I’ve seen many movies resulting from a large group of willing servants of God who put their time, energy, and finances into a project that points to Jesus. After Death, a recently released documentary is a poignant reminder of how critical it is to decide about our relationship with God before it’s too late because it is the most important decision you will ever make. Eternity is at stake. 

Before writing this, I wanted to focus on life-giving truths from God’s Word. I suggest the same for you! In doing this, I believe fears about death can be defeated because there is no fear in death because, as it says in 1 John 4:18,” Perfect love casts out fear.”

Remember these truths!

 The Bible says today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1) 

The Bible says that Jesus died for your sins (John 3:16) 

The Bible says you need to repent (Matthew 3:2) 

The Bible says you need to receive and believe (Matthew 7:7-11), (John 5:24) 

The Bible says we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) 

The Bible says salvation is by grace through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9) 

The Bible says that Jesus goes before you to prepare a place for you (John 14:2)

The Bible says he chose you (John 15:16) 

The Bible says he will remove your transgressions from you as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12) 

The Bible says to be ready. Be watchful. Pray without ceasing.

The Word of God says,” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14) In each one of these stories, for whatever reason, God allowed them to walk through a near-death experience and each person interviewed claim to see or experience parts heaven. What I know to be true is all the heaven God has allowed for our human minds is in the Word of God. If we are left to only hear from others, a human experience, the question still lingers: “Are we going to crave the experience of heaven on our terms, or will we long to be with Jesus?”

Most of us won’t be able to relate to their stories on a visceral level, but we can relate to the ageless question, “Is there life after death?” As a believer who understands the Word of God to be true, I can rest in the promise that I am saved because I have trusted in Jesus (Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 4:12, John 6:44, Psalm 37:39, John 3:16-18, Acts 2:38,)

I love the promise of heaven we can find in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Heaven is a place where hope will be seen in Jesus. While I was screening the movie, I took notes, and here are some phrases that stood out: 

Meaning and Purpose 

Death is as real as life 

There is hope beyond this life 

Stop and think 

Are you prepared 

Consider eternity 

There is purpose 

Death is not the end 

Purpose in life is crystal clear 

I heard it said recently that there’s a superstition connected with death, and you will bring that superstition to the surface if you talk about it. I have thought about this a lot and again am confronted with the faith it takes to receive and believe. A faith that will change your life, not just for tomorrow but for eternity. Isn’t that worth considering? Isn’t our eternity worth exploring the question of why we are here? It takes courage to brush off these superstitions and engage with the idea of eternity, but if we can do it, we can only strengthen our purpose and deepen our faith. We can’t live in fear of talking about death. It will only ruin our ability to live healthy, adjusted lives.

We all must speak the truth to ourselves; our days are numbered. I love how my dad has always boldly asked others, “If you were to die tonight, where would you go?” This question stirs the soul and perhaps causes great distress, discomfort or anxiety but provokes necessary and life-changing thoughts. But you don’t have to stay there. The movie ends with a powerful personal message that your life matters, there is purpose, and God has a plan. There is hope beyond this life. Eternity is just that, eternity. We will either be with God or without God. God sent His Son to make a way through his life, death, and resurrection! What a powerful truth!

As believers, the most important thing we can do with these lives we were given is to point others to the truth. Whether they accept it or not is theirs to work out with God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that moves in the hearts, not us! The stories in this film are experiences that most of us almost certainly will not have, but we can all experience the truth in God’s Word and his redeeming grace! 

If this movie will move you toward drawing closer to God and considering eternity, then yes, you need to watch it, but it’s not enough to do that. It’s a beginning, but don’t stop there. Immerse yourself in the Word of God. Connect with a solid Bible-believing church, and start to ask deep questions. Pray and listen to the Word of God on audio, read the Word of God with a journal close by, and allow people to speak into your life. I can recommend a movie, but I won’t recommend it without telling you how necessary these steps are!

Read the word of God and take time to pray. We are sinful and fallen, ultimately, it is in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ where our hope is found, not in people. Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

In the end, what do I take away from this movie? There is more to this life than we could ever fully know or imagine when we place our faith in Jesus! Each one of these near-death experiences is a reminder that only God knows our days. (Psalm 139:16), (Job 14:5) (Psalm 90:12)

After Death encourages thoughts about life beyond what we know today. Nothing is more important to consider than where we will spend eternity. After you see this movie, grab a Bible, a friend and go out to eat and fellowship, laying all the questions on the table beside the nachos. Let the discussion increase your faith even when you don’t have all the answers. Maybe your faith muscles need a good workout. Maybe this movie will be a step toward God. Maybe it will stir your soul and remind you of your need for the greatest gift ever given by Jesus!

 

Links!

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/afterdeathmovie/videos/1359128978019534/

 

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