Missing The ‘Mark’ [v222]
AUGUST 2017
Last year, South Korea’s 24-year-old Kim Woo-jin set a 72-arrow world record in the 2016 Olympic archery competition for the recurve bow—700 out of a perfect score of 720 points.
Of Kim’s 72 arrows, 52 were in the 10 ring (which is the highest score), and 20 were in the 9 ring. Brady Ellison, of the United States, who finished second with a score of 690, said that it “Should’ve been five or six points higher, too,” since the platform they were standing on was “a bit shaky.”
The tournament ‘arena’ for recurve bows sets the target 70 meters away (which is about 77 yards). The target face is about 48 inches in diameter, which looks like it’s about the size of a thumbtack to the archers standing 70 meters away. The inner-most gold ring, which is worth 10 points, is 4.8 inches in diameter. That’s about the size of a coffee can lid, which, from 70 yards away, looks like a dot in the middle of the thumbtack!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAjaEL-vUjY
About a dozen years ago, I had just been given a “Bear” recurve bow and took my daughter, 15 years old at the time, to the Detroit Archery Club for her to try out shooting a bow for the first time in her life. I had her shoot at a target 25 meters away. She hit the target EVERY TIME—she DIDN’T MISS! (even I missed a few times). The gentleman next to us asked how long she had been shooting. I said this was her first time out ever. He commented that she was “a natural.” Well, now she naturally hits ‘the mark’—putting her arrow thru really big carp in lakes around the area while night ‘fishing’!
Now, there’s a very popular saying that originated with archery: “Missing the mark.” The thing is, for the professional archer, like Kim Woo-jin, it does not mean that they missed the actual target ‘face’, but that they missed the “sight point” (the bulls-eye that they are pointing the arrow at).
However, in ‘general’ usage, “missing the mark” it is a bit broader means that there was a failure to achieve the result that was intended, failing to take advantage of an opportunity, or failing to attain some specified goal or target.
In last month’s Life’s Deep Thoughts post, I talked about a specified result, opportunity, or ‘target’ that most people want to attain when they die—to go to Heaven. [ https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-place-to-retire-v221/ ]. So, this month, I want to discuss the reasons why one will “miss the mark” and NOT GET TO HEAVEN.
As I mentioned last month, the Bible says that the only way God will allow someone into His Heaven is if they are ‘PERFECT’: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees [ that you are perfect ], you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” [ Matthew 5:20 ]. A little later in this chapter, Matthew is a bit more direct: “that you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven”… “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” [ Matthew 5:45, 48 ].
As all of us know—as well as God—none of us is perfect, nor will we ever attain it. So, how can any one of us get into Heaven? Well, God did provide a ‘solution’—His Son, Jesus.
While teaching His Disciples, Jesus boldly proclaimed to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me” [ John 14:6 ]. Well, some say that is pretty ‘narrow’, and Jesus would agree with them: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” [ Matthew 7:13-14 ]. Just a bit later, Jesus further ‘restricted’ who would make it to Heaven by saying, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” [ Matthew 7:21-23 ].
What Jesus was saying is the fact that the Kingdom of Heaven is not for those who ‘call’ Him “Lord,” but for those who ‘acknowledge’ Him as “Lord” over their lives—those whose ‘hearts’ that have become a ‘place’ where Jesus abides, rules, and reigns.
Most people don’t like ‘restrictions’, and resist when told they have to do something a certain way. Why is that? Well, the Bible is pretty clear about it—it’s because of their ‘PRIDE’—and it also says that pride is the PRIMARY ‘ATTITUDE’ why one will NOT GO TO HEAVEN. Pride also happens to be the ‘reason’ that the Pharisee “Saul of Tarsus” (later the Apostle Paul) and all of Israel rejected Jesus Christ as the “Messiah.”
The Pharisees were a sect that had arisen during the Intertestamental Period in response to growing secularization in Israel. They were most zealous for the law of God. Saul, one of the ‘top dogs’, hated any departure from the Pharisaical code. He was a ‘model’ Jew.
When Saul became aware of the group called “The Way,” (the followers of Jesus), he unleashed his fury against them. Departing from the counsel of his mentor, Gamaliel (Acts 5:35–39), he went after the Christians with passion, going house to house to find them and jailing many men and women (Acts 8:3), voting for their executions, and compelling them to blaspheme (Acts 26:10–11). He was even prepared to pursue them beyond Jerusalem.
But while God was making use of Saul’s persecution of the saints in Jerusalem to impel the believers to leave Jerusalem, He would not permit Saul to pursue His people elsewhere. Besides, Saul had received gifts from God that were designed to be used for holy purposes. So it was that Saul, on the road to Damascus, came ‘face-to-face’ with Jesus—and was converted to a “Christian” (and was then called “Paul”).
However, because of the now Apostle Paul’s previous great learning, he had a tendency to be prideful. So, God ‘afflicted’ him with a “thorn in the flesh” to keep
Paul humble. Paul did actually understand why God did this: “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations” [ 2 Corinthians 12:7a ].
Just as the Apostle Paul did when he was a Pharisee (before becoming a “Christian”), most of Israel also refused to trust in Jesus, and rather pursued a righteousness based on doing good works and trying to keep the commands of God. In doing this they “stumbled over the stumbling stone” (Romans 9:32). The Apostle Paul is making reference to Old Testament Scriptures in which Jesus was figuratively described as a “stone that causes men to stumble” (Isaiah 8:14). In other words, people are going to be spiritually ‘tripped up’ by Him.
Paul then tells the Jews why they ‘missed the mark’ in a healthy relationship with God: “because they pursued it not by faith (trust) but as if it were by works.” In other words, they rejected a right relationship with God on the basis of just trusting in Jesus and His ‘Gospel’ message, and instead insisted on ‘working’ their way to Heaven.
Why would anyone insist on working for something which they could get for free? The answer is PRIDE! Also, why would anyone refuse God’s offer of help? Again, Pride! In our pride, we do not want to admit that we need anyone’s help.
Paul continues by saying that he knows how hard the Jews worked at being right with God. They put great effort, time, and sacrifice into having a right relationship with God—and as a former Pharisee, Paul could testify, from is own experience, that they were “zealous for God.”
But, the problem was not their hard work or zeal, but that their hard work was based on a false presumption. As Paul says, “there zeal is not based on knowledge.” By knowledge he means knowledge of the ‘truth’. They were zealous in their efforts because they falsely believed that by their good works or religious deeds they could establish a righteousness of their own making: “seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” [ Romans 10:3 ].
