Don’t Waste Your One Chance at Heaven
By Rick Warren
“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NKJV)
A few days ago, we talked about four eternal realities that I want you to understand so that you appreciate why you need to choose heaven. But there’s one more eternal reality you need to know: There is no second chance after you die.
You get to choose where you’re going to spend eternity. But you have to choose now while you’re alive, not after you’re dead. There is no going back! God gives you an entire lifetime to make the right decision. If you keep putting it off, then there will be no second chance to get it right once you have died.
When Jesus was dying on the cross, there was a man next to him who had been a criminal his entire life. In his last seconds, the man surrendered his life to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42 NKJV). All he knew about salvation was that Jesus could save him. He didn’t know all the doctrines or theology. He didn’t know all the “right” words. He just said “yes” to Jesus.
Because of his faith, Jesus says to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NIV).
To get into heaven, all it takes on your part is saying “yes” to Jesus Christ. That’s it! The promise is that you are then guaranteed to be with God instantly when you die and to spend eternity in the joy of his presence.
But you have only one life and one chance to make that choice to follow Jesus. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (NKJV).
God has done everything to make sure you get into heaven. Now you have to do your part to ensure you partake of his promise.
You’ve got one chance to make a choice for eternity. Don’t waste it!
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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