Do people go to Heaven or Hell immediately upon death?

 

Interesting question isn't it? 

 

I had always believed that it was immediate.  That is the way it is presented in funerals. We often speak of the recently departed as looking down on us from Heaven at that very moment.  We envision dying and in an instant we are standing at the Pearly Gates walking into Heaven. 

 

But is that Scripturally accurate? 

 

I read the following Scripture this morning.  I haven't studied this issue in depth but this one Scripture where Paul is speaking to the Governor Felix before being sent in chains to Rome calls all of that into question. 

 

Acts 24:15(NKJV)

I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 

 

Does this mean that every single person who has ever lived and died is still at the pre-trial level.  They haven't been judged by Jesus yet?  (Scripture tells us that God delegated judgement to Jesus - 2nd Tim 4:1-2) They are all still in their "holding cells", their graves, awaiting trial?  The Just and the Unjust alike? 

If that is truly the case then for some reason that just doesn't seem as comforting as having judgement happen instantaneously does it? 

Oh well.  I am extremely grateful for all that God has done for me and continues to do for me.  I am extremely grateful that at the end of the line is Heaven for those who know Jesus, even if we have to wait a little bit of extra time.  :)

 

If you don't know Jesus yet, there is no better time than now to get to know Him.    Let Him know what is going on in your life and how He can help you.  Jesus stand there ready to help but you have to invite Him in.  How do you do that?

 

Just have a conversation with Him.  "Dear Jesus…."

Ever had God tell you to take a hike? :)

I love the way God deals with me. 

 

I am a bit of a procrastinator.  I was going to go to prayer and Bible study yesterday and God told me to take a hike.  :)

 

I love the paradigm of God the Father and that is the way He was dealing with me yesterday.  He recognized that I was using my prayer and Bible time as an excuse to not do what I really should have been doing at the time. 

 

God essentially said, " stop hiding behind Me.  Knock it off and go do what you know you need to do!"
 

Tough love baby!!!!

 

Thank you God!!!

 

Nothing new under the sun.

 

As we watch our world swirl deeper and deeper into the abyss I am reminded that there is nothing new under the sun.  In this case I am referring to a few people whipping a crowd into a mass frenzy as we have seen happen with this whole Covid 19 thing.  The whole world has gone insane over a disease that according to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), has a mortality factor of just 0.14%.  That means that out of every 1,400 people who get Covid 19; only 1 person dies.  The other 1,399 people live.

 

I ran across these verses in my readings today.  While the issue here was different, what it demonstrated for me is that people have been whipping other people into mass frenzies, often for their own gain; for eons!

Acts 19:23-41(NKJV)

And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 

He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 

Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 

So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 

So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions. 

And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. 

Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. 

Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 

But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 

Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 

For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 

Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 

But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 

For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.” 

And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

As Ecclesiastes says "there is nothing new under the sun."

Are you rejoicing or do you feel guilty?

Society today seems intent on promoting mediocrity for all and shame for those who have actually worked hard and achieved something.

 

What does God say about achievement?  Take a look!

 

Deuteronomy 12:7(NKJV)

And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.  

 

Are you rejoicing in all to which you have put your hand, or are you feeling guilty about your achievements? 

If you are feeling guilty, ask yourself if feeling that guilt is really appropriate.

 

Or another way to put it is; who ya gonna follow, God or society?!

Does God customize His messages for you?

 

It never ceases to amaze me how God uses different ways to speak directly to me.  It is interesting how He can turn my attention to certain Scriptures and make sure I focus on just the parts He wants me to pay attention to.  I had one of those experiences today. 

 

I was reading in the OT today when all of a sudden the passage I was reading had a new meaning to me.  It was a passage I have read many times before but had never thought of in this way.  God linked it directly to something that is happening in my life right now.  It was encouraging and it made me smile.  It was like "Thanks God, I needed that!".  (Just to be clear.  Nothing bad going on.  Something happening in my life in good way :)

But here is what I noticed today that I think is the neatest part.  Have you ever had the experience of reading Scripture some days and your mind wanders?  Your eyes are seeing the words but your brain isn't even processing them.  It seems like it is just blah, blah, blah.

Well it was like that at first today.  And then all of a sudden this particular verse jumped off of the page at me.  It was actually about two paragraphs.  And then as I read on, it went back to blah, blah, blah.  So I went back to where it started to be blah, blah, blah and read it again.  My mind wandered again.  I tried it a third time.  My mind wandered again.

It was like God was saying that those two paragraphs were the part He wanted me to focus on today.  The rest of it didn't matter for what He was trying to tell me or teach me at that moment.

I think it is pretty cool when God customizes His messages to me.  Would you like God to take an interest in you like that?  It's easy.  It starts with Jesus, God's son.  Ask Jesus to come into our life.  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  Let Him know what you need or are looking for in life. 

 

"Dear Jesus….."  

Faith

 

As I've mentioned before, I read one chapter from the OT and one chapter from the NT and then just contemplate what God spoke to my through His word that day.  The one thing that spoke out to me today was the word Faith.

 

I just love it when God connects the dots.  At first I didn't get it.  We know that our salvation is based on our faith.  The word faith is used a lot in the New Testament.  A lot!

As you know, one of my Scriptural study principals is confirmation of a concept in both the OT and the NT.  As I thought about it I couldn't really think of any mentions in the OT about faith so I decided to look into that.  Here is what I found.
 

The word faith is used 229 times in the Bible.  Two references in the OT and 227 times in the NT.  You read that right.  Only 2 times in the whole OT. 

So is the whole faith construct a NT thing not really confirmed in the OT?  Hmm.

That is when God stepped in and connected the dots for me.  Essentially, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck…it’s a duck! 

In the OT, I was reading Moses' speech to the Israelis before sending them forth into the promised land.  God simply took that opportunity to point out that Moses demonstrated his faith in God in a very real way.  The OT didn't use the word faith in his journey but he demonstrated it in a very concrete way. 

God led me to other examples Like Abraham and said just because I didn't use this specific word or that specific word, don't get hung up on that.  Was the concept of faith itself demonstrated in a very real way?  If so then there is your confirmation!

Thanks for clearing that up Lord!  :)

It is and always has been a heart issue!

 

As you know, I always look for confirmation between the Old and the New Testament of any theory that I have.

One of the things I have commented on before is that while Paul had kind of a cantation that has to be said to be save, Jesus always said it was a heart issue.  Jesus wasn't looking for "magic words".  He was looking at your heart.

 

And just to be clear I am referring to the whole "believe in your hear and speak it with your mouth" thing.  That was added by Paul.  Jesus just said it was a heart issue. 

So imagine my surprise today when I ran across this verse.
 

Deuteronomy 8:2(NKJV)

And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 

 

Isn't that interesting.  Confirmation in the OT!  :)