Arrivals and Departures

An Airport can be an exciting place, there are however times when for most of us it has been a depressing place. Saying 'goodbye' is not an enjoyable experience especially when you want to be with the person who is leaving and their absence leaves a void that you find hard to fill.

Maybe you are an upbeat type and all of this is a bit dismal. Pull yourself together you say! Everything will be all-right! It's not for long. I agree that it is good to be positive in your thinking and most of the time this attitude is the best way to deal with most situations in life. But let's be really frank and honest for a minute.

Life doesn't last for ever! Some things in life are not all-right! Some partings are for ever!

If you have read any of my blogs or listened to my podcasts you will understand when I say that I am now going to put my 'Christian' hat on. You see as a Christian I have the most amazing message to bring to you.

It is this: There is an eternal tomorrow, there is a place of no parting, no tears, no death, no sorrow, full justice etc.

Where is it you will be asking if you are taking me seriously. It is in the presence of the creator, the Almighty God. One of the writers of the Psalms in the Bible states that in God's presence there is 'fullness of joy', at His right hand there are 'pleasures for ever more'.

How can you discover if this is true. The only answer to that question is - Read the Bible, listen to God speak directly to you through His book. Start in the New Testament and keep reading. I am not going defend the Bible to you, read it for yourself. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (the book of Romans.10.17). If you do not have a Bible e-mail me with your name and address to stepcar61@gmail.com. I will put one in the post for you, free of charge. (This offer is only open to individuals).

As I finish remember this - we will all face our final departure from this world sooner or later. Be aware - there will be an arrival for each of us in the next life (it's all in the Bible - check it out!). There are only two destinies - heaven or hell! One is an arrival marked by joy - you depart in peace from this life to enter in the presence of the one who died on the cross to save you. The other is an arrival marked by grief - you refused to hear the voice of God (in your conscience, through His Son, Jesus Christ, through His word, the Bible). You are unforgiven because you refused to believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The simple solution is this. 'Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way and unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon' (Isaiah.55.6,7 - the Bible). You possibly don't feel wicked or unrighteous but believe me I am and we all are in God's eyes. May you know God's blessing today.

What excitement!

You could hardly believe the excitement that the Royal Wedding produced, but it was immense. I am sure that many people really enjoyed the day and found it a happy diversion from the many other difficult issues they currently face.

But the world goes on.

British Boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper dies.

Col Gaddafi survives a very close call but it looks like members of his family die.

Firefighters struggle to contain fires on the mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland.

Joy here, sadness there. Excitement in different places for different reasons - this is the world we live in.

You never know the moment you say. Life is uncertain, we don't know what a day will bring.

My simple message this week is - be prepared. Sounds like the Boy Scout Movement Motto. Generally we prepare for most things. Education, holidays, retirement etc etc.

Are we prepared for the next life, to meet our maker? The bible warns 'Prepare to meet God'.

It is possible to be prepared. God has made it simple for us. Listen to this verse from the Bible and rest on it for your eternal future.

'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life' (John 3.16 - The Bible)

God has done all the preparing to save your soul and make you safe for ever. All you need to do is acknowledge your needy condition and trust Him to save you. Would you choose eternal life today. I pray that you will.

The ultimate guest list

We all like to be invited to a wedding. When the invite drops on the doormat it is so exciting. A new outfit, meeting old friends, a relaxing day, sharing joy with the happy couple. One problem for the couple is - who to invite? If you have lots of friends the bigger problem is - who to leave out?

I have been looking at the guest list for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. There are some people on the list who you would expect to be there. There are other guests who you've never heard of. Why will they be there? Simply because they are friends and have been invited.

It struck me that heaven will be like that. There are some people who you might expect to be there and others who you might be surprised to see there. Everyone who is there will have one thing in common. They were invited and they accepted the invitation. Incidentally we are all invited, there is room for all!

Jesus still says to everyone who will listen 'come unto me and I will give you rest'. The open invitation to come to God for forgiveness is still available. Listen to the offer 'he that hears my word, and believes on Him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life'. Naturally we are all heading for separation from God but God offers an invitation to heaven.

By the way any invite to a wedding assumes that you do not pay to go (forget for a moment the cost of the new outfit etc). The wedding is paid for and you go free. It's not that the wedding is cheap it is that someone else is paying. Heaven is like that. It's not cheap to gain entry but it has been paid for by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To ensure you can go to the wedding you have to accept the invitation. RSVP it says on the invite. You can't just turn up, you have to accept the invitation. It's just the same with heaven. The invitation has been made but you need to reply accepting or rejecting. As in wedding invites failure to reply implies you are not going. Failure to reply to God implies that you are not going to heaven either.

Will you accept the invitation and come to the greatest wedding and reception of all, in heaven.

If you have time please listen to my latest podcast. It is about memorable expressions we use in everyday life. I hope that you find it interesting and helpful.

God bless you today.

Stephen

Home Sweet Home

I have just arrived home after a week of work in Northern Ireland. It was a busy week with lots of activity and I really enjoyed the time away. Despite meeting new and interesting people, seeing new places and having the opportunity to gain a little insight into how other people think it is always good to come home. Home for most of us has a special attraction.

It's where we feel most comfortable, we don't need to be on our best behaviour and we are loved unconditionally. At home you don't feel the urge to explain yourself or to watch what you say. Home is a wonderful place. I am aware that for many home can be a difficult place but God intended it to be a safe and secure environment where all of the above and much more is true.

While I was in Ireland I attended the funeral of an elderly gentleman. He was in his mid to late eighties. He was a Christian gentleman and was well known in the community. The funeral was a large affair with over 250 attending. One of the things that was said about the passing away of this man was that though he had died he was now 'at home with the Lord'. The truth is that he had only died physically but his soul is now in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven - the verse from the bible that was quoted was "absent from the body but present with the Lord'. A statement that is only true of those who have accepted the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

This is the ultimate homecoming! It is great to come home on earth but the homecoming of the believer in Jesus Christ when the individual leaves earth and arrives in heaven is indescribable.

I wonder what your departure from earth will be like. Will it be an abundant entrance into the presence of the Lord Jesus or a fearful waiting in Hell for the judgment of God. It is possible to be saved and safe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Listen to my latest podcast about the influence of Mothers and Grandparents in our lives on my podcast seekthetruth.org.uk.

God bless you this week, Stephen.