A writer of the late 18th and early 19th century whose works are now mostly forgotten, told a story of a knight who spared no expense or time to furnish a magnificent castle.
One day a pilgrim came to the castle gate and asked for a night's lodging there. The knight turned down his request with the words: This castle is not a hotel!
The pilgrim's response was : Permit me toask you three questions, then I will go on my way.
- Go ahead! answered the knight.
So the wanderer began: Who lived in this castle before you?
- My father, replied the knight.
And who lived before your father? , asked the pilgrim once again.
- My grandfather, answered the knight.
And who will dwell here after you? asked the pilgrim yet again.
- My son, GOD-willing, said the knight softly, wondering what the pilgrim was getting at.
Well, continued the pilgrim, if each one lives in this castle for a period only, then makes way for another, are you anything but guests here? This castle is indeed a hotel. So do not go to too much trouble and expense making it luxurious; it will only house you for a while. Rather build for yourself a permanent dwelling in heaven.
The story ends here. So we do not know if the knight made for himself a permanent dwelling place in heaven by accepting JESUS as his SAVIOUR or not.
The BIBLE says in Matthew 6: 19-21-- Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
But before I end this, let me ask each of you a very important question? Have you made arrangements to get for yourselves a permanent dwelling place. You can choose from two...Heaven or Hell...there is none other...
Heaven is assured to those and ONLY those who have accepted JESUS as their ONLY SAVIOUR. Heaven is for those who say, JESUS, you are my only hope, and JESUS MOST HOLY BLOOD SHED FOR SINNERS LIKE ME, the only way through which my sins can be cleansed so that I can stand purified and justified before my Heavenly FATHER's Throne. My heart purified as white as snow from its scarlet state and justified - Just as if I have never sinned, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS and my absolute mustard faith in JESUS.
So permit me to ask you again, Are you so busy , giving all your time and energy making for yourself a beautiful earthly dwelling which is indeed fleeting and temporary. Don't be so occupied with the temporary, that you forget the permanent. Let us pay heed to the warning given to us in the Bible in Matthew 6:19-21.
Before I close, let me leave with you this beautiful verse,
John 14:6-JESUS answered, "I am THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one comes to the FATHER except through ME. In short JESUS is saying I am THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY TRUTH AND THE ONLY LIFE SOURCE. And no one can ever get to heaven and The FATHER except through JESUS.
Just so you know a little about the other permanent dwelling called HELL. Luke 16:23 and Mark 9:48 says Hell is a place of eternal torment where the blazing fire never goes out, where the worms never die and you are in eternal agony, unlike heaven, where your joy and peace is unending and everlasting.
CHOOSE WISELY, FRIENDS, BEFORE ITS TOO LATE AND START PREPARING FOR IT TOO.
