Only One Life

Looking back on all my years, I am believing more and more in the old adage: "Only one life, will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." Why must that be the case? Because only Christ is eternal. Everything else is fading away. So, how important it is to be moving in the right direction. Whatever you choose to base your life upon, if it is not Jesus Christ, it is falling fast. God is moving in this day and age, in this time and in this place, but you won't be aware of it if you are devoted to some other god or gods. There is only one maker and giver of life and that is the LORD God whose Son is Jesus Christ, the one who said to the scoffers in John chapter 8, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." (verse 58). A neighbor and acquaintance of mine is a self-identified atheist. I don't know if someone saying they're an atheist makes them feel better to identify as something than to identify as nothing, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how anyone can self-identify as a person who knows there is no God. Agnosticism, I can somewhat relate to, because I self-identified as that once upon a time, but to be so sure of yourself as to declare yourself someone who does not believe there is a God, that is not something I cannot relate to at all. I don't say much to people who are so rigid in their beliefs, whether it is the occult, or socialism or aliens from another planet or there are 58 genders or anything like that because I figure there is no point in arguing about that, but when someone tells me they wish they could die of cancer because they think there would be no more pain, I have to say something. I don't want anyone dying without settling their account with God and Jesus. It's that simple. I believe and I shared that dying without Christ would mean much more pain, not any less pain, because Jesus clearly stated that not believing in him was the same as being under condemnation and being under the wrath of God. Now that is pretty intense, and I suppose for a self-identified atheist, that would be pretty shocking, but that is what Jesus said, it is not something I made up. Clearly, this is not a popular message, but it is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He came to save us from eternal separation from God and that is good news, and it is simply a matter of acknowledging your own burden of sin and casting it off, being sorry and wanting to turn the opposite direction. I look around me and I see people getting old and I see myself getting old. I have lost both parents and a sibling and two best friends. I know the ones who have settled their account with Christ are living forever with him. He said whoever believed in him--repented and gave their life to Christ to turn it around--would not see death. And I believe what he said because believing in Jesus has changed my life. Some people don't like the change. They love the world and they prefer their life in the world to life in Christ, not even knowing what life in Christ is all about. Everybody knows John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life," so I'm not sure why so many people still refuse to follow Jesus. But as long as I am in this world I "cannot but speak about what I have seen and heard," and all I can say is, "Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," Jesus said, and I really pray and hope that everyone who hears this word will not reject it because Jesus is the only hope for humankind. I'm kind of tired because I sang myself hoarse earlier this evening, so I plan to get some sleep pretty soon. Goodnight.