So, just like the Jews, ANY ‘GOOD’ PERSON will not go to Heaven, because they are fundamentally deceived about their true condition. The prophet Isaiah used a very graphic picture to describe the truth: “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” [ Isaiah 64:6 ]. That’s what God sees when He looks down from Heaven at our lives. Even the “good” things you do are ‘polluted’ with sin. We say, “Look at me, God, I’m so good.” But, God says, “All I see is a pile of dirty rags.” Pretty harsh you may say, but just think back to God’s requirement of being ‘perfect’, and it makes sense.
Most ‘good’ people try to keep the law so they can be “good enough” to go to Heaven. But they have it backwards. The Law is meant to show people that no one is good enough to go to Heaven. The Law is like a schoolmaster to ‘lead’ people to Jesus. The Apostle Paul explained it this way: “The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” [ Galatians 3:24-26 ].
Many times in the Bible, Jesus clearly indicates that people are not good enough to be right with God, and BECAUSE OF PRIDE, people will MISS HEAVEN. Many will insist on trying to work their way to Heaven instead of admitting that they are ‘messed up’ sinners in desperate need of a Savior. Their pride rejects the idea that Jesus said He is the “only way” to Heaven.
So, even though people are PRIDEFUL in their relationship with God, this attitude toward Him is not new—it’s been around since the ‘beginning’. Pride is the reason that Adam and Eve were tempted in the Garden of Eden, and before that, was the reason that Lucifer ‘fell’ from Heaven.
Lucifer is described as an exceedingly beautiful angel (Ezekiel 28:12-15). He was likely the highest of all angels, the anointed cherub, the most beautiful of all of God’s creations. His wonderful qualities caused him to become proud. He was no longer content with the gifts God had given him, and was not content in his position. He wanted a throne that would be higher than all the other angels. Being in God’s presence was no longer enough for him, Lucifer wanted to be as great as God! In five different ways, Lucifer said “I will be like the Most High God.” Lucifer wanted to rob God of the praise that ONLY God deserves.
Lucifer desired to ‘be’ God, and not to be ‘a servant’ of God—wanting to essentially “kick God off His throne,” and take over the rule of the universe (Isaiah 14:12-14). In his own eyes, he equated himself with God, and in time, he thought of himself as greater than God—a very perverted comparison, since he was a ‘created’ being.
How then did Lucifer fall from Heaven? Well, actually, a ‘fall’ is not an accurate description. It would be far more accurate to say that God ‘cast’ Lucifer out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:15; Ezekiel 28:16-17)—he was ‘pushed’ out. The Bible tells us that this prideful angel did not leave Heaven quietly. In fact, many of the other angels sided with Lucifer, and rebelled against God (about one-third of all the angels followed Lucifer, now called “Satan”). Satan’s lofty feelings of superiority, PRIDE, corrupted him—and it will you, too! Pride changed the ‘course’ of the world!
St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) wrote, “Pride is the commencement of all sin;” because it was this which overthrew the devil, from whom arose the origin of sin; and afterwards, when his malice and envy pursued man, who was yet standing in his uprightness, it subverted him in the same way in which he himself fell. For the serpent, in fact, only sought for the door of pride whereby to enter when he said, ‘Ye shall be as gods.’ Truly then is it said, ‘Pride is the commencement of all sin;’ and, ‘The beginning of pride is when a man departeth from God.’”
All of us have a tendency to become prideful. Our basic inclination is toward self-gratification—however religious or moral we may appear on the outside—and this tends to turn into a hostility toward God. Even most of our ‘good’ deeds are produced for selfish reasons.
Our ‘heart’ is ‘naturally’ in rebellion toward God—coming originally from our ‘parents’, Adam and Eve. We seek to usurp God’s authority, and put ourself in His place. This is, at the core, an act of pride. Pride says, “Move over, God, I’m in charge, I’ll do what I want.” C. S. Lewis, author of the Narnia books, calls pride, “the complete anti-God state of mind.” This is a very accurate description.
When we are prideful, we think we have all the answers and we cannot see our need for God. The Bible says, “In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” [ Psalm 10:4 ]. Scripture tells us that pride deceives us (Obadiah 1:3). Pride is a lie. Pride is thinking too highly of oneself. It makes us think we are more than we are.
The sin of pride is a preoccupation with self. It is thus very fitting that the middle letter in the word is an “i.” Satan’s enmity against God began with “I”, and so it is with us. If you are preoccupied with yourself, you are suffering from the sin of pride.
Psychologists tell us that pride is actually a mark of inner inferiority and uncertainty, and such people compensate by over-emphasizing and flaunting the qualities that they think they possess that will make others think well of them. This feeling of superiority is highly relative since each person is capable of setting his own standards of comparison, regardless of their real accomplishments.
Now, pride can come from a lot of things—it does not have to be ‘intelligence’, ‘beauty’, or ‘power’ as it was with Satan. It could be things like money, job position, social position, natural ability, social status, knowledge, physical strength, clothing, a house, furniture, or a type of automobile—the list is virtually endless. In the New Testament, the Greek word is “huperephania,” means “to show oneself above.” It does not imply one who others look up to, but one who stands on his own self-created ‘pedestal’.
Pride leads the list of attitudes that God hates. Throughout the Bible we are told about the consequences of pride. Proverbs 16:18-19 tells us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.”
God is pretty ‘adamant’ about this—there are plenty of Scripture passages condemning pride. Proverbs 16:5 says: “The LORD detests all the proud of heart”; and Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall”; and Romans 12:16: “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” In 1 Corinthians 13:4, the Apostle Paul tells us that love “is not proud.” Wisdom, says Proverbs 8:13, hates “pride and arrogance.” (All these quotations are from the New International Version. Other translations use other words for pride: haughty, arrogant, glory, conceit, self-glory, etc., or rephrase the verse and use the word “boast”).
There is no shortage of other disapprovals of pride, by whatever name it’s called. For example: Job 40:11f; Psalm 10:4; Proverbs 3:34; 8:13; 11:2; 15:25; 21:4; 29:23; Ecclesiastes 7:8; Jeremiah 13:15; Ezekiel 16:49; Mark 7:22; Romans 11:20; and 2 Timothy 3:2. In fact, 2 Timothy 3:5 even instructs Christians to avoid and have nothing to do with proud people, and both James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 tell us that “God opposes the proud.”
