Last night I was reading all of the Judgement Day posts and I got to thinking about heaven and hell and watched the video of Bill Wiese - 23 Minutes In Hell. I also watched some other videos of people going to heaven and things, but some of the things Bill Wiese said really hit home and I wanted to share. If you want to watch his video again for a recap here's the linky:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv8pLUMDVRc
I typed up some things Bill Wiese said, and they really hit me hard. If you watch the video, you'll hear what I typed up. If you don't want to see the video that's ok - this is what I wanted to share:
Some say God is unloving for not allowing a good person into heaven. However, would I be justified in saying you were unloving for not allowing me to move into your house? No, unloving has nothing to do with it. You don’t know me. It’s the same with God; we must have a relationship with Him in order to live in His house. Say you went and knocked on the door of the most expensive house in the country. And you knocked on the door and you said, “Um, excuse me?! I’m moving in with you because I’m a good person.” What do you think the people would say? “No,” right? And you wouldn’t expect them too, because you have no relationship with them. The same way; you go through your whole life, you have nothing to do with God, you deny that Jesus is the son of God, then at the end of your life you come and knock on His door and you say, “Uh, excuse me, I’m moving in with you!! I’m a good person!!” It’s not based on being good, it’s based on a relationship. You have to know Him. And He offered himself to be your father but you rejected Him over and over again. He’s your creator but He’s not your father. Galations 3:26, Romans 9:7-8, John 1:12, John 8:44; all explain that, that He’s your creator but not your father until you invite in Jesus into your heart, then He becomes your father. So who’s the arrogant one, expecting to live at a house where you don’t even know the person? You have no right.
Say you invited me over to dinner and you said, “I want you to go South on highway 95, turn right at Main street, go up the hill, you’ll come to my house. That’s the only way to get to my house.” And I say to you, “You know what? I think I’m gonna go North on 95, I’m gonna get off at Beach Boulevard, because I think all roads lead to your house. That’s what I think. Alright?” You say, “I’m trying to give you clear directions to my house.” Well I think God knows where He lives, right? He’s given us clear directions, all we have to do is follow His directions and we’ll get there. If we don’t, we send ourselves to hell. That’s not narrow-mindedness, that’s specific. God is specific with His directions.
If there’s a God, how come there’s so much evil in the world? Well if there isn’t a God, how come there’s so much good in the world? Where’s all this good come from?
If there is a heaven, then are we simply entitled to go to this perfect place? Are we really good enough if our actions, thoughts, and even if our motives are examined?
After watching the video and hearing those things, I was just in awe. PRAISE GOD I don't have to go to hell, that He took care of my flaws and mistakes and sins and I don't have to. I just want to cry out with gratitude and thankfulness and hug Him!! For Him to be so unbelievably unselfish, loving, and merciful, and to think of ME when He came down, died on the cross, and rose again - it just fills my heart with so much thankfulness!! And He did it for EVERYONE!! Not just Christians, but even those that choose to turn from Him after all He's offered. I can't imagine turning from God and NOT running back into His patient and loving arms!! Praise God!!