Life after death: Everybody talkin' 'bout heaven ain't goin" there

Jesus said, "In my Father's house there are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you...John 14:2-3

A surprising fact is that most people believe they are good enough to go to heaven. Why? Because they feel that they are a “good person.” Are there “good people” who think they are going to heaven but in reality will not be going? --- Jack Wellman

Just about everybody has an opinion about heaven --- some believe, some don't believe and some don't have a clue. Yet, heaven is widely thought of as the place most people want to go when they die. Even though they may have no idea what it takes to get in. So often, when a loved one dies, it's an automatic assumption in the minds of some people that he or she is up in heaven looking down on them. Mostly, they tell themselves this because it helps ease the pain of loss and keeps their dearly departed one close. 

Another common belief is that heaven is a place where good people go after they depart this earth. The problem is most people like to think of themselves as a good person. But is being a good person good enough to get you into heaven? The thing is everybody talkin' 'bout heaven ain't goin' there. And that's the truth.

With so many misconceptions out there about heaven, I wanted to find out what the average person on the street really knows or believes.  For my survey, I wanted the opinion of  Millennials since they are the next generation poised to assume responsibility for leading America into the future. How Millennials feel about God and religion will have a definite an impact on the kind of society they create. 

I conducted the survey at a local shopping mall and at a commuter train station. I interviewed a racially mixed sampling of males and females between the ages of 18-34 that I selected at random.
Here's what they had to say in response to questions about heaven:

1.) Do you believe in heaven?

• 64%  yes
• 36 % no

2.) What do you know about heaven?
Some of the more interesting responses:

• I know it's a great place and I want to go there. (Age 24)
• I do believe there is something out there. I don't really believe in heaven or hell. (Age 18)
• It's a place people will go if they do something good with their life and they'll be reunited with loved ones (Age 25)
• It's a better place and hopefully, one day I [will] see my family, the ones who've passed away. (Age 29)
• I don't think much about heaven or know much. (Age 23)
• It's the place where your soul hopefully goes if you've been on good behavior. (Age 27)
• I heard that God died for our sins and once we die we live in eternal peace. (Age 20)
• Not like a Christian heaven, but I believe that after you die you don't have to put up with worldly woes. (Age 25)
• I was raised as Christian so I know about heaven as much as the Bible says and as much as Evangelical Christians will tell you. I am very atheistic at this point. (Age 27)
• I know absolutely nothing except what's recorded in the Bible. (Age 34)

3.) Do you expect to go to heaven when you die? If yes, why? If no, why?

• 64%  yes*
• 21 % no
• 15%  not sure

*Among the reasons given, "because I'm a good person" topped the list; also mentioned was "belief in God or Jesus."  

4.) Do you currently attend a place of worship like a church, synagogue, mosque or temple?

• 43 % yes
• 57%  no*

*Among the "no" responses, "used to attend church" and "worship at home" were among the reasons given. 

I wasn't surprised by the mixed responses I got from Millennials on heaven. However, it should be noted that those who demonstrated any spiritual or biblical understanding of heaven were in the minority. You can draw your own conclusions, as to what this means, especially if you're the parent of a Millennial or a member of the clergy. At the very least, it probably suggests that, as parents and as clergy, we haven't done a good enough job  preparing the Millennial generation in this area. While Millennials may not be focused much on heaven right now, they still need to know what's ahead for them and what the options are.

The fact is Millennials are at greater risk of dying young from gun violence, motor vehicle accidents, drugs and suicide than any previous generation in America. Millennials have already experienced the pain of death of their peers and acquaintances, and aren't as reluctant to talk about dying or life after death as you might think. When Millennials write "R.I.P." on the makeshift memorials of their friends, we need to come alongside them to help them understand what it really means. So that when it's their turn to stare down death, they'll have the peace in their heart that's beyond comprehension. 

As for the question, "Do you expect to go to heaven?" A majority answered "yes" and gave this reason: "because I'm a good person" or "because I believe I'm a good person." I thought the comment by a 27 year old woman was the most revealing. Although she does not believe in heaven, she feels that she couldn't meet all the "stipulations" required to get in, anyway. Good people do go to heaven but not just because they're good. Likewise, bad people can also go to heaven, in spite of having been bad. Heaven isn't a place for only good people.