So, why is pride so sinful? Well, pride is giving ourselves the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and keeping it for ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). That is why we should give God the glory—He alone deserves it!
Now, there is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done. The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness is sin, and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him. Psalm 10:4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God: “In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” This kind of ‘haughty’ pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The “poor in spirit” are those who recognize their utter spiritual bankruptcy and their inability to come to God aside from His divine grace. The proud, on the other hand, are so blinded by their pride that they think they have no need of God or, worse, that God should accept them as they are because they ‘deserve’ His acceptance.
Pride separates us from God, but God draws near to those who are humble (2 Kings 22:19). To be humble is to have a correct view of oneself, and a correct view of God. Being humble is NOT thinking we are terrible, lowly creatures. The Bible says we are wonderfully made because God knit us together (Psalm 139:13-14). The Bible also says that God delights in His people and even sings over us (Zephaniah 3:17).
Jesus was the picture of humility—our perfect example. Jesus knew the Father and He completely trusted the Father’s plan. Jesus ‘remained’ in His Father, and He spent time with His Father (John 10:15, John 12:50, Mark 1:35). To believe in, trust and remain with is called “abiding.’ When we abide in Jesus, we will have the correct view of ourselves. When we abide in Christ, it is impossible to be proud. Christians are ‘called’ to live in a way that evidences a similar service and thereby demarcates us as those whose ‘citizenship’ is in Heaven (Matthew 20:25–28).
In the Book of Proverbs (6:16–19), there is a list of seven traits that God despises: A proud (vain) look; A lying tongue; Hands that shed innocent blood; A heart that devises wicked acts; Feet that be swift in running to mischief; A false witness that speaks out lies; and He that sows discord among the brethren. Pride is mentioned first since it is the greatest sin.
Another ‘listing’ of the most egregious sins was originally developed by the fourth-century monk, Evagrius Ponticus, which then became a part of Western Christianity tradition’s “Spiritual Pietas” (Catholic devotions), and are referred to as the “Seven Deadly Sins.” They are: Lust (Mathew 5:28); Gluttony (Proverbs 23:21); Greed (Ephesians 4:19); Sloth (Proverbs 5:19); Wrath (Proverbs 15:1); Envy (1 Peter 2:1-2); and Pride (Proverbs 16:18). Pride was noted as being the most egregious.
[ Note: Later “Seven Virtues” were recognized corresponding inversely to the Sins: Chastity; Temperance; Charity; Diligence; Patience; Gratitude; and Humility ].
Reinforcing pride’s egregious nature, author C. S. Lewis said, “The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” God DESPISES the sin of pride especially because it’s totally ‘MISSING’ His purposes for us.
We have all had the experience of MISSING something, but usually we can handle it pretty well. If we miss the bus, we catch another one. If we miss an appointment, we make another one. If we miss a phone call, you can call them back. If you miss a meal, you can always eat a little later.
However, all ‘misses’ are not as easy to correct as these. If you miss the April 15th deadline for filing your income taxes, there is usually a penalty that must be paid. Sometimes a sick person who misses taking their medicine will suffer because of it.
BUT, there are some ‘misses’, in the spiritual realm, that will have implications far beyond your life here on earth! What if you ‘miss’ going to Heaven? (Just think about that for a minute…).
Hopefully by now, you are realizing that the sin of PRIDE WILL CAUSE YOU TO MISS HEAVEN!
The sin of pride is the sin of sins. As was mentioned previously, it was the sin of pride which transformed Lucifer, an anointed cherub of God, the very “seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty,” into Satan, the devil, the father of lies—the one for whom Hell itself was created. The Bible constantly warns to “guard our hearts against pride” lest we too “fall into the same condemnation as the devil.” A bit later in the Biblical narrative, it was the sin of pride which first led Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. In Genesis we read, “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”
Satan’s outright lies and cunning half-truths brought something to the surface of Eve’s mind that fateful day. She realized that to “be like gods” meant not having to serve God, it meant being equal to God. It meant that she felt as if God had deliberately kept her and Adam in the dark regarding their “divine potential.” Why should they tend God’s garden in Eden when they could be as gods themselves? The sin of pride that led to Satan’s fall had now infected the hearts and minds of Adam and Eve, and continues to ‘INFECT’ ALL OF US today!
Let me give you a few ‘reasons’ why the Bible says that you DON’T WANT TO MISS HEAVEN…and GO TO HELL:
– The gnashing of your teeth (Matthew 25:30), represents the anguish that will be found in hell.
– You will never have any rest (Revelation 14:9-11).
– You will feel great pain (Matthew 25:46), and everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41).
– You will feel you are in torment (Luke 16:19-26).
– You are in outer darkness (Matthew 25:30).
– There is no hope of getting out (Luke 16:26)
– There will be nothing but frustration and pain for eternity (Revelation 20:10).
So, if a person ‘MISSES’ HEAVEN, it is either because they’re unwilling to admit that they can not save themselves and therefore need a Savior, or because they’re unwilling to relinquish control of the lives completely to Jesus. In either case, THE PROBLEM IS PRIDE!
‘Good’ people won’t go to Heaven as long they trust in their goodness to get them there. They have trouble understanding their ‘need’ for Jesus. The Bible notes that here will be no one in Heaven who can boast of their goodness. The Apostle Paul said: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” In Heaven the only boasting we will do will be about how Jesus saved us from our sin!
As long as you cling to the slightest shred of your goodness, you’ll never see the gates of Heaven. Once you let go of the rags of your own righteousness, you can be saved. That’s what Jesus said in the “Beatitudes”: One must be ‘poor in spirit to see Heaven’—recognizing one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy and their inability to ever be in God’s presence aside from His divine grace!
BUT, I’ve got good news…and better news. The good news is: You can be ‘saved’—no matter how bad you’ve been. The better news is: You can be ‘saved’—no matter how good you’ve been! [ Previous Life’s Deep Thoughts post discussing how to be ‘saved’: https://markbesh.wordpress.com/saved-from-death-v219/ ].
Most of us will be on this earth a maximum of 80-100 years. How does that compare to the multiple ‘quadrillion’ years that eternity will be (and it’s way more than that). The Bible says that “our days on the earth are like a shadow” (Job 8:9) and “just a vapor, then vanishes away” (James 4:14).
The thing is, only on this earth will you have the opportunity to repent of your sins and believe that Jesus is the ‘substitution for your sins! Might I strongly encourage you to put your ‘pride’ aside and ask God to be merciful to you and for Him to reconcile you to Him and accept you as one of His children? [ Please consider what the “Prayer of Repentance” below has to say ].
