28/06/09

Where do we go when we die?

John 14:2,3 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The Lord really wants us to know the truth which was revealed to Paul (1 Corinthians 15:51,52) by giving us this message today. We all know those who do not believe in Lord Jesus Christ go to Hell / Hades. What I like you to think about is of those who believe, where do they go?

Here in today's scripture Jesus Himself is telling us that He is going to Heaven and preparing a place for us so that when He comes back He can take us to Heaven with Him. We all also know that Jesus Christ will come back only during the Judgment Day. So if we believe on dying we go to Heaven, it would be contrary to what Jesus is saying here. It also goes against one of the purposes of Jesus Christ to judge all mankind on Judgment Day before they enter Heaven.

This understanding is a very tough understanding to take. Had it not been that the Lord explained to me the different levels of Heavens like He did to Paul (2 Corinthians 12:2-7) even I would not had understood. I will not answer this question today but will ask you to think about it and put it to the Lord to reveal to you as you study the Word of God.

What I like to send a message out today is, do not believe anything and everything man says. God is not so simple, nor is the Kingdom of God so simple. His love makes life simple for us, but we need the wisdom of God to understand God and the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ has given us His Spirit - The Spirit of Truth; Who can reveal the understanding of the Word to us. What we need to do is chew on the Word like we need to chew on the food we eat. When it comes to Word of God we have the habit to swallow what we eat therefore we hardly get the nourishment it holds. Like we use teeth to chew the food; use time, action, Bible study books like Bible dictionary, Concordance, Lexicons etc. as teeth to chew on the scripture we read. Let the Spirit of God be like the saliva which makes chewing easy and helps in digesting the food.


[ Prayer Starter ]

Father God, You have revealed the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven in your Word. But the have been locked from foolish man. It is only by your Spirit that the truth is revealed to us. Help us Lord that we depend on your Spirit and spend time with your Word to understand life and the purpose You have created us. That we may receive in fullness the blessings You have made available to us. Let not the foolishness of man deceive us into being vanity. We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]

2 Corinthians 12:2-7
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Deuteronomy 31:15-16
15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.
16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

1 Samuel 28:8-19
8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

Acts 17:30,31
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

John 12:47-48
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

2 Timothy 4:1
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Revelation 20:11- 21:1
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)