What happens to you when you die? Week 4

As Christians, it's important for us to realize we aren't perfect, and our sins are no better than someone who hasn't yet decided to follow Christ. 

However, it's easy for us to get caught up in our works. We start trying to measure our good Christian deeds against someone who isn't saved. 

Pastor Trey compared it to getting tickets at Chuck E. Cheese. You could literally spend $1,000 on games at Chuck E. Cheese, and win arm fulls of tickets, but what are those tickets worth? Nothing, outside of Chuck E. Cheese. You can't cash in those tickets to put a down payment on a car, or to pay your electric bill. Those tickets are worthless for anything except a cheep toy at Chuck E. Cheese. 

In the same way, we try to present our deeds and good works as something of value. Do you know what the Bible says about that? Isaiah 64:6 tells us that even our most righteous acts, are as filthy rags when presented to our Savior. Why? Because by our own actions, we will never be good enough. It is ONLY through the blood of Jesus that we can even approach God at all. Our best is worthless without Salvation. 

But then why do we act as if our best is actually something to brag about? We present our tickets (our filthy rags) as if it makes us better than those without. This is why some people feel as if they have to fix themselves before coming to Christ. 

Christ desires you, just as you are. Are you shacking up? Come to Jesus. Are you gay? Come to Jesus. Jesus didn't say whoever comes to me and is heterosexual will be saved. He simply some come. 

What if instead of pointing out peoples sins, and telling them to stop sinning, we instead simply told them to start following Jesus? 

What if instead of giving them a list of things they can't do, we start celebrating their own realizations and recognition's and steps in Christ? 

We are all saved by grace. God loves you and desires you, regardless of any mistakes. You don't have to try and fix all your mistakes, he desires you just as you are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way. 

So this week, I challenge everyone to stop presenting their tickets (filthy rags) as something worthy, and start presenting ourselves as sinners saved by grace. 

Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe God raise him you will be saved.

What happens to you when you die? Week 3

In this series we've had to to start facing reality. And the reality is, death is inevitable. Pastor Trey was able to speak to us on this topic with great insight and some added humor.

Sunday's message was focused mostly on the fathers in the audience, but the spiritual concepts were applicable to us all.

We don't know what will happen tomorrow. We may have it all written out in our day planners, but tomorrow isn't promised to us or the ones we love.

Because our life is just a vapor in comparison to our eternity. This life is temporary, but in this temporary life are we focusing on the right things? How much money we have isn't tied to our eternity. Here are a few of the main points for the sermon that you should try to apply to your life.

Time is greater than toys. As adults, we can look back and say we probably don't have all the toys our parents bought us as kids. The most important thing parents can do for their kids is to spend quality time with them.

Embracing is greater than excuses. Pastor Trey presented the idea that if men would embrace their role as men, that would could see America come back to God in one generation. If we had men who were responsible fathers, loving husbands, and spiritual leaders in the homes, we would great changes in our nation. It's easy to make excuses, but a real man embraces his role, and does his best to be the man of God he was created to be.

God's plan is greater then my mistakes. As parents, we have all screwed up. We aren't going to be perfect, but we are expected to be striving to be more Christ like. The amazing thing is that God's plan for lives accounted for our mistakes. He knew we would mess up, but just because we mess up, doesn't mean he is done with us. He loves us. He pursued us. He died for us.

Don't wait until tomorrow. When your life is just a vapor, every moment counts. Start today being the person that God has created you to be.

James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

What happens to you when you die? Week 2

Many of us have either seen the movie or read the book "Heaven is for real". But even those who haven't, it easy for us to believe in a beautiful place with streets of gold and angels singing. However, its much more difficult for us to think about the alternative.

Hell is for real. But it is so hard for us to wrap our minds around the concept. How could a loving and forgiving God send anyone to Hell? The answer is Hell wasn't meant for you.

Hell was specifically created for Satan and his angels. It was not part of God's plan  for you or I to spend eternity there. His plan was to send his son, to die for our sins, so that we could  live eternity in Heaven with him.

God could have forced us to worship him. He definitely is powerful enough to not give us the choice. But we have an amazing God, who gave us free will. He gave us the choice. But while we are free to make our own decisions, we are not free from the consequences of those decisions. We have the opportunity to choose, Heaven or Hell. Not because God isn't loving, but because he is so loving that he doesn't want to force us to love him and serve him. He want us to have free will to choose how we live this life, and to choose how we spend our eternity.

The great news is, is that we don't have to be perfect to choose eternity in Heaven. We simply have to make the decision. We need to pray to God and ask him to come into our lives, and choose to live our lives in service to him. This does not mean we will be perfect. This means that our loving savior died for our imperfections.

This series is still going on at Victory Hill Church. If you have missed out on this series so far, week one is now up on our Victory Hill Church app (which is free to download to your smart phone).

Keep inviting your lost friends and family, and if you haven't yet, please join us this coming Sunday for week 3 of What happens to you when you die?

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

What happens to you when you die? Week 1

On the last Sunday in August, we started a new series that is sure to be very eye opening. Pastor Nathan has addressed the questions of what happens when we die.

Do a google search of what people believe will happen to you when you die, and you will find a broad variety of answers, from reincarnation to absolutely nothing. But one truth remains the same no  matter what each person believes; death is inevitable and it will happen to all of us at one point or another.

Now, as Christians, we believe in what the Bible says to be true, that when we die, we will then go to one of two places... Heaven or Hell. And this isn't dependent upon how good or bad we are, but completely based on whether or not we become a follower of Christ.

Even knowing intellectually that death is inevitable, it seems that it's not something we necessarily live out every single day. Why? Because, well death isn't a fun thing to think about. We equate death with finality and sadness over losing someone we care for. We watch the news and see crazy things about death and people dying in a variety ways, but we still don't want to think about it happening to us or someone we love.

How might we live our lives differently if we woke up every morning knowing and understanding the possibility that this day could be our last?  Might we make amends more quickly, love more sincerely, and spread the gospel with less fear?

The reality is that today very well could be your last. As Pastor pointed out, tents are temporary. Tents don't last, and neither will our earthly bodies.

While all this death talk can sound rather depressing, the awesome part is that it isn't the end of the story. Because Jesus walked through death, we can too! His sacrifice for our sins, gives us the opportunity to live eternally with Him. While these earthly bodies (tents) were not made to last, our spirits were made to last forever. And as Christians, we have the exciting truth, that death isn't the end, but rather just the beginning to our eternal lives.

If you are interested in hearing more about what happens to you after you die, consider attending Victory Hill Church this coming Sunday. We have services at 9:30am and 11:00am. We would love to see you there!

"All I know is i'm not home yet, this is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus, this is not where I belong." -Building 429