We’ve always known the Gospel can save sinners. Now we know it can even save good people if they are willing to let go of their goodness. You can HIT THE ‘MARK’. You DON’T HAVE TO MISS HEAVEN!
[ Excerpts from: John MacArthur; Larry Sarver; Josh Squires; John Piper; Bob Deffinbaugh; John W. Ritenbaugh; Troy Lacey ]
‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).
If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus.
There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.
Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].
[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].
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RESOURCES:
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“Don’t Miss Heaven”
By: Dr. Michael McCann
A book that gives insight into eternity in heaven. Covers subjects such as suicide, eternal security, what will heaven be like, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0963819534/
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“Are You Going To Heaven?”
(Booklet)
Do you know for sure you are going to Heaven?
Check below what you think you MUST do to get to Heaven:
1. Turn from all my sins.
2. Keep the commandments in the Bible.
3. Be willing to forsake sin.
4. Do my best in life.
5. Love others and treat them with respect.
6. Be water baptized and attend church.
7. Contribute to church or charity.
8. Trust Jesus Christ as my Savior.
9. Trust Jesus Christ and serve Him.
10. I don’t believe in Heaven or Hell.
#1 Sorry. Though you may turn from some sins, you cannot turn from all of them. You were born with a sin nature.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
#2 Wrong. Trying to keep the commandments cannot make you perfect; it only points us to Christ.
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Galatians 3:24).
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
#3 Incorrect. Being willing to forsake sin cannot take away your sins. God says the penalty for sin is spiritual death.
“For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). The word “death” implies eternal separation from God in hell.
#4 and #5 No! Doing your best in life, loving and respecting others are good deeds, but they aren’t good enough. To stop sinning completely is impossible because we are sinners by nature. Yet, Heaven is perfect.
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).
#6 and #7 – Sorry! Water baptism, church attendance, charity, contributions to church and other good deeds cannot make you perfect or save you from hell.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
So far it sounds quite bad: you are a sinner, you deserve Hell, Heaven is perfect, and you are not. Yet, God wants you to go to Heaven! How then is it possible?
“When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:25,26).
#8 Exactly! Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again from the grave to pay for the sins of the world. To be specific: He died for you! He shed His blood to save you.
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 4:5).
As Jesus told Nicodemus, a wealthy religious man who visited Him at night: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). When Nicodemus did not understand, Jesus told him plainly, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18). The name Jesus means “Savior.” By trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will receive eternal life. You will be declared righteous, which allows you to enter Heaven. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5).
#9 Sorry! Nothing you can do, even if it is serving God, can add to the finished work of Christ on the cross. Though serving God is important, it does not save you. Your faith for salvation should not be in Christ plus yourself; it must be in Christ alone. Grace means getting something you don’t deserve; it is not earned by works.
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (Romans 11:6).
Serving Christ should follow salvation, but they are not part of salvation. To be saved you must repent (“change your mind”) and trust in the Savior Jesus Christ.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).
This is a one-time life decision. When you do, you will be born into God’s family, and He will be your Father.
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).
As a child of God, you may be disciplined, but God will never kick you out of His family. Once you have eternal life, you are secure. You cannot lose or forfeit it. It is God’s unconditional promise.
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
#10 Friend, I cannot make you believe that God, Heaven and Hell exist. Perhaps you don’t believe because you cannot see. Neither can you see the air you breathe; yet, without it you would die. Your lack of faith will not change the reality of Heaven or Hell, but it will condemn you. Why not investigate God’s Word and see that God loves you and wants to save you.
If you are ready to be saved, trust in Christ as your personal Savior. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and deserve hell; then believe in Jesus Christ as the One Who died and rose again to pay for your sins. If you do, you can KNOW that you are going to Heaven!
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).
[ Moments With The Book ]
https://mwtb.org/products/pmt-are-you-going-to-heaven-kjv-en
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“Can You Be Sure You Are Going To Heaven?”
(Booklet)
Is it possible for someone to know that they are going to heaven? How can someone be certain of where they will spend eternity? This booklet presents the problem of sin, the remedy provided through Jesus Christ, and the certainty that the believer has in taking God at His Word.
[ G. Michael Cocoris ]
https://mwtb.org/products/can-you-be-sure-you-are-going-to-heaven
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“Will You Miss Heaven By 18 Inches?”
(Booklet)
How can you miss Heaven by 18 inches? Well, that is the distance between your head and your heart. When you say you believe in God, what does that mean to you? Think about this: God says that the devils—who will one day be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10-15)—believe in Him, too! “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19). So, ask yourself: if the devils believe in God and are subjected to Hell someday, will I also go to Hell even though I, like the devils, believe in God?
Do you trust God? Do you have faith in God? Do you believe in your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven? “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
It’s one thing to believe in God, but to have full faith and trust in Him is something else. To have full assurance of your faith and trust in God is a matter of the heart. Well, you know the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The Bible also says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). Trusting in God is not head belief, but a matter of the heart.
So you see, it is one thing to believe in God and another to believe in God with all your heart. Oftentimes, belief could end up being head knowledge: “Well, of course, I believe in God. I have heard His story a thousand times over. Trust me, I know.” You may know the facts, but do you know God? You may go to church on Christmas and Easter, but did you ever fully grasp the importance of trusting in God, and what He did for you? You often hear that Jesus Christ died on a cross for you, rose again from the dead, and so forth. But the thing you have to come to realize is that what you have learned about God requires another step. You must trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What you have learned about God in your head has to make its way to your heart. Think about it like this: when you met the love of your life (boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse), there was a time when you didn’t know much about him/her. There was a time when you started learning some basic things about this person and then you took it another step further: you started a relationship. So all of the things you have come to learn about this special person developed into a love; your head knowledge of this person had taken root in your heart. Well, the same goes with your belief in God. What you learn about God must transfer from your head to your heart.
Just like your loved one, God desires to have a relationship with you.Here’s what the Bible says:
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God says that we are all sinners, and come short of His glory (Romans 3:23).
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The payment of sin is death, and Hell is the place to receive it. But because of what Jesus did for you on the cross, you don’t have to receive that payment. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Jesus Christ died for you! Today, are you willing to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Are you willing to believe in your heart?
Pray to God: ask Him to save you from your sin, and put your total trust in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. Confess to Him that you’re a sinner, in need of saving grace. Ask Him to come into your heart today and save you.
