Gospel

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Facing Your Death

James 4: 13-14 KJV - 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.

James brings it right down to the nitty gritty in these verses He is saying we, as humans make all these great plans about what we are going to do in this life; how we will prosper, what we will buy, etc. When the truth is - it’s all vanity. We could fall over dead in the next instant. Why can’t we believe that? We see it happening all the time. People die. But it’s always someone else, right? It won’t happen to me until I’m 99, right? We know that death is imminent but, we have a very hard time really accepting it. So, what do we do? We just don’t think about it. If we put it out of our mind it will go away, right?

WRONG.

Have you ever really meditated on what is going to happen the final time you close your eyes? Try this little experiment with me:

Go to a quiet, preferably dark room. Close your eyes, take ten or more very deep breaths - relax your body. Clear your mind of any clutter and focus only on your death. Just for a minute. It is not morbid, it’s really a very natural part of life. Are you ready? OK, relax……take deep breaths…….. breathe, breathe, breathe……….. Focus. Take your mind to your own death bed, for just a moment; feel your heart-rate slowing down, your breaths are becoming labored. Your mind is becoming foggy. Finally, you get to your last breath and you know “this is it.” What do you feel?

Do you feel peace or panic? What will happen to you after that last breath is gone?

Now imagine you are at the judgment seat of Christ. He opens The Lamb’s Book of Life and before He even says anything, you know He won’t find your name written down there. You just know……God’s piercing eyes are boring a hole into you. You squirm and try to make excuses. But you realize it’s too late and you have so many regrets. Jesus says; “Depart from Me, I NEVER KNEW YOU.”

Then you are cast into outer darkness, it is so dark you cannot see anything. You are separated from God forever. You can do nothing but wail and moan and burn…….forever. Horrible to think about, isn’t it?

Please don’t think you have a long time to “get right with God.” You may not have but one more minute.

You see, nothing here on this earth really matters at all, except the way we live the life given to us. Jesus said He will provide all our needs here. Not wants, but needs. The only thing that matters is this: Are you ready to face God on judgment day? Can you imagine waking up in the presence of God? Will you be ashamed? Or do you anticipate it with joy? We will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that’s what the Bible says and I believe it. I hope you do too.

I also believe this life is like boot camp, if you will. We are all being prepared for eternity. Eternity will be the real thing! If death scares you, I mean really scares you, please examine your heart and your life. Sin causes us to feel guilty whether we realize it or not, it’s always there. And it follows us into death, if we don’t repent. But that’s why Jesus came - to wash away our sin. He is the ONLY way to receive life eternal in heaven. He is the only One who can deliver us from ourselves and our sin.

Let’s try that experiment again just a little different this time:

Again, go to a quiet, preferably dark room. Close your eyes, take ten or more very deep breaths - relax your body. Clear your mind of any clutter and focus on your death. Just for a minute. Are you ready? OK, relax……take deep breaths…….. breathe, breathe, breathe……….. Focus. Take your mind to your own death bed, for just a moment; feel your heart-rate slowing down, your breaths are becoming labored. Your mind is becoming foggy. Finally, you get to your last breath and you know “this is it.” Then…......…..

You see Jesus, beckoning to you with open arms. You feel so free and you realize you are flying to His arms. Behind Him, you see all the people whom you have loved during your lifetime; those that had a part in your faith, and saved family members who died before you. They are smiling and waving to you. Jesus is smiling radiantly and is surrounded in a glorious light. You feel the most overwhelming sense of peace, joy and perfection. You have never felt more loved and wanted…….Jesus embraces you warmly and says: “Welcome home, thou good and faithful servant. Come, enjoy the feast prepared for you!”

Now, who could be scared of facing that?

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