Where will

YOU be

when your

journey ends ?

That’s a sobering question, one many would rather not think about. But not thinking about it won’t make it go away. Would you take just a moment to consider what God’s Word says about how you can know where you will be when your journey ends?

1. God tells us we can know that Heaven is our destination.

The Bible was written for a purpose. It is God’s record about how men and women can spend their eternal existence with Him. God wants you to know where your journey will end, and He has given the Bible to point the way.

1 John 5:13 “These things I have written to you . . . that you may know that you have eternal life.”

According to many Scriptures, eternal life will ultimately end in the presence of God in heaven (see Luke 23:43; John 14:2-3)

2. God tells us that the Way is “through Jesus Christ.”

In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The eternal life which ends in heaven is accessed through Jesus Christ (see also John 17:3).

“Well, that’s just too narrow for me! I think that whatever one believes as long as he is sincere is good enough for a loving God. Wouldn’t a loving God welcome everyone?”

· The problem lies with the nature of humanity, not the nature of God. God is infinitely loving, but man is exceedingly sinful. He has committed innumerable offenses against God’s law. Every violation of God’s commands (see Exodus 20 for a list of the Ten Commandments) is an insult to His holiness and further evidence of the corrupt nature that we all possess.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 “There is not a just man on earth that does good and does not sin.”

If it were true that you had kept every one of God’s laws and yet broke just one, you would still fall short of 100% holiness and be unwelcome in a perfect heaven (see James 2:10; Romans 3:23). You only have to break one law on earth to be criminal and only one law of heaven to be a sinner. And in God’s law court, not a single sinner will slip through on some kind of technicality.

· The other reason that God insists on only one way to heaven is due to what it cost His Son. Knowing that there was no other way to help men and women escape the horrible consequences of their sin, God sent His Son Jesus to purchase their freedom by suffering a cruel death on a cross.

Romans 4:25 “[Jesus Christ] was delivered up because of our offenses...”

He died on our behalf because we have all offended God by our sin (see also 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8)

· If there were any other way to obtain eternal life, God would be unjust for having made His Son go through with the cross. If there were any other way, then a loving God would have chosen it rather than watch the death of His own Son. There must have been only one way, and God chose the only way that would work. That is why Jesus rightly claims, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man (person) comes to the Father (God) except through Me” (John 14:6; see also Acts 4:12)

A man traveling through a foreign country discovered that his destination lay at the end of a rugged mountain trail. The journey was dangerous, and he would need a qualified guide to make it safely.

One guide offered to make the journey with the man. Before hiring him, the traveler asked, “Have you ever been to the village to which I am going?”

The guide answered, “No, but I have been halfway, and I have heard many of my friends describe the rest of the way.

“Well,” replied the traveler, “you will not do as a guide.”

The traveler interviewed another guide. Again he asked, “Have you ever been to the village to which I wish to go?”

This guide answered, “No, but I have seen the village from the top of the mountain.”

“You will not do for a guide, either,” the man replied.

A third guide offered his services to the traveler. The traveler asked him the same question he had asked the other two guides.

“Sir,” replied the third guide, “that village is my home.”

You know as well as I that there are many spiritual guides in the present day, but only one lives where you want to be at journey’s end. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3). If you wish to go to heaven at your journey’s end, make sure you come through Jesus Christ.

3. God invites you to take Jesus as your Savior and Guide.

Since heaven is the destination and Jesus is the way, God invites you to settle the matter of your eternal destination today. God says, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). This is God’s invitation to take Jesus now so that you will be safe at your journey’s end.

Taking Jesus involves two steps: “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Repent—Repent means that you turn from self to God (see 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

· You should turn from your sin. Agree with God that your sin separates you from God and invites His punishment (see Isaiah 59:2). Ask Him to forgive you for breaking His laws.

· You should turn from self-trust. Give up trying to make it to heaven under your own power. To take Jesus as your Savior, you must agree that you cannot save (rescue) yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9).

· You should turn to God and tell Him you can’t make your destination without Him. Tell Him you want Jesus to safely guide you to heaven.

Believe—Believe means to put your full trust on Jesus alone to take you to heaven.

· You should believe that Jesus died in your place on the cross.

· You should believe that Jesus can forgive your sin.

· You should believe that Jesus will take you at the moment you take Him, for the Bible teaches, “But as many as receive Him [Jesus] to them gave He power to become children of God even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12)

Isn’t it time you accept God’s invitation to heaven by taking the hand of Jesus?

A little boy stood outside Buckingham Palace some years ago desiring desperately to see the king. He was so dirty and disheveled in appearance after a morning at the park that he was rebuffed and refused entrance several times by the soldiers guarding the palace gates. Dejected, he whimpered around the front of the palace. After some time, a finely dressed young man approached and asked the boy why he was crying. The boy said he only wanted to see the king but he was not allowed to enter. And with that the young man took his hand and led the boy straight past the guards and right into the palace to see the king.

How did it happen? The young man happened to be the king’s son. The boy could never have seen the king by himself, but by taking the hand of the king’s son, he was allowed immediate entrance.

That’s the only way to know where you will be at your journey’s end. You must take the hand of Jesus. When you do, you can be sure—you will know—He will lead you into the presence of God when you die.

Call out to God right now. He can hear you wherever you are. Tell Him you want to take Jesus right now. Ask Him to forgive your sin and give you the gift of eternal life.

If you have more questions about your final destiny, email us from this website, or give us a call, or visit one of our services soon. Further resources are available, and we would love to help you on your journey.