Why Not Believe?


Think about the many things that this world can offer you, money, fame, pleasure in things or places, etc. It can all fill your heart with joy it's true, but let's face reality, none of these will last you forever. There all temporary. Some might last you 20 years, others maybe 2 days. Money last's only until it is all spent. Fame? Only until someone more famous take's your place and people forget about you. Pleasure? Well, sometimes not as long as we'd like. But one way or another it all ends. Its all for a little while. Even our lives. Things come, and things go. We live… and unfortunately, we all die. However when we do die, what then? Consider the following questions:

1: Are you living a life of hope beyond these present things?
2: Would you like to see deceased loved one's again some day?
3: Is their something better beyond what this present world has to offer?
4: Is there life after death?

Let's tackle each question one by one…

First: What is a life without hope? It is a gloomy, sad life. Whether one may realize it or not, it is a life that has no future, no wishes, no hope beyond death. A life that says, "when I die I'm just dead, that's it, nothing else and nothing more." This is the result of trying to look at life at a limited human point of view. We only believe in what we see. Like the old saying, "If I can see it, I can believe it." But what's the point in that? Assurance? You can't always be assure. You can not see in front of the airplane if you are a passenger. You "hope" there is no other plane in your way. You "believe" in the pilot that he will not collide with some mountain, or with another jet. So you cant always believe only what you see. We are sometimes obligated to have faith and hope. Why not, then, have faith and hope in God? You don't know where you're going after death, nor can you prove that nothing happens to you when you die. So why not just believe in a life after death?

Or, you can't always be sure just because you can see it. The apple your about to eat might look juicy on the outside, but on the inside it might be rotten, or it might not taste sweet. How will you find out? You will never know unless you take a bite and taste it. Your friend might say it will taste good, your brother might say it will taste bad, though unless you try it for yourself, you will never find out. The bible says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." How would you like to be always sure of what will happen to you after death? Why not try it? Why not taste? Why not believe?

Second: My mother passed away a few years back. I have hope and faith in the living God that I will one day see her again, and be reunited with her. This is a promise Jesus has made to me in the bible, and this is what keeps me alive not just physically but also mentally. People look and ask, "How could this man even smile while going through this tragic moment?" I answer, "only through Jesus, that's how."

I have noticed two things with individuals who believe in Jesus and those who do not. When a loved one dies, the believer goes through much grief and heartache, as does the unbeliever. The believer cry's, as does the unbeliever. The believer asks questions, and so does the unbeliever. But there is one big difference between the two. One is at peace at heart. One has hope that they will one-day see that loved one again. One lives life happier without trying to forget the tragedy. One sees life much more differently, as if they are here but for a little while, and will one day live forever with their loved one in a better place. His countenance glows with joy! The believer accepts what has happened because they have this "hope" that they'll see that loved one again. This hope can only be found in Jesus Christ. They both experience the same things, grief, heartache, sadness, tears, anger, etc. Yet the believer has hope and gains more hope, the unbeliever stays just where he is.

Have you lost someone you loved so much? Wouldn't you like to know for a fact that one day you'll meet again? Why not give Jesus a chance to touch your heart and give you his "peace." A peace that looks beyond death, beyond trouble, beyond pain, beyond tribulation! Doesn't that sound wonderful? The true Christian understands this. Would you also like to have this hope that's only found in Jesus? Why not believe?

Third: This world has its pretty views and nice moments. But those moments always have an end, and all the nice looking things have something wrong with it. Like the beautiful mountains. From far they are wonderful, but try climbing it. There is a risk of getting bite by a tick, stung by a bee. You can fall, slip and brake an ankle. How about the beautiful rivers and lakes? Full of fish that can bite. Bacteria flout along the stream, some of which can be fatal if accidentally swallowed.

This world is becoming over populated. The present count of human population on the earth is about 6 billion. It is said that within the next 30 years it will go up to a shocking number of 25 billion people. That number will just continue to increase, and disease will continue to spread among the humans and the animals. China is such a heavy populated country that a family's third child is to be put to death. This is what the world is coming to.

Just look around you. Look outside the window, garbage on the streets. Dead plants and animals. In the cities you find drunken people, and poor beggars pleading for money to eat. All this and still no hope for something better?
This world only brings problems, and problems beg for a solution. This world only offers temporary solutions, but the true solution is found in God. The Bible says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Why not hope and believe in something BETTER then this? Why not believe in a place where there is no disease, no death, no temporary amusement or solutions, and no fading flowers? Why not believe?

Fourth: The question is asked, is there life after death? You can not prove there is, yet you can not prove there isn't. That is why we have faith. But consider the following:

Two Roads- the Atheists road and the Believers road. At the end of there road of life they both die. If the Atheist was right in saying there is nothing after death, then both the believer and the atheist die and are forever doomed. But if the believer was right in saying there is a God and a life after death, they both still die, but only ONE is resurrected into life eternal… the believer. The unbelieving Atheist stays right where he is, dead. Who has the higher percentage of being right in their beliefs? The believer in Jesus Christ does. So why not believe?


