When Saved People Die Are They Just Asleep Until Jesus Comes?

When Saved People Die Are They Just Asleep Until Jesus Comes?

What does the Bible teach? 

Let us consider the conversation between Jesus and the dying thief on the cross.   We read in Luke 23:42-43, “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”  The thief wanted Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom. But Jesus said today, he would be with him in paradise. We should consider the wording.  If he was to remain sleeping until Jesus came into His kingdom, then why did Jesus emphasize “today”?   It is significant to note that Apostle Paul identifies paradise as in Heaven in II Corinthians 12:4.

Another passage of Scripture to consider is II Corinthians 5:6-8. It  reads, “[W]hilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:”  . . .We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 

These verses teach that we can be absent from the body. It also teaches that when we are absent from the body, we are  present with the Lord.

In Revelation 6:9-10  “souls” were in heaven and aware of what was going on. “I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

Again, Moses and Elijah, who were Old Testament saints, were not sleeping. They talked with Jesus on the mount (Luke 9.30). This is also not a one time occurrence. Jesus also indicated that Abraham was not sleeping, or a beggar named Lazarus in Luke 16.  

Also Jesus is going to bring people “with him” when He returns (I Thess. 4:13-18).

But why does the Bible talk about sleeping in death? 

Jesus said that Lazarus slept in John 11:11. There are other verses as well. So what of these? Matthew 27:52 surely sheds light on this. It reads, “ And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,” This verse  says “the bodies of the saints which slept”. It doesn’t just say “the saints which slept”. Recall that Paul wrote that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So then comparing Scripture with Scripture only a person’s body sleeps in death. 

Unsaved people are not asleep when they die (Luke 16.23-34; Rev. 14.11). They are awake in Hell. We need to make sure that we are right before God before we leave this world.

“[R]epent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:15

“ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:10-11

A Scripture for Today, October 16th, 2021

“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:22-24

They Judge Not

“ Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” I Corinthians 6:4

“Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:17

“Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:9

“[I]n righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.” Leviticus 19:15

“Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.” Deuteronomy 16:18

God commands us to judge! And God curses people who don’t judge!

“Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness . . .But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.” Jeremiah 22:3-5

“ Thy princes are rebellious. . . they judge not . . .Therefore saith the Lord . . .  I will turn my hand upon thee. . .” Isaiah 1:23-25

“I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; Because they had not executed my judgments. . .” Ezekiel 18:23-24

The Bible does tell us not to judge. But we aren’t to judge appearance and the heart. 

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24

“Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” James 2:4

It wasn’t just the nation of Israel. God said that He will judge any nation that forgets Him.  

 ”The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth . . .The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Psalms 9:16-17

God bless.

Where Do Babies Go When They Die? Do they need to be Baptized? What does the Bible say?

Matthew 18:10  reads, ^“ Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” 

Why do people die?

People die because of sin and the curse. The Bible tells us that it is because of one man’s sin that death entered into the world. (Rom. 5.12). Ever since the first man, Adam sinned, each of us will die. We are born with a sin nature, and will sin eventually. And because of sin we earn death.

But Romans 5:14 speaks of those that did not sin after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression . . .” Romans 5:14

God also in Psalm 106:38 and Jeremiah 19:4-5 calls  little children “innocents”. 

Even though Adam’s sin brought a curse and death, the Bible tells us that Jesus’ obedience brought grace and life. And it tells us that the grace of God goes farther than the curse of sin.

^“But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” Romans 5:15

David knew that he would be with his son again.

When his infant son died, he knew he would see his son again.

In II Samuel 12:23, we read,  “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”  When his son died, David no longer mourned and fasted. He knew that prayer and fasting would no longer effect his son. And he knew he would see his son again.

Do babies need to be baptized in order to get into heaven?

Baptism doesn’t bring salvation to anyone.  Please consider these Scriptures (link). Nevertheless there is a false teaching that children need to be baptized in order to get into heaven. And I would like to address it here. This teaching states (among other things) that babies ought to be baptized in order to go to heaven, because children (male not female) were required to be circumcised in the Old Testament. But we can from Scripture prove that this is untrue for two reasons. First circumcision is not necessary to be declared righteous before God.