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
[ Moments With The Book ]
https://mwtb.org/products/pmt-will-you-miss-heaven-by-18-inches-kjv
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“Road Map To Heaven”
(Tract)
Not long ago, the normal flow of traffic on a busy freeway was interrupted by a deafening crash: two automobiles had met head on. Except for one survivor, the occupants of both vehicles were killed instantly. The badly-injured survivor related that the driver of the car in which he was a passenger had entered the freeway, being completely unaware of the plainly marked sign which read, “Wrong Way, Do Not Enter.” He further related that all in his car were fully convinced that they were on the right road heading safely toward their destination.
The above incident parallels a spiritual truth of even greater importance.
Many sincere persons trust that they are on the right road to heaven. But if the way is dependent on anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ, they are on a road “which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of [spiritual] death” (Proverbs 14:12).
The Lord Jesus declared emphatically that “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Other ways, however appealing, be they church membership, good works, etc., can only end in spiritual death, separation from God.
You and I, dear reader, cannot trust our eternal destiny to our own judgment and good intentions but must be guided by God’s infallible “road map” and “sign”—the Word of God. The Bible clearly states that man is at a distance from God because of sin and that the correction for this separation has been provided by the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross as your substitute, bearing the judgment of God against your sin. You must accept the fact that because you are a sinner, you are going the wrong way; the Bible says that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). When you confess to God that you are the sinner for whom Christ died, and receive Him as your own personal Saviour by placing your trust in Him, you will be saved.
Tragedies like the one above happen suddenly and without warning. Should death come to you, where will you spend eternity? Will you not in simple faith accept Christ’s offer of pardon, peace, and a home in Heaven?
“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
“God’s word” is the road map to heaven,
It tells you the way straight and plain;
How your sins may be all forgiven,
And never be remembered again.
So now if you’ll only pursue it,
Read the gospel of John chapter three;
And see how God’s love for the sinner,
Shows “Jesus,” God’s Son on the tree.
He died on the cross for the sinner,
That all who believe might be saved;
And not be condemned with the godless,
In darkness go down to the grave.
The Pharisee, ruler, and teacher,
Through learned in the book of the law;
Found that he, himself needed salvation,
If ever God’s heaven he saw.
That Pharisee learned from the Saviour,
He needed a heavenly birth;
To fit him for God’s holy heaven,
As his first one did for earth.
You, too, are in need of salvation,
For God’s road map is clear and plain;
That all who accept the Lord Jesus,
Have surely been “born again.”
So now if you only will trust Him,
He’ll cleanse you from all of your sin;
For His blood was shed for the sinner,
Whose heart’s door will let Him come in.
[ R.A. Robertson ]
https://mwtb.org/products/pmt-road-map-to-heaven-kjv
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“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEB SITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)
CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/
FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/
[ Mark Besh ]
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[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further about “how good must we be to qualify for heaven,” visit the following link:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q9_d1_1of10.html
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ARTICLES:
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“A New Level of Archery”
Do I Hit Everything?
I use a LOT of time practicing, and every time I set out to learn a new skill, a new trick or how to handle a new type of bow or arrow, it takes a long time, with plenty of misses. When I got the idea of grabbing an arrow in flight and firing before I landed, it took me months to learn. For a long time, arrows flew everywhere!
But there’s no trick in the video that I haven’t done many times (except for splitting the arrow in flight – after I’d done that once I finished the video). The one with hitting the blade I’ve only done three times, though. All that running hurt my knees. ;-)
The Back Quiver
Hollywood of course did not invent the back quiver, but they spread the myth it was proper archery! Many asked why I do not use a back quiver and that is why I am showing my own experience, how bad it is in motion. There are many different historical variatoner of back quiver and they have of course been used, but presumably belt quiver was more common and some archers did not use quiver.
Target Plates
Past archers obvious used fixed targets, but not the modern round divided two dimensional.
On My Bows and Power
Many people talk about how what I do is only possible because I use bows that are less powerful than English longbows. They are correct. I’m 50 years old, and have been doing archery for only ten years. I’ll never be able to shoot really fast with 100 lbs+ war bows. I tried, but it just produced injuries. Had I started at age 10, it would have been a different story. ;-)
There is also a tendency from critics to assume that bows were always shoot against plate armour (as at Crecy in 1346 and Agincourt in 1415). This was very much the exception. Many opponents had little or no armour at all, and Stone Age findings show that many animals were taken down by multiple shots. Also, in 1923 Saxton T Pope examined a number of historical museum bows from around the world. His conclusion was that most only had a tensile strength of 45-50 pounds.
The Chainmail Test
Around 04:22 I penetrate chainmail. The arrows had bodkin tips, and the chainmail is riveted. However, while the gambeson is thick, it’s not as thick as some I’ve seen elsewhere. But one reason the arrows penetrate is that I sharpen not only the tip itself, but also the edges of the bodkin tip.
Shooting on the Right Side
There are archery traditions alive today which shoot the arrow on the right side of the bow, as I do. However, the places where most people come into contact with archery (Hollywood, The Olympics, archery clubs) do it left around the bow.
The Three Levels of Arrow Handing
It is obvious much more complicated, We can not know what the first archers did, some of the earliest pictures show arrows in the bow hand, but the arrow is much older than the bow so the quiver may be used and it is impossible entirely exclude that the first archer held his shafts in the draw hand. In some parts of history is progress gone in the 3 levels, but other times the opposite has happened. Some archers are gone from arrows in the draw hand to the avancerde rapid fire quiver that was developed just before war archery disappeared.
Hit an Incoming Arrow!!
You don’t have time to aim or think, but can only do it if your reactions are completely instinctive. First of all, you need to be convinced that you WILL hit it, so you can “feel” the incoming arrow and fire at it instead of just flinching away.
I was also in doubt whether it was smart to show this, because I don’t want anyone to get hurt trying to copy the trick. I trained for years with soft boffer arrows and spent a LONG time before I tried it even the first time. And the arrow shoot at me was not shoot with a very powerful bow, though it was definitely dangerous enough!
I didn’t think it was possible to split an arrow!
It was a light bamboo arrow with a metal tip, and the arrow I shot back was a heavier aluminum arrow. That the arrow split was just pure luck, and I’m not certain I could repeat it without first training for a long time. I believe it split because it hit just behind the head and made the shafts fluctuate against each other, causing the bamboo shaft to split lengthwise.
I hope to try it again using a proper high-speed camera!
