We spend a great deal of time making sure we have the correct education, the most appropriate clothing, and just the right attitude for a particular job. And after we have obtained that job, we must have all the other accouterments in life—according to that job. For example, you will not see a physician running around in a Ford Pinto, when he/she can easily afford a Mercedes. That being the case, why would someone ever think to live a life without considering your spiritual destination?

Again I am going to say, if this life was for any other reason than eternity, wouldn’t this life be longer in years? Does this make sense to you?

My point is this: We live this life arranging everything to fit how we think this life should be, yet how many people live this life considering there is an eternity? Again, far too many will not consider there is an eternal life, simply because they are not able to SEE eternity.

It bears out, that we are only accepting what we can “sense” with our five senses. Far too many believe that science is the only way to go, but then, there is so much that science is not willing to consider. Thus, our linear existence. It simply shows that we have never been able to detect in ourselves a spirit or (soul if you will).

The scientists investigate the brain and they see the electrical synapses and then they want to know what that is. They soon discover that they are thoughts taking place? Nope, they are simply electrical impulses, working to provide what the physical body needs to survive. If the brain fails everything fails, as does the body—if the heart fails.

The point is, this is only for the physical body, to ensure that the body continues on, yet the body still has an “Expiration Date.” Few people are able to understand that the thoughts are a product of a spirit, that is in our physical bodies. It is sad to think that scientists will only believe something, if they are able to measure it in some manner.

What is so unusual, we utilize our spirit all the time, or do you not understand where our thoughts come from? The Bible essentially calls this the intent of the heart. Even worse, we then refer to these thoughts as originating in our brain. For example; have you ever had a broken arm or whatever, or maybe a small surgical procedure and have been prescribed a pain medication for it?

So there you sit and the pain medication is doing its thing and you are still able to have lucid thoughts? I am not talking about you being able to perform some sort of delicate process, like walking, which would be more like stumbling. I am referring to: thinking. It is quickly obvious that you are able to think, yet the body is not able to function as well. The pain medication applies to your “physical motor functions—your physical body. It does not affect your thinking unless you over-do the medication. This happens all the time with medication, legal or otherwise and with alcohol. Medical truth…my friends. Of course, this is true, IF you do not use the medication as prescribed.

On a lesser scale, how is it that you are able to continue to think when you sprain your ankle or when you have a headache. I believe, if you take the time to think on this for a moment, you will see there is a difference. The spirit is one thing (thinking) and the body (pain) is another; yet the two are combined. Two parts to the same being and still one being.

Being thoughtful of this, means we are able to detect our own spirit, and if we are able to do that, then we should be able to understand that our spirit continues on after our body fails and dies. Taking this one more step, we can understand that there must be an eternity, that our Spirit will enter into.

Here is one more thing to think about. A neurosurgeon can examine a human brain with the patient wide awake. The surgeon stimulates a certain area and the patient states they taste something, or feel something and thereby they are able to “map the functions of the brain.”

Now ask the question, why does this not give rise to thoughts or thinking? That is my exact point, the body is one thing and the spirit is quite another and yet they exist together as long as the body is viable. So now the question is, where does the spirit go when the physical body ceases to function? Is this making sense to you, now?

Ecclesiastes 12:7: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
If this verse above is truth, then why do we not read it and believe it? Again, if we only accept what we can measure, then we lose out on knowing all, isn’t that correct? If we only consider what is physical, then the spiritual will mean nothing, but simply ignoring the truth, does not mean you understand all things. It would then appear that the majority of people across the globe, do not understand the truth that is found in the Word of God or even in this life. One must clearly understand this:

John 4:24: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Again we see there is a difference: spirit verses body. While we are alive (physically speaking) we are not in harmony with our spirit, because our spirit is of God. We seek to measure all things, because we are not able to measure the spirit. Many believe it does not exist, thus God does not exist. Does this make sense to you? We must understand this is how the world, not the born-again views everything. Yet we know this is truth, because we have proven it so.

We who read the Word of God, know that King Solomon told us that, “Everything is vanity under the sun.” If we only look at our physical side, that is very true for us; life does not afford the things that we truly want, like love, joy, happiness, etc. This is because our lives were never meant to acquire physical things, it was and is always meant to find Jesus Christ…who is God and HE is Spirit. The only way that we can find God and worship HIM is through our own spirit, (that area that we think with).

Philippians 4:19-20: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

So now we see that it is God that will provide for us, IF we are willing to follow HIM.

This is the problem with the majority of people, they are not able to distinguish their own spirit and see there is a difference between their spirit and their body. Thus, their thoughts are always about providing for their body, and without Jesus Christ in their lives, their thoughts become calloused toward the things of the Spirit.

If you look closely at them and watch what they do, it becomes everything for the body, the fun and sensational—which we know is short-lived (at best). And then they want to know why they are so “unhappy…so depressed?”

Even in those dark moments, they continue to fail at detecting their own spirit. Thus they fail at understanding the Word of God, because the Word of God speaks of the spirit and that is something they don’t know about. For them, to read the Bible, would be akin to learning a new language.

