BEFORE YOU LEAVE EARTH: THE PROSPECTUS YOU CANNOT IGNORE PART 5: BEFORE YOU LEAVE EARTH — MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY

BEFORE YOU LEAVE EARTH: THE PROSPECTUS YOU CANNOT IGNORE 

PART 5: BEFORE YOU LEAVE EARTH — MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY

HEBREWS 9:27 (NLT)

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.”

 

THE FINAL LAP

Every journey has a final destination. Every race has a finish line. Every school programme eventually comes to an end. And every earthly life has an appointed end. That is why this series is called: 

BEFORE YOU LEAVE EARTH: THE PROSPECTUS YOU CANNOT IGNORE.

We have spent the last four parts examining the prospectus God has given us for life and eternity.

 Now we have reached the final lap. And the final question is not complicated.

It is personal.

It is urgent.

It is eternal.

Are You Ready?

PART 1: THE REVELATION BEHIND THE PROSPECTUS

We discovered that life does not end at the grave. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that after death comes judgment. Therefore, there is more to life than what we see on earth.

EARTH IS NOT THE END.

PART 2: WHO WROTE THE PROSPECTUS?

We discovered that the Bible is not merely human advice.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us:

“All Scripture is inspired by God.”

God is the Author. Therefore, His instructions carry divine authority.

PART 3: WHAT DOES THE PROSPECTUS REQUIRE?

We learned that God's Word calls us to:

FAITH.

REPENTANCE.

OBEDIENCE.

HOLINESS.

PERSEVERANCE.

The Bible is not simply something to read.

IT IS SOMETHING TO LIVE.

PART 4: THOSE WHO IGNORE THE PROSPECTUS

We discovered that Jesus spoke about two roads:

THE BROAD ROAD.

THE NARROW ROAD.

The broad road leads to destruction.

The narrow road leads to life.

And we learned that the crowd does not determine the correct road.

JESUS DOES.

NOW THE QUESTION COMES TO YOU

After everything we have learned, there is nowhere else to hide.

The question is no longer:

“What does the Bible say?”

We know. The question is:

“What Will I Do With What The Bible Says?”

You can read the prospectus.

You can understand the prospectus.

You can discuss the prospectus.

You can even teach the prospectus.

But if you never act on it, you have missed its purpose.

A PROSPECTUS IS PREPARATION FOR WHAT COMES NEXT

When a student receives a school prospectus, it prepares that student for school life.

The student learns:

What Is Expected.

what Is Allowed.

What Is Forbidden.

what Must Be Done.

What Happens Next.

God has also given us His Word to prepare us. But this time, the destination is not another classroom. 

The Destination Is Eternity.

YOU HAVE AN ETERNAL APPOINTMENT

Hebrews 9:27 gives us three realities:

Death.

Judgment.

Eternity.

Death is an appointment we cannot cancel.

Judgment is an appointment we cannot avoid.

And eternity is a destination that will never end.

This is why Jesus came.

He came because humanity has a sin problem that good intentions cannot solve.

He came because we need salvation.

He came to reconcile us to God.

He came to give us life.

JESUS IS THE CENTRE OF THE PROSPECTUS

The Christian faith is not ultimately about following a list of religious rules. It is about knowing and following Jesus Christ.

Jesus said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6

Notice what Jesus did not say.

He did not say:

“I am one of many ways.”

He said:

“I am the way.”

That means our eternal hope cannot be built on:

Good Works.

Church Membership.

Religious Titles.

Family Background.

Money.

Popularity.

Morality Alone.

Our hope must be in Jesus Christ.

THE MOST DANGEROUS WORD MAY BE “LATER”

There is a small word that has destroyed many good intentions:

LATER.

“I will repent later.”

“I will pray later.”

“I will take God seriously later.”

“I will surrender my life to Christ later.”

“I will stop this sin later.”

But the problem with “later” is that later is not promised.

Tomorrow belongs to God.

Today is what you have.

That is why the Bible says:

“Today is the day of salvation.” — 2 Corinthians 6:2

 

DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE FINAL DAY TO PREPARE

Imagine a student who waits until the morning of the final examination before opening the prospectus for the first time.

The student suddenly discovers:

“I was supposed to prepare for this.”

But the examination has already arrived.

There is no time left.

Life can be like that.

Some people are busy preparing for:

Retirement.

Marriage.

Children.

Business.

Career.

Building A House.

Buying A Car.

Travelling.

Financial Security.

All these things have their place.

But there is one preparation that must never be neglected:

Preparation For Eternity.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE READY?

Being ready begins with Jesus Christ.

It means recognizing that you are a sinner in need of God's grace.

It means turning away from sin.

It means putting your faith in Jesus Christ.

It means surrendering your life to Him.

It means allowing His Word to shape your life.

It means continuing to follow Him until the end.

Readiness is not perfection.

Readiness is surrender.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN YOURSELF BEFORE COMING TO JESUS

Some people say:

“When I change, then I will come to Christ.”