Romans tells us specifically that Abraham was declared righteous before he was circumcised. It tells us that God would not write down or “impute” sin to Abraham.

“ And he received . . .the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:” Romans 4:11

“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Romans 4:6-9

By these verses we understand that God does not write down or impute sins to some people. And circumcision is not a requirement for Him to do that.

 And secondly David’s son, was not circumcised. 

David’s child went home to be with the Lord on the seventh day. (II Sam. 12.18) Yet male children were to be circumcised the eighth day (Lev. 12.2-3, Luke 1.59). Yet David knew he was going to be with his son again!

God can be just and not write down the sins of people because of the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

Children are precious to God, even in the womb.

John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother’s womb. “For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” Luke 1:43

Does the teaching that babies don’t go to Heaven originate from God or men?

God’s people like Moses’ mother, thought  that babies were precious.  They were not precious to Pharaoh, Herod, and the Baal worshippers.

I wanted to include here Virigil’s description of the underworld.   Immediately as Aeneas crossed the river into the underworld we read, “ A wailing of thin voices came to their ears, the souls of infants crying, Those whom the day of darkness took from the breast before their share of living. And there were many.” The Aeneid, book 6, lines 451-456.

In the Aeneid, the Pagan national epic of ancient Rome, babies went to a part of the underworld . They  were in the first part, just as you crossed the river. They were in “Limbo”.  “Limbo” comes from the Latin. It is the ablative singular of limbus “edge, border”. 

 I remember reading this in literature, and  I just couldn’t imagine something so horrible. All those babies alone forever crying. God Himself in His word calls little children innocents. Even knowing the Holiness of God, I could never imagine Him doing this. Knowing  His great love I cannot imagine Him letting this happen.  This does not match up with the Bible.

What do you think?

“[W]hat think ye?” Matthew 21:28

God bless.

D.N. JACKSON: Salvation Before Baptism II (Day 2)

Hello Everyone. Today I am continuing sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. As I stated before I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.
Continue Transcript:

In the second place the testimony of the prophets proves that salvation is obtained before baptism.

And I read Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Now that was spoken by the Apostle Peter in the household of Cornelius. And the Bible says when he heard this, these words . . . “what”? The words pertaining to eternal life, salvation, how to be saved, when he heard that, then of course the spirit came to him because he believed those words. Now in the eleventh chapter of the Acts for it says, as Peter began to speak the spirit came. And that is true because that was in the first part of his message, because Cornelius and his household heard Acts 10:43. And it doesn’t take very long to hear that. Now take your watches and read Acts 10:43 and see how long it takes you to read it. And see if that is not in the very beginning of Peter’s message. And he told him what to do to be saved: “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” He believed this, he was saved, and the spirit came to him in the fullness of the Spirit’s presence. And then of course after the Spirit came to him, in this particular manner, he and his household were baptized.

The Spirit then before water baptism. Liberty, life, joy, peace. Now of course Cornelius back in the Bible times was able to praise God in speaking in other tongues. But the gift of tongues is not ours today, but it was given to those who were children of God in the New Testament times. “[S]hall receive remission of sins” is used in connection with “belief” and is nowhere found in the Scriptures in connection with baptism. The prophets said nothing about baptism for in order to obtain the remission of sins. And the Apostle Paul preached nothing for salvation, but what the prophets preached. Baptism is not a New Testament requirement in order to be saved. Whoever or everyone who believes in Christ said the prophets “shall receive the remission of sins”. This cannot be true if baptism is necessary, because there were some who believed who were never baptized so far as the divine record shows. Belief in Christ means deliverance. A rejection means condemnation.

