About to have a Spell

Well, I really don't know how to write this but I need to share it with someone and you guys happen to be it. This morning in my quiet time, I was minding my own business, reading the Bible and then it happened. The Spirit of God made me want to shout, perhaps even dance although I can't dance, and I can't stop thinking about it. Scripture has a way of doing that you know! The Word was God and the Word is God and it is alive, powerful, piercing. Written many, many, many years ago and it is as much alive today, true today and relavent today as it ever has been. Yes, I'm going to tell you what I was reading.

Philippians 3:1-11 Now I'm not going to write out this scripture for you, just open your Bible and read it for yourself, and I hope it causes you to feel the same as it did for me. "Rejoice in the Lord" I started thinking back on my life and the dumb and stupid things I've done in the past and to see where I was and now where God has brought me and folks, I just have to say "Thank you Jesus" I don't deserve what I have, where I'm at or anything at all, in fact I deserve Hell and I got Jesus. Now that ought to cause anybody to "Rejoice in the Lord". Then the Apostle Paul says "Look out" There are those out there who want to cause you to think "Well look at me, look at what I've accomplished, I'm somebody" Then he reminds me that prior to his coming to Christ, he was top dog, real he-man, very accomplished and he did every thing he did with zeal and passion and was considered to be great at what he did. I remember being good at concealing my real heart. I was a good sunday christian and a good devil the rest of the week. Now if Paul could look back at his life before Christ and say, "Wow, that was all just garbage compared to life with Chrsit today", I too must say the same. That prior life was just garbage and meant absolutely nothing, but life today, putting my faith in Christ is everything and besides everything, it's also eternity with Christ forever. Now tell me that you don't want to shout, dance or sing. That's enough to make a man want to get up and run around the room. Well, that is what is going on with me. Just Rejoiceing in the Lord. Now I'm expecting Satan to show up and try his best to bring me down and without Christ working in my life, Satan can and does do that. That's why I need Him most.

Can you know---Do you know that you are going to heaven?

Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it(heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

So, there is a Book and God wants you to know if your name is in the Book. Is it?

Randy Alcorn tells in his book entitled "Heaven" about a professional singer who was invited to sing at a wedding. She did sing and she assumed all was A-OKAY for her and her husband to attend the reception, after all, she was the singer at the wedding. It was not just any ordinary wedding and reception, but one of prominence and intrigue. Waiters in Tuxedos offered luscious hors d'oeuvres and exotic beverages and only those who were invited could attend. When the singer and her husband tried to enter the reception hall, the maitre d' with a bound book greeted them and ask for their names. I am Ruthanna Metzgar and this is my husband Roy.
He searched the M's and said I'm not finding it. Would you spell it please? After spelling her name slowly and after searching the book, the maitre d, looked up and said, "I's sorry, but your name isn't here. Ruthanna replied, "I'm the singer. I sang for this wedding!" The man said, "it doesn't matter who you are or what you did. Without your name in the book you cannot attend the banquet.
Her and her husband were escorted out by the service elevator. On their way home, the husband ask Ruthanna, "What happened"? She admitted that she failed to return the RSVP because she was the singer and she didn't think it was important.

I personally believe many people are like this story about Ruthanna and Roy. They do good things throughout their lives and in most cases are real good people. But scripture tells us, "that's not what counts". Unless our name is in the Book, we cannot enter heaven. Christ has been inviting us all to the wedding banquet and according to scripture, most fail to RSVP(Invite Christ into their heart and life and ask for forgiveness of sin and place their faith in what Christ did on the cross for them)

How can we know that our name is in the book?
You see, if your going to go somewhere, you've never been, you get a map out and chart your course. You do this before taking off otherwise you might arrive at a wrong distination. Guesswork is not planning. Scripture tells us that if your name is not there, you can't come in and can you imagine how that must feel? Think back about Ruthanna and Roy. She sang at the wedding, surely that must count for something. Well, just like the story in Randy's book, no matter what we do, how good we are, without our name in the book, we are left outside.

Christ offers everyone the gift of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life in heaven with Him. Revelation 22:17 says, "Whoever is thirsty, let him come, and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of water of life." No need to try to work your way into heaven, you can't do it. Only what Christ did on the Cross is counted for you. You can't earn it, acheive it or even work for it. IT is a free gift from God based upon Christ's generous and sufficeint sacrifice on our behalf.

Keep in mind, that God knew that many people would try to get there on their own merit. Some would try a different way. Some would forget to RSVP.(Repent, Believe and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He was crucified, buried and on the third day, He arose and became victorious over death and the grave. He did all that for you and me.

The Spirit and the Bride say,"Come" Revelation 22:17
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on Him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6

Friend------Do you know Him? Do you know His forgiveness? Do you know His love for you? Is your name in the Book of Life? You can know these things and God wants you to know them.

Romans 10:9 says this; "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead, you will be saved." "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

That my dear friend is how you RSVP. Don't delay, do it today.