If you want the truth, nobody gets into heaven on his or her own merit. You couldn't possibly do enough good deeds in a lifetime to earn a place in heaven. Keeping all Ten Commandments or any other form of human effort on your part won't earn you a place in heaven. The way to heaven begins with seeing yourself as God sees you --- a sinner in need of God's forgiveness: 

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23

Heaven is a level playing field, meaning anyone who wants in can get in. The only stipulation, the only requirement is that you accept God's invitation. It's a choice that only you can make. Millennials, please hear this. After you're dead, the opportunity to choose where you'll spend eternity is loss, unless that choice is made before you die. This short video explains everything you need to know to make it into heaven. Need help making a decision? Someone is waiting at www.peacewithgod.net to pray with you.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found; was blind but now I see.

---From the hymn, Amazing Grace by John Newton

Get in the boat: A tale of redemption

"For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun." 1 Corinthians 5:17 NLV


One morning a man woke up and found himself all alone on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere with no idea how he got there. As he looked over his surroundings, he saw an old wooden marker lying face down in the sand. He picked it up, turned it over, and brushed away the sand to reveal these words painted on one side, "Island of Despair." The man had a sinking feeling that he was not in a good place. And that if he didn't find a way off this island, he would surely die there. But the island was surrounded by shark infested water. And he had no weapon to fight them off. From all he could see, his situation appeared to be hopeless.

It wasn't long before the man heard the sound of an airplane approaching. When the plane came near, the man started waving frantically hoping the plane's pilot would see him. As the plane flew over the island, the man watched a wooden crate fall from the plane's open cargo door and land in the sand a few feet from him. He ran over to retrieve it. Using a large rock, the man broke the crate open to reveal its contents. Inside he found several bottles of water, a hot meal and a Bible. Attached to the Bible was an unsigned note, which read: "This plane makes a food drop on this island every Friday at noon. We are praying for you." For now, the man was just grateful for a hot meal.

A week went by and the man realized that it was time for his next food drop. As he searched the sky for the plane, he could hear the sound of the plane's engines at a distance. Like clockwork, Friday at noon the plane flew over the island and dropped another wooden crate filled with water and a hot meal. Attached to a water bottle inside was an unsigned note, which read: "We're still praying for you."

The plane continued to drop food on the island every Friday at noon for as long as the man remained there, along with a note letting him know that someone was praying for him. But as long as the man got his weekly food drop, he seemed content to stay on the island. If he wanted to be rescued, he didn't act like it and did nothing to help his situation.

One Friday morning, the man awoke to darkening skies and the sound of thunder in the distance. A storm was coming. Thick dark clouds rolled in, and strong winds swirled over the island. The sea waves rose higher and higher and threatened to flood the tiny island. The man feared for his life. His eyes searched the sky anxiously for the plane; hoping the pilot would see the danger he was in and send help his way. With no place to hide from the storm, the man dug a deep hole in the sand with his hands and laid down in it. As the storm raged on around him, he remembered the words of a prayer he'd heard as a child and cried out, "Jesus, please help me."

At that exact moment, the man lifted his head and looked toward the sea. On the horizon he could just barely make out the shape of a tiny boat. It appeared to be aiming straight for the island. "Who'd be crazy enough to be out boating in this storm," the man thought to himself. It was the only boat he'd seen since being stranded on the island. The man kept his eyes on the boat as it came closer and closer.

Finally, the boat came close enough for the man to see that it was a small row boat with the word, "GRACE" painted on its side. The lone man inside the boat was steering it with a single oar. Under these conditions, it was a miracle the boat made it to the island at all. Thanks to the storm, the sharks were gone, but the huge rock formations that engulfed the island, kept the row boat from reaching land. This meant that if the man wanted to be rescued, he would have to get in the water and swim a short distance to reach the boat. The man knew this was his only chance, but looking at the high waves and choppy sea, he was afraid he wouldn't make it to the boat alive.

As he stood there staring toward the boat, the man in the boat called out to him, "I've come to save you. Don't be afraid. Trust me and get in the boat." (To be continued)...

The meaning of this story

The man in the story represents anyone who is facing a difficult time in their life. You may even feel there's no way out or that you have no one you can turn to for help. On the outside, you look like you're doing OK, but on the inside, you're empty and hurting. Something's not right and you know it. You wonder if you're going to make it. 

