Are you REALLY ready for eternity?

[ho'adelphos]

Don't forget the ramifications of Jesus' Parables of the Seed and Tares in Matthew 13...I go into some detail and somethings to think about: http:jesuschrist-ictus.com/ ...there is a link on the main page.

The Context of Matt 13 starts with the parable of the seed, covers a couple more and goes into the parable of the tares...and ends with a picture of the day of judgement. When you take it all in...a pretty frighting situation. I think it fits in well on the main topic of this thread.

any thoughts?

[LightofJesus]

Keith I just found this tread and it stopped? What's up? I really am interested in this study please come back and let's STUDY!! I am going out today and I am going to look for this book I want to be totally prepared for my eternity. One thing that was laid on my heart was that what we are rewarded for is to give back to our Lord. Every crown we receive will be laid at HIS feet!! Amen?

[Guest Summer Sun]

Hello

Eternity?! Hmm....rather a long time, right?! Seriously though, I guess for many (most?) people it's something they may think about a bit or a lot when someone they love or know dies, or there's a horrible catastrophe in the news. Death is an equalizer they say, but how can it be when you're either gonna be with the Lord in Heaven or damned to hell? So I'm kind of inclined to think we make the first steps of our eternal life here in this life, especially if we as the song lyrics say 'have decided to follow Jesus'. But it is such a mind-blowing thing, eternity - moreover because of the choices we make here. Makes me think how important it is we get the message out that it matters, it's true and real, and one day .....

'every knee will bow and confess that You are Lord'

even so, come Lord Jesus! (As it says in Revelation)

[JohnD]

Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In keeping with the title of the OP and the thread... Are You Really Ready For Eternity?

How certain are you that you have not climbed the wrong spiritual ladder only to find out on Judgment day that it was the wrong ladder?

How many have prophesied in the name of the Lord?

How many have cast out devils in the name of the Lord?

How many have done many wonderful (which at times in the Bible means miraculous) works in the name of the Lord?

Did you only pray a prayer? Walk an aisle? Get dunked or sprinkled? Paid your tithes? Come to the church building every time the doors opened?

Or did you KNOW the Lord? More importantly does he KNOW you?

We say and hear doctrinal catch phrases which become glib in our minds "personal relationship with the Lord" for example... that we do not understand or subscribe to the meaning anymore. We are the victims of our own jargon / Christianese. Do you really know the Lord? Have you even tried to read up on him in the Bible? Studied what God wrote about the Lord Jesus to even learn who and what and how he is? Or is some idea or depiction in your head or what others told you good enough?

Can you imagine the grief on judgment day when facing the Lord who never knew you... for your being too lazy or to busy or too unconcerned or too in love with the world and your life to have even tried to know the God who repeatedly repeatedly repeatedly reached out to know you?

Luke 14:25-35 (KJV)

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

[WayWalker]

You make some very good points John, It is an awsome thing to contemplate appearing before God to answer for your life. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ and all he has done for us or else we would all be condemned. We must be careful not to spend so much time and effort trying to look and act like a Christian that we forget to seek HIM and know him. After all HE is the author and finisher of our faith.

[friendofjesuschrist]

Being obedient through faith, then we just need to believe, read, and follow, and HE will make us ready. When HE comes again, we will just be the servant doing our masters will.

Matthew 24:36-50

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^f but only the Father.

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;

and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’

and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.

He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

JOHN 21:15-25

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)

When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

[other one]

_{I'm about as ready for eternity as I ever will be......}

_{and as far as eternity goes, that's just a word we use to try and grasp some vision of it, but technically there simply is no time. It's not that there are an infinite number of years..... it's that there is no years at all. we just will be.}

[gdemoss]

_{I'm about as ready for eternity as I ever will be......}

_{and as far as eternity goes, that's just a word we use to try and grasp some vision of it, but technically there simply is no time. It's not that there are an infinite number of years..... it's that there is no years at all. we just will be.}

Why do you believe this to be true, Sam?

Gary