Angels Rejoice Tonight!
There is nothing more disquieting than the fear that a loved one may not enter heaven upon their death.
I have a family member who rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ for some time. I felt a desperate need for this family member to receive the Lord as his savior. But with one year piling upon another, I came close to giving up the 'fight' to see him saved. Last year he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His health declined and grew steadily worse. And my need to see him accept Jesus Christ and therein the assurance of eternity with God, increased significantly.
I have a family member who rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ for some time. I felt a desperate need for this family member to receive the Lord as his savior. But with one year piling upon another, I came close to giving up the 'fight' to see him saved. Last year he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His health declined and grew steadily worse. And my need to see him accept Jesus Christ and therein the assurance of eternity with God, increased significantly.
You see, there is a heaven and there is a hell. Upon death we enter one or the other. Reject Jesus Christ, who is the true Messiah and the son of God, and you’ll see hell. Romans 10:9-10 from the Holy Word of God-the Bible-tells us this. “9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” And we find in Acts 4:12 that, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
God grants us all free will, so choose what you wish. You may believe what the Word of God says or not, but do you really want to take the chance of going to hell by rejecting Jesus Christ if at the end you realize that the Bible is true, that God is real, that Jesus Christ as actually the risen son of God and the only way to heaven? Read John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” What do you have to lose by simply praying and asking God to reveal the truth to you? Try it. “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3
But, I must finish the story!
After witnessing my beloved family member withering away from cancer during the past year and praying that he would come to know the Lord Jesus before he passes, I’m so very thankful to say that tonight he came to know the Lord. My fretful days are over! Thank you, God for your mercy and your grace, for your enduring love, for your son Jesus Christ who died upon the cross to grant full and free forgiveness -we cannot buy Jesus’ forgiveness with tithing or offerings. His forgiveness is full and free- to all who choose to follow Him. You see, and I’m paraphrasing, the angels rejoice over every soul who accepts Jesus Christ, “. . . joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. . .” Luke 15:7 All this time, I felt as if my family member was hard set against hearing the Gospel, that he’d never accept the Lord, never go to heaven. But life has a way of wearing down the hard edges. God knows just how to make our hearts pliable.
So don’t give up praying for family and friends who seem to reject Jesus at every corner. You do not know their heart. Even if you’ve prayed for many years for their salvation, keep praying. Live a godly life before them, pray, preach the gospel as led by the Holy Spirit, meaning never try and force the gospel of Jesus Christ upon someone. Aggression is not the answer for unsaved loved ones. You cannot bully people into believing in the Lord. It’s a choice that each individual makes. In other words, be nice but steady in the Lord. The unsaved loved one will see your faithfulness to God and with prayer may very well come to accept Jesus.
Tonight my troubled heart found peace. Although it’s terribly difficult to watch my beloved family member suffer and to carry the sad burden of his eminent death, I now walk with the assurance that he is heaven bound when his time comes.
Our life upon earth is transitory. With death we face an eternity in heaven or hell. I’m so glad that my family member chooses to spend eternity with the Lord.
Where will you spend eternity?
Scripture
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luke 15:7 (KJV)
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32 (KJV)
9That 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.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
John 14:1-6 (NIV)
How to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior
This link opens to a page at my Sand & Pearls Blog.
How to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior
This link opens to a page at my Sand & Pearls Blog.
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Blessings!
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