Set on Fire of Hell

Today is the eleventh of April. And on this day I read the eleventh Proverb. It has a lot to say about the tongue. Proverbs 11:11 reads, “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” The mouth of the wicked can overthrow a city. I was also recently reading James 3 verse six. “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” James 3:6

Sometimes men’s tongues can destroy, and James tells us that a tongue can be set on fire of hell. This reminds me of Peter in Matthew chapter 16. He told Jesus to not to go to the cross, and Jesus responded with “Get thee behind me, Satan . . .” Sometimes people can say good things to us. Sometimes people can say smooth sounding things to us. Sometimes the people might be decent people (like Peter). But that doesn’t mean what they are saying to us is coming from God. We can’t rest on the words of men. We always need to evaluate what is said in the light of the Word of God.  James speaks on “set on fire of Hell.” This got me to thinking “What does the Bible say about Hell?”

 

What does the Bible say about Hell?

The Bible which is the word of God, says a few things about Hell. There are many verses in Scripture that speak on what happens after this life. Many speak of the grave to which all men go.  But, is that all? Please consider the following verses. It is good to know why we believe what we believe, and what the Bible says on a matter.

In the book of Job, (which is said to be the oldest book in the Bible), we read about hell. Job 11:18 says, “It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?” Does “as high as heaven and deeper than the grave” really fit here?

Isaiah an Old Testament prophet talked about a coming judgment. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.  And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” (66:23-24).

Isn’t this also the exact thing that Jesus warned men of in the days of his earthly ministry ?  “[I]t is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:” Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched”(Mark 9.43-44).

He also warned that there was something worse than the death of the body. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:29

Some dismiss every time the Bible speaks about hell. They believe it is referring to obliteration, and not torment.

What does the Word of Christ say? Jesus spoke of a man in hell. In Luke 16:23-24 we read, “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments . . . And he cried and said . . . I am tormented in this flame.”

And this is by no means the only reference to this torment in Hell in the Bible.

Revelation 14:11 is a witness to us, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Revelation 14:9-10 reads, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:”

Furthermore the Bible repeatedly refers to Hell as unquenchable fire.

Matthew 3:12 reads “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

 

Matthew 18:8 speaks of being “ . . . cast into everlasting fire.”

If hell were obliteration then it seems like the fire would go out eventually.

The Bible tells us that there is only one way to escape from Hell.

 ^“For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” Psalm 86:13

Joel 2:32 tells us, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord [JEHOVAH] shall be delivered:”

Peter explains in Acts chapter two, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel . . . And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (2.16;21)

He continues in Acts chapter four: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said . . . Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. . . Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (4.8-12).

And who are we to call on to be saved?

“[A]nd they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23
We are to call upon the Lord God Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us, “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Hebrews 1:3-4

Some Scriptures from the Old Testament On the Afterlife and the Resurrection

“Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

. . . But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.” Psalm 49:5-15

This life just doesn’t seem fair sometimes. The wicked often live in wealth and ease. Godly people suffer. But the Bible teaches that is a better day coming for those that believe in Jesus.

Even in the Old Testament, men believed and hoped for a resurrection of the dead. Consider the following Scriptures.

“ From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 17:14-15

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Isaiah 26:19 says, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. . .”

The Psalmist who wrote Psalm 49 declared that God would redeem his soul from the power of the grave. This was sung by the sons of Korah in the worship service. This Psalm then must have been well known. Psalm 17 was a prayer of David. He said that he was one day going to awake in righteousness and the likeness of the LORD. Daniel also spoke of people awaking out of the dust of  the earth to everlasting life.

Job spoke plainly, “ For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27

 

The Redeemer that would come is Jesus.

Jesus  said, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40

He also said, “, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14.6).

Jesus Christ is the way to eternal life and Heaven.

But, the Bible and the Old Testament also teach that there another place to go.

Proverbs 15:24 tells us, “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.”

Men do not escape from the grave. Psalm 49 reminds us that just as beasts and all of nature dies, so none of us can escape this appointment.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”(Heb. 9.23).

There is another place to go besides the grave.

Proverbs 12:28 tells us,  “In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.”

But, how can there be no death?

Revelations 21:8  tells us, “But the . . . unbelieving . . . shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

There is another death beside the grave and the Holy Scriptures which God gave, speak as a whole that there is  hell and judgment which we need to avoid.

