"Our Choice"

 "And in this place again, If they shall enter my rest." (Hebrews 4:5 KJV) 

  ""I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in the God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."" (John 5:24 NLT)

 As I was listening to Pastor J. Vernon the other day, he was sharing about something that I had never really heard before, which was that the LORD took Ananias and Sapphira, not into hell, but into the Kingdom. I had never really thought about that, because I always thought that they were killed because they lied to the Holy Spirit, causing them to be condemned.  

 Let's think about this, for just a moment. If we have believed and have been given eternal life, that does not mean that we still don't mess up and do things that are wrong or that could cause the LORD to take us home; if the LORD wants to save us from ourselves, He will do whatever it takes; especially if there is a witness to come from it. As there was with Ananias and Sapphira, having caused great fear to grip the entire church! 

 I thought about several people that have passed, some of which were well known and really loved the Lord; yet they were taken from this earth, almost in an instant. We have no idea why God takes some people, but He knows everything about us, even the things we do not know ourselves! 

 There are two different "rests" that are being presented within these passages; one is the rest that is gained, while the other is the rest that is granted; both of which are our choice, based upon how we will live for the Lord! But there is one thing for sure, there is none of us that are perfect, but we that have believed in Christ and the work of the cross, we are all justified! 

 There was something else I recall Pastor J. Vernon once said: The son that took his inheritance and squandered it, ending up in a pigpen, his real address never changed! He was always going to be his Father's son...

"As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one." "Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies." "Snake venom drips from their lips." "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." "They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them. They don't know where to find peace." "They have no fear of God at all." Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." (Romans 3:10-20 NLT)