If there is no God, there is no meaning


What happens when we try to take God away? Just the other day I read in the newspaper, "Another columbine-like shooting in a public school!" A kid, fanatic of Hitler, decides life has no meaning, and shoots up the school, killing a number of students including 3 teachers and a 14 year old girl. Skeptics pose the question, "Why doesn't God stop the shootings in the schools?" Well haven't you heard? God isn't allowed in the schools anymore! You see, the moment we try to take God away from our lives, tragedy, suffering and death reign. Hope is completely lost, and hopelessness and misery take its place. Without God life has no meaning and morality has no foundation. One author puts it like this:

"When God is present in our lives, humanity lives with the sense that we have value as persons, that life has a purpose, and that morality has meaning. Such things are sufficiently founded only on the Creator-God who is personal (therefore we have value), who created us to be in fellowship with him (therefore life has an ultimate meaning), and who is holy (therefore morality has sufficient foundation)." The Compact Guild to World Religions, Dean C. Halverson, p. 31.
The world hates the idea that there is a God because they know that, the very moment they accept and believe in God, they have to let go of there selfish, evil deeds that they love so much. They prefer to teach our children that we are all a big mistake that happened by chance, and that we eventually evolved from animals. But if we are going to teach our children that they are animals that came about by mistake, don't be surprised when they begin to act like it!

However if we teach them that there is a loving God who has laws and order and who created them to have fellowship with them, and that he wants the best for us, how much less violence do you think this world would have? How many of these children would grow up to live a life of hope and true happiness, a life full of goals, meaning, and purpose? True joy can only be found in Jesus Christ. If you take away God, you take away the whole meaning of life. Which will leave us with no hope, no faith, no meaning and nothing to look forward to after death. If there is no "absolute good" found in a God then you can not judge the actions of that boy who shot up the school. But if we accept God and believe in him life makes much more sense.

We are left, then, with only one true answer to life's greatest questions: There is an absolutely good God who created you and loves you, and wants you to live forever. If this is not true, then hope is crushed, and you will never really be at peace with yourself and the world. So why not believe?



Jesus offers you hope


There is no other god that can relate to your pain as Jesus can. Not Buddha, not Confucius, not Allah, nor any other. There is only one God that understands what you are going through; he understands your pain and suffering, he is the Lord Jesus Christ. He came down from heaven above, and died for us on the cross. He suffered the death penalty we all deserve because of our sins so that we can have life eternal through his sacrifice. Isn't that great! Jesus went through it all, he was tempted in every way that we are (Hebrews 4:15). He suffered immense pain and agony (1 Peter 2:24). He knows what it feels like to be misunderstood, falsely accused, betrayed and insulted, he knows what grief is like (Isaiah 53:3-9; Luke 23:10; Matthew 20:18) and much more. Yet death did not have the victory, Jesus was raised to life after buried in the tomb for three days! Victory is swallowed up whole, and life can now be freely given through Jesus. He offers a hope that extends beyond anything. He can give you a peace that nothing can take away, not death, not suffering, not anything at all. Jesus says, "Peace I give you, not peace as the world gives, but my peace. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" John 14:27. He understands, and he extends his hands to you, to help you, and give you life eternal: "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" Romans 6:23. It's a gift, a FREE Gift. Take it, its your to keep. All you have to do is believe. Why not believe? What have you got to lose? Your car, your friends, your money? That's all temporary my friend, yet this is for eternity! Why not try it? It wouldn't hurt; instead, it will heal you, guaranteed!

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts.


Today is your day!


Some people hope in earthly things, such as their business, money, women, parents, husband, wife, children, home, fame… all of which has an end. But today you are being offered to hope on someone that will never fade away. Someone that will never die, and will give you true hope and happiness. But most importantly, someone who will give you the free gift of eternal life. The Bible says, "Today, if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts" Psalm 95:7-8. Jesus stands knocking at the door of your heart. As soon as you let him in he will enter and dine with you. He will give you life in all its fullness. All he asks is for a relationship. Accept him and believe in him today, be baptism for the remission of sins and receive God's forgiveness. Because it is the sin problem that separates us from God. As soon as we admit that we are sinners in need of a savior, and allow Jesus to enter our lives and make a change for our greater good, our lives will be completely transformed. You will not look at anything the same ever again. All your problems, all your troubles, your tribulations… you will look beyond all this because you will understand why those things happen.

2 Corinthians 4:17
(17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Today is your day. Don't wait any longer. Prophecies are being quickly fulfilled. Soon the prayers of the saints will finally be answered and all the misery and grief and death, all sin and sinners will finally be destroyed. Would you like to be among those redeemed and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ? Don't wait until it's to late, nor wait until your troubles get worst. Don't allow yourself to get more depressed, sick, stressed, etc.

Hope is when you in-vision that tomorrow will be better then day. And true hope can only be found in Jesus Christ. Give Jesus a chance to give you hope, to make you truly happy and most importantly, to freely give you eternal life, because he can and he will, but only if you believe. So... Why not believe?


"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Acts of the Apostles 2:38