Dr. Billy Graham, world-renowned speaker who is well-known for his radio and television programs, says that the question most often asked him was, “Is there life after death?”

This is an age-old question. From earliest times people have believed that life does not end with the grave. “Indeed,” writes Dr. Raymond A. Moody, Jr., in his book, Life After Life. “graves from very early sites all over the earth give evidence of the belief in human survival of bodily death.”²

Is man’s desire for life beyond death just wishful thinking? Or is there evidence to support this belief?

Modern science seems to support it. For example, many people who have been pronounced “clinically dead” have come back to life and have given vivid accounts of being fully conscious after they had been pronounced dead by medical personnel.

For over a half-decade, Dr. Moody, who is (or was) also a psychiatrist from the University of Virginia Hospital, made a study of more than a hundred of these cases.

One of these persons described his experience this way: “I heard the doctors say that I was dead and that’s when I began to feel as though I were tumbling through this blackness, which was some sort of enclosure. Everything was very black, except that, way off from me, I could see this light, but not too large at first. It grew larger as I came nearer and nearer to it.

“I was trying to get to that light at the end, because I felt that it was Christ, and I was trying to reach that point. It was not a frightening experience. For immediately, being a Christian, I had connected the light with Christ who said, ‘I am the light of the world.’ I said to myself, ‘If this is it, if I am to die, then I know who waits for me at the end, there in the light.’”³

To be continued . . .

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the promise from your Word that ‘those who belong to God shall live again.’ This is a wonderful hope. Please help me to live with this assurance of eternity and with eternal values in view. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: To be sure that you are prepared for life after death, read: “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian—without having to be religious” at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

1. Isaiah 26:19 (Living Bible)(NLT).

2. Raymond A. Moody, Jr., Life After Life, pp. 17. Mockingbird Books, Inc. Covington, GA 30209. Copyright 1975. Used by permission.

3. Ibid, P. 48.

Some years ago Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was scheduled to speak at the town hall in an unfamiliar city. He decided to walk and on the way got lost. He saw some boys so asked them the way to City Hall.

“What are you going to do there?” asked one of the boys.

“I’m going to give a lecture,” replied the bishop.

“About what?”

“On how to get to heaven. Would you care to come along?”

“Are you kidding?” said the boy, “You don’t even know how to get to City Hall!”

How tragic that so many people are lost, not on their way to any human address but on the way to their eternal destination. So many believe, as I once did, that if I did enough good things to outweigh the bad things I had done, that would get me into God’s heaven.

Not so, I’m afraid. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through me.”² This is because, no matter how good we may be by human standards, every one of us is born with the “dis-ease of sin.” And if God allowed sin’s disease into heaven, it would destroy heaven as it has earth.

The only way to God and heaven is not through our good works but by accepting God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as our personal Lord and Savior. Jesus died to pay the penalty of our sin so he could deliver us from the effects of sin’s disease which is eternal death and separation from God—the source of all love and life.

Because of what Jesus did, God now offers you and me a free pardon for all our sins. All we need to do is admit we are sinners, thank Jesus for dying on the cross in our place for our sin, invite him into our life as personal Lord and Savior, and accept his forgiveness, his gift of eternal life, and a home in heaven forever. This is God’s special Christmas to all who believe.

Had there been any other way to be in a right relationship with God and heaven, then God never would have had to send his Son to die on the cross for us. So, if you have never accepted God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life, and would like help to do that right now, be sure to read: How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian without having to be religious at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your great Christmas love gift to the world and for giving your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I believe and ask you to forgive all my sins. And Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross in my place and I invite you into my heart and life as Lord and Savior. Help me to live for you always in all ways. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 7:13-14 (TLB)(NLT).

2. John 14:6 (NIV).

Some “years ago as several million watched on TV the beginning game of the World Series baseball in San Francisco, there was a sudden interruption of the opening interview. The screen blinked and went blank. When the program resumed, a special news bulletin appeared. The San Francisco metropolitan area had experienced a serious earthquake. We all watched the live pictures as the huge fire in the Marina area burned. A remote camera crew was there and we saw the firemen fighting the fires.

“The scene I remember the most, however,” said the writer of this article, “was a group of people standing around just looking at the destruction and looking at the fire. All of a sudden a policeman came up to the crowd and yelled out to them: What are you people doing just standing there? You must get prepared immediately. Go home and fill your bathtubs with water. Be prepared to live without city services for 72 hours. The sun will set in another hour and your time is running out. Go and get prepared.”²

I can, at least to some degree, identify with these people. Living in Southern California I’ve experienced several earthquakes of varying degrees. In two of the worst—one a 4-point something and the other a 5-point something—I woke up and said to myself, just another earthquake, rolled over and went right back to sleep. That was a very dangerous and foolish attitude and I realized that I need to “wake up and get with it” the next time an earthquake hits, and at least dive under a table for protection, otherwise I could be badly hurt or even killed if/when a really big one hits.

