“For our citizenship (conversation) is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 3:20, New King James Version)

Believers serve a true and living God. God is real. Heaven is real. Hell is real. God has a given us the ability to choose which one we will go to by how we respond to the Lord. God wants everyone to choose heaven. He wants everyone to repent and be saved through His Son Jesus Christ.

• John 3:16-17 New King James Version – ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

We must set our focus on Heaven and serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Colossians 3:1-3 New King James Version – 3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

We must be prepared for the Lord when He returns for His Church.

• Matthew 25:6-10 New King James Version – 6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

We don’t know the exact time of our death or the exact time when Jesus will return to catch away His Church, so we must always be ready. Jesus has prepared a place for us. He promised, so stay ready.

• John 14:1-3 New King James Version – The Way, the Truth, and the Life – 14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

When we truly love the Lord, our lifestyle and our behavior will demonstrate it.

• James 2:14-17 New King James Version – ¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

When we keep trusting in the Lord, we will experience His goodness.

• Psalm 34:8 New King James Version – “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

However, in our lives there will always be room for growth spiritually. The Lord is transforming us into His Image through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a process–and we must choose to stay in the process.

• Hebrews 10:14 New King James Version – For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

When we put God first, everything else will fall into place.

• Matthew 6:33 New King James Version – But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

There will be no traveling back and forth between heaven and hell. So do not practice traveling back and forth between serving the Lord and serving sin now. Make pursuing the Lord and righteousness our habit now.

• Hebrews 12:14 New King James Version – Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

There will be many pretenders and counterfeits. But the Lord will separate those who love Him and those who do not. Hell was created for satan and his angels. Those who choose to follow the devil’s wicked ways will join him there.

Heaven was created for the Lord and all those who want to obey God.

• 1 Corinthians 2:9 New King James Version – But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

How we live our life today will determine where we will spend eternity. We need to live our lives now, so we can live again.

Why is it so hard to do the right thing? It’s a battle because it seems we are rewarded for doing the wrong thing. When we do the wrong thing, we fit in with the world. When we do the right thing, we stand out from the world. We can even face persecution for standing for what is right.

The enemy even sends distractions and obstacles to trip us up. But mature Christians respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and choose to please God rather than men.

• Romans 7 :15-20 New King James Version – ¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Conviction is the Voice of the Holy Spirit telling us what is right and what is wrong. Every parent who really loves their child, will correct their child. God is the best parent ever. He will correct every son or daughter of God.

• John 16:7-12 New King James Version – ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Condemnation is from the enemy. It is the awareness of sin without hope of changing for the better. Condemnation brings shame on the believer and does not point us to the power of the Holy Spirit working in us to change.

Sometimes we rebel against God and go against His will because of the influence of people who don’t serve God. God will at times send adversity our way because of disobedience (not always–some adversity is just a test of faith).

• Conviction from the Holy Spirit will disrupt our peace so we understand that we are going in the wrong direction.
• Conviction from the Holy Spirit will lead us to do the right thing.
• Conviction should lead to corrective action.
• Conviction does not give the flesh excuses.
• Conviction will not allow us to rest until we do what God has instructed.
• Conviction will not allow us to justify disobedience.
• Conviction will lead us to repent.

Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 New King James Version

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” 2 Timothy 3:1 NKJV

We must prepare during these perilous times. We need to prepare our hearts and our faith.

• 2 Timothy 3:1-5 New King James Version – 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, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

In perilous times, there are certain people we need to stay away from so they do not affect our faith in God. God has given each of us a measure of faith.

• Romans 12:3 New King James Version –  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

We must build up the faith that we have been given. We must be persistent in faith to make it grow.

• Jude 1:20-21 New King James Version – But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

When we walk by faith, we must change the way we live. We are to live by faith and not by sight. It will take great faith to stand in these perilous times. Age does not matter when it comes to faith. We can develop faith even as a teenager the way a young boy named David did, who defeated a giant man of war three times his size.

• 1 Samuel 17:34-37 New King James Version – ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, ³⁵ I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

We all face “giant” problems in life that require faith. Faith in God is greater than any problem we face. Every one’s faith will be tested. How do we know we have faith if it is not tested? Abraham’s faith was tested when he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham was willing and became the father of faith.

• Genesis 22:10-12 New King James Version – ¹⁰ And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” ¹² And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

We must always put God first and not the ways of the world. During the time of the great tribulation, everyone must place their trust in God and not the mark of the beast.

• Revelation 13:15-18 New King James Version –¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Anyone who places their faith in the mark of the beast CANNOT BE SAVED. Commit to walking by faith in God and do not bow down to the ungodly system of the beast. Anyone who does not get “caught up” in the rapture, must not deny Christ or take the mark of the beast. Many of these people will be killed because they refuse to take the mark of the beast.

• Luke 14:25-27 New King James Version – ²⁵ Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.