Are you prepared?
We experienced a moderate earthquake here in California on Tuesday. Jeralynn and I were just sitting down to spend time together praying. I immediately tried to drag her under the doorway as my mind instantly raced back to the quake of 1994.
At that time we lived only about one mile away from the epicenter and let me tell you that I don’t ever want to go thru that again. My family certainly wasn’t prepared for the 7.6 earthquake of ’94 and the little earthquake that we experienced this week was a reminder to always be prepared.
You can never be too prepared but here is a short list to get you started:
Seven-day supply non-perishable food & water, one gallon water per person, per day
Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries
Flashlight / lanterns and extra batteries / propane
First aid kit and manual
Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper)
Matches and waterproof container
Extra clothing
Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a manual can opener and Ziploc bags
Barbeque with either extra propane or charcoal
Tent and sleeping bags / blankets
Minimum $100 cash and a photo copy of your drivers license or id
Bible
Prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions, hearing aid batteries
Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers
Maintain a full tank of gas in your car
Pet food
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is cool
Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers to protect from pests and to extend its shelf life
Rotate food and items with fresh supplies every six month; mark them w/ dates
Keep items in one or two easy-to-carry containers, such as unused trashcans
Instant coffee :)
Some of you will choose to not read beyond this point… some of you may get angry with me for what you are about to read. However, this is so very heavy on my heart and I feel an urgency to share it with you.
The above information I provided was because I care deeply about both yours and your family’s physical and mental well being both during and after a disaster. The following information is for a different kind of preparation and I am giving you this information because I truly love and care so deeply about each of you.
I have often heard the following statement… At the very last minute, just before you die you will have time to ask Christ to forgive you of your sins and then you can go to heaven. Let me tell you that the very last thing that crossed my mind in the middle of this earthquake was thinking about where I was going to be spending eternity.
If this had been the ‘big one’ do you know where you would spend eternity?
It’s not that far off… think back to the major natural disasters that have occurred this year alone not to mention the Indian tsunami in 2004 killing over 225,000 people; China earthquake in 2008 over 32,000 dead; the Burma cyclone in 2008 at least 50,000 dead. Trust me when I tell you; at the time of these disasters occurring none of those who are now dead were thinking about where they were going to be spending eternity.
Do you believe that there is a place called heaven and a place called hell? I know there is… why? Because it is written in the Word of God, the Holy Bible.
There are many who will read what I am writing and there are just as many thoughts on this matter…
Some of you don’t believe in God; neither do you believe in heaven nor hell.
Some have consciously made a choice not to follow my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Others have told me I’m just not ready to make a commitment like that.
Some will even go so far as to say “I said a sinner’s prayer; I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins”.
Or you might even sit in a church week after week proclaiming that you are a Christian.
I want to share something with all of you; Hell is a real place… and unless you have received the free gift of salvation and repented (ran as fast as you could) from your sins you will not go heaven.
In the Bible, in Revelation 20:15 it reads, ‘And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (hell)’.
For those of you who are not ready… I don’t want you to make a commitment to Christ just because you want me to shut up about all this or that you want to make me or somebody else happy. If your commitment to Christ is not sincere… if it’s not something that you truly want then don’t do it… its meaningless and it certainly won’t get you into heaven.
Some of you may have even been in a church service or had a one on one conversation with someone. The emotion was so great you couldn’t help yourself but to walk down to the front of the church or raise your hand or just say the sinner’s prayer.
You do need to speak with God and let Him know that yes, you want to be His and that you want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt where you will spend eternity. That however is not where it stops; a simple one time conversation with God does not in itself provide a free ride into heaven.
Then there are those of you who will say I am a Christian... I can prove it to you ~ I’m in church every Sunday ~ I pass around all those emails that say something about God or Jesus. If someone asks if I am a Christian then I stand up and acknowledge that fact. And I certainly don’t do anything really bad… I haven’t killed anyone, I don’t steal, I’m not having an affair, and I even try not to lie.
We were all born sinners… all of us… we all have a sin nature. Look at the Ten Commandments…
Commandment #3 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.' ~ Have you ever used God’s name as a swear word?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ‘vain’ as in an irreverent or blasphemous manner
Commandment #6 'You shall not murder.' – Have you ever hated someone?
The Bible says in 1 John 3:15 whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Commandment #7 ‘You shall not commit adultery.' ~ Have you ever looked at someone with a lustful thought?
The Bible says in Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looks on a woman (or man) to lust after her (or him) hath committed adultery with her (or him) already in his heart.
Commandment #10 ‘You shall not covet your neighbor's house… nor anything that is your neighbor's.' ~ Have you seen something your neighbor has and wished it was yours?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ‘covet’ as to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another.
