"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." Revelation 21:27
I had the privilege of visiting what is bound to be one of the oldest and most elaborate public libraries in our country. It comes in second in size only to the United States Library of Congress. I've never in my life described a library as being beautiful, but the New York Public Library in Manhattan is just that.
Such beauty and grandness comes with great expense. The vast amount of money required to build such an establishment is unfathomable to my little mind. The millions and millions of dollars that have been spent over the last hundred years to engineer, create, stock, and continually renovate this library could probably completely end poverty as we know it across the majority of the world.
As I walked down the grand staircase from being mesmerized by the fine details of the unbelievable Reading Room, I found myself gazing at all of the names of the library's benefactors that have been delicately chiseled into the white marble walls. I thought about the millions of pairs of eyes that already had and would continue to pass by and read each name that was very innocently on display for all to see and admire.
As hugely important as each of those names were and continue to be to the ongoing appreciation for scholarly and leisurely reading, having their names ornately etched into a prominent wall in New York City holds absolutely no eternal significance. Wealthy philanthropists can donate large sums of money to every worthwhile cause in the country and earn their names being placed in a location of prominence and honor, but when it all comes down to it, having your name on the most viewed wall in the country means absolutely nothing if your name isn't written inside of a Heavenly Book.
Many people who have been blessed financially are often times also very generous with their money. As wonderful as that is, there is one thing that all of the money in the world can't buy. It might be able to buy a place for your name on a wall of honor for all the world to see, but it can't buy a spot in the Lamb's Book of Life.
The other place that I see names prominently displayed as if it inherently deems a heavenly ticket is in our churches. Each year that passes, we see lists of names that have been selected to fill very important roles in our local body of believers. Whether it be a Bible Study teacher, or a committee member or chairperson, or even a deacon or elder, having your name on that list doesn't mean it's on the heavenly list.
I'm afraid that there are going to be a lot of people who regularly attend and who are quite committed to a local church, yet find out one day that that is the only place their name is recorded. I'm afraid that there are countless numbers of people on my very own church's roll that have their earthly status secured, but not their heavenly status secured.
You see, it's real easy to feel compelled to walk an aisle and have a desire to be a part of something greater than yourself. Throughout the history of the church, men, women, boys, and girls have done the necessary requirements that would place their name on an earthly church roll. But what we should all be asking ourselves are these questions:
Friends, I hope the security of your salvation rests in something more than your name on a church roll. It would be a tragedy for you to one day find out that your name was merely recorded on your local church's membership roll, but nowhere else.
I hope you can recall the day that you did more than walk an aisle. I hope you can recall the moment that you felt the Holy Spirit tugging on your heartstrings. I hope you can say without a shadow of a doubt that your eternity is secure because you know that you know that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
. . . if you aren't sure, contact me and let me share with you how you can be sure.
I had the privilege of visiting what is bound to be one of the oldest and most elaborate public libraries in our country. It comes in second in size only to the United States Library of Congress. I've never in my life described a library as being beautiful, but the New York Public Library in Manhattan is just that.
Such beauty and grandness comes with great expense. The vast amount of money required to build such an establishment is unfathomable to my little mind. The millions and millions of dollars that have been spent over the last hundred years to engineer, create, stock, and continually renovate this library could probably completely end poverty as we know it across the majority of the world.
As I walked down the grand staircase from being mesmerized by the fine details of the unbelievable Reading Room, I found myself gazing at all of the names of the library's benefactors that have been delicately chiseled into the white marble walls. I thought about the millions of pairs of eyes that already had and would continue to pass by and read each name that was very innocently on display for all to see and admire.
As hugely important as each of those names were and continue to be to the ongoing appreciation for scholarly and leisurely reading, having their names ornately etched into a prominent wall in New York City holds absolutely no eternal significance. Wealthy philanthropists can donate large sums of money to every worthwhile cause in the country and earn their names being placed in a location of prominence and honor, but when it all comes down to it, having your name on the most viewed wall in the country means absolutely nothing if your name isn't written inside of a Heavenly Book.
Many people who have been blessed financially are often times also very generous with their money. As wonderful as that is, there is one thing that all of the money in the world can't buy. It might be able to buy a place for your name on a wall of honor for all the world to see, but it can't buy a spot in the Lamb's Book of Life.
The other place that I see names prominently displayed as if it inherently deems a heavenly ticket is in our churches. Each year that passes, we see lists of names that have been selected to fill very important roles in our local body of believers. Whether it be a Bible Study teacher, or a committee member or chairperson, or even a deacon or elder, having your name on that list doesn't mean it's on the heavenly list.
I'm afraid that there are going to be a lot of people who regularly attend and who are quite committed to a local church, yet find out one day that that is the only place their name is recorded. I'm afraid that there are countless numbers of people on my very own church's roll that have their earthly status secured, but not their heavenly status secured.
You see, it's real easy to feel compelled to walk an aisle and have a desire to be a part of something greater than yourself. Throughout the history of the church, men, women, boys, and girls have done the necessary requirements that would place their name on an earthly church roll. But what we should all be asking ourselves are these questions:
- Have I truly done business with God and not just with my local church?
- Is my name recorded somewhere besides my church's membership roll?
- Am I banking on the fact that my name is listed as a leader or servant in my church, but I have never humbled myself before a Holy and Almighty God to express my need for salvation?
Friends, I hope the security of your salvation rests in something more than your name on a church roll. It would be a tragedy for you to one day find out that your name was merely recorded on your local church's membership roll, but nowhere else.
I hope you can recall the day that you did more than walk an aisle. I hope you can recall the moment that you felt the Holy Spirit tugging on your heartstrings. I hope you can say without a shadow of a doubt that your eternity is secure because you know that you know that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
. . . if you aren't sure, contact me and let me share with you how you can be sure.
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