Final Words
Thank you for watching my videos and for reading.
I will remove rude and dumb comments.
I will also remove dumb “archery experts” comments.
[ Lars Andersen ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk
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“Seven Deadly Sins”
Seven Sins and the Early Church
Please note, the early church classified the seven deadly sins as cardinal sins or capital vices and taught that they could not be forgiven. However, according to the Bible these 7 deadly sins are completely and totally forgivable by God, but this doesn’t give free license to commit these sins. Biblically, the only sin that cannot be forgiven is complete rejection of God’s grace which is outright rebellion against God, also known as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Seven Deadly Sins List and Meanings:
– Envy = the desire to have an item or experience that someone else possesses
– Gluttony = excessive ongoing consumption of food or drink
– Greed or Avarice = an excessive pursuit of material possessions
– Lust = an uncontrollable passion or longing, especially for sexual desires
– Pride = excessive view of one’s self without regard to others.
– Sloth = excessive laziness or the failure to act and utilize one’s talents
– Wrath = uncontrollable feelings of anger and hate towards another person
The Root Cause of These Sins
gluttony: one of the seven deadly sins. Each one of these deadly sins listed above has its root in the desire for more and the human need for excess. Each sin goes against the root of Christianity which is: love for God, love for our fellow man, and love for our bodies (keeping them as clean temples for God, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-12, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” This strikes at the root of each of these deadly sins. Paul in effect is saying that God can take care of our needs and there is no need to lust or desire after excessive things.
What Cures These Deadly Sins?
The cure for these sins is the gift of a new heart that acts in accordance to the love and law of God. This new heart can only come from God. Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Humanity’s only hope is the miracle of a regenerated heart that acts according to the direction of the Holy Spirit to walk in God’s statutes and judgements.
Power does not come from self to change the heart. On the contrary, this verse clearly points out that God alone gives you a new heart and causes you to walk in His ways. As this event becomes a reality in your life, the seven deadly sins of gluttony, envy, sloth, wrath, pride, lust, and greed will lose their power in your life. With the indwelling Holy Spirit in your life, you will instead desire to live a life based upon the principles of the Bible.
History of the Seven Deadly Sins
The seven deadly sins were first compiled by Pope Gregory I around the year 600. They are pride, greed, lust, wrath, gluttony, envy, and sloth. Gregory also compiled a list of the seven virtues: faith, hope, charity, justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude. The Bible would validate all of these concepts, but nowhere are they recorded in a list like this and nowhere in the Bible are they specifically referred to as the seven deadly sins or seven virtues. They do not pre-date the Ten Commandments which were given at Mt. Sinai around 1450 B.C. It is probably true that they were used extensively to teach principles from God’s Word, particularly in the centuries before the invention of the printing press when the Bible was not available for the common man to read and study.
Seven Deadly Sins in the Bible
As mentioned before, the list of seven deadly sins in question does not appear in any Bible verse. However, a slightly different set of sins can be found in Proverbs 6:16-19, “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
A proud look,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
and one who sows discord among brethren.”
Additionally, Galatians 5:19-21 mentions several more sins to be on our guard against: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
The Seven Virtues
The seven virtues were originally defined in the poem, Psychomachia, by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, a Christian governor who died around 410 A.D. Because of the poem’s prevalence the concept and idea of the seven virtues spread throughout Europe. The following is a listing of the seven virtues and how they cure each of the seven deadly sins:
Kindness = cures envy by placing the desire to help others above the need to supersede them.
Temperance = cures gluttony by implanting the desire to be healthy, therefore making one fit to serve others.
Charity or love = cures greed by putting the desire to help others above storing up treasure for one’s self.
Chastity or Self-control = cures lust by controlling passion and leveraging that energy for the good of others.
Humility = cures pride by removing one’s ego and boastfulness, therefore allowing the attitude of service.
Diligence or Zeal = cures slothfulness by placing the best interest of others above the life of ease and relaxation.
Patience = cures wrath by taking time to understand the needs and desires of others before acting or speaking.
[ Bibleinfo.com ]
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Dante’s “Inferno”
Inferno (Italian for “Hell”) is the first part of Dante Alighieri’s 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. It is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso. The Inferno tells the journey of Dante through Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as nine concentric circles of torment located within the Earth; it is the “realm … of those who have rejected spiritual values by yielding to bestial appetites or violence, or by perverting their human intellect to fraud or malice against their fellowmen.” As an allegory, the Divine Comedy represents the journey of the soul toward God, with the Inferno describing the recognition and rejection of sin.
1 Introduction
1.1 Cantos I–II
1.2 Vestibule of Hell
2 Nine circles of Hell
2.1 Overview
2.2 First Circle (Limbo)
2.3 Second Circle (Lust)
2.4 Third Circle (Gluttony)
2.5 Fourth Circle (Greed)
2.6 Fifth Circle (Wrath)
2.6.1 Entrance to Dis
2.7 Sixth Circle (Heresy)
2.8 Seventh Circle (Violence)
2.9 Eighth Circle (Fraud)
2.9.1 Central Well of Malebolge
2.10 Ninth Circle (Treachery)
2.10.1 Centre of Hell
[ Dante Alighieri ]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_(Dante)
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“How, Why, and When Did Satan Fall From Heaven?”
Where did Satan come from? Why did Satan decide to rebel against God?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pk18AXcbQE
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“The Problem With Pride”
[ Adrian Rogers ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efEIsPWfafc
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“Man And His Pride”
A Christian is a man who lives only to the glory of God; what did Jesus claim for Himself? man’s pride caused the Fall; the modern Pharisee.
Man and his Pride – Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon
John 7:18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
[ Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ7-rgf2QwI
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“Pride And Humilty”
Proverbs 18:12: “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.”
[ Charles Spurgeon ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWUueggR8xA
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“Indiscerned Spiritual Pride”
Psalm 25:9: “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”
[ Jonathan Edwards ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blbvUOuEFWg
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“The Battle With Sin: Pride”
Tim talks about putting to death pride in our life and be humbled under the mighty hand of God.
John 5:44 – glory from one another…
Pride is the greatest root cause
You seek applause from one another.
[ Tim Conway ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ohs1FZ8V50
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“Missing Heaven by Eighteen Inches”
[ Harry Clark ]
(Part 1):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmZqddoaT-k
(Part 2):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKFm5FN1RtU
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“Missing Heaven Unaware” (Part 1)
The first part in a three part sneak preview dealing with the deception that has infiltrated the church and society. See why most people will not make it to Heaven, even some of those that think they will.
