Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Three Classes

So I believe there are three classes:
the sick class
the middle class
the healthy class
All of us fall in one of these 3 categories.
Some of us are chronically ill, or at least are constantly sick. I, of course, would fall into that category.
Some of us are in-between sick and healthy. Sort of...sick a bit frequently. Dealing with minor health issues.
And there are some, that can hardly say they've been sick in their life. Can't remember coming down with a cold, but maybe once or twice ever.
Yet there is still an unknown of the days that lie ahead of us. How many there are left. What might pose a problem in the future. Those who have chronic or constant health concerns think about the end of life more often than most. However, I don't think the middle class or the healthy class think about their eternal destiny enough. 
In case you haven't thought of this, your life could end at any moment. While you're reading my post. While you're working at your job. While you are sleeping tonight. While you drive to the store. While you stand and make dinner. While you're playing with your kids.
At. Any. Moment.
It's as true as it comes.
Not everybody lives to be 80 or 90. Some don't even make it past 5 years old.
Some of you are laughing at me right now. "Yeah, some people do. But I'm healthy, and I know I won't die early. That just doesn't happen. It won't happen to me."
But it might.
Young healthy people die sometimes. Yes it may be rare, but it may be you.
you could be the one on the news having died from a heart attack at 24.
you could be the one on the web who died in a car accident at 31.
It. Could. Be. You.
God is the only one who knows your destiny, your future. He planed it Himself. But do you know where you'll be going once you do die?
Imagine yourself in the kitchen preparing to have some friends over. You are cooking up your favorite meal, excited about the fun evening that lies ahead. You are in shape, fit, eat healthy, go running all the time, and workout at the gym 4 times a week. What could go wrong? Well, everything...
You start feeling a little strange, but dismiss it for being a bit tired. A few minutes later, your heart stops. You fall on the floor. You stop breathing. Your friends show up for dinner 30 minutes after and keep knocking, only to get worried and break in. They find you on the floor, and call an 911. The Paramedics arrive and start CPR. They get a long tube and stick it down your throat, attaching a port in order to breathe for you. The medics place two large pads on your chest connected to the defibrillator. They shock you 3 times to no avail. They stick a needle in your vein and push medications, hoping for some type of response. Nothing happens. Continuing CPR and ventilations, they put you on the stretcher and load up into the ambulance. Lights and sirens tell the cars up ahead to pull over. But it's too late. You're gone. They've done their best, but it just wasn't enough. You died.

Where did you go, the moment your heart stopped beating? Did you go to a beautiful place with green grass, colors you've never seen before, flowers blooming everywhere, castles made with gold, and the Master whom you served with your whole heart gazing at you with His glory, beauty and love? Or did you go to a place of agony, of torment, of eternal fire all around you, horrific screaming echoing in your ears, your body burning in pain, wanting to repent and get out, but unable to? There are only two places, my friend. There is no purgatory, no nothingness, no other person you turn into in the next life.

There is another common story I would like you to imagine yourself in.
It was a typical morning for your family, you were getting ready to go to work and take your 2 kids to school on the way there. You finish eating breakfast, kiss your spouse goodbye, grab the kids lunch sacks and head for the car. You all get buckled, and start driving to the school. Your children get dropped off, and you head to work. On the freeway, and car changes lanes without seeing you and you get hit. The car spins out of control, hitting the median. You have hit your head on the windshield and gone unconscious. Your femur is broken, you have a punctured lung, and fractured a bone in your back. Emergency vehicles arrive and have to cut you out of your mangled car with the Jaws of Life. They put you on a backboard, put a neck brace on, splint your leg, start an IV, and load you in the ambulance. The medics work on trying to stabilize your vital signs and bring you in to the hospital. At the ER, the doctors and nurses try and keep you alive. You are sent to have emergency brain surgery. They also have to amputate your leg due to the immense trauma and fact that you could bleed to death. You are on life support. Your spouse and children watch you lay in the bed, praying you'll wake up. Crying, because they wanted to say I love you one more time. Weeks go by, and you still haven't woken up. Brain scans reveal no brain activity, and you are technically a vegetable. You will never wake up. The family decides to take you off life support. You have died.


Friends, this happens. These pictures are real. These stories could be you someday. The life you live now may not last much longer.

I don't mean to scare you, but I do want you to realize and understand the fact that you need to figure out NOW, where you are going when you die. Don't put it off until later. Because you might not have later.
God says in His Word that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 Nothing that we can do on our own, will get us to that beautiful eternal destiny. We all deserve Hell and the everlasting torment it brings but because of the fact the He loves us despite the icky sins we have committed, He did something to set us free and secure a place with Him in Heaven. However, we have to believe on Him and accept this gift of life.
Around April 7, A.D. 30 a man named Jesus died for you. He was the Son of God who had come to earth as a baby through a virgin named Mary around 6 B.C. He grew up learning carpentry, and teaching people. He performed miracles and constantly prayed, staying in tune to His Father. He lived a perfectly sinless life. Yes, He still struggled with temptations and was mocked many times. But He never gave up. He was falsely accused of blasphemy when He was about 32 years old, and sentenced to death. As hard as it was, and as much as He cried and prayed it wouldn't have to happen, this was the Father's plan. Jesus willingly gave His life over to the Romans, knowing that this is what it would take to save these people. The Romans whipped Him 40 times, spit on Him, took almost all His clothing and sold it, built a crucifixion cross and made Him carry it up a hill to the area where He was to die, and nailed Him to it. They put a circle of thorns on His head, and broke His legs. The pain and agony was unbearable, but He did this for you. For your sin. He died after a few hours of being nailed up on the cross, Mary His mother crying below Him.


Three days afterward He came back to life! The tomb stone was rolled away, and His burial clothes were left in the grave. The holes in His hands and feet were still there, but the glory of God was literally shining through Him. About 40 days later, He ascended up into Heaven, His work on earth complete.

This is history. This is no fluffed up story to make you feel bad about yourself, but rather the truth. It really did happen. Jesus did this in your place. He took the pain and agony of your sins upon Himself, so that you can live in Heaven with Him and the Father forever. So that you can have a life of abundance, peace, and joy. You may be wondering if there is any way you can pay this guy back in return for what He did for you, and there is. Although there is nothing we can do to equal what He did for us, His desire is for you to put your trust in Him, believe that He was born, died and rose again for you, and really just accept this huge gift. He wants you to live with Him in the mansions of gold, in the fields of color, in the arms of the Father. Why would you wait to take hold of that precious gift?

It doesn't matter if you are in the sick, middle, or healthy class...this is for all of you. You don't know when you might die. So settle your destiny now, by trusting in the One who died for you. Don't wait any longer, because your heartbeat can stop at any moment...and it could be a moment too late.

What will you do?

He is worthy and greatly to be praised

 Olivia Grace