If you have done any of these; even once; then you have sinned against God.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Because we are all sinners we all deserve to go to hell… But God did something wonderful; He sent His one, His only Son to earth as a baby. His son, Jesus Christ walked this earth; He grew into a man and then died on the cross for our sins.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God is a Holy God… Heaven is a place filled with God’s Holiness… Sin will not be tolerated in heaven ~ sin of any kind. If God won’t tolerate sin in heaven what should make us believe that He would tolerate it on earth in those who claim to be His children.
When I get to heaven I won’t be busy looking around to see who is there with me; I won’t be concerned with who isn’t there. God promises that there will be no suffering, no sorrow, and all former things will be gone in heaven.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Do you consider yourself a Christian? Do you get excited, look forward to and enjoy spending time with God, do you seek after His will for your life minute to minute, do you daily praise and worship Him for all that He has done… If not then you will be sorely miserable once you get to heaven.
The Bible says that once we get to heaven we will spend our time worshiping Him…
Revelation 22:3 … the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants (Christians) will worship Him.
There will be no more darkness and we will reign with Him forever…
Revelation 22:5 and there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they (Christians) shall reign for ever and ever.
The God I serve is a loving God but He is also a fair God…
Please know that what I am about to say is only because I love you; because I care about you; my desire is that none of you go to hell. God loves you and cares about you more than I ever could. If your choice is to continue to live your life for yourself and if you continue to sin against God then you will go to Hell.
2 Peter 3:9 … He (God) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but that everyone to come to repentance.
Because God is a fair God it would only be right that some spend eternity in Hell… would it be fair that Hitler or Manson go to heaven? Of course not… Even though none of us are not like either of these men, sin is still sin in God’s eyes.
I will pick just one example of sin to explain a little more; this is an example that everyone can relate to – sexual sin. In the Bible God is very specific when He says that sex is to be between one man and one woman who have been joined together in the eyes of God and by the law of the land.
Any other type of sex is sin… whether thru pornography, having sex with someone to whom you are not married both in the eyes of the law and thru the eyes of God, or as the Bible says lying down with the same sex (homosexuality). No one sex sin is greater or worse then the next. No matter how you try to justify what someone is doing… unless this act of love remains between one man and one woman who are joined together both thru Christ and the law of the land this is a sin.
Does that mean that I am perfect, absolutely not, but I daily strive to be Christ-like; I am daily seeking God’s will and direction for my life.
It’s not easy being a Christian… the choices that Christ would have me make are usually more difficult than if I made the decision on my own. However, following the path that Christ would have me follow is far more rewarding then the path I would make on my own.
There will come a day when each of us will stand before God and will be accountable for our own life. To some He will say enter…
Matthew 25:23 Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
To others He will say depart…
Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I have been witness to so many that have passed on in death and shamefully I must admit that I haven’t shared God’s gift of salvation with most of them. Some are in heaven but many are in hell, why do I know this; because the Bible says that few will make it to heaven…
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction (hell), and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life (heaven) and only a few find it.
The Bible says that hell is a furnace of fire and a place of great suffering.
Matthew 13: 41, 42
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
For those who are in hell right now; if you could hear them they would be screaming, yelling, and begging you to give your heart and life to Christ. They don’t want you to suffer the torment they are suffering from day after day, night after night.
Luke 16:19 – 31
19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.
20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.
21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.
22 “Finally, the poor man (Lazarus) died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’
25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides, there is a great chasm (gap) separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’
27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home.
28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’
30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’
31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.'"
Some of you have known me for just a few years; some reading this have known me for over 30 years. For those of you who knew me when I was married and even for a period of time after my divorce, I want so desperately for you to know something. At that point in my life I was one of those who would have stood up and said that “yes” I know Jesus; I would have even gone so far as to have said that if I died I would have gone to heaven.
In all actuality I was someone who walked around doing whatever I wanted; with the sins I was daily committing I was actually spitting in the face of my Heavenly Father. The greatest concern in my life was what I could do to better the lives of myself and my children. I would pray, I would even occasionally read the Bible; I would go to church and even volunteer in church; regardless I remained in charge of my own life and made my own decisions about what was best for me.
To those of you who knew me then (before March 2005); especially to those of you with whom I misrepresented what being a Christian was all about and what a relationship with Jesus Christ meant… I most sincerely apologize to you and I beg you to forgive me for not sharing with you the gift that my Jesus has for you… the gift of salvation.
As I close I want you to remember that I love each and every one of you… If you would like to talk to me either because you are now angry with me or because you would like to know more about my Jesus I would love to hear from you.
Diana
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