A Sad Day For The World

Michael Jackson has died. It's really shocking news for the music industry. He's a legend. The king of pop. He has influenced millions of people with his music. Not just people in this country, but around the world. My daughter was crying over his death. I think for her generation, he was like Elvis. He was on the cutting edge, the leader in the industry. He put out things that had never been done before. Jamie was just getting into music when he came out with Thriller and some of his other hits. And she would dance, dance, dance to his music. I can still remember making videos of her and some of her friends dancing around to Michael and Salt -N- Pepa. He will be missed, but his music lives on.

Another prominent death was Farrah Fawcett. Okay, so with her, we kind of knew it was coming. She had been ill for quite some time. Still, her family and friends and fans across the globe are grieving the loss. She was also legendary. A star. An angel (Charlie's Angel, that is). Her last year on earth was a struggle.

These deaths are a reminder to me that no matter who we are, everyone of us will come to that point in time where we die. The Bible says that everyone of us is appointed a time to die. And I have to wonder how many of us are truly ready. I'm not just talking about having your graves picked out, your casket paid for, etc. I am talking about having a relationship with the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you died today, do you know with certainty that you would spend eternity in heaven? If not, why not? As you can see, death comes when we least expect it. You may not have that chance to make it right on your death bed. Preparation needs to be made now. You don't wait for a hurricane to hit before you go out and buy supplies. You don't wait until you're drowning to go out and buy a life vest. There are things that must be done in advance, and accepting Jesus as your savior is one of those things. In fact, it's the most important thing.

The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of that sin is death. But God has provided a sacrifice. He sent His son, Jesus to die on a cross for us. And when Jesus died, He didn't just remain dead; He was raised from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Some believe there are many ways to heaven, to the Father. But the Bible clearly states that no man comes to the Father except through the Son. And as narrow minded as some believe that is, it doesn't change the truth. We can't work our way to heaven. We are saved by grace, through faith, and that doesn't come from ourselves, but is a gift from God. We cannot earn our salvation by anything we do. No door to door witnessing. No giving to the church. No helping the poor. No singing in the choir. Being an usher. A Sunday School teacher. It's not what we do, it's who we know. And it's His sacrifice that paid the price for us. Each and every day I thank God that it's not based on what I do or don't do...I'd be sorely lacking, that's for sure. If you want to know more about this Jesus that I serve, feel free to ask. I may not have all the answers, but that which I know, I share. And if I don't know, I'll seek to find the answer...