I pray you will have a special time celebrating the birth of your Savior, Jesus Christ! It is a gift for us that can never be repaid! A gift we do not deserve! A gift of love! Love in Christ, Eric

As we look toward a new year, we do so with great anticipation or expectation of what the new year may hold for us. For some, the expectation may include a do over, a new life style, a new beginning, and yet for others there might be anticipation in believing the good things will continue coming and even get better! Many will make resolutions they will not keep. It’s not a bad thing to be hopeful! Perhaps some are making plans for a special future event and this brings it a year closer. Your calendar might be filled with plans for attending college, getting married, starting a new job, or moving to a new location.

Each new year brings its own challenges and changes. We are continually making plans for our future. Many begin planning for retirement at an early age while others have to catch up to be ready to survive financially in their senior years.

There are always things to plan for concerning our lives in this world. Most of us take our ‘plan making’ or ‘goal setting’ here on earth quite seriously.

I have an important question for you. How much thought or time have you spent in preparing for the things that will take place when your temporal life on earth comes to an end?

Hebrews 9:27 (Berean Standard Bible) reads, “Just as man is appointed to die once and after that to face judgment…” Did you notice, the Scripture did not say…Just as man is appointed to die once and that is it! There is nothing more! No, no, no! This Scripture said, “after that.” Physical death does not end conscious existence - there is an “after this!”

Our focus for our blog post today is on the truth that we are eternal beings and that our preparing for our eternity is much more important that preparing for next week, next month, or even next year.

You see, the word ‘appointed’ which we just read in Hebrews 9:27 is translated from the Greek word apokeimai which means: reserved for one, or awaiting him. Our Creator has established an appointed time for our earthly physical life to come to an end.

Let’s look at Colossians 3: 1-3 (NLT), “ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” In verse one, according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word ‘raised', eynegeiro in the Greek, means: to raise up together from mortal death to a new and blessed life devoted to God, (risen from the dead, because the ground of the new Christian life lies in Christ’s resurrection!) In verse 3, the phrase, ‘For you have died’ means freed from all connection with it or having put off all sensibility to worldly things. ‘Life’ zoe, in the Greek means: real life after the resurrection/partakers of eternal and immortal life (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). ‘Hidden’ translated from krypto means, is laid up with God in heaven.

As we put these meanings together, here is what we glean from these verses: Since we have been raised up from mortal death, or risen from the dead because of our new Christian life grounded in Christ’s resurrection, we need to seek after heavenly things where Christ is. We have become freed from our connection with the earthly life and have become partakers of eternal and immortal life.

Did you see it? When we accept Christ as our Savior, we have become risen from the dead, then we need to seek after heavenly things! Our ‘eternal life’ began when we accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord!

We have further evidence of this truth in knowing that we were created in God’s own image. (Genesis 1:27).

Deuteronomy 33:27a (ESV) reveals, “The eternal God is your dwelling place,” God is eternal and He is our dwelling place. The Hebrew word for ‘eternal’ in this verse is qedem and according to Strong’s means: aforetime, ancient time, eternal, and everlasting.

We read in Romans 16:25 and 26 (ESV) that the revelation of the mystery, (Christ in us) has been disclosed according to the command of the “eternal God.” The word ‘eternal’ in this verse is the Greek word aionion, meaning: without beginning or end, and that which has been, and always will be.

Looking at Revelation 1:8 (NLT) we read, “"I am the Alpha and the Omega--the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come--the Almighty One." This verse declares that God is everything from A to Z, the first to the last, the beginning to the end. ‘Almighty’, pantokrator means ruler of all, absolute and universal sovereign and thus in control of all history. (Thayer’s).

Numerous scriptures confirm this truth. Psalm 90:2 (NLT), “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.” Psalm 93:2 (NLT), “ Your throne, O LORD, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past.”

I understand that the concept of God being ‘eternal’, of having no beginning and no end is difficult to grasp, especially since we are such a ‘time’ oriented people. However, that is exactly Who and What He is, eternal!

We were created in His eternal image, however, our spirits resided in the kingdom of death and darkness until the day we accepted Christ and our spirits were translated into the Kingdom of life and light.