[ Mark Charboneau ]
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=E09C1NNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmwlhvUlAFU&index=1&list=PL78ED17707613A2EE
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“Don’t Let Me Miss Heaven”
I’ve got so many dreams
Sometimes in my sleep, they come and talk to me
But I pray to the lord my soul he will keep and help me to stay humble
I used to pray for fortune and fame
But now I just pray for his mercy and grace
To keep my soul every night and everyday and help me to stay humble
CHORUS:
Don’t let me miss heaven shooting for the stars
Help me to keep my feet on the ground while I chase my dreams so far
If I ever meet your presence, I know I’ve gone too far
Don’t let me miss heaven shooting for the stars
I’ve seen people make it to the top
And wonder from the flock as soon the blessings stop
And that is why I got to watch and pray that I stay humble
CHORUS AGAIN
God has been so good to me
If I never get another blessing, I thank him for chivarly
Cuz I know that he promised if I stay like tree
He will supply all my wants and my needs
CHORUS AGAIN
Don’t let me miss heaven shooting for the stars (8 times)
[ Bryan Wilson ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO0PjVFMXtU
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“Prepare to Meet Me There”
[ Glen Graham ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SARdCk1eAw
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“If You Miss Heaven”
If you’re tired of sinnin’ take your Saviour’s hand
There’s a mansion worth winnin’ in the great Promised Land
Many debtors are grinnin’, don’t you slip and fall
If you miss Heaven you’ll miss it all
If you miss Heaven you’ll miss it all
For me to reach Heaven, I’d gladly crawl
The smallest and weakest who love him or toss
If you miss heaven you’ll miss it all
Our loving Saviour gave us a sake of birth
And his salvation frees us from the sorrows of earth
Forever with Jesus may life seem so small
[ Loretta Lynn ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACzE0cJgFSw
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“I Wouldn’t Miss Heaven For The World”
I wouldn’t miss Heaven for the world.
A mansion waits for me inside
those gates of pearl
I’ll gladly trade this worlds glory
for the One that’s waiting for me,
I wouldn’t miss Heaven for the world
This world is a wonderful place
but I’m not here to stay
I’m just a pilgrim passing through
but I’ll keep traveling ’til the time
that I make His home mine.
The world can’t keep this dream from coming true
I wouldn’t miss Heaven for the world.
A mansion waits for me inside
those gates of pearl
I’ll gladly trade this worlds glory
for the One that’s waiting for me
I wouldn’t miss Heaven for the world
Some day when I get to my home
I’ll stand before the throne
and join His children in a song.
We’ll sing about His amazing grace.
How sweet to sing it to His face
Heaven is the place where I belong.
I wouldn’t miss heaven for the world.
A mansion waits for me inside
those gates of pearl
I’ll gladly trade this worlds glory
for the One that’s waiting for me
I wouldn’t miss Heaven for the world.
[ The Ball Brothers ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpuP3BnCFkk
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“If You Miss Heaven”
[ Bill Crowe ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9sWdsiLTLk
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“Don’t Miss Heaven”
Though you missed breakfast, you’ll make it up at the noon meal,
Then too, you missed taking your medication, but what’s one pill.
Running a little late, you missed your bus, for it has passed you by,
That’s alright, there’s always other ways to get to work if you try.
Later you missed the forecast to check the weekend weather wise,
No problem, you can just get it tomorrow morning before sunrise.
There is the sports report you missed, this you sure wanted to get,
You’ll just have to look in the morning paper to check on that bet.
Then you missed a dental visit, being wrong about the date and time,
Oh well, they’ll reschedule and put you somewhere on down the line.
These are things you missed with some of them on the important side,
Although you took care of each one when a little effort was applied.
When these things were missed, they didn’t cause you pain or sorrow,
However, if heaven is missed, be assured, there will be no tomorrow.
If you are unsure about going to heaven, now is the time to prepare,
Then in time, you’ll know you didn’t miss it because you are there.
[ Robert Hedrick ]
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“Ways To Miss Heaven”
[ Danny Castle ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzfhTzaGY1s
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“Don’t Miss Heaven”
We continually face important decisions. By far, the most vital decision is choosing the course that leads to heaven not only in the future, but also here and now. It determines eternity, starting with a meaningful life on this earth.
There is only one way to heaven. I’m not speaking only about the future heaven to come; I’m talking about the reality of heaven in our everyday lives. It’s not a choice of here or there, but now and then. It is present tense and future tense.
Believers who have experienced the spiritual new birth and the reality of its transforming power have been left here on this earth to be faithful, bold, Spirit-filled witnesses. We are not only to live the life we find in Christ, but we are to also share it freely and consistently. The Great Commission is not simply to get people out of hell and into heaven. The reality is, we are also to help get hell out of people and heaven’s reality revealed in their lives.
I’m convinced many people who profess to have a relationship with God have actually missed it as far as the east is from the west and have often substituted it with some form of religious practice or dead traditions of men. If all on this earth who claim to know Christ would really live full of heaven’s reality, far more people would be anxious to experience that life in the here and now, and not just think about then and there.
There is only one way to heaven and abundant life here on earth. The greatest person who ever walked on this planet—the man in whose life even the harshest critics could find no legitimate fault—made the pathway of life very clear. Jesus boldly proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” Jesus said, “I am the way; there is no other.” To praise Him for His exemplary life and not accept Him as the way to life and the way to heaven is the most foolish denial of truth and reality a person can construct.
When people compliment Christ’s character but deny Him as the Lord and Savior He claimed to be, they have no understanding of who He is. As C.S. Lewis concluded, “Jesus is either liar, lunatic or Lord.” Lewis is 100 percent right. Jesus’ assertion that He is the way indicates He is the door leading to life, now and forever. He is the only way to the Father and to heaven.
Further, He is the only way to experience the reality of life in all of its fullness right now. “There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.” “God has given Him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus is the only exit from death and entrance into life. Critics and skeptics will say it is pompous arrogance, intolerance of other views, or even unkind to tell people there is only one way. Remember, this pronouncement came from the One who said He is the way and the only way.
Consider this example. If a crowd was trapped in a burning building and someone shouted, “Here is the only safe exit—the only way out!” and the facts proved that the statement was true, it would be preposterous to accuse that person of being guilty of hatred or intolerance. The fact is, they should be exalted as the champion of life and a faithful witness. Those who escaped the blazing fire should spend the rest of their lives expressing praise and thanksgiving for that discovery.
