GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL (BAD PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN)

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL (BAD PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN)

(Titus 3:5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

The way we grew up and the way the world is today is that if you do something right you will be rewarded and if you do something wrong you will be punished.  Well, that works for parenting and in the schoolroom and in society in general but when it comes to God’s economy it’s just not true.  When Jesus came into the world to die on the cross for our sins He turned everything around.  He satisfied God’s wrath against sin and now man can be fully justified in God’s holy sight by personally accepting God’s free gift of grace.  The determination of the afterlife is not based on good works anymore but on the merits of Jesus from the cross.  This way good people go the hell and bad people go to heaven.   I guess I better explain!

GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HELL:  (Pro 14:12) There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.  There is something deep inside of us that thinks if we do good in life then God will accept us in the end.  It is always right to do the right thing but when you do the right thing for the wrong reason than that right becomes a wrong.  It then becomes pride and hypocrisy.  Pride because you think you can enter heaven on your own virtues and hypocrisy because you know in your heart you are a sinner but you come off like you are a saint.  Take the words of Jesus way down deep in your soul and wipe that self-righteousness right out of your life:  (Mat 7:21-23) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  

BAD PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN: (1 Cor 6:11) And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.  The bad you have done in life doesn’t have to keep you from God’s presence in heaven.  If you are forgiven by Jesus then His blood has washed you clean and you are fit for His presence.  You don’t have to go around wondering if you are going to be accepted by the Lord on that final day.  You can know for certain.  Why?  Because heaven is not based on your performance.  It is based by God’s mercy through Christ.  There is no need to live in dreaded fear any longer.  And if you blow it then just ask for forgiveness and know that He will forgive you.  You don’t fall out of salvation when you sin, you just fall out of that sweet fellowship with Christ that you can regain through confession and repentance.  He loves you and He can never unlove you!

Let’s get the word out there that good people go the hell and bad people go to heaven!

Louie

THE BEATITUDES

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

THE BEATITUDES 

The first section of the Sermon of the Mount is the Beatitudes.  There are eight beatitudes and they describe the attitudes that ought to be in our lives if we are true Christians. (Mat 5:1-10)

“BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN:  Those who depend on God and not on their own abilities.  (John 15:5)…without Me you can do nothing.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED. Describes those who grieve over their sins.  (James 4:9-10) Lament and mourn and weep...{10} Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH.  Not self-willed but living humbly before others (me-ek!) and letting God prosper in His time.  (Psa 37:11) But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY SHALL BE FILLED.  Those who possess a spiritual appetite and a keen desire to be pleasing to God.  (Psa 42:1-2)  As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY.  Those who are moved by the sufferings of others and seek to alleviate their distresses.  (Psa 18:25)  With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful…  

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD.  Those whose minds and motives are wholesome and unpolluted.  (Psa 24:3-4) Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart…

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD.  Those who are instruments of peace in the world and overcome evil with good.  (James 3:18) Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.  People possessing these beatitudes would naturally stand out in a crowd and would take flak for being different. (2 Tim 3:12) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

THE BE-ATTITUDES.  Are these the values that you want to be in your life?  If that’s the case then look out because your life is going to be BLESSED!

Louie 

TO PARENTS OF MISSIONARIES

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP 

TO PARENTS OF MISSIONARIES 

(1 Sam 1:27-28) For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.  28 Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there. 

So your child comes to you and says he feels called to the mission field.  You stare for a while and then you ask the question where he feels called to go.  He tells you some far off place that maybe you haven’t even heard of before.  Then he goes into detail about how he was spoken to by the Spirit and about the need for Christ in this place and on and on and on.  When he finishes you hear crickets in the room.  You say that’s wonderful while you feel the swallow in your throat.  My son or daughter off to the mission field.   Wow, that’s great.  Or is it? 

As parents we love our kids to death.  We have sacrificed for them since they were born.  We raised them to be responsible and gave them all the tools they needed for successful living.  We spent good money and a lot time securing their future.  We counseled them wisely.  We hope they will make good decisions and achieve well in their chosen field.  Then they come and say they want to serve the Lord as a missionary.  Not only do we become concerned about their safety we also begin thinking about family ramifications.  You won’t see your child for a long time.  You will miss them.  You will miss the grandkids if they are a family.  What about holidays and birthdays and special events?  It starts to hit you like a ton of bricks emotionally. 

Samuel had a special calling on his life.  His mother Hannah prayed for a son after being barren for so long.  She said if God gave her her request she would dedicate her son for life to God’s work.  Finally God answered her prayer and she was good to her promise.  When it was time she presented Samuel to the Lord at the Temple.  She then went home without her son but she visited him yearly with the new cloths she made for him.   

You know, as parents we are so proud when our children achieve greatness on any level.  Parents can be so gratified to say their child is a doctor, a lawyer, or a soldier serving in the armed forces.  But what about the highest calling a child can receive…that of serving the Lord in the ministry?  To give spiritual life to others (doctor).  To be an advocate for the poor and needy and the marginalized (lawyer).  To be a soldier in the Lord’s army.  And with modern technology you can keep in communication on a daily basis.  And between traveling to see you child on the mission field and them coming home for a visit it’s just not as hard as it used to be.   

We can be a help or a hindrance to the call of God on our child’s life.  Let’s line up with God’s purposes and be a support to our children when they involve themselves in the greatest business of all…God’s business!  (Luke 2:49)…Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”  

Louie