Even as a kid I learned in the Boy Scouts the motto: “Be Prepared.” We all need to be prepared for unexpected crises as much as is possible. And absolutely nowhere is it more important to be prepared than it is to be prepared for eternity—to meet God face to face, “for man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment [God's judgment].”³

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that in your Word, the Bible, you repeatedly warn us of the danger of not being prepared for eternity. Help me to know that I am ready to meet you face to face, and help me to so live that I won’t be embarrassed on that day but will hear your welcoming words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’⁴ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

NOTE: To be absolutely sure that you are prepared to meet God face-to-face and ready for eternity read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: https://learning.actsweb.org/christian

1. Amos 4:12 (NIV).

2. The Staff, www.eSermons.com.

3. Hebrews 9:27 (NIV).

4. Matthew 25:23 (NKJV).

In the book, Finding Hope Again, Roy Fairchild told how he had come to Vienna after a two-week illness in a small Austrian village. He had spent most of his money on medical costs and his last cent to take a train to Vienna to try and find his friends with whom he had been traveling.

As he was standing in one of the street car stations in the center of the city, tired, hungry and discouraged, a little old wrinkled lady, one of the ladies whose job was to sweep out the station, came to him and asked him if he were hungry.

Before he could answer she took her own lunch from a brown paper bag and offered him half of it. He said he was so moved by her action that he has never forgotten her face or her kindness and the sparkle in her eye.

They talked for more than an hour about her life. She was raised in the country on a farm knowing only hard work. Since then she had lost her husband and two sons in the Resistance. Only her daughter had survived but she said that she was very thankful for many things.

When asking her why she offered him half her lunch the lady simply said, “Jesu ist mein Herr. Gott ist gut (Jesus is my Lord. God is good).”

This story reminds me of one of my favorite hymns written by Kate B. Wilkinson. Let’s make it our prayer for today and every day:

“Dear God,

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,

Live in me from day to day,

By his love and pow’r controlling,

All I do and say.

May his beauty rest upon me

As I seek the lost to win,

And may they forget the channel,

Seeing only him.

Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 2:4-5 (NIV).

Over the centuries it seems there has never been a shortage of would-be prophets who claimed to have a corner on the truth . . . several of whom were convinced of the very day Christ would return to earth to take his true followers with him to Heaven.

For instance, “After 14 years of studying the Bible, William Miller became convinced that Christ would return in 1843. When Miller announced April 3 as the day, some disciples went to mountaintops, hoping for a head start to heaven. Others were in graveyards, planning to ascend in reunion with their departed loved ones. Philadelphia society ladies clustered together outside town to avoid entering God’s kingdom amid the common herd. When April 4 dawned as usual the Millerites were disillusioned, but they took heart. Their leader had predicted a range of dates for Christ’s return. They still had until March 21, 1844. The devout continued to make ready, but again they were disappointed. A third date, October 22, 1844, was set, but it also, obviously, passed.”²

The Bible also predicts a seven-year-time of great tribulation that will occur at or about the time of Christ’s Second coming. Among serious Bible scholars, some believe Christ will come before the great tribulation—these people are called pre-trib believers. Others believe Christ will come at the end of the great tribulation—these are known as post-trib believers. Then there are the mid-trib scholars who believe Christ will come in the middle of the great tribulation.

However, as Jesus himself said, only God the Father knows the exact day and hour of Christ’s return. The important thing for his followers is (1) not to get caught up in arguing about the details of Christ’s return, but to do as Jesus did when he was here on earth; and that is “to be about our Father’s Business,” and (2) to make absolute sure that we are ready for Christ’s return; for he will come when least expected.

Of one thing we can be certain—just as sure as we are of Christ’s first coming we can be equally sure about his second coming. Jesus is coming again. He promised he would . . . it could be today . . . or it could be in the near or far-off future. However, if Jesus should come today, would you be ready?

To make sure you are ready for when Jesus comes again to earth, be sure to read the article, “How to be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the wonderful promise that Jesus is coming again to take all your true followers to be with you for all eternity in Heaven. Please help me to know that I know that I know that I am ready for that great and glorious day. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 14:1-3 (NKJV).

2. Adapted from Today in the Word, December 20, 1991. Cited on www.eSermons.com.

Recently we had a critical situation. Joy went interstate to help take care of family matters and assured me that there was no need for me to come. Because I was under a lot of work pressure, it would have been so much easier for me to stay at home. But to me it was important that I go, not because I should, but because I wanted to be with Joy to support her and the family.

