In the wake of two mass shootings this past weekend in less than 24 hours of each other, we know that we could go to the store and never return home. We could go to a movie theater and never see our families on this earth again. We could go to a concert and be gone - forever. The truth of the matter is, we do not know when we will die. It could happen today or it could happen years from now. More than any other time in history, it begs the question, ' Where do you go when you die?'.
Many people think that you go down into the grave and you are no more. Others think you roam the earth trying to find your way to the tunnel of light. There are those who believe that if you were a "good" person and worked hard enough at it, you might get to go to heaven when you die. There is a school of thought that if you do not work out your issues in this life you have a "do-over" in the form of another life, either person or animal (I shudder to think I would have to do puberty again, personally). So what of it then? Do we roam around the earth? Do we have to work hard to make it to heaven? Do we have to come back and do all this over again? The answer is no, you do not have roam around looking for the light, or have to work hard at doing it right, or even have to come back as someone else - thank God.
When you pass from this earth there are only two destinations your spirit will go to according to the Word of God. One is hell which gives you eternal death (Matthew 10:28 NIV Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.), and one is heaven which grants you eternal life. The entrance into hell is by refusing to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Conversely, the entrance to heaven requires accepting Jesus. You must have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 20:15 NIV Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.) to live forever. Matthew 25:46 VOICE says "So these, the goats, will go off to everlasting punishment. But the beloved, the sheep (the righteous), will go into everlasting life." The goats are those who do not know or will not accept Christ. The sheep are those who follow Christ.
"We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:20 NIV. Honestly, having the assurance of eternal life is as simple as a child's prayer. Ask Jesus to forgive you of any wrong doings and ask Him into your heart for eternity. He will come into your life and give you peace, joy, happiness, and comfort. He will be your all in all - your counselor, your teacher, your guide in this life, your physician, your confidant, your advocate, your provider, your protector. He is more than you could ever ask for in this life. Always there when no one else is, and will heal all the broken places in your life.
He is the Great I Am. The King of Kings. The Lord of Lords. The One True God. The Way. The Truth. The Life. The Gate to eternal life. Jesus. The Great I Am. The only true Light of the World. There is none beside Him. No other gods before Him. The only Creator of the Universe. The One who loves you with an everlasting love that will never be removed. The One who formed you in Mother's womb. He is the One who was there when you were born and will be there to take you home to live with Him in eternity when you die.