Live Life, Not Death

You never know what you have until it’s gone. This morning I woke up to a voicemail from dad. I called him back and he informed me that my Grandpa Sheppard passed away in his sleep this morning sometime around 3:00am. He said when the nurse made her rounds during the night at the place where he was living they found him. In recent years he has been in and out of the hospital for various reasons. He had some health issues for awhile. We thought a couple of times he wasn’t going to make it through the night, but he did. I have been praying for a long time to God, that when the time came for Him to take him home that it would peaceful and in his sleep. Well, God answered my prayer this morning. It was his time. Did I want him to leave us, or course not; he is my grandpa. I am the oldest of all the grandkids, so I have known him the longest, but I was furthest away. Before my grandma died a few years back I remember when they would come and stay with my parents in Dryden for almost an entire month. It was something I looked forward to every year. I always made it a point to go up there and see them. My biggest joy in seeing them was playing cards with them. We would play late into the night. It was always a fun time during the summer for me. My grandpa was the one that taught me how to fish. Sure my dad taught me to, but I learned a lot from grandpa as well. I have good memories of him to keep me company not that he is gone. But he is not gone totally. I will see him again. Just this year my dad had the opportunity to lead him to the Lord. So I know I will see him again in heaven when I get there.

In a way we all die twice in life. Once when we are born again and then when we are called home to be with our Savior. In 1 Peter 3:18 is says, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

Receive Jesus as your Savior: If we believe our sinful condition, recognize we deserve an eternal Hell, desire to turn from our sin and be made clean, understand that we are unable to make ourselves clean, and recognize the Sacrifice of Jesus as our only means of Eternal Life, then we now must open the door of our heart and ask Him inside.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock - if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." - Revelation 3:20

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” - John 1:12

If you truly understand and believe, I urge you to ask Jesus into your life - do not delay!

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” - Hebrews 3:15.

Tell Him you believe in His sacrifice as complete forgiveness for your sins and ask Him to be your Savior. If you have come this far, do not let another moment go by!! There’s no special prayer required. Simply tell Him you believe and ask Him to save you. Pray a prayer something like this:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner who deserves an eternal death. I desire to turn from my sin, but I know that on my own, I can never achieve a sinless life. Left on my own I will be forever separated from You. I believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again as an eternal sacrifice for my sin. I accept the gift of Jesus and ask Him into my life as my Savior. Amen.

If this was prayed with a sincere heart, you are from this very moment, His Child. You have been "born again" (John 3:3), made a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17), and will one day enter into the Kingdom of God (Heaven).

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will want to begin your new life. You will want to know how to walk with Him, talk with Him, worship Him, and learn how to have His peace in your life. This isn't a requirement for Salvation. But a true understanding of the gift of Salvation naturally leads to a desire to fellowship and walk closer with your Savior. It leads to a heart of thanksgiving and a desire to praise Him. I encourage you to begin your Christian walk today!

Life is too short. If where to die right now, do you know in your heart where you spend eternity? I do!

Live life, NOT death.

B