Friday, August 4, 2017
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If you've ever checked your suitcase when you're about to take a trip by airplane, you know what they do with our luggage. No, not lose it. Not usually. The ticket agent determines what your final destination will be, he prints out an adhesive sticker with that destination on it, and he puts it around your suitcase handle. And then you settle back in your seat, knowing that bag will meet you at the other end of the trip. With the millions of bags the airlines handle daily, it's amazing that most do go straight to the right destination. Now there are some exceptions. Like the one I checked in Idaho. Oh, I checked it through to my final destination-Newark, New Jersey. To this day it's still floating somewhere out there in the Baggage Twilight Zone. Like I said, most of the time they get it to your final destination.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Checked Through To Your Final Destination".
If you belong to Jesus Christ, God has placed a final destination sticker on you. It says "Heaven". And I am happy to report to you that, unlike human delivery systems, God's batting a thousand on getting His there. He is perfect in delivering what is in His care to the final destination he promised. He never lost one that was entrusted to Him.
Our word for today from the Word of God starts with John 10:27 - in a sense, it's kind of your personal life insurance policy…for eternal life, that is. "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand."
Jesus says, "I know the ones who are Mine, and I've put My final destination sticker on them. It says 'Eternal Life'. No one is going to get them away from Me. I won't stop until I've delivered them safely home." Isn't that awesome? Your getting to heaven is not up to you. That's what the Bible means when it says it is "not by works" but that it is "by grace you have been saved through faith." (Ephesians 2:8, 9)
Now it may be that you have often questioned whether or not you really belong to Jesus-whether or not your final destination is going to be heaven…whether it really is settled. Those recurring doubts could be for one of two reasons. One is that you really don't belong to Jesus yet. He's in your head but He's not in your heart. Even though you have a lot of Christianity, maybe you've missed Christ! You know He died on the cross to pay the death penalty for the sinning you've done- you know that you need Him as your personal Savior.
But somehow you've missed that actual moment of commitment, that transaction, when you stand at Jesus' cross and say, "For me, Jesus. What you did here is for me. Right now I'm giving me to You."
If you asked me if I was married all these years it would be an easy question to answer. Yeah, there was a time I made a conscious commitment of my life to Karen. If you have committed yourself to Jesus, you should know you have. If you don't know you have, you probably haven't. And it's important you get it settled today because this is eternity. Do it before your heart turns harder. Don't risk another day without Jesus.
The other reason you may not be sure of your final destination is that you've fallen for the devil's big lie. He knows that, based on your trust in Jesus Christ, God has put His "Heaven" sticker on you. Satan's lost you-so he's now reduced to making you wonder if you're really going to heaven. Your enemy wants you to spend your whole life wondering if you belong to Jesus instead of living like you do! Don't fall for it any longer!
If you're not sure there's been a time when you've begun your relationship with Jesus, make sure today-once and for all. You can wonder if God has ever marked you for heaven before today, but at least you'll know He did it today if He's never done it before.
I'd love to Invite you to our website where an awful lot of people have confirmed the beginning of their relationship with Jesus. That's why it's there. So go to ANewStory.com.
Then, enjoy the trip each new day. Let your life be a living "Thank You" card to Jesus, joyfully obeying Him. You are in the hands of the One who has never lost one that is truly committed to Him-and He will deliver you safely to your destination in heaven. After all, He paid your fare with His life!