When we clearly understand that God created us and that we have been given the ability to choose HIM or Satan and his ilk, then we clearly know we have a spirit, and that eternity does exist. We will then work to claim heaven as our final destination. After all, who wants to go to hell and be tortured continually? Funny, we all want the nice things in life, like love, joy and happiness, yet many never go to the exact point of God to obtain it.

They look in all the wrong places first. And then they moan about the emotional pain and dissatisfaction in their lives. They all think they are so sophisticated and intelligent, yet can’t discern their own spirit and find true happiness. Something to think about…right?

We will continue this in my next article. Until then, keep thinking, keep reading your Bible and seeking the Lord.

We have discussed many things in the last few articles, including understanding who Satan and his ilk really are. We have seen the broad and wide highway to hell and the lake of fire. We have also seen the narrow path of salvation to heaven. In previous articles we discussed how people are living today and how life “should” be lived—if heaven is your future desired home.

We know there are basically two types of people; the born-again followers of Jesus Christ and those who do NOT follow Jesus Christ. The biggest problem is being able to show this fact to unbelievers—the lost. It is also the reason why the lost call believers, “haters.” In their eyes we are telling them of their sins and that they must face them, that they must ask for the Lord God to forgive them of their sins.

We must understand the unsaved see this as “being told” that the things they are doing are wrong, thus they believe we are creating an unhealthy situation for everyone. No one likes it when someone tells them that they did something wrong or bad. Make sense? It’s a negative blast to their egos.

If we show unbelievers that they are wrong, they think God is bad to them; thus we are bad and corrosive Christians. What makes the situation worse is when they find out what the Bible says about their eternal ending. So what is the real problem here? Better yet, what is the real question in this situation? The question is this: What does the Word of God says of them?

2 Timothy 3:1-7: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

It is evident by the unbelievers rejection of God’s Word, that they are angry and arrogant (among many other things). It is also evident that they do not have a factual knowledge of Jesus Christ, who came as God in human form. Thus their first and continual response will be to turn away from this knowledge, which requires they come to the Lord in all humility.

To acknowledge that sins are indeed wrong, and then to humbly ask for the Lord’s forgiveness is more than they would be willing to do. No one likes to be told that they are wrong (much less be humble about it.)

The next thing to understand is their view of death as a human (which is the first death). They obviously know that all will die some day, yet in their minds, it’s just NOT today. They are stuck in this mindset: “Out of sight, out of mind,” or even better yet, “If you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.” The second statement is easier for them to digest mentally (for obvious reasons). So in their minds, if someone dies, they are placed in a coffin and buried—that’s it.

The problem with this mentality is that the nutshell is holding much more than they realize. They have the view that if they can’t see heaven or hell, then neither of them exist; so they are not willing to consider anything else on the subject. It becomes strictly a “downer.” And who wants to deal with that, when there is so much more life to experience, so much more fun…and all?

So now the question is this: Is that sort of thinking REAL, is it the truth? NO!
The Word of God is rife with statements of death, ranging from Genesis 3 to the end of Revelation. It never leads to any of the thinking expressed by unbelievers. As a matter of fact, it is completely the opposite.

We read in Genesis 2, that God created Adam and Eve and at that particular time they were made perfect, and had they done as the Lord God told them to, they would have never seen death and neither would those who followed. As the Bible says from beginning to end, life is about whom you wish to follow, Jesus Christ or Satan. So now the question is, what about this thing, life and death?

The Bible continually tells us that we are to make the choice between Jesus Christ or Satan and that we will see eternity. The eternal destinations will be in heaven or in hell and eventually the lake of fire. The CHOICE is ours!

As I stated before, when a person dies, the physical body ceases to function. Then they are popped into a coffin, and then into the ground. And that is where the unbelievers like to leave it all.

Of course that is NOT the end of it all.

We must consider WHERE in eternity that person is. The problem is, NO ONE wants to talk about that part. No one has seen heaven or hell, thus to the unbeliever it does not exist and the person that died is forgotten…to a degree.
Funny isn’t it? They know about death, but they will not accept that there is an afterlife. Funny how everything in this life is in twos. You are right or wrong, up or down, in or out, alive or dead, here or somewhere else, but you can only be in one of those at any given moment. So why would they not accept the idea that there is this life and then an eternal life? A little “narrow-minded” wouldn’t you say?

And then we have all the “Near Death Experiences.” Are they real or not? This is what God’s Word says:

Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

According to this Scripture, there is one life after our earthly death. It’s in black and white. Knowing this now, what does that mean for our lives in the here and now? It means that we must consider where we wish to be in eternity…prior to our death. Oops! There’s another one of those moments. Simply because it does not fit your ideas about life, it does not mean it is not the truth.

That being the case, we need to think about this. Life has shown us that there are two ways to go in everything. So must it be that there is a life after our earthly death. Thus we must consider where in eternity we want to go: heaven or hell. So what does this mean about our life in the here and now? It means we need information concerning how to get to heaven or hell, after we die or how to be among those taken in the Rapture.

This is some rich information to deal with and whether or not you like it, eternity will be one way or the other. We will continue to discuss this further in Part Two, to find out what the answers really are, according to the Word of God.