April 22, 2005 – HAVE YOU MADE YOUR RESERVATION? IS YOU NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?
Be aware of the times that are upon you. The children of this world are driven by the power of the enemy to destroy their eternal soul. Satan has placed upon his children an all-encompassing numbness. They see the headlights of the destruction coming upon them, but they do not get off of the “broad-way” that leads to destruction. Matthew 7:13 “enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Satan has mesmerized (to compel by fascination, to hypnotize or spell-bind) those that are under his control. Some of you will say, “he does not rule over me, he is not my father.” John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:47 he who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Satan knows the time is short and so he has deceived man into thinking there is plenty of time to make his reservation for heaven. Time waits for no man! Luke 12:20 “but God said to him, ‘you fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ The only way to know the truth is to be led of the Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 because those who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God. Our flesh counts for nothing! John 6:63 the spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. John 3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the spirit. John 3:6 flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 you should not be surprised at my saying, ‘you must be born again.’
The scripture plainly tells us that God keeps books! The Book of Life is the book that records the names of those who belong to God and His kingdom. We must be registered there! Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 3:17 “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned (THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS) and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
There is no such thing as self-redeemed (already good enough) or a self-made man in the image of God! We are dead in our trespasses and sins unless we have been redeemed by Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1Corinthians 15:49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. 50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1Corinthians 15:51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Nothing impure will ever dwell in the presence of God or enter heaven. Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Exodus 32:33 The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.”
All of our works are going to be judged! This includes our words and attitudes. The sooner we get rid of our fallen nature through Christ’s redemption, the sooner our names are written in the Book of Life, and our lives changed to please God. Luke 10:20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Hebrews 12:23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.
We are to leave all judgment to God. Judging one another is not permitted! Romans 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad
1Peter 4:18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?“ That question is answered by God very clearly: Revelations 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Daniel 7:10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
Get your reservation in the book of life today! Deuteronomy 6:6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 1Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
There is nothing but blessings and benefits by serving God and living for Christ. I would choose to serve Christ over all the riches and pleasures of this world! A day is coming when the Lord God will rule over all the earth and sin will be vanquished. I want to be one of the redeemed that will have a glorified body. The redeemed will rule over the natural people of the earth. The home of the redeemed will be with God in the holy city. Do you have your reservation made in the book of life? Revelations 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Psalms 103:1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust