A LIVELY HOPE? III

Do you have a lively hope? It is only in Christ Jesus you can have it. He is the way. Anyone who misses Christ has embraced death – death in absolute terms, separation of the soul from the light of God. You know the processes you have to pass through if you want to travel abroad – you need a passport; you need to go to the embassy for visa where you can be denied an entry visa. If you are fortunate to get a visa, you will need to book a flight. In the last encounter I had, I was stranded in a dusty land. At the peak of the encounter I woke to ease myself but when I reclined to bed, it continued. I had no ticket. When I got to the airport, all my efforts to pick a ticket proved abortive. I was told by an elderly man that in that place, nobody gets a ticket without booking well in advance. I was shaken to the marrow. As I was still asking myself questions, Jesus appeared to me suspended in the air but very close. I could hear him very clearly but he was not smiling. He told me that what I saw in the first phase of that encounter was not about me, but about the Church. He said that his people are not ready (the people he died to save). I heaved a sigh of relief when Jesus told me that the encounter was not about me. Almost immediately, he looked at me and asked, “Have you booked your ticket?” Ticket again? Out of desperation I cried out, “Jesus, you are my ticket for the rapture, what you did at Mt Calvary is my ticket for the rapture”. At that point, a booklet left his hand and landed on my right hand. I so much treasured the ticket and told myself that I don’t have what it takes to keep it and so I said, “please keep it for me”. The ticket left my hand immediately. The question is, are you ready? Nobody ever stumbles into heaven by chance. You book your ticket in advance.

Every passing moment takes us closer and closer to eternity and there are only two final resting places. No intermediary. There is no place like purgatory. It is a falsity, it is erroneous. It is a lie. The word of God states categorically that it is appointed unto man once to die and after death, judgment (Hebrews 9:27). It takes decision to follow Christ.

Pray –

• Heavenly Father, make it impossible for me to leave eternity to chance in the name of Jesus Christ.
• You have gone to prepare a place for me, please prepare me for that place so that where you are there I will also be. Help me. It is only in you that I have safety; it is only in you that I am secure; it is only in you that I have hope, it is only in you that I have life eternal. It is only in you that I will have comprehensive success. Help me never to forget this. Help me never to live as if there is no life after this life in the name of Jesus.
• Help me O God, to walk hand in hand with you so that your purpose may be fulfilled in my life.
• Let my last day on earth be my best day with you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Thank you faithful God, in Jesus name.

TO BE CONTINUED…