But that is like saying:

“When I become healthy, then I will go to the doctor.”

You go to the doctor because you need help.

Likewise, we come to Jesus because we need a Saviour. Jesus does not invite perfect people. HE INVITES SINNERS TO REPENT AND RECEIVE GRACE.

The woman caught in adultery in John 8 experienced this beautifully.

Jesus did not approve of her sin. But He also did not condemn her to remain in it. He gave her grace and called her into a changed life.

Grace Does Not Give Us Permission To Remain The Same.

Grace Gives Us The Opportunity To Become New.

THE PROSPECTUS HAS BROUGHT YOU TO A DECISION

Think about where we started. A prospectus tells you what lies ahead.

God's Word has told us:

Where We Came From.

How We Should Live.

Who Jesus Is.

What Sin Does.

What Salvation Offers.

What Happens After Death.

AND THAT JUDGMENT IS COMING.

So now there is only one question left:

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

You can ignore it.

You can postpone it.

Or you can respond.

YOUR FINAL EXAMINATION BEGINS WITH YOUR DECISION TODAY

One day, your earthly chapter will close.

Your house will remain.

Your clothes will remain.

Your bank account will remain.

Your position will remain.

Your achievements will remain.

But you will leave. And when you leave earth, you will not carry your possessions with you. You will face eternity.

Therefore, don't spend your entire life preparing for things you cannot take with you while neglecting the eternity you cannot escape. Prepare For Eternity.

THE FINAL LAP IS NOT ABOUT RUNNING FASTER — IT IS ABOUT FINISHING FAITHFULLY

You may have made mistakes.

You may have wasted years.

You may have wandered away from God.

You may have fallen many times.

But if you are still alive, the story is not over.

Come back.

Repent.

Believe.

Surrender.

Return to Christ.

The goal is not to pretend that you have never fallen. The goal is to finish with your faith in Jesus.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”

May that become our testimony.

PRACTICAL LESSONS

1. DON'T LIVE AS IF EARTH IS YOUR FINAL HOME.

You are passing through. Live with eternity in view.

2. DON'T DELAY YOUR RESPONSE TO GOD.

If God is speaking to you today, respond today.

3. DON'T TRUST RELIGION MORE THAN CHRIST.

Being religious is not the same as being reconciled to God. Put your trust in Jesus.

4. DON'T IGNORE THE PROSPECTUS.

Read God's Word.

Believe God's Word.

Obey God's Word.

Allow God's Word to shape your life.

5. FINISH WELL.

Don't only start the Christian journey. Finish Faithfully.

THE FINAL TAKEAWAY

Before you leave Earth, make sure you are ready for Eternity.

You don't know the day.

You don't know the hour.

You don't know how much time remains.

But you do know this:

LIFE IS TEMPORARY.

DEATH IS CERTAIN.

JUDGMENT IS REAL.

ETERNITY IS FOREVER.

And above all:

JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER.

So don't merely carry the prospectus.

Live by it.

Don't merely know about Jesus.

Know Jesus.

Don't merely plan to surrender.

Surrender Today.

A FINAL WORD TO YOU

My dear reader, 

Perhaps you have followed this entire series.

Perhaps you have realized that some areas of your life are not aligned with God's Word.

Perhaps God has been speaking to you about something you have been postponing.

Don't ignore that voice.

Don't harden your heart.

You may not have tomorrow.

But you have today.

And today, you can say:

“Lord Jesus, I surrender.”

That simple surrender can mark the beginning of a completely different journey.

YOUR FINAL CALL TO ACTION

Before you close this devotional, take a moment and ask yourself these questions:

Am I truly following Jesus?

Have I genuinely repented of my sins?

Am I living according to God's Word?

If my earthly journey ended today, would I be ready to meet God?

Don't answer these questions for somebody else. Answer them for yourself.

And if your answer reveals that you are not ready, don't despair. Come to Jesus.

His grace is still available.

His invitation is still open.

And as long as you have breath, you have an opportunity to respond to God.

PRAYER

1. Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I need You. Forgive my sins and save me by Your grace.

2. Lord, help me to surrender every area of my life to You and stop living according to my own ways.

3. Lord, give me the grace to obey Your Word and remain on the narrow road that leads to life.

4. Lord, help me not to waste the time You have given me. Teach me to live every day with eternity in view.

5. Lord Jesus, when my earthly journey comes to an end, let me be found faithful, ready, and secure in You. Help me to finish well.

AMEN.

SERIES CONCLUSION

BEFORE YOU LEAVE EARTH

The prospectus has been revealed.

The Author has been identified.

The requirements have been explained.

The consequences have been revealed.

And now the decision is yours.

READ THE PROSPECTUS.

BELIEVE THE PROSPECTUS.

FOLLOW THE PROSPECTUS.

PREPARE FOR ETERNITY.

Because one day, you will leave earth.

And when that day comes, may it be said of you: “I was ready.”

God Is Speaking. Are You Listening?

Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson 

(EL-PJ God's Penman)