Saturday Song: Badfinger, "It's Over"

I'm certain that any child would say that summer holidays are the best. For two whole months, there's no getting up early and going to school. Families usually plan their vacations for July or August since their children are out of school. And judging from all of the folks I know, the summer is when great family memories are made.

The British band, Badfinger, recorded a song about returning home. It resonates with me since I was sent to a residential school for blind and deaf children for six lonely years. Leaving that sterile institution for the freedom of summer vacation each June meant so much to me.

Hear Badfinger's song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mezhl2erFbc

A day will come when our enforced stay on this planet will be over. For many of us, our exit will be through the door of death. And unlike the folks who aren't believers in Christ, we don't fear it. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21 (BBE) that, "For to me life is Christ and death is profit."

Neither was Peter afraid of death. He wrote in 2 Peter 1:14 (BBE), regarding his decease, "For I am conscious that in a short time I will have to put off this tent of flesh, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me." He referred to what Christ told him after he rose from the dead.

But there are some of us who will be privileged to see Christ return in our own lifetime. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17  (BBE), "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living at the coming of the Lord, will not go before those who are sleeping. Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first; Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord."

Either way, we are assured of paradise. As Jesus told his disciples in John 14:2 (BBE), "In my Father's house are rooms enough; if it was not so, would I have said that I am going to make ready a place for you?
"

How wonderful then that we are headed for such a blissful rest. Life can be hard but we will receive our reward when we go to our eternal home.

On Monday, I'll tackle the subject of a startling fact I learned from an American preacher currently living in Zambia.

End Times Destruction of Wicked Vs. Jews and Christians

This might be news to some Christians but Islam also mentions the end times and the end of the age. But their version is different than what the Bible teaches.

The Apostle Paul gives this account of what will happen at Christ's return when he wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (KJV), "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (rise before) them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

But when Christ returns, it will be a fearful time for all who don't believe in him. This includes Muslims. Jesus said in Luke 23:30 (KJV), "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us."

But sura 52:44-47 claims, "Even if they were to see lumps of the sky falling down, they would say, 'A mass of clouds.' So leave them until they meet their Day in which they will be stunned. The Day when their ploys will avail them nothing; and they will not be helped. For those who do wrong, there is a punishment besides that; but most of them do not know."

The Qu'ran also refutes what Christ said about heaven. Sura 44:51-58 claims, " As for the righteous, they will be in a secure place. Amidst gardens and springs. Dressed in silk and brocade, facing one another. So it is, and We will wed them to lovely companions. They will call therein for every kind of fruit, in peace and security. Therein they will not taste death, beyond the first death; and He will protect them from the torment of Hell. A favour from your Lord. That is the supreme salvation"

But Jesus, answering the Sadducees' question of a woman who had seven husbands, stated plainly in Matthew 22:30 (KJV), "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."

The Qu'ran also teaches that Christians and Jews are among those who will be sent to "the hellfire" on the last day. Sura 26:87-103 claims that Abraham prayed, " "And do not disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected. The Day when neither wealth nor children will help. Except for him who comes to Allah with a sound heart. And Paradise will be brought near for the righteous. And the Blaze will be displayed to the deviators. And it will be said to them, 'Where are those you used to worship? Besides Allah? Can they help you, or help themselves?' Then they will be toppled into it, together with the seducers. And the soldiers of Satan, all of them. They will say, as they feud in it. 'By Allah, We were in evident error. For equating you with the Lord of the Worlds. No one misled us except the sinners. Now we have no intercessors. And no sincere friend. If only we could have another chance, we would be among the faithful.' Surely in this is a sign, but most of them are not believers"."

As I pointed out in earlier posts, many who say, "Lord! Lord!" will be sent to outer darkness. Only those who have a personal relationship with Christ and who follow him will have eternal life. This is why I'm writing my book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People need to know this and be warned against putting off repentance until it's too late.