2 Cor 11.2,3: For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.






When your eternal perspective is correct, God takes care of everything else — your finances, your generations, your deliverances.





Heaven exists, and so does hell. Jesus spoke of heaven and hell, in a single verse:


 


Luk 16.22: And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.




In this verse, Jesus speaks of a rich man and a beggar. This was not just a story, Jesus was very specific. Why was the beggar named, but the rich man’s name not mentioned? The Holy Spirit is keen to mention the names of those going to heaven. The beggar, Lazarus, was named because his name was in the Book of Life.


 


The rich man died and was buried. He was, quite possibly, a good person and a philanthropist. In any case he didn’t evict Lazarus, the beggar who was stationed in front of his gate. He probably did a lot of social service and was perhaps loved dearly by the people who worked for him. Owing to his popularity in his social circles, he likely had a huge funeral attended by political and social bigwigs.






On the contrary, the poor man’s death went unnoticed by everyone except the dogs that kept him company. But the size of your funeral doesn’t matter, what matters is only your destination after death. 






Both of them went different ways after death: Lazarus went to the lap of Abraham in heaven, the rich man went to hell. Not because he was rich, but because he didn’t believe in the gospel. Lazarus went to heaven not because he was poor, but because he believed. 






God doesn’t send anyone to hell — you choose to go there yourself. God made hell for the angels who had disobeyed, not for us. 


 


If you confess in faith that that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Holy Spirit gives you the confidence that your eternity is in heaven, with Christ. Say from your heart that you trust Jesus for your eternity. 





We trust Jesus not for the 80 or 90 years to be spent on earth, but for eternity. For eternal life, there needs to be a commitment when you are on earth. Follow our Good Shepherd, in humility and submission, all the days of your life. Be set apart for the Lord. Live life on earth with an eternal perspective. 


 


Luk 16.23:  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.




From hell, the rich man looked up to Lazarus.  This was just the opposite of what used to happen on earth, with Lazarus looking up from the gate at the table of the rich man hoping for crumbs from the table. The rich man looked down, at the beggar.






Never look down on anyone, no matter how exalted your background, profession or position in life is. Give respect to all people -  male and female, young and old, rich and poor. Respect each person as one made in the likeness of God.


 


The greatest torment and sadness in hell is to lie there and see heaven. From hell, the rich man cried out in prayer. But the prayer from hell is useless. It’s not in eternity that you need to pray, but on earth itself.






How should you pray? Consider how Jesus, the son of God, prayed:




Heb 5.7: Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;




Jesus prayed with strong cries and tears. Similarly,  give your all to God. Bring all your energy and excitement into the house of God. 






The rich man looked up, and cried out. He was extremely thirsty. He could see crystal-clear rivers flowing in heaven and asked for a drop of water with the tip of Lazarus’ finger. 






On earth Lazarus’s hand was leprous and encrusted with flies. In heaven it was unblemished and glorious. In eternity, all your illnesses will be healed and there will be no more weakness in your body. If you are not healed on earth, you will be, in heaven.


 


Rev 21.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.





The rich man suddenly felt a burden for his five brothers and prayed for them. He was sure they were headed to hell too, for he knew all too well what their lifestyle was like. Send Lazarus to my brothers that they may believe, he pleaded. But Abraham replied: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16.31)


 


Intercede for your family. Pray that not one in your family and generations should be lost. Claim salvation for your family in Jesus Christ, because you are praying for them. 






Likewise, as Abraham replied, if you don’t believe the preached word, no miracle will make you believe. 






In the Bible, we are told of a man called Cornelius, whose good deeds were known even in heaven.
 Here was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. (Acts 10.1,2) Even then, for his salvation, Peter had to come and preach the gospel to him. 


 


It is the same gospel that you hear today: the pure and unadulterated Gospel that pleases God,  not man. The good news that Jesus died on the cross for the atonement of your sins, shedding every last drop of his blood. If you confess your sins, his blood will cleanse you. Tell Jesus today that you believe his Word and you can start afresh to live for God.  




2 Cor 11.2,3: For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.





In Jewish tradition there’s first a betrothal ceremony, followed by the the wedding ceremony and then the wedding feast. 




As per custom, the boy’s family goes to the girl’s house. The boy states his intent to marry the girl, because he loves her. The girl’s family then asks what price he is ready to pay for the girl. The boy replies that he will give everything he has, to make her his own. 





God sent his Son down to earth to see his bride. Not only did Jesus declare his love for his bride, the Church, but gave everything he had to buy her. He gave his every last drop of blood as ransom for you and me, the chosen bride of Christ. No greater love has even been demonstrated.




After the boy makes his declaration, the bride has to state her decision. The groom takes a cup grape juice, sips from it and stretches it out towards her. If the girl approves of the boy, she takes a sip from the same cup. 




This, is the Lord’s table: a declaration of his love for us, and his question — I’m stretching out my cup to you, will you receive it? It’s your choice to take the cup offered by Christ. 





After the betrothal ceremony, the bride is not taken immediately by the groom. He returns to his father’s house and prepares a bridal chamber there. This process, done under the father’s supervision, may take one or two years. The groom would be eager to go back soon for the bride but it is the father who decides if the bridal chamber is ready. 





Similarly, Jesus is eager to come back for his bride, but it is the Father who decides when the chamber is ready: 




Matt 24.36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

How beautiful a chamber Jesus is preparing for us!




Meanwhile, the bride has to prepare herself. She needs to keep the wedding garments ready and spotlessly clean. The lamps should be ready and filled with oil. In Jewish custom, the groom could even come between 2 or 3 am in the dead of the night. The purpose? Having given everything he had for her, the boy wants to know whether the bride is ready and prepared to go with him at any hour.





How many of us are ready and prepared for the second coming of Jesus, when he comes for his bride?





From betrothal to wedding, the girl is committed to the groom. How committed are we to Christ?





God is bestowing a special grace to remain ready and prepared as the bride of Christ until His return. A grace to cleanse your life and to establish a deeper relationship with Christ.  Ask for the grace to be prepared, holy and spotless, for Christ’s return. Receive it in faith.