After 40 years of pastoring churches, I’ve conducted 126 funerals. The reality is that one out of every one person dies. This is not the most encouraging reality but it is, nonetheless, a fact.
This past spring, I conducted three funerals in three weeks as three church members passed away. Shortly after conducting these funerals I entered into a conversation with someone concerning the reality of heaven and hell. The response that I received was, “I don’t believe in heaven or hell, and the only reality that we ever experience is right here and now.”
The fact of the matter is this, a person may not believe in heaven or hell, but you can’t stay here. In light of the fact that you can’t stay here, and that you’re going somewhere after you die, should make us think about what happens to us after we die. The greatest decision that any person can make is to make a decision ahead of time about this matter.
The most attested to book in all of antiquity is the Bible. The Bible declares loudly that there is a heaven and there is a hell. When a person dies they go to one of these two places. My heart’s desire, the passion of my heart, is to help all those that I encounter on a daily basis to know for sure that when they die, they will go to heaven.
I have lived and pastored here in Owego for over 25 years. My heart’s desire and prayer to God is that all Owego residents would go to heaven. And yet, according to some, there are many ways to be with God in heaven. There are many paths to take to get to heaven. If, in fact, death is final and there are no second chances when a person dies, then your destiny after death certainly is the greatest of all decisions.
The Bible not only declares loudly that there is a heaven and a hell, it also declares even louder how you can know for sure that when you die, you will go to heaven. While some may say that you have to be a good person, and others will say that you have to be baptized or be a church member, and still others would say that it’s through confirmation or some other church ordinance, the Bible rejects all these works as a way of gaining entrance into heaven.
You may say then, “Pastor, how can I know for sure that when I die, I will go to heaven?”
As I write this, my thoughts and prayers are for all those that read this, which is you, and my heart is full of God’s love for you. The Bible clearly declares that there is only one way to heaven, and that one way is through Jesus Christ, God’s perfect son. Jesus Himself declared: John 14:6 (KJV) 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
In summary, according to the Word of God, to know for sure that you will go to heaven when you die, you must simply (A) acknowledge that you are a sinner, (B) believe that Jesus is God’s perfect son, who lived a perfect life and then died for you as a sinless sacrifice, and (C) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
A simple prayer from your heart to God the Father would go like this; Father, I confess to you that I have sinned and fallen short, but I believe that Jesus died for me so that my sins might be forgiven. I now confess my faith and trust in you, Jesus. Please come into my heart, save my soul and make a place for me in heaven. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
If you prayed this prayer I’d love to hear from you at wsibrava@stny.rr.com, for you have made the “greatest decision.”
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