This is important stuff. I was driving past a funeral service today and I observed a sizable number of people paying respect to the deceased. I thought of how it has been said that death seems so final. But the truth of the matter is that people actually leave behind what they planted with their lives.
God is watching everything we do, “For thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 32:19 King James Version). This in part means that your role as a parent, guardian, or person of influence over others (children, etc.) has such a powerful impact. They are watching copy the very patterns that you have exhibited before them.
EXAMPLES:
Some children grow in environments where drug use is seen as normal and they too pick up these patterns.
Some children are raised in situations where sex outside of marriage is modeled before them and too becomes their way of life.
And there are others who grow up with those who are positioned to influence their lives that practice witchcraft, voodoo; tarot cards and the like and they see this as the way to live out their lives.
These patterns prove to be detrimental to those taught to do such things. When the people who taught these ungodly practices die they leave behind destruction that is perpetuated by the generation left behind who perpetuate it to the generation who follows them and on and on and on.
But for those who come to know Jesus Christ as Personal and Lord and Savior are able to break any such patterns that were exhibited before them because of the power of His blood and sacrifice on Calvary (the Cross) and His resurrection from the dead (for those who receive Christ into their hearts, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you” (Romans 8:11 New Living Translation). We are not be deceived by, nor subjected to neither the power of darkness, nor the evil that pervades society (the devil’s power – who’s kingdom that is coming to an end, and very soon I might add). You see, Lucifer/Satan/the devil led a rebellion in heaven against Almighty God and of course did not prevail. (Revelation 12:7-12) says, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”
Somehow God has allowed the devil to know that his time/reign over the inhabitants on earth over those who don’t know God/Jesus is limited. You might think anyone who knows that he is defeated and whose future is condemnation forever might submit to God and turn his life around to avoid such disaster. But not the devil he is so deceived that he is still trying to interrupt, stop the plan of God. His mission and evil goal is to, “To steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10a) every man, woman, boy, and girl.
But Jesus came so that every man, woman, boy, and girl, “might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). This is such good news! We all have been given a second chance to get ourselves right with God and to live out His plan for our lives with power, beauty, and victory over sin (Jeremiah 29:11)!
By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to break faulty patterns/habits (sins) such as, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:16-21). We have been given a new nature now as we are now led by the Holy Spirit of God and “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). This means that we teach our children and those to whom we have influence over to live righteous/Godly lives. We reach out to a lost world with the love of Christ to help them come to know God and receive eternal life.
We must recognize that in order to receive Christ we must do the following:
- Realize that we are sinners:
- “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
- “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
- “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
- “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).
If you feel led to pray to receive Christ into your heart right now it is because God is drawing you “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44) and the Spirit of God convicts us of our sins helping us to realize our need to repent (turn away from a life of sin) (John 16:8).
If you want to have your name “Written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27) please say the following prayer out loud from the bottom of your heart.
Say LORD JESUS, I AM A SINNER. I BELIEVE THAT YOU DIED ON THE CROSS FOR SO THAT I MAY RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE. I TRULY REPENT, I TURN AWAY FROM A LIFE OF SIN, AND I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME FOR ALL OF MY SINS AND TO COME INTO MY HEART AND LIVE. I ACCEPT YOU AS MY PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR AND AS MASTER OF MY LIFE AND PLEASE FILL ME WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. PLEASE HAVE YOUR WAY WITH MY LIFE FROM NOW. THANK YOU LORD FOR ETERNAL SALVATION AND FOR YOUR HOLY SPIRIT NOW LIVING ON THE INSIDE OF ME. IN YOUR LORD JESUS I PRAY.
You can be assured that you are now saved and will enter heaven in the future. It is important that you follow up by asking God to help you find a Godly Bible believing church to attend to get into a good Bible study group. You can purchase a Bible or if you have one you can begin by reading the Gospel of John to learn more about who Jesus is and what He has done for you.
Isn’t it amazing that the things that we do for God will follow us into heaven. The only things we can take with us when we leave this world are things we do for Jesus.
SEE THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES:
Revelation 14:13
King James Version
And I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, “Write: ’Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth.” “Yea,” saith the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.”
American Standard Version
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.
AMPLIFIED VERSION
Then I heard [the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes, [blessed indeed],” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest and have relief from their labors, for their deeds do follow them.”
Micah 7:19
King James Version
He will turn again; He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities. And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
American Standard Version
He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
AMPLIFIED VERSION
He shall again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.
Even our sins are forgiven and forgotten, remembered no more:
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Romans 8:12).
Of course, there is much more…