The island represents separation from God. You may be on that island right now. The sharks represent sin. When we disobey or do things that go against God, God calls it sin. Sin messes up your life. It traps you, trips you up and you find yourself all alone in a mess of your own making. Because of Adam, everyone is born in sin; but then, like Cain, we commit sins of our own that need God's forgiveness.

The plane represents God's mercy and the crate, God's provision. God still loves us no matter what we may have done. He's not out to condemn us. The Bible says that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV).

The man in the boat represents Jesus. Jesus was sent by God to rescue humankind from its sins. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16 NIV)." Jesus is God's provision for our sins. Jesus risked his own life by dying on the Cross so that our past, present and future sins could be forgiven by God.

The rocks surrounding the island represent the things that keep us from coming to Jesus and accepting the salvation that God wants so freely to give to us. We let lustful desires and the sinful pleasures of this world keep us from coming to Christ. Other hindrances may include pride, anger at God, guilt, fear, or low self-esteem (not feeling you're worthy enough). You would be wrong on all counts. The Bible says that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21 NIV)." It doesn't matter who you are, or what country you live in; what language you speak or even your family's religion. It's a choice you must make for yourself, which God you will serve.

How does the story end

When we paused the story earlier, the man on the island was trying to decide if he was going to risk everything, get in the water and swim to the boat; or remain on the island and wait for a more convenient time to be rescued. The question is how does he know if he will ever have another chance to be rescued? The answer is, he doesn't know. That's the risk (the risk of doing nothing) he is taking by putting his decision off. 

If this were your story, how would it end? You have a choice between  accepting the salvation God offers through Jesus Christ or rejecting it. The Bible says "Today if you hear his [God's] voice, do not harden your hearts...(Hebrews 3:15 NIV)." What are you waiting for? Jesus is waiting to rescue you. There may never be a better time in your life than right now. 

The battle over Halloween

"Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

The battle between the world’s observance of Halloween and the Christian church’s stand against it rears its controversial head every year at this time when store shelves overflow with ghoulish replicas of witches, monsters, devils, ghosts, goblins and the like.

When I was a child growing up in the 1950’s, we never heard much public objection about Halloween being something evil. My parents sent me out with a shopping bag to go door-to-door “trick or treating” in my neighborhood. Hours later I’d come home loaded down with all kinds of goodies courtesy of kind and generous neighbors.

For us kids, it was the next best holiday, after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Oddly enough back then none of us really knew about or bothered to look into Halloween's origins. We dressed in costumes and did what everybody else did because it seemed harmless and it was fun.

Fast forward to a more enlightened age, Evangelical Christians today have brought the whole question of the observance of Halloween to the forefront of our collective conscious. Many churches have begun teaching its members about the dark and sinister meanings behind the observance of Halloween and what’s really behind it.

Here’s what some in Christian circles are saying about Halloween.

Elliott Watson in his article, “Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?” says:
“The origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.

“Shock” is the only word to describe what I found. Halloween is a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world.”

Weighing in with another viewpoint William J. Schnoebelen says:
“If you are a Christian parent, God has given you a precious responsibility in your children. Remember, their ability to resist spiritual wickedness is much less than yours. If you allow your children to participate in Halloween (Trick or Treating, costume parties, etc.) you are allowing them to play on "the devil's turf," and Satan will definitely press his home court advantage. You are opening up doorways into their young lives for evil by bringing them into a kind of "fellowship" with these ancient "gods."

We are commanded not to become involved with the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11). Both from my experience as a witch, and since getting saved, as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have seen far too many examples of how breaking this command works out in lives. Remember, while we have God's promise of protection for ourselves and our children, that promise may not hold if we allow our children to celebrate this dark holiday. Case after case has come to us of children in rebellion. In many of these families, the problem can be traced back to the children being exposed to Halloween at a young age. It is hard enough to raise children these days in a Godly way without exposing them to Satan's realm. “

Others say Christians should simply turn this “hollow” day back on itself and emphasize the good that can come out of it.

Grace Communion International church suggests another approach to Halloween:
“The issue of whether to celebrate Halloween in any way is usually only a question for parents who have small children. Retailers advertise Halloween as a time of great fun for kids, so they naturally want to participate in trick-or-treat walkabouts, don spooky clothing and visit local “haunted house” stations provided by some merchants or involve themselves in other related activities.