We were created to fellowship with God. Thus, the creation of man was unique in the creation story. This is why He created man in His own image. from the dust, and breathed His own breath of life into Adam, so that we could have that fellowship with Himself. Although, we were made in His image, we are not God nor can we ever be. However, we can have sweet blessed fellowship with Him.

1 John 1:3, “what we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship [as partners] with us. And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 1:4a reads, “just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world.” ’Chose’, eklegomai according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon means: of God the Father choosing Christians, as those dear unto himself, and whom he has rendered, through faith in Christ, citizens in the Messianic Kingdom, so that the ground of the choice lies in Christ and his merits only.

If you have accepted Christ, you are a citizen in His Kingdom! You are dear to Him and you are His own!

We have thoroughly established that God is eternal and as those made in His image, we are too.

So, at this point, the question that remains is: “Where will you be spending eternity after this life?” There are only two choices.

Romans 6:23 (ESV), “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ‘Death’ (thanatos) means physical death composed of all the miseries arising from sin followed by wretchedness in the lower world (hell).

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV), “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

For those who reject or do not accept God and His Son Jesus, what are the consequences for that ‘choice made’?

Revelation 20:15 (ESV), “And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (the second death).

Jude 7 (ESV), “ just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” Mark 9:43 calls it an “unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 13:41 and 42 (ESV) “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 25:46a, “Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment”

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (ESV), “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,”

God is light, can you imagine being separated from God and light for eternity?

Please, do not allow the devil, the world, or those who have rejected God convince you that a life of sin, rebellion, and self gratification is worth it or without consequences! It is not!

On the other hand, the only other ‘choice’ option is God and Life! The consequences of this ‘choice made"‘ is revealed in the following scriptures.

Matthew 25:46b, “but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life."

John 1:12,13, and 16, “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name-- 13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth--they are born of God--spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]. ... 16 For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].”

Titus 1:1 and 2 (ESV), “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.”

1 John 5:11, “And the testimony is this: God has given us eternal life [we already possess it], and this life is in His Son [resulting in our spiritual completeness, and eternal companionship with Him].”

With the ‘choice made’ to embrace God and His Son, Jesus Christ, this is what we have to look forward to:

Revelation 21:4,6b and 7, “ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the former order of things has passed away." ... 6b To the one who thirsts I will give [water] from the fountain of the water of life without cost. 7 "He who overcomes [the world by adhering faithfully to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior] will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”

Focusing completely, spending all of our time, efforts, and resources on plans for our earthly life leaves out the most important aspect of our life - our eternity (that part of our life that is much more vast then the 70 to 100 years we live here on the planet). Does our earthly life matter? Absolutely! We need to live a life sold out to God, with us fulfilling His will and purpose for us. You were not a mistake. You have a purpose for being here.

However, we must never forget that we will face an “after this".

I believe everyone is aware of a rapid increase of events taking place in the spirit realm today. Such as, evil being called good; good being called evil; the natural being exchanged for the unnatural; and large weather events occurring all around the world.

God encourages us to look for His coming!

Matthew 24:27. "For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming [in glory] of the Son of Man [everyone will see Him clearly].”

Matthew 24: 44, “Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV), “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

We do not know when we will leave this planet and enter into eternity. We do know that the Lord has a book in which He has written the days fashioned for each of us. (Psalm 139:16).

James 4:14 (NKJV) reveals this, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

We understand that the Word tells us we are pilgrims and strangers (sojourners) and that this earth is not our home. (Hebrews 11:13). We also know God has prepared a place for us.(Hebrews 11:16).

We need to spend our time wisely preparing for an eternity spent with God in heaven, where everything is right!

I encourage you strongly to not only make sure you are ready, but to also be sure those around you (friends, relatives, enemies) are aware of eternity and that, where they spend it, is their choice.

Choose well!

Eternity is forevermore!

May God bless your time of celebrating the birth of your Savior!

Unless noted otherwise, all scripture is taken from the Amplified Bible.

NLT New Living Translation

ESV Eastern Standard Version

NKJV New King James Version