Have you ever been in a similar situation and noticed that there is a big difference between “shoulds” and “wants”? If I do certain things only because I should and my heart is not in it, how genuine is that? I am talking more about a type of compulsive “shoulds” that can be very confusing at times.

If you have ever struggled with even mild compulsive “shoulds,” how can you tell what is from God, from your own self, or even from the enemy?

Compulsive “shoulds” can come from various sources. They can come from a mental condition in the brain that is inherited, or from an over-dependent need to be popular, accepted and admired. They can come from a neurotic need for approval, from false motives, for payback or even to manipulate others. They can also come from a spirit of legalism which keeps one in terrible bondage.

Or they can come from the enemy—as the old saying goes, “If Satan can’t pull us down into a life of sin and debauchery, he will try to push us over the top so we become so “heavenly minded that we are of no earthly use.” This was so for me in my youthful days. It was like there was a little voice inside my head that would say, “You better do this or you better not do that. Or you better do that or you better not do this.” At the time I thought this inner voice was from God telling me what I should do and what I shouldn’t do. It got very confusing at times.

With the help of an understanding pastor, the defining factor for me was this: Is there a spirit of freedom in what this “inner voice” was “telling” me to do or was it a spirit of bondage? In my heart did I genuinely want to do this or was I being compulsively driven? If it were the latter, I knew it wasn’t a genuine desire in my heart and it wasn’t from God because, as God’s Word says, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom [liberty].”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in all of life’s struggles and challenges when I am confused as to what is right for me to do, please give me a discerning spirit so that I know what is from a false motive, what is from a spirit of legalism or from the enemy, and what is from you. And please help me to grow so that I will truly want to be what you want me to be and want to do what you want me to do. Thank you for hearing my answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV).

Recently, Joy, my wife, had been away for a few days visiting family. I wanted to welcome her home by buying her flowers as an expression of my love and to show how pleased I was to have her home.

That same morning when I was having my devotions I knew I was going to be buying flowers for Joy so I prayed, “God, I’d like to give you some flowers today, too, as an expression of my love and to let you know how grateful I am to you for all you have done and do for me.”

And how do you give God flowers?

Well? it was a Saturday morning so I was out early to do some shopping at our local hardware store as I had chores around the home to fix. As I was walking to my car, I heard a voice behind me, looked around, and there was a clean-cut young man (about early-twenty-something) sitting on the curb. He wanted to know how he could get a taxi back to Camp Pendleton. He’d been waiting for about an hour and none had turned up. He was a marine and needed to get back to camp—so I said, “Jump in my car. I’ll take you.”

It was about a 50 mile round trip—but I think that was my opportunity to give God flowers. The soldier’s name was Jason. I gave him one of my business cards, which has a link to our online gospel message, and invited him to visit our website. Please pray for Jason. He had recently returned from Iraq.

Have you given God any flowers lately? And husbands, have you given your wife any flowers lately? As Jesus said, as often as you show a kindness to anyone, you do this as unto me.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me today in some way—no matter how small—to give you flowers by showing a kindness to a fellow sojourner in his or her moment of need. And grant that they will get a glimpse of Jesus in me, and will want Jesus for themselves. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 25:40 (NIV).

“The Bible has changed the lives of more persons than any other book,” said W. Clement Stone. “It has helped countless thousands to develop physical, mental and moral health.”

At least here in America, the ever increasing and accelerating moral decline, the tearing down of marriage, the promotion of homosexuality as a normal alternative lifestyle, unthinkable abortion practices, the never ending bombardment from online pornographers and pornographic pedophiles, etc., etc., are, without question, directly related to the ever increasing attacks against the Bible, Christianity, the Ten Commandments, and the laws prohibiting prayer and the display of Christian symbols in public places.

Every rule, every law, every principle in God’s Word, the Bible, is there, not because God is a kill-joy, but for our protection and the total physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the individual, the family, the community, and the nation as a whole.

God’s moral law is as much a universal law as is the law of gravity. We know better than to try and break this law. In fact, we can’t break the law of gravity. If we try to, it breaks us. Or rather, we break ourselves by disregarding it. This law holds the physical universe together, keeps the planets in their orbit, and the earth revolving around the sun. It also keeps our feet on good old mother earth. Without it life could not exist on earth.

Likewise, God’s moral law holds the moral universe together. It, too, is for our protection and total well-being. We can’t break it any more than we can break the law of gravity. When we try to it breaks us. Or rather, in our disregard of it, we break and destroy ourselves.

