Our time is short. Every one of our lives are ticking down, some slower and some faster. Some people’s lives run out sooner than others. Some people are blessed to live long and healthy lives. While others die young in bad health. No matter when we die, it is all about how we finish the race. Even those that live such long lives aren’t always ready for death, and worry about what comes next. However, some people that die young and are quite ready. There is uncertainty for what will happen in death for most people, because of how they lived. 2However, for those saved in Jesus Christ, there is certainty in their salvation is sure. For many years, 5I’d worry about death and what would happen to me in judgement. It scared me to death to think of me standing before God, while all my sins were made manifest. My heart was wicked in sexual sin and I knew that I’d be unworthy before Jesus. I was filthy in my addictions and I didn’t see how a just God would ever forgive a person like me. So I lived for many years in my own conviction that I’d be going straight to hell, after death. Then, suddenly, not to long ago, all this changed. I had been fed up with all my guilt that I had been carrying inside of me. It was eating at my soul. So, one night, not to long ago, I gave it all to the Lord in prayer. 4I confessed all my sins and asked forgiveness. 1Tears were streaming down my face as I cried out to Him. I sincerely needed His help to change my wicked heart. That night, I felt God’s presence. He hadn’t left me behind, but was there to comfort me.
The next day, I turned on a Christian radio station and the song lifesong, by Casting Crowns, was playing. In this moment, an incredible feeling of peace came over me. The lyrics of the song began to speak to my heart. And then the most incredible thing happened. I prayed and asked God to play the same song and time on my SD Card, I had in my stereo. I said, “if You are there and love me, show yourself to me”. What happened next, was miraculous. Not only did I play the same song on my SD card but also the same place in the song. It was amazing. Then all of a sudden, tears started streaming down my face, uncontrollably, as the song played. The presence of God was all around me. Then, out of nowhere, I heard the Lord say, “Paul, your sins are forgiven”. I couldn’t believe it. How could God forgive someone such as me. But He did so anyways. I sat there in awe at His love for me. I will never forget this experience. I was once dead but am now alive. I once had many lustful passions but Jesus changed me and replaced those desires with love. It is now less of me and more about others. My feeling on death is now reassuring. I am not afraid of it. I can die young or old. Whenever the Lord decides to take me, I’ll be ready. I dedicate my life to Jesus in love and worship. My love to read the Bible has also increased. 3My destination is heaven, with Jesus and those that love Him forever. How joyous, this time will be. I am grateful for my new life in Christ. 2I pray that any of you that are unsure of your salvation, repent and believe in Jesus for salvation. He is the only way to heaven.
Let us pray:
I sing to You, Lord Jesus. Only You could relieve me from my all grief. You are so merciful, oh Lord. You could have turned away from me so long ago but You still came for me. You never gave up on me. You are so good. You are so patient. Thank You, thank You. I am blessed to have such a loving Father. I will never understand Your deep love for me. My life was in shambles but You gave me hope. You rescued me when I thought there was nothing left for me. I am grateful just to know You. I sing to You! I praise Your Holy Name. I have freedom from sin because of You. Your blood freed me from death. I am alive in You. I smile, for the joy You give me amazes my soul. I can’t hold in the love You offer me. I am so loved. It brings me great happiness just to follow You. I love You.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Psalm 32:1-5,10,11 (KJV)
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
2John 3:16-19 (KJV)
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.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 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.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
3Romans 8:35-39 (KJV)
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4Romans 14:6-11 (KJV)
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
5Revelation 20:11-15 (KJV)
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Artist: Casting Crowns
Album: Lifesong (2005)
Song: Lifesong
