... in this faithless world ...
I recently visited a loved one in the hospital who denied prayer. He reasoned that death was the end ... and if he's wrong … well, he's a good person ...
How can you believe
since you accept glory from one another but do not
seek the glory that comes from the only God?
(John 5:44)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God … For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise person? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1 Corinthians 1:18-21)
But there were false prophets among the people,
just as there will be false teachers among you.
They introduce destructive heresies,
even denying the Sovereign Lord ...
These teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them,
and their destruction has not been sleeping ...
(2 Peter 2)
“The universe that we inhabit and our shared perception of it are the results of common karma. Likewise, the places that we will experience in future rebirths will be the outcome of the karma that we share with the other beings living there. The actions of each of us, human or nonhuman, have contributed to the world in which we live. We all have a common responsibility for our world and are connected with everything in it.” ―Dalai Lama
While they live they count themselves blessed … they will never again see the light of life. They lack understanding and are like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
(Psalm 49:18-20, 13)
“I believe the universe is one being; all its parts are different expressions of the same energy, and they are all in communication with each other, therefore parts of one organic whole ... The whole is in all its parts so beautiful, and is felt by me to be so intensely in earnest, that I am compelled to love it, and to think of it as divine. It seems to me that this whole alone is worthy of the deeper sort of love; and there is peace, freedom, I might say a kind of salvation, in turning one's affections outward toward this one God; rather than inwards on one's self, or on humanity, or on human imaginations and abstractions- the world of spirits.” ― Robinson Jeffers
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
(2 Timothy 4:3)
“All you may know of heaven or hell is within your own self.” ― Edgar Cayce
But ... the unbelieving … and all liars — will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
(Revelation 21:8)
“I believe there is no heaven or hell. There are no devils or angels. No afterlife or salvation. My soul won't be incarnated or lost in the oblivion. One day, I will just stop existing... and that's it!” ― Bhavya Kaushik
Jesus said, "If anyone causes one of those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea ...Woe to that person … "
(Matthew 18:6-8)
“If one shifts the center of gravity of life out of life into the “Beyond” – into nothingness – one has deprived life as such of its center of gravity. The great lie of personal immortality destroys all rationality, all naturalness of instinct, all that is salutary, all that is life-furthering.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
Jesus said, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
(John 8:47)
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
(Ezekiel 18:32)
"I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own—a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotisms." ―Albert Einstein
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
(Galatians 6:7-8)
““We are gods but we are afraid of the ensuing responsibility; that's why we prefer to remain slaves. Only if we dared to rise up to the challenge and assume our divinity, we could perform most of the miracles we pray for.” ― Bangambiki Habyarimana
Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God ... And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
(Romans 8:8-9)
“I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” ― Stephen Hawking
Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ …
(1 John 2:22-23)
I like Muhammad a lot, because he’s like us more than anybody else. Jesus is just so exalted, and Buddha is just so exalted, it’s almost beyond our reach. ― Deepak Chopra
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
(Proverbs 28:26)
“I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking." ― Carl Sagan
... do not rest your faith on human wisdom, but on God's power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
(1 Corinthians 2:5-6)
“Actually, the substitution of the reality-principle for the pleasure-principle denotes no dethronement of the pleasure-principle, but only a safeguarding of it. A momentary pleasure, uncertain in its results, is given up, but only in order to gain in the new way an assured pleasure coming later. But the end psychic impression made by this substitution has been so powerful that it is mirrored in a special religious myth. The doctrine of reward in a future life for the—voluntary or enforced—renunciation of earthly lusts is nothing but a mythical projection of this revolution in the mind. In logical pursuit of this prototype, religions have been able to effect the absolute renunciation of pleasure in this life by means of the promise of compensation in a future life; they have not, however, achieved a conquest of the pleasure-principle this way. It is science which comes nearest to succeeding in this conquest; science, however, also offers intellectual pleasure during its work and promises practical gain at the end.” ― Sigmund Freud
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
(Deuteronomy 4:2)
You shall have no other gods before me.
(Exodus 20:3)
“Yes I am (a Hindu), I am also a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Jew.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Matthew 22:37-39)
“Heaven and the afterlife were beyond human capacity to understand, and one should therefore concentrate instead on doing the right thing in this life." ― Confucius
“Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
(Matthew 7:13)
"When all's said and done, all roads lead to the same end. So it's not so much which road you take, as how you take it." ― Charles de Lint
They will throw them into the blazing furnace,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matthew 13:42)
... where the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.
(Mark 9:48)
… the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.
There will be no rest day or night …
(Revelation 14:11)
“Go to Heaven for the climate, hell is for the company.” ―Mark Twain
“An intelligent hell would be better than a stupid paradise.” ― Victor Hugo
“Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.” ―John Milton
How long will you people turn God's glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions?
(Psalm 4:2)
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud.” (Psalm 40:4)
For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God (Genesis 3:1-7), while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man (2 Corinthians 5:21). Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be (on The Cross of Christ). ― John Stott
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19)
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
“As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10; 3:23) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23)
For too many years, I was impressed by 'intelligence' and easily influenced by 'rational thought' or 'enlightenment' of man. Then my eyes were opened, and my ignorance was healed.
I seek only the divine wisdom of God.
Back to that hospital room...
The following day, a hospital employee entered the room,
“I have the heart of Jesus, and I come here in love …”
Even I was surprised as she blessed us. Without taking a vital sign or drop of blood, she left the room.
God's will be done!
♡ The gift of life in Christ is available to everyone, & is to be enjoyed now ♡
Jesus is calling each of us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
I urge you to pray Billy Graham's prayer of salvation in the blue footer
& invite you to explore the resources page on my website to assist your quest for truth.
"... everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)
Then, God will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you...
(Ezekiel 36:26)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
(Isaiah 55:8-9)
“The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.” (Revelation 3:5)
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."
(Luke 16:19-31)
"For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."
(Matthew 13:15; Isaiah 6:10)
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