Dropping Like Celebrities

Roll was called recently and a great number of celebrities went from "here" to absent: Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, Billy Mays, Karl Malden, Fred Travalena, and Steve McNair. All of them died within days of each other.

We could categorize their deaths with various adverbs: Some died valliantly. Others died mysteriously. One died tragically. But the adverbs we most often hear at this time are "expectedly" and "unexpectedly."

The world may have expected a few on that list to die. Farrah, Ed, and Fred battled long illnesses. Karl was pushing 100. But the others were a complete shock. Michael died in bed with a doctor nearby. Billy died a few hours after receiving a slight bump on his head. Steve was brutally murdered.

But is death ever unexpected? Everyone dies...eventually. None of the founding fathers of our nation are still getting mail. All the old Pharaohs have entered their mummy clothes and pyramids. The Huns have all ended their pillaging. Any sign of Billy the Kid? Sir Walter Raleigh? Julius Casaer? Even George Burns eventually smoked one too many Sir Walter Raleighs.

Death is never unexpected. The date and time of a person's death may catch us by surprise, but death itself is written into everyone's calendar.

The Bible makes an exclusive claim: "It is appointed unto men once to die..." (Hebrews 9:27, KJV). The Psalmist asked a rhetorical question: "What man can live and not see death?" (Psalm 89:48). We know the answer.

Death is an inevitable chapter of life. But it isn't the end of the story. There have been a lot of soft words and phrases attached to death to make it more palatable. My least favorite one is "expired." Sounds too much like a gallon of milk or a credit card.

"Passing" is a better word for death. Not just because I will finally be able to "pass" something, but because "passing" paints a more accurate picture. Since death is not the end, it is then a transition. It is a passing from one place to another. It is leaving the land of clocks, calendars, and aging to enter the land of eternity.

Death itself may not be optional, but the route you take after death is. While your loved ones are asking, "Why?" you'll be facing a different kind of "Y." You will go in one of two directions.

Before you die, you have a choice to make. There are important plans you need to make. I'm not talking about funeral arrangements or cemetery plots. I'm talking about reservations.

Where you will spend eternity is a choice you need to make before your name is called. Your choice is heaven or hell. If you want to go to heaven, you have to choose Jesus Christ while you're on earth.

Everyone will want Jesus after their first second in hell.

In spite of what Oprah and Obama say, the Bible says there is only one way to heaven --- through Jesus. Jesus had this to say about that: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

I only shared half of each verse from Hebrews 9:27 and Psalm 89:48. The Hebrews passage finishes by saying, "...but after this, the judgment." Judgment is as inevitable as death. We are all guilty because we've all sinned against God. The rest of Psalm 89:48 asks, "Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?" The answer is --- you and I can't, but Jesus can!

Jesus is the only one to conquer death. He died in our place to pay for our sins. Having finalized that payment, He then rose from the dead. Death couldn't hold Him. And now...death can't hold those who've placed themselves in Jesus' hands by faith in His atoning death.

Fred Travelena may be the least recognized name on the list of celebrities who have recently died. Fred was a celebrity impersonator. You and I will one day impersonate these celebrities, too. We, too, will die. Expectedly.

Shouldn't you make the necessary arrangements?

Author Relatively Unknown,
Perry Crisp

Coordinates to Truth

Johnnie was looking for direction in his life. He desperately wanted peace, truth, and happiness, but he didn't know where to turn.

He entered "peace" into his GPS and it gave him 286,354 different addresses. "Truth" opened up millions of addresses. And "happiness" seemed to be on every corner, or so the GPS claimed.

Johnnie began to get frustrated. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "Is there any hope?" he cried. He knew better than to type "hope" into the GPS. It would only lead to more dead ends.

Without really knowing why, Johnnie slowly entered three letters: "G-o-d" and pushed the search button. The list of addresses wasn't as long, but still Johnnie was puzzled that God had so many. "Why can't there just be one clear way to God?" Johnnie whispered.

The moment he asked that question, the cursor on his GPS hovered over the name of Jesus. Johnnie felt something stir inside him. His pulse quickened. His breathing became audible. What was happening?

Johnnie clicked on the name of Jesus and read these words, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Below the words of Jesus were the following directions:

1. Realize that God loves you and has a personal plan filled with meaningful coordinates for your life. Follow these directions and you will find peace, truth, happiness, and hope. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

2. To get to God, you must realize you are going in the wrong direction and turn around. You have sinned against God and it is leading you away from Him. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The direction you are going will lead you to eternal death and separation from God. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

3. Look for the cross of Jesus Christ. Stop at the cross. That is the only place anyone's life can truly be turned around. "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). At the cross, admit to God that you are a sinner. (Sin is the "Bridge Out" to your relationship with God). Invite Jesus to come into your life personally, forgive your sins, and save you. (Jesus is the only bridge that reaches God).

4. You are now ready to turn away from the direction you were going and start a brand new journey. Give Jesus the keys. Let Him drive. Place all your trust in Him. You will find peace instantly. You will find truth constantly flowing from the lips of your new Driver. As long as you allow Him to drive, you will find happiness no matter how bumpy the road may become.

Oh, and by the way...you won't believe your final destination! There is a description of it in the Map (the Bible). It is an incredible place.

Johnnie followed those directions to God and found what he was looking for. When he types "G-o-d" into his GPS now, only one clear choice exists -- Jesus. The rest deleted themselves. They must have just been a mirage.

GPS...God Provided Salvation for you. Will you follow these directions?

Perry Crisp

Side Effects May Include...

"Side effects may include blurred vision, heart attack, stroke, diptheria, three additional toes, intense abdominal pain, vomiting, schizophrenia, and loss of memory. But boy, can we stop your hair loss!"

Have you ever wondered why the side effects are always bad? You would think someone would eventually invent a pill with positive side effects. I would love to hear a pharmaceutical ad that says, "side effects may include regrowth of hair in bald spots, shrinking of abdominal fat, cessation of hair growth in ears and nose, removal of age spots, vericose veins, and bacne" (acne is what teenagers get on their faces; as you get older, it moves to your back and is called, 'bacne').

There is a pill with positive side effects: the gos-pill. You just have to take it once a lifetime with a full glass of repentance and a plate full of faith. And the side effects are incredible, amazing, and truly out of this world.

Many of the side effects of Christianity are not fully realized until later: A new body, a new home in heaven, an eternity without pain or tears. But some side effects take place immediately: Instant transformation into "new creature" status(2nd Corinthians 5:17), a forgiven past, guilt removed, and a soul that comes alive to a freedom you never knew existed.

Here's the fine print: "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). And "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

There's no greater medicine than that which not only removes the sickness, but restores the patient to a condition of health beyond anything he or she has ever known.

Actual Testimony of a Satisfied Customer,
Perry Crisp