Gospel

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"When the plane is going down everyone is willing to hear about Jesus." That was the quote of well known Pastor/Evangelist Dr. Creflo Dollar. I had to laugh, because almost unequivocally it would be a true statement.

Individuals are just not particularly interested in hearing about Jesus and their need for salvation when they have life securely in the control of their own hands. Death is years away and therefore not something one needs to consider at this moment; but, "when the plane is going down," they have a different view of eternity and whether they do or do not feel so secure about what comes next.

If we would give consideration to the many things that can snuff us out without a split second of warning to us, then maybe we would be more inclined to consider our need as one that is imminent. The fact is that at some point, unknown to us, we all do die. There is no one still living that was here 200 years ago. We all do die.

The information that I present is not meant to generate fear but rather to address facts, even as does the Life Insurance Salesperson who often comes by to talk with us.

The 'averages' give to us data that seems to promise that we can depend on living until the age of 79 or 83 years of age. The average would be higher if there were not those who die earlier and many much earlier.

An average, or mean, is arrived at by considering all the number of people and including the death ages of everyone and getting an "average life expectancy."

The beautiful thing about getting prepared to die at any age is this: a. You can enjoy the peace of being prepared for as long as you live and there is never a premium to pay. b. You do not have to "hope" death gives you a warning so that you can get ready. It's sort of like the Boy Scout Motto advises, "Always be prepared."

The requirements for getting prepared to die are simple and easy to access and after you do access them you do not have to do it again. All you do is to hold your confession of faith in your heart and on your lips, and then trust God to do what He promised to do, which is to give a home in Heaven when you do die, whenever that may be.

Here are the simple steps if you are wise enough to plan ahead:

1. Acknowledge that you have done wrong things and are therefore a sinner. It simply means, "I have missed the mark of being perfect." If you are not perfect, absolutely perfect, then you are a sinner. The Bible says that "All have sinned and have come up short of the glory of God."

2. After you have acknowledged that fact, then is to ask Jesus to be your Savior. God wants someone who can be a voucher for you. Jesus has met God's requirement of being a Perfect Man, so therefore He can cover you with His blood and present you to God as righteous. This satisfies God's requirement for the forgiveness of our sin and provides salvation for us.

3. The Bible says that, "If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus (as our Savior) and also believe in our hearts that God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead, then we shall be saved; for with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and with the heart one believes unto righteousness."

That is it. Eternal future safety secured. Do it before the moment comes when control is out of your hands.

It then behooves one who has done this to learn about Jesus and what things He wants of us. We do that by reading His Word to us, The Bible. It is good to find others who also believe and talk with them, maybe to join a group of believers such as a Church.

But let me say this and make it clear. If you find your plane is going down, the first three steps are the ones you want to be certain about. God does accept those who just have came to Him by way of Jesus. Length of days or years of service is not a requisite. Receiving Jesus as your Savior is required. Just be wise and do it before the crunch time comes, because none of us know when that time will arrive.

Ramona 03/25/2013

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