CONSIDER THIS: AUTHENTIC

 AUTHENTIC….”But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart….1 Samuel 16:7

CONSIDER THIS: Shakespeare once said “be true to thyself and thou shall not be false to any man”. One of the definition of the word “authentic” is being “accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy…and genuine”, according to most dictionaries.  The world can spot a fake Christian over a period of time, after observing the speech and actions of that person. God sees our actions, intentions and our spiritual heart, which is who we really are.

If we say we are a Christian, we are saying we are a reflection of Christ. Would both God and those around you agree with that?  One more time, let us be resolved to not just be authentic in our inward faith, but in a life full of integrity before both man and God.  It is only a heart full of no double-mindedness and no twisting things into pretzels to make them fit a template, that can truly move forward in Christ, in a new year and at any point in our brief time here on earth.

ACTION: The Apostle Paul himself exhorted us to examine ourselves daily to see if we “be in the faith”. Paul did not say this because we need to get “saved again” (which is impossible). All of this self-examination is so necessary moving forward. Therefore, let’s take the following few steps:

• Pray the Lord reveal any hidden sin in you…from even way back in your childhood, of which there has been no repentance or closure. Trust me – there are many which were hidden and which God Himself will bring to mind, if you ask and He allows since ALL sins were forgiven at the point of conversion. When He brings them to mind. Repent of them and it is so simple – they will be gone! This is important. Our sins are forgiven when we get saved, but there are things in our hidden past which must be resolved before God and, I know from experience, He will wipe the entire slate clean. Hold nothing back. He knows, so be authentic.
• Pray the Holy Spirit takes absolute control in both your prayer and devotional life as well as your daily life, where you live and work and eat and drive etc. If you do this, He will guide you into a new plane of Spiritual maturity and power of which you never would.

THE LAST WORDS OF SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE

We must all travel the road of all mankind, back to the God Who created us. At the moment of death...and in some cases, way before that final moment, all of us will know our final destination. We will be sure of one thing - it is either one of two places: Heaven and fellowship forever in the Amazing Presence of God or Hell - eternal separation and torment in the lake of fire.

There is no mulligan; no do-over; no holding cell; no "Get out of Jail Free" card and no such thing as Purgatory! The Word of God says that it is appointed ONCE for man to die - and then the Judgment. In the twinkling of an eye, in a flash of light, in the draw of one breath we are immediately transported into eternity.

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. I can vouch for that truth. Without going into detail, the Lord has shown me things which would scare the average person about someone else's destiny. My prayer is those persons will seek forgiveness and salvation through repentance  before it is too late for them. As an evangelist and minister...whether it is street ministry or monthly ministry at three different retirement homes or witnessing to scores and scores of adults and children at the state fair....the lost sad eyes of so many would break your heart. It should also make us more intentional to reach as many with the Gospel of Christ before it is too late.

If you speak to chaplains and nurses who work in hospices, the reality of the finality is devastating.  Not many are dying with the Peace of God, through Christ,before they depart this life. All kinds of screaming from those still alive including yells about "feet being on fire" and on and on. This is something we can do our best to change. God can change the hearts of even the harshest unbeliever and sinner to Him, before it is too late. All we have to do is let Him. If those with little time left would just allow Him tochange some of these terrifying stories from the hospices from "my feet are on fire" to "I feel so much at peace", what an amazing testimony that would be! Wouldn't THOSE final words be more desirable? What does it profit the rebellious to go away to eternal punishment just to prove a point? What point? Huh?!

We will all have final words -whether it is on our actual death bed or the night before we wake up in eternity. Have you ever thought what YOUR final words would be? Just recently, the vicious Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez died of cancer at the young age of 57. He thought he was immortal and was full of bravado because he had temporary military power. Yet, his final words were "I don't want to die"...knowing for the first time, where he was heading.

Therefore, I present here, some final words of some famous people. The well known unbelievers were shocking to learn of, in my research. But then, you see the final words of the Redeemed - those saved by Christ, and it grants us peace and hope!

A. THE FINAL WORDS OF NON-CHRISTIANS:

Winston Churchill: “There is no hope, all is lost....I'm bored with it all"

Victor Hugo (author): “I see black light!”

Karl Marx (founder of Communism): “Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough!”

Ludwig Van Beethoven (composer): “Too bad, too bad, it is too late!!”

Anne Boleyn (whom King Henry VIII married after divorcing his first wife): “O God, have pity on my soul, O God, have pity on my soul.”

Cardinal Borgia (later to become the corrupt Pope Alexander VI): “I have provided in the course of my life for everything except death, and now, alas, I am to die unprepared!”

W.C. Fields (comedian/actor): “I am looking for a loophole.”

Joan Crawford (famous actress who heard her maid praying out loud for her): Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me.

King Henry VIII ("founder" of the Church of England): All is lost. Monks, monks, monks!

B. THE FINAL WORDS OF CHRISTIANS:

D.L. Moody (great American Evangelist): “I see earth receding; heaven is opening. God is calling me!”

William Shakespeare (the Bard of Avon): I commend my soul into the Hands of God, my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing, through the merits of Jesus Christ my Savior, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth, whereof it was made.”

Daniel Webster (great American statesman and senator 1800’s): “Thank God, the gospel of Jesus Christ brought life and immortality to light…I still live.”

David Livingstone (great British Missionary): “Build me a hut to die in, I am going home.”

Charles Dickens (British author): “I commit my soul to the mercy of God, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I exhort my dear children humbly to try and guide themselves by the teaching of the New Testament.”

Andrew Jackson (U.S. President known as ‘Old Hickory’): “My dear children do not grieve for me…. I am my God’s. I belong to Him. I go but a short time before you, and …I hope and trust to meet you all in heaven.”

Isaac Watts (hymn-writer, hymns like ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘O God Our Help in Ages Past’): It is a great mercy that I have no manner of fear or dread of death. I could, if God please, lay my head back and die without terror this afternoon!” 

SAUL OF TARSUS (LATER, THE APOSTLE PAUL):  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith....(2 Timothy 4:7 ESV)

THE GREATEST LAST WORDS OF ALL TIME: “IT IS FINISHED” Jesus.

(Graphic Credit: Risen Savior Church and School, Arizona)