Jesus said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Bible tells us that because the first man sinned death entered into the world (Gen. 3.). It also tells us that because of that each of us inherits a sin nature and each of us will do wrong eventually (Rom. 5.12; 3.23). But, God became man to pay for the sins of man (Hosea 13.14 Isaiah 12.2; John 1:1, 1:14). Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He came to this earth and was born of a virgin (Is. 7.14 ; Matt. 1.23). He lived a perfect life and  never sinned. He laid down His life for all of us on a cross.  He rose again three days later, and is sitting on the right hand of God.  And He promises that whoever calls on Him to save them from their sins will be saved.

“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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

If you have never asked Jesus to save you, my prayer is that you will call on Him today.

 

 

Reality is not determined by what makes us feel good.

Reality is not determined by what makes us feel good.

Circumstances in life aren’t decided by what is most agreeable to me. My bank account balance isn’t decided by what is most agreeable to me.

Math and Science aren’t determined by what makes me feel good.

Truth is not determined by what makes us feel good.

Furthermore, what makes us feel good can no more determine what is true in spiritual matters than it can in any other area of life.

When something makes me uncomfortable, I usually avoid it. One topic often avoided is Hell. But God, Who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness, also gave mankind a light to walk by. He gave His Word. And He gave us a written record in the Bible.

Rather than avoiding the topic, Hell is something God spoke extensively on.

In the Bible Jesus said,“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:” Mark 9:43

God told us to avoid Hell by any means necessary.

Another important thing He  told us is, “[T]here is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecclesiastes 7:20

He also said, “For all have . . . come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

He told us that not a single one of us is perfect, and all of us have done something evil. And none of us measures up to his standard of righteousness.

God also recorded for us some important details of human history. It is recorded in the first book of the Bible, that in the beginning the first man (Adam) disobeyed Him, and because of that every person who is born has a fallen nature and will commit evil.

And it is because of this each of us has a sinful nature, and will eventually choose not to do what is right.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8

But God didn’t just tell us this just to point out that we are wrong. He did it to get us better. And He told us this so we can escape Hell.

God tells us how to escape Hell.  But, first He informs us, “For the wages of sin is death . ..”  Romans 6:23

What does this mean? Sin is the evil we do. And the wage of sin is death. A wage is what we earn. A wage is our paycheck. And as a Holy and Just God, He will reward us for our sins. And the payment or reward for sins is death.

And death does not just involve our physical bodies. It also involves going to the Hell that Jesus told us to avoid.

In God’s book, He recorded the Way of escape.

This might be also something we don’t want to hear. But what makes us feel good can’t determine our future.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

No matter what we feel, God told us the way that will get us into Heaven.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Even though according to the Word of God each of us deserves death, God offers the free gift of eternal life to all who ask for it. This Holy and Just God made the payment of sin for us. He became a man: Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life as a man. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and God. He was 100% God, and 100% man. And He laid down His life for the sins of the world. Being God, He overcame death, and rose again bodily three days later. And He bodily ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of His Father.

And whoever asks Him to forgive them of their sins and save them, God says will have everlasting life and a home in Heaven.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” II Corinthians 5:21

This is the way God provided to get us to Heaven. His way is the only way.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

There are a lot of things in life that don’t make us feel good, but we can’t pass them over or it will cost us greatly. It might cost our lives. God has given you a way of escape, don’t let it slip by.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation . . .?” Hebrews 2:3-4

 

 

 

The Promised Land Isn’t Behind Us

Some of you may have read this before. It is an older devotional, but it has been on my mind as I have been writing this past week. It is new to here anyways.

The Promised Land isn’t Behind Us

“Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.” Ecclesiastes 7:10


”  And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it

…And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight….

And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!” Numbers 13:27-14:2

When the children of Israel were about to go up and claim God’s promises,  there were men who discouraged them from pressing on, and caused their hearts to turn backward.

