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“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” - Hebrews 9:27
This is a sobering question to reflect on every day of our life. We, as humans, face the inevitability of death. The questions remain for mankind:
• What happens after the last breath we take?
• And what lies on the other side of this life as we know it?
As some would say, after we die, we return to dust, and that is it. But in the depths of our soul, in our inner conscience, we know there is something more and that we are created with a purpose. There is meaning for life beyond the grave. If all that is after death is the grave, we are hopeless, miserable, and without meaning in this life.
In the Bible, it says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” This means that after death, we are going to be faced with judgment. 2 Corinthians 5:10,
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.” We are going to be put on trial with the Creator of the universe and give an account for the deeds which we have done.
• Does this thought scare you?
• Do the things you have done worry you, that they will not stand before the test?
• Do you feel guilty for the crimes you have committed?
• Are there things in your life that you have vowed to never tell another soul and are committed to carrying these things with you to the grave?
• Are you tired of facing addictions?
• Does the sin that attracted you now leave you feeling empty, hopeless, and wanting to take your own life?
• Are there sins in your life that you vowed never to do again, but you find yourself doing them again several days later?
My friend, Jesus is here to offer hope. A living hope! A hope that will endure the test of time. This hope is not in ourselves but in the person of Jesus Christ. I have a serious warning to share with you: preparing to meet Jesus starts today. The good news is, when Jesus came the first time on this earth, he came to show us how to live, and he also died for us. In His death, being the Lamb of God, He bore the sins of the whole world. Not only did he die, but He rose from the dead on the third day, and the power of sin was broken for mankind. Redemption and freedom are now possible, restoring mankind to its full potential of life without sin, as God created Adam in the beginning. Jesus is coming again. He will appear for a second time, not to bear the sins of the world again, but to bring full salvation to those who are waiting for him.
So a question one may have is: “How do I start preparing to meet Jesus with my messed-up life, or the hopeless situation that I’m in, or the dark world that we live in?” A question I have for you, my friend, is how desperately do you want freedom from sin? And how badly do you want to be delivered from your hopeless situation? What are you willing to do, or give, to be set free?
I would like to share a story with you to illustrate this question. On April 26, 2003, Aaron Lee Ralston went hiking. During a solo descent of Blue John Canyon in SE Utah, he dislodged a boulder, pinning his right wrist to the side of the canyon wall. After 5 days, he had to break his forearm and amputate it with a dull pocketknife. And then make his way through the rest of the canyon and rope down a 65 ft drop, hike 7 miles to safety, and was able to get help. As we know in this story, Aaron was desperate to break free from the trap that his arm was in. So much so that he was willing to risk everything by severing his arm to break free and find healing, leaving his arm pinned to the boulder.
Does your life resemble Aaron’s situation?
• Do you feel trapped and unable to break free?
• Are you desperate enough to sever the sin that shackles you and surrender your life to Jesus?
When you come to the place in your life that you are willing to forsake all, take the time to be alone with the Bible. Start reading it, and as you read, pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you through His word. As you read His word, and as you’re praying, ask God for the gift of repentance. And as God starts softening your heart, start confessing your sins one by one and repenting of them. Confess all your sins to God and don’t leave one stone unturned in your heart. And as God reveals sins to you, simply confess them. Find someone to whom you can confess these sins. As 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” After you confess all of your sins, ask Jesus to forgive you and to cleanse you from all these unrighteous things. And ask him for healing, victory, and power in your life over these sins. And as God gives you grace and wisdom, make restitution to the people that you have wronged by saying sorry and asking for forgiveness.
As you start this journey in living your life pure, free, and holy, let the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth. Study the life of Jesus and pattern your life after His life. Start each day by reading God’s word and singing songs of worship to him. Pray to God. Seek Him. And let Him help you in your walk with Him. If we live according to His word, obeying His commandments, walking as He walked, and keeping our conscience pure and clean on a daily basis- This, my friend, is how we can be prepared to meet Jesus.
For your questions or spiritual needs, call 833-818-7884.
