You can't get There from Here

Where do you think you are going (or yer goin' for us rednecks at heart).?  Honest question that can be asked of most of us.  And many times the answer is.. "you can't get there from here."

This is true on many a road trip where I was lost, or took what I thought was short cut.  This is true for many a college graduate looking for a high paying job in Corporate America with a Masters degree in 'Cartoon Art History' with a minor in 'Bagpiping'. Or being mountain climber aspiring to climb Mt. Everest, but afraid to leave your home state of Nebraska.  Or taking a road trip from California to Hawaii. In all these cases and more.. the answer is .. you can't get there from here.

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While these may be absurd and hopefully amusing examples, there is a more alarming examples in today's culture.  I observe a concerning trend in church as a Sunday social club where we go to be fed/entertained every week but never go deep, but do not devote my life to God except to be a pretty good person. Will being a pretty good person get me to Heaven, or does God expect more of me?  Where do I think I am going? Heaven?  This is not a pointing my finger at anyone else before I point it at myself.  Is my life foremost about ME, or is it about my God?  Honestly, what is my answer? 

The following are a few scripture passages, that are convicting and give clarity to this question?  Where do I think I am going?

I Never Knew You
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Mt 7:21-23

What good is it to love those who love you?
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Lk 6:32-36

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So based on the road I have chosen for my life.. am I going to Heaven or not?  How about you?  It matters eternally what we believe so choose the God of our Bibles.  There is no other God.

But many are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or simply believe in a 'higher power' and so we all believe basically the same thing, right?

I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, Is 45:5

Now you may argue with me that I am wrong, but this is what I believe. So the answer for me to the statement we all believe in basically the same thing is.. If you want to get to Heaven..  You can't get there from here.

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So take these words for what it is worth.  I am sure I am preaching to the choir for the most part, but even us in the choir need to daily turn to God, serve Him first and foremost in our lives.. go beyond being a good person.   And for those not in the choir, I respect where you are at, but prayerfully take to heart the issue of Eternity.  It matters what you believe and where you place your faith.  Placing your faith in Jesus, and pursuing God first in your life, then with regards to eternity, and Heaven.. You CAN get there from here.

May God bless and use us all with our lives for his glory.  Amen.

​Jeff (a little bit lost sometimes) Larson

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important note: The alternative to not getting to Heaven from here.. is Hell. It is our choice alone. Heaven is the free gift from God to those who place their hope and lives in Him. Hell is the awful other choice we all are allowed to make.  There is no home (eternal existence) in between for being simply a good person.

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