The enemy of life and truth consistently and unceasingly attacks the way, truth, and life that can only be found in Christ. The sincere seekers in that burning building who did not decide to move toward and through the only safe exit but rather mistakenly looked for another would not escape the consequences of refusing the only safe way. They would perish. Why would anyone want to resist our Creator’s warning? With love and compassion, He is seeking to save us from death and give us everlasting life.
Jesus also said, “I am the truth.” He defines truth and demonstrates it perfectly. He shows what it looks like in life and its effect when applied to all areas of our lives. It works when we face challenges, valleys, heartaches, disappointments, great success and horrific tragedies. When we lose our life in His eternal purpose, we actually begin to discover it in all of its magnificent beauty. When we abide in Him, we know the truth that sets us free. We’re not freed from the battle, but rather to the battle with the ability to win because “He has sent His Spirit, another of the same kind” to live in us.
Please remember, God is not willing that “any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” We have been left here to allow the kingdom of the heavens to be revealed in us. This is promised life now. We are to overflow with His Spirit of love, peace and joy, abounding in fruitfulness in the land that flows with milk and honey. This is heavenly peace and security in the shelter and shadow of the Almighty. We can consistently live following the Lord, who is our Shepherd. We can live on this earth with heaven filling us and someday live in heaven, free from all adverse effects of sin. Free from pain, disease, and death forever and ever.
Living for Jesus has been so fulfilling I would want to be a Christian if there were no heaven or hell. It is sad to observe people trying desperately to find life and meaning in all the wrong places and the wrong ways. The emptiness in life can only be filled with the presence of the One who offers it freely.
Whatever decisions you make in life, do not miss heaven, both here and now, then and there. Please accept His invitation to trust Him—Jesus—as Lord, and experience grace found in the sacrificial death of the lamb of God. He not only died for you, He has been raised to live in you. It is not mere religion but a personal relationship with Jesus and with God as your Father. Jesus said we must all come to Him with childlike faith. Ask Jesus to forgive you, cleanse you and change your life so you can live to give honor, glory and praise to the name above every name.
[ James Robison ]
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“Don’t Miss Heaven!”
[ Dr. Homer G. Lindsay, Jr. ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7mLpOAEwrI
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“Sin Means to Miss The Mark”
[ WWUTT ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s3fN5s5qBo
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“Drop of Lucifer”
(Parody of “Drops of Jupiter” by Train)
Now that he’s back in the atmosphere the drop of Lucifer is severe
He acts like somehow his worldwide reign
Reminds him of his diamond days
Till the return of the Way and the Truth
He’s livin’ like a king and he talks like it too
Tell me, are you sad you crossed the Son
Did you fake it so the millions may believe
Your light’s not faded and that Heaven is overrated
Tell me, did you fall like a shooting star
One day you’ll be burning in fire
I’m glad you missed me while you were booking your hotel down there
Now Christ came back with our soul salvation
Saving the day to your consternation
I checked out Romans, found He loves my soul
Reminds me that He’s assumed control
Now that He’s back and the coast is clear
I’m afraid that we might think of you as
A plain old angel you’re scarier than that
Though I’m not afraid to die still the devil’s pretty bad
But tell me, did your sin sweep you off your seat
Did you finally face the fact you’ll stand alone in latter days
Get paid back for your filthy ways
Tell me, did Jesus blow your mind?
Did you ever think He wanted to die?
I read your history while I was lookin’ at 14:12 in Isaiah
I do imagine you love tryin’ to deep-fry Christians
You get them always slippin’ up for you
Even when they know you’re wrong
But you’re no match for that verse 10:8,9 Romans
Find out from Revelation
You’ll get yours later but you’re never havin’ me
But tell me, did your sin sweep you off your seat
Did you finally get the chance to glance at all the Bible says
Will happen to you anyway
Tell me, are you sad you crossed the Son
Did you make it through the gilded page to see your final fate in
Chapter 20 in Revelation
Tell me, did you fall like a shooting star
One day now the serpent gets squashed
In Romans 16 verse 20 lookee for yourself
And did you finally get the chance to check Ezekiel 28
And did you fall like a shooting star, fall like a shooting star
And now you’re only booking your hotel down there
[ ApologetiX – “Grace Period” album ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zsIwUjMtmg
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“Fly Away From Hell”
(Parody of “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC)
It was easy, it was free
Jesus said, You know, you must decide
Asked Him nicely, Save me please
Make my every single sin washed white
So many reasons – for me to fry
Because of all the bad I do
Slow me down, throw me a line
I never wanna barbecue
I wanna fly away from hell
Wanna Fly away from hell
Fly away from hell
I wanna fly away from hell
Won’t drop by, won’t even visit
Nobody’s gonna point me down
I’ve been sealed – by His Spirit
I’m headed for the best place around
He saved me, paid my dues
Though I was a rotten man
Hey, Moses, wait for me
I’m on my way to the promised land
Whoa!
I’m gonna fly away from hell
Fly away from hell
I’m gonna fly away from hell
Fly away from hell
Mmmmm
Don’t drop me!
Hey, hey, ow!
LEAD
I’m gonna fly away from hell
Gonna fly away from hell
I’m gonna fly away from hell
Gonna fly away from GUITAR
Fly away from hell (I’m gonna fly away from hell)
Fly away from hell (fly away from hell)
Fly away from hell (Mama, I’m gonna)
Fly away from hell
And I’m glory bound … up and away!
Whoa!
Gonna fly away from hell
[ ApologetiX – “Chosen Ones” album ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63KFlQ08lj0
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DEEP THOUGHTS:
“One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God.”
[ Dallas Willard ]
“Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
[ C. S. Lewis ]
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”
[ C. S. Lewis ]
“The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can’t supply is proof that Heaven must be our home.”
C. S. Lewis
“[To have Faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.”
[ C. S. Lewis ]
“The choice of every lost soul can be expressed in the words ‘Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.’ There is always something they insist on keeping, even at the price of misery.”
[ C. S. Lewis ]
“A man may go to Heaven without health, without wealth; Without fame, without a great name; Without learning, without earnings; Without culture, without beauty; Without friends and without ten thousand other things—but he can NEVER to to Heaven without Christ.”
[ Moments With The Book ]
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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ‘pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!
FOCUS VERSE:
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
[ Proverbs 16:18 ]
Mark
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If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net
Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.
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LIFE'S DEEP THOUGHTS 