I usually go to church in the afternoon. Today, however, my friend Carrie and I are traveling to Charleston to go to a show, so I wouldn't been able to go at all if I didn't go this morning. Because of this scheduled previous engagement that I didn't want to miss, and because I wanted some worship time today, I decided to go to a new church plant here in Columbia called New Spring. New Spring, in a nut shell, is a mega church based out of Anderson, SC with numerous satellite campuses all over SC.
Once the message began, I was completed moved and consumed by what the Lord was putting on the speakers heart to say. The message was about the end times, and more so, judgement. What would happened when we all show up to that appointment of death? What would the Lord say about you, the way you lived your life and, most importantly, would your name be written in the book of life?
Towards the end of this amazingly powerful message, the speaker told two stories. The first was about a man that lived his life completely and utterly for the Lord. He understood many years prior that he was sinful, that he deserved death, but that the Lord's grace and mercy saved him and that when he died he would be with the Lord, in heaven, forever. He worked his entire life telling people about the love of Christ and growing deeper in His word everyday.
After growing very sick from a disease that was overtaking his body, he asked his wife one morning to bathe him, shave him and dress him because he was going home. "Going home?" she responded, "You're already home." He shook his head and said, "To be with my father." She did as he asked and after he was ready, she took him downstairs and sat him in his favorite chair. In a short time, he lifted his arms and said, "Look at how beautiful the Lord is. Do you see Him? Do you see Him?" His wife said, "No I can't see the Lord, honey." He said in response, "If you could see what I see, you would want to go with me." Moments later, he cried out, "Hallelujah," and started clapping his hands. Not soon after that, he took his final breaths and went home to the Lord.
The second true story, drastically different, was about Joesph Stalin. The pastor said that while Joesph Stalin (atheist, murderer, heartless, terrible individual) was on his death bed, his daughter sat with him and recounted the final moments of her father's life. "Make them stop, Make them stop," Stalin screamed as he threw his arms in the air above his face. His daughter, confused at what her father was talking about said, "What is it? What is it?" "The wolves," Stalin continued to scream, "The wolves!" As Stalin continued to scream and with his final breaths he says, "Dear God, nooooo," and passed away.
Message: What will happen when you die?
