A REASON TO REJOICE
What Matters Most
Luke10:19-20 KJV:
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
Now that I have lived more than half of my life expectancy, I have started thinking more about the afterlife. After hearing the reports of those who have died, gone to hell, and came back, I am rejoicing that my name is written in heaven. Hell is no joke. It is a place of eternal separation from God and eternal suffering. Yet, the bible tells us that narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few there be that find it. This means that there are more people destined for eternal separation from God, than people destined for heaven.
False religion is keeping many from accepting Christ. There are great masses of people practicing religions that do not include Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Most of these religions are, therefore, works based. They do not teach that Jesus is the only way to God the Father and that we are saved through grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. It is freely given to those who believe on Jesus Christ and confess they are sinners in need of a Savior. Faith in the words of the bible, the witness Jesus bore of Himself is the ONLY way to God the Father. It is how we are saved. There is NO OTHER WAY. Salvation is easy; it is simple; it is free.
We read in Luke 10:19 that Jesus has transferred power to those who are born again. He has given us weapons of warfare that can defeat the enemy. We are told to put on the whole armor of God. The armor comes with the necessary equipment to ensure our victory as we fight the forces of darkness. There is no room for fear in God’s army. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Jesus has provided us with everything we need to live an abundant life here on earth. Yet, this is not the thing that should bring us the most joy. What should bring us the most joy, what should cause us to rejoice the most, is the fact that we are heaven bound when we leave this earth.
We are counted among the ranks of the “few there be that find it”. I am sure that when we get to heaven we will fully realize that the sufferings of the present time do not compare to the glorious life we will be experiencing there. We who have found the way have the true riches. Think of the richest people on the earth and know that what they have, if they are not saved, does not compare to the riches you have, because you have found the way, the truth and the life.