For parents who don’t want their children involved in such things, they might consider having a home party with other parents and children that don’t involve Halloween-type festivities. Some churches offer an evening get-together for children and parents, with fun Bible-centered games and party snacks.”

The Care Ministry of Christ’s Journey Church offers another alternative viewpoint:
“Jesus teaches that evil is a personal matter rising from within a person’s heart, not ingested through participation in a practice deemed demonic. Without doubt, for those who believe in witchcraft and follow evil practices, Halloween represents a day to celebrate the demonic and dark spiritual forces, which scripture teaches are in the world and also in people’s hearts. Because of Christ, those dark spiritual forces are not alive in my heart, which is why I see no problem in participating in an alternate Halloween celebration of pure, innocent fun. Why ignore a major holiday that exists around us? Let’s take the perspective of Joseph in Genesis 50: What Satan intends to harm, we will “use for good to accomplish the saving of many lives.”

We can counter the evil influences of Halloween by joining together in an alternative environment to celebrate the joyous, fearless life we live in Christ. As Bill taught this month, “the company of the committed” can mount an offensive strategy, intentionally using Halloween to invite others who may not be in a personal relationship with Jesus to UBC’s Block Party or a Neighborhood Block Party you host. In summary, I believe Christians are free to use Halloween as an opportunity to promote relationships with those inside and outside of our faith, while modeling the abundant life Jesus came to give us.”

Regardless of which position you hold on the subject, this truth is certain --- Jesus stood up to evil and won. The Bible tells every Christian to overcome evil by doing good. When we stand our ground against Satan, he will flee from us. As Christians, we have the authority and the power to overcome whatever Satan throws at us. Halloween and all it represents is no exception. Instead of shunning it, why not transform October 31^st, into a day where Jesus Christ is the center of attention. Let’s lead by example by honoring Jesus in all we do every day.

Is your head in the sand

People who act as if they are oblivious to the happenings around them are often characterized as behaving like an ostrich with its "head buried in sand." I don't know much about the habits of the ostrich bird but I can see the same analogy applying to the those who see wars, earthquakes, famine, pandemics, rampant crime, environmental upheavals, seasonal changes and the like; and yet fail to recognize these as signs of the end times (Matt. 16:2-3).

Catastrophic events like these are unfolding worldwide almost daily, even in our own country. The popular culture believes that the world will one day solve all its problems and be at peace with itself. But scripture warns us that nothing can be farther from the truth.

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you brothers are not in darkness so this day should not surprise you like a thief (1Thessalonians 5: 2-4).

The word "should not" in that passage suggests that some brothers (and sisters) will be caught off guard, and hence totally unprepared for the Lord's return. Where do you stand? Are you prepared for the Lord's return?

In Matthew 25 tells the story of ten virgins— five wise ones and five foolish ones— who were warned to be ready when the bridegroom [Christ] comes for them. The five wise virgins were obedient and heeded the advice, keeping their lamps trimmed and with plenty of oil with them at all times. One day, when the bridegroom suddenly came unannounced, the five wise virgins were ready to go with him. But the five foolish virgins were caught off guard—their lamps had no oil. To their anguish, the bridegroom left them behind. The point of this parable is the importance of being prepared when he comes. Scripture warns, "we know not the day or the hour when [Christ] will return."

The first step in being prepared is making sure that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or to put it another way, you must be born again. Just being a good person doesn't cut it. People often deceive themselves by thinking that because they are kind hearted, or attend church that this somehow means that makes them right with God. Not so. The Bible says in John 3:7 that you must be born again. Romans 10 spells out the conditions for salvation through Christ:

First, there must be a confession of sin with true repentance. Followed by acceptance of Jesus as God's son, who died on the cross for our sin and who was also raised from the dead. Next, an invitation to Christ to come into your heart; and finally, believing in faith that Jesus has done what you have asked. 

Here's the test. If you cannot specifically recall a date or time when you made this confession or similar to God in a prayer, you would be correct to question whether you are really in the family of God. If you are not sure, don't allow Satan to deceive you about your standing with God. Satan wants nothing more than for you to keep your head buried in the sand of "self-righteousness." Open your heart today, and allow Christ to change your life. The bridegroom is coming, and is even now knocking at the door.