but the fact that have Salvation in Christ.
For unbelievers on the other hand will go through the same fire...only to find that it was all worthless without their name written in the Book of Life.
To prepare the way for the new, the old often needs dealt with. You don't only slap on new wood, trim and paint over damaged surfaces...you have to remove the old.
Your life, what you are doing, should you die today. Would you really be ok explaining it's every nuance to Jesus?
Would your reasons hold water at all when filtered through the Word of God?
Will your life show one of selfishness or of giving? Of love and compassion or of a me first mentality?
Are you living in such a way that your children have learned the right and true way to live, or are you (sadly) amused that they have picked up your bad habits?
If you died today, what reason would you give when asked why you should be let into Heaven? Your looks? Your charity? Your countless good deeds? Your good nature? Your giving spirit? Your love for others? Your treatment of animals or the Earth? Your patience? Your married life? Your success story? All of these and every other "positive" you can come up with the God of the Bible says is: RUBBISH without Salvation in Christ Jesus.
Everyone will have some or all of those in their lives when they leave this place. Both believers and unbelievers. It's whether or not Jesus is your Savior that is the difference maker.
"Are we doing those things that when we stand before the Lord, we’ll wish we had been doing?" We all take it for granted the breath we breathe. We assume the next one is coming. We don't grasp the magnitude of the unmerited favor that God gives us in allowing us the chance to come to Christ. Every breath you breathe, if you haven't said yes to that free gift of Salvation is a PARDON from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
You have nothing of value within you to be a reason not to be found guilty before Jesus if you do not have Him as your Savior.
Your life, believer or not a believer, is full of the mercy of God. As rough as your life might get, you have been kept from the worst things it could have been. Yes there are atrocities committed by man against man. But God knows it all could be worse without His intervention. We aren't yet to what He says that days of Noah were like. We haven't seen evil continually.
If you died today, what would be your reason after that question is posed to you?
Do you take breathing for granted?
Is what you are doing honestly troubling you? Trying to fight temptation rather than forcing your mind to think of the things that God says are right, good and pure?
Jesus asks all the same question.
"Why should I let you into My Heaven?"
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