Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Millions of people are suffering from terminal illnesses, with only a few months to live. However, Scripture states that the days are numbered for all of us (Heb 9:27).
Scripture also teaches us that our spirits never die and last forever. When we leave this earth, our spirits continue into eternity. The question is whether we will spend eternity—in heaven or hell (Lk 16:19-30).
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time. There is a time to be born and die (Ecc 3:1-2). That is why today matters. Thus, we must realize how short our lives are to become wise (Ps 90:10-17). How we live today determines how we will die.
When you are in Christ and living your life in line with what God desires the most, you do not have to fear death (Ac 27:24-25). Your True King Jesus destroyed the enemy who holds the power of death (Heb 2:14).
However, Scripture is clear about judgment after death. The unbelievers living in the background of hell—without knowing Christ—will enter the judgment of destruction in the fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41). The believers living in the background of heaven through Christ will enter the judgment of rewards (Mt 10:40-42).
The unbelievers are destined to spend their eternity in hell, not because of their evil deeds, but because of their identity as the children of the devil (Jn 8:44). The believers are destined to spend their eternity in heaven, not because of their righteous acts, but because of their identity as the children of God (Jn 1:12). Everyone goes home, where they belong, whether it is hell or heaven.
To take away the sins of many that brought the curse of hell, Christ was offered as a sacrifice. He came to rescue us from the background of hell and bring us into His glorious kingdom.
Anyone who hears Christ’s promises and believes in the One who sent Him has eternal life. They will not be judged guilty. They have already left death and entered life (Jn 5:24).
Therefore, if you are in Christ, you already live in heaven, here on earth (Mt 17:21, Php 3:20). When your body finally fails, you simply change your address from earth to heaven. This is a marvelous assurance we have in Christ!
Discover the reasons for God’s calling. Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you a different kind of fisherman. You will bring in people, not fish” (Mt 4:19). Through your life, God desires to bring back to Him those whom He appointed for eternal life. You just need to follow Christ.
The Lord called you because He wanted you. He called you to be with you. He wanted to send you out to proclaim the good news that He is the Christ. To that end, He gave you the power to drive out demons (Mk 3:13-15).
No matter what happens in your life today, do not be discouraged. Jesus is alive and coming back again! He destroyed the devil’s work by His death and His resurrection.
He eternally set you free from the power of sin and death and obtained eternal redemption for you who believe in His name. You now have the confidence to approach the throne of God, asking for His grace and mercy (Heb 4:16).
God, who raised Jesus from the dead, has given you the eternal hope of resurrection. The resurrected Christ sits on the throne of God and lives in you through the Holy Spirit with all authority in heaven and on earth.
Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:16-20), preach the message of healing to the sick (Mk 16:15-20), encourage and strengthen the believers (Lk 24:16-35), and save the next generation from today’s culture of darkness (Jn 21:15-18).
Life is too short to do anything other than what God desires most. Let us not waste our lives on the things of the world. Instead, let us continue to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do, evangelism and missions, until we meet Him face-to-face at our home in heaven.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for the wisdom to number my days. Fill me with godly sorrow that leads to life. Help me live wisely, not like fools, making the most of every opportunity You’ve given me for doing good in these evil times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.