Charlie’s Passport

Good morning,

I was out walking this morning and it was gorgeous outside in Minnesota! Fall colors peaking, sunrise coming up over the lake, perfect temperature for a walk and talk with God. I was thinking how fast a year goes by. Last year we were heading to Spain to have a visit with Jack while he was over there for a semester of college. I remembered how Charlie, our son, realized something was wrong with his passport as we tried to check in online Saturday night before our Sunday flight. He had a valid passport with 89 days till it would expire. What we found out at the airport on Sunday was you need 90 days or no airport will let you leave our country. According to the airlines, even if he was one day short, no talking your way around it… He did not have a valid passport so he did not get on the flight.

The entrance to heaven is just like Charlie’s passport. Unless you have your name in the “Lamb’s book of life,” you will not get into heaven. No talking your way in, explaining how good of a person you are, how you always meant to get around to having Christ in your life, your parents and grandparents were Christians so doesn’t that make me Christian…

Only people who are forgiven will be in Heaven. Dr. Robert Jeffress has a fantastic new book out titled, “A Place Called Heaven: 10 Surprising Truths About Your Eternal Home.”

When we ask Christ to forgive us our sins, change from our sins and help us do life in his image, he writes our name in the Lamb’s book of life! No one can ever erase it!! We are forgiven any sin we ever did or ever will do!! He changes us day by day to be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self- control. Jesus is our passport to be in God’s presence for ever and ever!

Once we are assured that we will be going to heaven, the Bible tells us that our experience in heaven will not be a lot of fat cherub babies sitting on clouds bored or stuck on a cloud. We will have resurrected bodies like the one Jesus had when he rose from the dead–recognizable, eating and drinking, yet not limited to the things on earth. We will have currency in heaven which is in an account for us by the things we do that last like, helping the hungry, homeless, hurting, lost. Giving prayer and compassion to others. Things that cannot be burned up or destroyed. Things we do from our heart! We will be in God our Father’s presence and overwhelming love!

I think our talents and gifts that we have now will still be our talents and gifts. I think we will just do everything better and love more deeply and laugh more and hear songs that are richer and see colors that are more dazzling.

I am so glad that I know my name is in the, “Lamb’s book of life!” Not by anything I earned but by the fact that I asked Jesus to forgive me and help me do life like Him!
My passport is official, current, and I can in no way lose it, misplace it, or have it expire!! Hallelujah!!

Love you, Teri

Revelation 3:5: He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.