Guest Post :: Are you ready for Eternity?

On January 30, 2014, at about 2:00 AM, nine members of one household crossed the threshold from this life into eternity. That night one of their baseboard heaters started a tragic house fire which was to change their entire lives. The dad, Chad Watson, and his eleven year old daughter, Kylie Watson, survived. But their lives will never be the same. Their whole family is gone…never again to be seen in this life. How does one go on when something this tragic happens to them?

Their funeral was on February 8th which I and a few of my family members attended. On that stage were nine caskets each containing a body of that family who had gone before us into eternity. Outside sat the nine hearses waiting to carry each of those caskets to the grave. And there was the grave…one large grave to hold all their bodies.

My heart was breaking…these were my friends. They were ones I talked with, played games with, laughed with. And now, what now? I would never see them again in this life. They were gone…I must go on without them. And their family must go on without them.

Losing a loved one is a very hard thing. We are overcome with sorrow and also with many questions; why did God take them from us? Why did I have to lose them? But though it is a hard thing we can learn some many lessons from it.

"Death is not a period in life but a comma"¹. Death is not the ending…it is just a change of location. The question is…which location will you go to after your death.

Were they ready for eternity? Am I ready for eternity? Are you ready for eternity? Each of us has only one life in which to prepare for death and eternity. This life is so short; just a handspan in light of eternity. Yet, this life is of infinite value for each one us. We are given this life to prepare for eternity. We are given this life to glorify God. And yet how many of us just waste this life; spending it only for our own pleasures?

"Is what you are living for worth dying for?"² Are you using this life to prepare for eternity? Or are you wasting it on this world? When you come to death where will you go, heaven or hell? These cares and trivial things of the world will pass away one day; never to return. But the things of God are going to last forever. Are you living for God in this life? Don’t waste this life on yourself. Don’t waste your life…you only have one! “We have all the time after the sunset to rejoice in our victories but we have only until the sunset to win them.”³

Examine yourself…are you ready? You can’t wait until the time has come where you must leave this life. Search yourself today! Are you yet an unbeliever? "Today is the day of salvation!" Seek for Christ…don’t give up till you have found Him. Are you a believer? Is your life evidenced by fruit? Are you living for Christ?

We are living in a dying world. So many people are passing into eternity without even hearing about God. Are you proclaiming the gospel to people? Is it known about you that you are “not after comfort but after souls”? If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” (Charles Spurgeon). Are you doing all you can to help rescue these dying people or are you just letting them plunge headlong on their way to hell?

Christ Jesus…the Son of God…came and gave Himself up for us to save us from God’s wrath. “Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8).” Christ sacrificed Himself for us…He made the greatest sacrifice ever possible. Through His sacrifice we can now have peace with God. How can we do any less? We must give ourselves fully for Him. Sacrifice yourself to Him…don’t hold back anything. “Love so amazing so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all.”⁴

This life is just a handspan in light of eternity. Are you wasting your life or are you pressing on towards the goal? Are you ready for eternity? "Is what you are living for worth dying for?"

¹ Thomas Watson.

² John Piper.

³ Richard Baxter.

⁴ When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

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 Carissa is the middle child of seven. She goes to Christ Fellowship of KC where her dad is one of the pastors. She enjoys reading, studying theology, competing in the National Bible Bee and studying history. She was saved at the age of 12 and seeks to serve the Lord with her whole life. 

Witnessing

This post came from The Pursuit (you can read others from the website here). It was originally posted on April 3, 2011. Used by permission—thanks, Ariel!

Hey Girls,

I want to talk about something that has always been challenging for me as a Christian: witnessing.  We've all read it in the Bible; God wants us to publicly share our faith.  That sounds easy, but when you are in a classroom surrounded by people who only make fun of Jesus and live to party, it's extremely hard to open you mouth (I know from experience!).  So, often (at least I do!), we just kinda twist that command to mean that we only have to live good lives and that will be our testimony…right????

Well, not exactly.  Sharing the hope of the Gospel with our mouths is very important, something we can't just slink around.  So, you may be wondering, how exactly should I go about this? What can I say that won't come across as preaching or condemning them or just plain stupid?  I've had these same questions, so let me try to answer them:

1) Pray! Pray that God will open up doors of opportunity as well as make you sensitive to His voice and prompting.

2) Look!  Look for the right situation, the right moment when you can appropriately bring up the subject. This is crucial, because if you try to shove the Gospel on someone at the wrong moment, you could actually turn them off, causing them to be less interested in what you have to say.

3) Speak!  Don't try to summarize the whole Bible all at once!  Maybe question their way of thinking or behavior and then offer a different way or approach (one that is biblical of course).  Or present a smaller facet of the Gospel to them, one that fits the occasion.  Or maybe simply challenge their belief about God…there are so many ways, just be sensitive to what is appropriate and what is most beneficial to them.

I want to challenge you guys to think of three people you know who aren't saved and whom you care about.  Pray for them daily.  And then witness to them using these three steps (if you want ;).  I hope this helps and challenges you all!

Love,
Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano. :) Contact her at piano93[at]verizon[dot]net.