The Lost Mandate of Heaven, Part 1E [Ideas Series, #5]

Genesis 3:23-24
"Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."


If God threw Adam out of Eden on account of one sin, how can you expect to get into the Heavenly paradise with ten thousand? If someone out there says, "I haven't got anything to repent of." If you are  like the Pharisees, then I can tell you that this message will not reach your heart.

In I John 1:8, 10, the Bible states -

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us...If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

Alas, some people say, "I believe in the mercy of God; I don't believe God will send anyone to hell. I believe everyone will get to Heaven."

Or, "I believe that they are many paths to Heaven."

Look at those antediluvians. Do you think God swept all those sinners, all those men and women who were too wicked to live on earth - do you believe He swept them all into Heaven, and left the only righteous man to wade through the flood and its aftermath? Do you really hold to this notion, Reader?

And yet many men believe all will go into Heaven. Oh, Friend, don't believe the lie that comes from the mouth of the Devil himself! 

The day will come when you will wake up and know that you have been deceived by Satan. No unrepentant sinner will ever get into Heaven. Unless they forsake their sin they cannot enter there. The law of God is very plain on this point: "Except a man repent." That's the language of Scripture. And when this is so plainly set down, why is it that men fold their arms and say, "God will take me into Heaven anyway."

I can imagine some of you are saying now, Am I to repent today?"  The answer is a resounding Yes! My Friends, there are only two parties in the world. It's not the Republicans and the Democrats. Or, the Conservatives and the Liberals. Or, the 1% and the 99%. Indeed, there  is a great battle going on for your mind here today. And, yes, there are only two sides. Now, there are two parties in this world - those for Christ and those against Him, and to change to Christ's party is only moving from the old party to the new. You know that the old party is bad, and the new one is good, and yet you don't change. You don't have to wait for Election Day. Today's your day to vote, Friend. What's keeping you from casting the right vote?

If a man is not repentant his face is turned away from God, and the moment his face is turned toward God peace and joy follow. There are a great many people hunting after joy, after peace. Dear friends, if you want to find it today. Just turn to God, and you will get it.

Here's a final thought by Charles Spurgeon, "He who looks sinward has his back to God—he who looks Godward has his back to sin."

I can't put more plainer than this: Turn or Burn. What's it going to be? Cast your vote now.

I Choose to Turn This Day!

The Elevator

II Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

An illiterate old man from from the farm country came to a busy shopping complex in a metropolis, accompanying a relative who was purchasing new dress for her wedding. He was accompanied by his wife, who was equally old and simple. There they saw an elevator for the first time in their life.

The old man watched the gadget with keen interest. He saw a group of aged people enter and close the door. After a few minutes, the door reopened and an equal number of very young people came out.

After several similar observations, the old man concluded that the elevator was a miraculous machine to transform older people to younger and smarter ones. He was excited. His priority was to restore the youthfulness of his aging wife. He was anxious to have her as the young and charming beauty that he had married 50 years ago.

 

He compelled & coaxed her to enter the elevator the next time it opened before them. The old lady entered it unwillingly along with many others and the door was shut. After a few anxious moments, he saw the doors open.

Rushing to the door and madly searching among those who came out of the elevator, he found an attractive young lady, with some resemblance to the figure of his wife in her early years.

Overjoyed, he embraced who he thought was his blushing bride and tried to drag her away from the others, crying out, "What a wonder, what a beauty!"

The lady was shocked and pushed him away with all her might. She walked away quickly into the crowd.

Lying on the floor with scratched limbs and a broken heart, the old man cried and pleaded, "Wait for me, honey! Don't leave me, dear! I'll take back the old you!"

*

God made us in His image (Gen. 1:27; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). But, in our selfishness, webroke fellowship with Him when we sinned against Him (Rom. 3:10, 23). Only God can restore us and make us into a new creation (Gal. 6:15).

The blood of Jesus is no fountain of youth that will make you younger or put a skip in your step. No, it's not about our external appearance. What God is desiring is to truly transform us and change us within, transform us from a sinner to a saved person. Because of the blood of Jesus, our sins are forgiven (Heb. 9:22) and we receive God's divine nature through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5; II Cor. 1:22-23; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30).

That is what happens at salvation.

There is no magic potion or elixir or holy grail or special waters. If you're seeking true renewal - spiritual rightness - then Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life (Jn. 14:6).

What you decide to do with Jesus Christ today will impact your eternal life. And much like an elevator, there's only one of 2 directions you can go: heavenward or hell bound.

Which way are you headed?

I Want to Be Glorybound!

What a joyful thought that my Lord I’ll see,
Just over in the glory land;
And with kindred saved, there forever be,
Just over in the glory land.

Just over in the glory land,
I’ll join the happy angel band,
Just over in the glory land;
Just over in the glory land,
There with the mighty host I’ll stand,
Just over in the glory land.

With the blood-washed throng I will shout and sing,
Just over in the glory land;
Glad hosannas to Christ, the Lord and King,
Just over in the glory land.

Just over in the glory land,
I’ll join the happy angel band,
Just over in the glory land;
Just over in the glory land,
There with the mighty host I’ll stand,
Just over in the glory land.

 

Story compliments of Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Kerala, India

In the Beginning, Anew

Matthew 28:6

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

I have a friend I haven't seen anymore. Her home is in Los Angeles, but she lives in her head inside a dream. Other friends tried calling her to see if she can come out. And, help her lose the down that she's found. Unfortunately, she cannot be reached. Friend, what if your world should fall apart? Will you implode, too?

Think about a time when your heart was broken because your expectations were dashed and your world fell apart. That is exactly what happened to the women who came to Jesus' tomb. They had put all their hopes in Him as Israel's promised Messiah and had given Him their love and devotion.

Now He was dead.

Can you imagine the sudden change in their emotions and outlook when an angel told them He had risen? Hope sprang to life again. Even though this event happened 2,000 years ago, the empty tomb still holds a message for us. Like these women, we can be dramatically changed when we consider the ramifications of Christ's resurrection. It should affect how we live from this day forward.

Jesus' resurrection proves that there is life after death. So many people today think that earthly existence is all there is. But this belief robs life of purpose and meaning. God created us as eternal souls, and Jesus demonstrated that death is not the end - much more awaits us.

The empty tomb also gives us hope and dispels our fears about death. We have One who has gone before us and shown us what's ahead. Those who trust Him as their Savior (Rom. 10:9-10) will be resurrected to new life just as He was.

By accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you begin your life anew that very moment. In a way, it's your own Genesis 1:1; that is, God creates you through the blood of Jesus to be a new creature. Consider II Corinthians 5:17-18,

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;"

And, Romans 6:4 goes even further: "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Thus, walking - not sitting, resting or convaslescing on a mountain top - but walking in the newness of life is what we're called by Christ to do. To be sure, we are to walk all the days of our life in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) and redeem the evil days (Eph. 5:16) with the Gospel of peace (Rom. 10:15).

None of us know what day the Lord will call our name, signaling the end of our earthly life. Yet we do know that He has promised to prepare a place in heaven for us (John 14:1-3). Death is not the end, but simply the stepping into eternity and beginning the greatest adventure of our lives: Coming home to Christ.

Dear Reader, one day you will die (Heb. 9:27). When that day comes, where will you be spending eternity? Are you going home to Christ?

Settle it now! I Want To Spend Eternity With Christ!

Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

(portion of this posting is courtesy of Dr. Charles Stanley)