In this sense it’s not God who judges us for our disregard of his laws. We bring the judgment or the natural consequences upon ourselves. Obeying God’s Word leads to life. Disregarding it and going our own way leads, not only to disaster in this life, but also to eternal death in the after-life—which is not the cessation of life but eternal separation from God, the author of all love and life.

In other words, God’s laws are to protect us from hell—hell on earth and hell in life-after-life. We disregard God’s laws to our own peril and end up unhappily destroying ourselves.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you have given us the words of life—and that you have given us all the laws we need to live wholesome, fulfilling, and satisfying lives. Give me a love and great respect for your laws and help me to live in harmony with them. And please grant a great spiritual awakening throughout our nation so we will embrace your laws so that we will save our land for our children and our children’s children. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Psalm 119:105 (NIV).

While it doesn’t have to do with age, another thing I struggled with in earlier days was how would I know if God was calling me to some kind of Christian ministry? I went to my pastor for counsel. His advice was: “If God is calling you to Christian ministry, then you’d better do it. If he isn’t, you’d better not!” Good advice but it didn’t answer my question. I came away as confused as when I went in.

Perhaps the most helpful counsel I received came from Oswald Chambers who described God’s call as being like “the call of the sea to the sailor. Only he who has the nature of the see within can hear that call.”

In other words, a man who is “called” to be a sailor has, metaphorically speaking, salt water in his veins and he cannot rest until he launches out to sea. So it is with the call of God, one cannot rest until he or she steps out from the safety of the shore and launches out into the deep of what he believes God is calling him or her to do.

Another test is the same as it would be for a musician. Are you gifted for what you believe you are being called to do? For instance, I don’t think God calls people who can’t sing on key to be soloists or choir members. As a general rule, although not always, friends can help you face this test realistically; that is, they can see if you are gifted for what you think you are being called to do.

Another excellent test is to try doing what you feel called to do. For example, when I feel God is leading or calling me to do something, I try doing it in a small way to see if it is from God or from myself. I would rather put it to the test and be wrong than, through fear of failure, never step out and try it to see if it is of God. You may need to test what you feel called to do several times because anything worthwhile rarely comes easily. I suggest others do the same. Only you can test what you feel is your call.

Be assured, however, if God has called or led you to do something, he will help you. But we have to do our part too—and get the training necessary to do well what we are gifted for and called of God to do. As a general rule, answering God’s call and doing his will is something we will delight in doing—even if it takes a while! As the psalmist wrote about Jesus saying, “I delight to do Your will, Oh my God.^“2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a receptive heart and a listening ear to hear what you might be calling me to do—no matter what that might be. Give me the courage to step out and test it and, if it be of you, get the training I need to do my job well for your glory and the benefit of others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Isaiah 6:8 (NIV).

2. Psalm 4:8 (NKJV).

“‘But what about you?’ he [Jesus Christ] asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”⁹

Today we share more evidence to verify the reality of Jesus Christ as being the Son of God and Savior of the world.

For example, six hundred years prior to Christ’s coming Daniel predicted when it would be. One hundred years later Zechariah told how Christ would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey; how he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver; and how this money would be used to buy a potter’s field.¹⁰

All these predictions about Christ and many more—written hundreds of years before his coming—were fulfilled in detail, giving evidence to show that Jesus Christ was indeed God’s promised Messiah—the Savior of the world.

When Jesus came, he asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”¹¹

This is the crucial question that each of us needs to answer. If Christ is who he claims to be, then our response to this question will determine our relationship to God for all eternity.

One thing we cannot do is accept Christ as a great moral teacher but not as God. As C.S. Lewis, a former professor at Cambridge and Oxford wrote, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool; you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”¹²

Jesus himself said, “He who is not with me is against me.”¹³ That is, unless we act on our belief and make a commitment to follow Christ in our everyday life, we are automatically against him.

However, if you do believe Jesus is the Son of God, you can commit your life to him through a simple prayer. Tell Christ that you believe he is the Son of God who died for your sins, and that you would like to become one of his true followers starting today.

To assist you in doing this, click on the “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” link below.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that your Word clearly shows that Jesus is your Son, and that history has verified that all the prophecies in your Word also confirm that Jesus is your Son, the only way to you, and the only Savior of the world. This I believe. Thank you for showing me the way and thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

To verify that you know God who knows you, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian

9. Matthew 16:15-16.
10. Daniel 9:25-26; Zechariah 9:9-10 and 11:12.
11. Matthew 16:15-16 (NIV).
12. Cited on Christian Odyssey website at: http://www.christianodyssey.com/history/lewis.htm. 13. Luke 11:23 (NIV).