Monday, February 22, 2016

Can A Person Go To Heaven If They Commit Suicide?

As a pastor I get asked this question fairly frequently. There are differing viewpoints and uncertainty abounds as to exactly what specific religious groups believe.  
 
Before answering this question in it's entirety when someone commits suicide PLEASE:
 
Do not pass judgment. The family members are not looking for a treatise on what you believe theologically. Simply, give them a hug. Be a presence of compassion and mercy. Do this above all else when tragedy happens.
 
The question still remains: can someone go to heaven if they commit suicide?
 
The answer: Yes!
 
On the contrary, some believe that certain sins are so grievous that they cannot be forgiven. Suicide is seen as not only selfish, but the person who commits suicide has the inability to repent because they have taken their own life.  It is argued that even Jesus shares that their is a sin that cannot be forgiven (Matthew 12:30-32).
 
To answer this question one must fully look closer at the context of Matthew 12. Jesus, God incarnate, had come to earth and the religious leaders of that day credited his miracles from coming from Satan. Jesus is stating to them that they can be no further from the truth than in seeing God himself and crediting the works of God to Satan. The unforgivable sin that Jesus is talking about is one of blatant rejection from the religious leaders in seeing Jesus firsthand. The unforgiveable sin is ONLY relegated to the religious leaders of that day and era.
 
Is any sin too grievous to be forgiven today? The answer is NO! God's Word is explicit that those in Jesus have their sins forgiven both in the past, present, and FUTURE! There's nothing we can do once a child of God to lose the forgiveness of sins. Here are some Scriptures that point to this:
 
Psalm 103:12 "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Our sins can never be reattached to us once they are covered in the blood of Jesus!
 
Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Once you are in Christ you will never have to worry about condemnation or separation from Christ!
 
John 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand."
Once saved we are permanently God's!
 
The issue for people, regardless of committing suicide or not, is did they accept Jesus as Savior before they died? That is the ultimate question.
 
There are many different reasons people commit suicide. Some have physiological and psychological issues that impair their judgment. Others are in severe pain. Still others have unthinkable decisions to make like burning to death or ending their life quickly by jumping from the Twin Towers on 9/11 for example. 
 
My point is that instead of passing judgment on people for the reasons they commit suicide allow God, the perfect Judge, to sort all of that out!
 
Our job is to be ministers of light to hurting people and to preach truth and hope to those who are alive. It always comes back to whether or not people know Jesus before they die. Do you know Jesus?
 
 

Monday, February 15, 2016

WHY do BAD things happen to GOOD people?

When people ask this question it is generally personalized. They want to know why they are suffering, even when they do the right thing. How could something so terrible and painful happen to me?
 
Evil in our world exists. What is alarming is not that it exists, but to the extent that it does. There is widespread suffering in our world. How could a good and loving God exist with so much pain in the world?
 
The following is a rational approach to explain why bad things happen to good people. Remember, when something tragic happens the last thing to do is to read your friend this post. No one needs a verbal justification for what just happened all they need is a shoulder to cry on.
 
1. God did not create suffering......it is a direct result of the curse!
 
God made all of creation and He said that it was good (Genesis 1:31). When Adam and Eve willingly disobeyed God sin entered the world. With sin there is pain, suffering, and death (Genesis 3:14-20). God is not the originator of suffering....humans are!
 
2. God gave mankind the freedom to choose!
 
God does not coerce anyone. He gave us the gift to freely choose. He did this so that we would on our own volition decide to love Him. While we can freely choose to follow God we can also freely choose to disobey Him.
 
3. Suffering helps us realize our need for God!
 
When we are in pain it is instinctive to search for the meaning of that suffering. When we are at our darkest that is when the light of God penetrates the brightest. The consequences of sin help us to realize our need for God.
 
4. For the Christian our suffering is temporary as we look towards eternity!
 
Suffering gives us hope and an anticipation of what the future will hold. The world is groaning under the weight of sin and is seeking to be redeemed (Romans 8:22). We realize that everything God puts in our path is ultimately for our good (Romans 8:28). Christians also understand that the Bible mentions that our suffering is light and temporary compared with the reward of spending eternity with Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:17).
 
It is inevitable that bad things will happen to you, but God will use even the darkest of moments for good. We might not fully understand, but one day we will see the complete picture on the other side of eternity! 
 

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

How to Develop Intimacy as a Married Couple!

I am not an expert. No one will every confuse me with Dr. Love. I've only been married for a little over two years BUT I can honestly say that I LOVE MY WIFE MORE TODAY THAN I DID YESTERDAY!
 
It takes years of intentional living to develop intimacy with your spouse. It's smart to start with the end goal in mind (which in this case is to have a healthy and God glorifying marriage). Therefore, my wife and I have made concrete and definitive steps to grow in our relationship with each other.
 
 

Here's a list of some things that will help you grow closer to your spouse:

 
1. You can never say "I love you" enough!
 
2. Follow hard after Jesus. Two people running after Jesus will naturally come closer to each other.
 
3. Learn to forgive. Don't take everything personally. Your spouse is not your enemy. Satan is your enemy who is trying to drive a wedge between you and your spouse.
 
3. Develop enjoyment in doing things your spouse loves. While you might not have the same passion for their hobbies or interests enjoy supporting and doing what your spouse loves. What's important is that you are doing this together!
 
4. Spend time being (physically) close to each other. Holding hands, snuggling up during a movie, or a gentle caress signifies that you desire to be with and care for your spouse.
 
5. Do not let your children come between you. Children are demanding and life can easily start to revolve around them. Your spouse is always your higher priority.
 
6. Date your spouse. Continue to learn and ask questions about their past experiences. Always search for what makes them tick.
 
7. Learn to straight talk. Have in-depth conversations to make sure there is a clear understanding concerning perception differences.
 
8. Pray together. Two people that pray together will become supernaturally glued together. My wife and I pray before falling asleep every night.
 
9. Give your spouse appropriate space. Don't smother each other. The times together will be richer and you'll be more appreciative of your spouse when there is space for them to develop independently too.
 
10. Learn this phrase........"No one compares to my (insert spouse's name)". Whenever I am prone to doubt my relationship with my wife I simply state that no one compares to my Kimmy. She's God's best for me and that's more than enough.
 
No one compares to my Kimmy!