Heaven Is For EVERYONE, but …..

As you are readying yourself for this Christmas season, it is the perfect time to remember what it is that you are actually celebrating.

Most of the western world, except for a some religions, celebrate Christmas. There are a few different versions of how it all started on December 25th but it’s the WHO we celebrate that should be our main focus.

God decided, before the creation of the world (before the creation of anything in fact) that He would send Jesus down to planet earth, to live amongst mankind in bodily form. That’s truly amazing! Jesus didn’t just appear out of thin air. He was born of a virgin woman (imagine telling that to your husband-to-be), He grew up from a baby, to a boy, to a teen, to a man. He had to grow in stature and favour with God and man (Luke 2:52). He learnt his earthly father’s trade, knew the Old Testament back to front, had friends, had brothers. He had a fairly ordinary start to his earthly life.

So why did Jesus need to come at all? This is a very complicated question with books written with many answers. A very short answer is – there needed to be a perfect mediator between mankind and God, and Jesus was it. Without Jesus, there would be no reconciliation between us and God, and, there was no way to Heaven. We could not be resurrected after death until Jesus did it first.

If you want to go to Heaven when you die, you need Jesus! He is the only way to get there (John 14:6).

Heaven Is For EVERYONE but …..

….. you have to choose it!

“But I don’t believe in Heaven.” – That’s ok. You don’t have to. You will after you die – but then it’s too late.

“But all ‘good’ people go to Heaven. I’m a ‘good’ person.” – Ok, so you’ve NEVER lied?

Who decides who is ‘good’ anyway? If you don’t believe in God, do you decide? If you do believe in God, your version of what’s good and what isn’t is VERY different to God’s version in a lot of cases. If you do believe in God, don’t you think you should find out what that version is?

Even Jesus wouldn’t call Himself ‘good’ (Luke 18:19). If He didn’t call Himself good and He is perfect, how could we possibly think we are even close to being good?

So, how do you choose it?

Romans 10:9 (AMPC) states:

“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Acts 2:25-40 was the first Gospel sermon after Jesus went to Heaven. This is how Peter answered the people after they asked him what they must do to be saved:

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.“”     Acts 2:38 (NASB)

For those of you who think that following Jesus or being a Christian is boring, a whole set of rules, and a crutch for the weak, man do I have news for you! Having a relationship with Jesus is the best, the most challenging and exhilarating thing that you could ever do. It is NOT for the faint-hearted that’s for sure!

The Lord once opened my eyes and gave me a glimpse of hell. I’m telling you, you will NOT, under any circumstances want to go there! I was so terrified that I slept with the light on for 3 days. Hell is cruel and terrifying. Unless you see it, you can’t even imagine it. Horror movies make hell look like a playground.

However, I have also had a glimpse of Heaven. It is so filled with light and powerful love, I REALLY want to go there!

Jesus also made a choice.

HE CHOSE YOU!

He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood because of His high levels of stress. He knew what was coming. Crucifixion was common place in the first century. He knew it was going to be excruciating. Not only that, He knew He would be separated from His Heavenly Father for 3 days in literal hell.

He had to make a choice. He asked if there was any other way.

Yet, He chose God’s will over His own. Why? The Bible says in (Hebrews 12:2), “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” What was the joy? You and me receiving the gift of forgiveness and salvation from God in the future. He saw YOU! He knew you and me couldn’t do it on our own. Someone had to bridge the gap between us and God. Jesus is the bridge.

What do you choose today?

As we come up to Christmas time, will you go to church on Christmas morning, or maybe Christmas Eve and believe that you have done your duty for the year?

Or will it be different? Could this ‘Jesus thing’ really work for me? Does He really care?

May I propose to you this year to ask Jesus who He wants to be for you. Yes, He is alive and He even has ears to listen to you and a mouth to speak to you.

Jesus chooses you today. Will you choose Him?

PRAYER:

Jesus, I have heard stories about You but I really have no idea who You are. I feel a deep emptiness within my soul that nothing seems to fill. Please reveal Yourself to me this day. I want to know You and who You can be for me.

Today I choose you because You first chose me.

My life is now Yours. I am not really sure what that means but I believe that my life will be much richer and I’ll have a unique purpose, because I’m with You. I want to go to Heaven in the future and I really want to experience a relationship with You right now, today.

Thank You Jesus for what You already have done, and what You will do. I ask that You will fill me with Your Spirit, Holy Spirit. He is my Helper and the One who will guide me in this life.

If you prayed this prayer for the first time, congratulations! Your life will NEVER BE THE SAME! Please ask me any questions or let me know in the Comments below or send me an email via the Contact Form, here. 

As always, I would love to hear from you and if this has encouraged you today, please share this post.

I appreciate you and I pray that the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to you in a very special and personal way today.

Many blessings to you,

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