But Did You Die

'And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." '

Matthew 25:46

One of my favorite things to say to someone that is complaining about the way I drive is this, "But did you die?" Of course, they didn't but if I am truthful there were probably justified reasons for them to complain. I tend to drive a little too fast and from time to time I get distracted by the radio, my phone, an email, a text message, and maybe the occasional Facebook notification. Ok, maybe I should pay a little more attention and slow down a bit. But did you die?

I think that the greatest lie that our enemy has got us convinced of today is this: "You only live once." It is a hashtag on many millennials Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook photos. But I have to disagree with what it is saying. God tells me in His word that if I have a personal relationship with Him and I am saved that I will have eternal life. But He also made it clear that if I don't have that relationship with Him that I will be occupying another place when eternity begins. 

Read this very slowly and allow it to sink in: If you truly believe that you are going to live forever, then how has it affected how you live in this world? How does this knowledge of the eternal affect your view of the world and those in it? 

I imagine that you can come up with a couple of different answers to those two questions. But what convicts my heart the most when I think of them is since I am going to live forever, what I do right now and what I leave behind me has to matter way more than it used to. My life's work or the lack thereof will outlive me. The things that I start someone else will have to finish. The chains I make in sin can be passed on to my sons and daughters. If I am apathetic about God and His Church then so will my kids and then my grandkids may never know the love that is Christ. In the words of Marty McFly, "That's heavy."

I have to live my life as if I could be taken at any second and prepare daily for that to take place. I have to be in the Word daily and I have to let my sons and daughters see me do it. I have to develop a strong prayer life and teach my children to develop a strong prayer life so that they can teach their kids. I have to help those around me, in my community, so that hopefully their lives will be changed and they can break generational chains in their own lives and the lives of their families. I have to live my life like I could be called home at any second...I have to stop thinking that I have all the time in the world to share my knowledge with those in my circle and those in my family that need to hear the Word of God...I have to stop being afraid to speak out about things that I know to be wrong and things that I know to dishonor God...I have to be the man God has intended me to be and step out in the world in the faith and knowledge supplied by the Holy Spirit. 

Simply put...I have to start dying daily to Christ and start living every single moment like it might be my last...My friends...If you know Christ...I mean personally know Christ and have given your life over to Him...Stop being afraid...Start living under the authority of the Holy Spirit...Seek sanctification in the power and boldness of the Holy Spirit...And most of all...Ask yourself when you get scared...But did you die?...