“God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent: Hath He said, and shall He not do it?”—Numbers 23:19 (KJV)
Kenny Chesney has a song with lyrics that say, “Everybody want to go to heaven, but nobody want to go now.” That’s okay because it should be that way—we have a lot to see, do, accomplish, and experience about God on this side of eternity.
We can all agree that we’re passing through and that the Holy Bible gives us revelation of our options. One of the great things is that, while we’re here on earth, we’re in the driver’s seat regarding where we get to land next when we step through death’s door. Heaven or hell? Today, I’d like to share just three reasons to choose Jesus while you’ve been given the opportunity.
#1 Salvation
The beauty of spending eternity in heaven is beyond our grasp, but there are a few things we do know from scripture.
We won’t miss our old lives, because everything we were created for has come to its full expression. We’d been living between the Garden of Eden and Heaven in a place where we’re tempted and broken … but not anymore. Once our expiration date arrives, we will leave this middle ground/earth and return to the sweet face-to-face union with God.
We won’t be angels, but we will be among them. We’ll have work to do that deeply satisfies us, and I’m most excited to know we will still have emotions. We will know perfect love and joy. If there are tears to cry, they will not be based on sin or suffering but rather for our benefit and God’s glory.
Boredom will not even be in existence, because we will be fully satisfied. God will continually reveal Himself in endless ways, and each revelation will produce immediate praise giving us a deep joy and fulfillment. To fully know and to fully be known, surely that is the utopia of all hearts.
The fact that we will know our loved ones is a special promise to me. We have the example of Jesus rising from the dead and ascending to His Father. Ever since I received this precious revelation, I can’t stop proclaiming that God did not lift His hand to stop the death of His Son so that we too would have the assurance that we would see our loved ones again.
I love that salvation secures our eternity, but its priceless value doesn’t kick in until we draw our last breath. So, let’s not lose sight of what salvation affords us today. There’s so much more to experience and enjoy here on this side of eternity! After all, what other qualified option is there to defeating the schemes of Satan?
#2 Peace
What price would you pay if I could assure you that, even when everything around you is falling apart and there’s no one left in your corner, you could genuinely say, “It is well with my soul”? How about if, in the midst of tragedy, I told you you’ll be able to lay your head down and rest? Does that even have a price tag?
I’m not offering an empty, feel-good pep speech. I’m living the biggest tragedy of my life, but I can authentically say that it is well with my soul. I’m not saying I don’t hurt or that the pain does not soak me to the bone. I’m saying I know God will redeem this, that He has a plan, that He loves me, and that He will have the last say-so. When nothing else in this existence can begin to touch the pain, it comforts me to have Him restore me.
He provides a deep-rooted knowledge that, no matter what you’re going through, everything’s going to be okay. Rest and peace are not about your strength, your ability to strategize, or having the right connections. It’s about who God is and His extravagant love for us.
#3 Freedom
How do I define freedom? To be loved and accepted no matter your past; to make mistakes and bad decisions and not be rejected; to be valued above all creation. God knows every one of our faults. If we submit them to Him in repentance, He will never hold them against us.
God is not a man that He should lie, so He’ll never give you the runaround or play games. He is who He says He is, and He’ll do what He says He’ll do. It’s not lost on me that that phrase can seem cliché, and I’ll admit I’ve been challenged at times. But I’ve learned to be patient because, when things come to a close, I get to see His fingerprints all over my situation. Besides, with or without us, He’s been showing Himself faithful for thousands of years.
We all have a few things we’d love a do-over on. We’re free to mess up and try again, because the God of the Holy Bible is the God of do-overs! He’s the second-chance God, the One who will give a third and fourth one (and more!), if need be.
The thing I love most about freedom in Christ is that we get to choose Him or not choose Him. He has already paid for all the sin of everyone who has existed since time began. While He did so in order that all will choose Him, He still allows you to choose to take Him up on it. He will never be more God if we choose Him, and He’ll never be less God if we don’t. But we will be more than we ever imagined if we do choose Him.
We live in limited understanding, and we have not been equipped to grasp the fullness of heaven and who God is. Thank goodness, we’re only responsible for what has been revealed to us through His Word and His presence.
He’s alive and active; He’s the God who does not withhold His love from us. He’s never been offended nor does He hold grudges.
He loves without measure, and it is His greatest strength to redeem everything with His love!
If you’ve received salvation, you have a peace that surpasses our natural understanding. You have a freedom to be who you are mistakes and all.
Imagine this with me for a moment: Close your eyes for just a few seconds and picture yourself in the victory circle with Jesus, celebrating, shouting, and praising! No longer separated, we’ll be drenched in the beauty of the most amazing love we’ll ever experience. The sweetness of victory never tasted or felt so full and complete.
When we draw our last breath here, we want our next one to be with God face to face.
NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.
- Have you accepted what Christ did on the cross as payment for your sins? Is so, when? If not, what is keeping you from making that decision?
- What is the most precious thing to you about your relationship with Christ?
- What do you feel is the most difficult part of being a follower of Christ? (for me, it’s waiting on Him)
- Did you know that the God of the Holy Bible is incapable of lying? Find one of the verses in the Bible that supports this. Write it down and contemplate it for a couple of days.
- What do you think God’s most powerful weapon is against evil?
- What do you think is God’s most powerful weapon for good?
Talk to God about your answers. Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.
Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.
Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
Here is what God’s word says about His unfailing, relentless, unending love for you:
“God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent: Hath He said, and shall He not do it?”—Numbers 23:19 (KJV)
Read God’s Word and say to yourself: God is the fountainhead of truth, and He does not lie. His word is truth, and I can stand confidently on it. I can learn how to apply His truth to my life on an everyday basis. He never fails. He never leaves and He never lies.
