"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14).
"You'll probably make a million dollars from book sales after you're dead" was my husband's lighthearted response to my meager royalty check. "Authors are often more famous in death than in life so your estate may be more valuable after you're gone", he continued. Although he was joking there is some element of truth to Jon's words. I don't know if my book sales will ever produce much monetary wealth, but that isn't my goal. Heavenly deposits is.
Did you ever stop to think that your book of acts will live on forever? What we believe, how we relate to others, and what we have done has enormousness consequences for blessing or cursing. All the stories in the Bible still affect lives today although they were written thousands of years ago! Generations of people, through the work of the Holy Spirit, have put into practice the commands of God and cherished His word. Just as many people have rejected God's word claiming it's irrelevant, outdated, full of bigotry and open to interpretation. Each choice matters not only to the people around you but to Almighty God.
At the end of all life on earth each person will be judged by Jesus, but the judgments will be different depending on one choice. If we confessed we are a sinner, trusted Christ as our Savior and made Him Lord of our life we are born again spiritually and join God's family. Our names will be written in the His book--the Lamb's book of life, and we'll be welcomed into heaven. Your sins were wiped clean by the precious blood of Jesus and He remembers them no more! "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 21:27).
To reject Christ as Lord and Savior and believe you can enter heaven based on your perceived good lifestyle will be the most tragic mistake. Your judgment will be with those who are dead to God; enemies of Christ. All the evil deeds you ever committed, your darkest secrets, will be read aloud for all to hear because your arrogance claimed you were better than Jesus. "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:11-15).
What legacy are you creating for yourself and your loved ones? How will your actions affect people today and forever? As we begin this New Year let us awake from our spiritual slumber and live each day with eternity in mind. Your book of acts is still being written. Will there be a happy ending? "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14).
Your fellow herald for Jesus,
Mary