It is the Devil’s work to discourage us from pressing on. He makes the future look gloomy, so he can turn our hearts back to the past, or toward the world and keep us where we are.  But, the children of Israel didn’t have it better backwards, and certainly not better back in Egypt. And what lay ahead was far better.

 

True they did have a battle to face, but God had guaranteed them the victory. 

There will be battles to face in life, but the Lord is willing to bring us through them. 

” For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

 And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.” Joshua 24:17-18

Just because the ahead road looks bleak, doesn’t mean that what lies ahead is bleak.

” Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof;…“ Jeremiah 2:6-7

”… we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” Psalm 66:12

Egypt wasn’t a good place to look back towards, but there are some good things in this world.  And sometimes we  leave them behind.

” There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.” Genesis 49:31


But, we won’t get any closer to them, going backward. Nor, staying where we are. The Bible says that everything we see,  all these things are going away. They aren’t going to stay here.

” Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,” II Peter 3:11

The Bible says for a child of God, that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  

”We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” II Corinthians 5:8

They are living now in the presence of God. And they aren’t behind us, they are ahead of us.

The closer are to the Lord, and the where He is, then the closer we are to them.

As for the good things in this world, the Bible says that all we count as good, (or rather what is good) came and comes from God.

” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

 

 The people around us, the love we share ,the sunshine and light all this came and comes from God. The Bible says, that God is light.


Now imagine a place apart from God, and His blessings. No light, no love, no more of any of the good and pleasant, that come from God.

” … down to hell, and into…darkness…”  II Peter 2:4


” …hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Mark 9:43-44

 

The Lord calls us to come out of the world.

” Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” Genesis 12:1

” And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1

 

The LORD bid Noah, come into the Ark. The Lord was with Noah in the Ark. All the saved, all the animals, all life, everything good went into the ark with the Lord.  Those that stayed behind were separated, from life for all eternity.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ into your heart as your Saviour you need to do so today!

” Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

” But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37-39

For us who have accepted Jesus as Saviour, we yet need to press forward as well. Looking backward didn’t do the Israelites any good, and it robbed them of many blessings.  Instead of entering into the promised land, the Israelites wandered in an arid dessert for 40 years, because of unbelief. Staying where we are, when the Lord asks us to move forward will do us no good.

He wants us to not stay where we are, but come nearer and nearer to Him.

 ” Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

Am I going to go to Hell? What the Bible Says

 

 

Here is the Bible’s roadmap on which way you are headed, and the way to Heaven. There is a way.

 

“^… God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:17-18

The Bible says that God sent his Son into the world to save the world not to condemn it. This verse also gives the easiest way to tell whether or not a person will go to Heaven.

It is this: If you have not yet believed on Jesus Christ and accepted Him into your heart, you are not on your way to Heaven, but to Hell.
 ”Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Being good will not get you to Heaven.  Jesus is the only way.
”Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…” Titus 3:5

     ”… there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Romans 3:12

 

“ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

God sent His Son into the world to save you.

” For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

The Bible says that every one since Adam and Eve (the first man and woman) has sinned or has done evil. And because of sin that person has to pay the death penalty. Death of the body in the ground, and death of the soul, which is eternity in  Hell.

But, God loved you so much, that He provided a means of escape. God became man, to pay for the sins of mankind. His name is Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin woman named Mary, and never sinned He is the Son of God, and is 100% God, and 100% man.

He gave up His life for you, on the cross. He did this so that anyone who believes in Him, and  asks for forgiveness, will never perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus rose from the grave, three days later, proving He is God, and that He has the power over death. When we ask Him into our heart, He promises us that we will live forever. When this life is over we will go on living in Heaven with God, and He will raise up our bodies in the last day.
”As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Revelation 3:19

If you have never asked Jesus into your heart, and would like to, you could ask God this:

Dear God,

Your word says that I’m a sinner. That I’ve done bad things. It also says you gave Jesus, to save me from my sins. It also says that, He is the only way to you. I believe you. Please forgive me of my sins, and come into my heart and  save me
In the name of Jesus, I ask.
Amen.