Taken from the CD Gospel tract
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The date was December 15, 1989. There was a volcanic eruption in Alaska that shot ashes miles & miles into the sky, filling the atmosphere with dust and ashes. A Boeing 747 jumbo jet was flying in that area with 231 passengers on board at 18,000 feet.

They did not know about the volcano and the pilot unknowingly flew the aircraft into the eruption cloud. As the pilot attempted to climb out of the cloud, tiny ash particles stalled all four engines. The pilot announced on the public address system, “All four engines have stopped and we are GOING DOWN!”

Imagine yourself on that airplane! What do you think was going on in the cabin of that aircraft? Suddenly nothing else mattered any longer, but the stark reality that we are all going to die! Do you think anyone requested drinks, food or magazines? No one did!

“We are all going to die!” Suddenly money, fame, pleasure and all those things that at one time were so important meant absolutely nothing!!!

For eight agonizing minutes that plane was simply gliding and lost 12,000 feet of altitude. You can be sure that people who never prayed began to pray in earnest. People who rarely cried were crying. In those horrifying moments there was fear and panic as they faced certain death. Their whole life passed before them as the plane was going down. For eight minutes they all tried to prepare themselves for death.

Suddenly, with only 6000 feet of altitude remaining the pilots were able to restart the engines and land the plane safely at Anchorage. After the plane landed safely on the ground there was great relief and much exuberance. GOD HAS GIVEN US BACK OUR LIFE!!! WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE!!! People who never thanked God before, thanked God that day.

My friend, this story is a picture of your life. We are all, as it were, on that airplane plunging toward certain death.

The Bible says “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Just as the people in that airplane were attempting to prepare for their end, we must also prepare to meet death!

The Bible says “God created man in his own image, and his own likeness,” (Genesis 1:26) and he “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) From the beginning it was God’s plan to have a close relationship with all people. Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Man’s relationship with God was perfect and complete without any walls and hindrances or distractions. “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31) And God blessed them. (Genesis 1:28)

Then Adam and Eve sinned and the relationship was broken. The LORD God had commanded “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16,17) They disobeyed God’s command and ate of the forbidden fruit. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

Today the effects of sin are on every hand. The value of human life has been cheapened. People are dying from murder, war, terrorism and abortion. Families are being destroyed by hatred, alcoholism, drugs, violent entertainment, pornography and adultery. Children suffer for the sins of their parents. Millions of people suffer under the cruel tyranny of evil and selfish dictators. There is evil everywhere!!!

You may say, “I’m not like that. I’m a pretty good person”. The Word of God says; “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 16:25) Most of us consider ourselves to be good people.

Let us take a little quiz:

Have you kept God’s commandants? Let us consider a few of them.

“Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15) Have you ever stolen anything?

“Thou shalt not bear false witness.” (Exodus 20:16) Have you ever told a lie? My friend, that includes stretching the truth. God says, “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” (Revelation 21:8)

How about this commandment? “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 21:13) Have you ever killed anyone? The Bible says; “he that hateth his brother is a murderer.” (1 (John 3:15) Have you ever hated anyone?

Consider this commandment? “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14) Are you guilty of adultery? Jesus said, “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) Have you ever looked at another person with lustful desire?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you have broken God’s law and you will stand guilty before God on judgment day. “For all have sinned: and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Sin is the transgression of God’s holy law. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20) How does God feel about sin? “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.., and it grieved him at his heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6) In another place the scriptures say; “I was grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: (Psalm 95:10)... I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.” (Psalm 119:158)

Sin stands as an ultimate barrier of separation between sinful man and almighty God. Because of His righteousness and holiness God is obligated to judge sin. “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 20:7) No one is prepared to meet God with sin in the heart. The scriptures are clear that all will face the judgment of God.

“... it is appointed unto men once to die...but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) No one shall escape God’s judgment. The Bible tells us that the blatant disregard of God’s law will be punished. “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.” (Romans 1:32)

God wants us to be a pure and holy people. His desire is that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. But how can we on our own strength reach to this flawless holy standard that God requires? The fact is, we can not. “There is none righteous, no, not one!” (Romans 33:10) No one can attain God’s perfect standard through religious rituals, helping the poor, acts of charity or giving money. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23) and that death is an eternal hell separated from the presence of God.

But don’t despair, there is good news. This same verse goes on to say, “but the gift of God is eternal life thru Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all come to repentance and eternal life. That anyone means “You” my friend.

Knowing that we could not reach His standard and knowing that we could never regain our relationship with Him, God looked down on us with love and mercy. The scripture says; “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16,17) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of a virgin and lived a holy life free from all sin. This same Jesus was unjustly condemned as a sinner, beaten, mocked and sentenced to die on a cruel cross. When Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, God the Father took all our sins and laid them upon Jesus.

As Jesus shed His blood and died, the penalty of our sin was paid in full. The holy scriptures tell us; “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) “...Jesus Christ, ...loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” (Revelation 1:5) After Jesus died, they placed His body in a tomb and after three days He triumphantly rose from the dead, defying death, hell and the grave! “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ... And ...he was buried, and he rose again the third day.” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)

The Good News is that Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, is alive and calling you to Himself. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

My friend, are you weary of your sinful life and long for peace and rest for your soul? Do you see yourself as a guilty sinner deserving death and in need of Jesus as your Savior? Imagine yourself on that airplane knowing you are about to die. Are you prepared for your appointment with death and judgment?

My friend, Here is what you need to do to prepare to meet your God:

1.
Acknowledge That You Are a Sinner in Need of a Savior.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” (Romans 3:23)

2.
Believe in Your Heart That the Lord Jesus Christ Is the Son of God and That He Died for Your Sins.

The Bible says: “....if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9,10)

3.
Repent of Your Sin.

God commands; “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19) Repentance is turning away from all sin and giving yourself totally to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

4.
Confess Your Sins In Prayer To God.

Be truly sorry for the sins you have committed against God and others. God already knows all about your sins and wants to hear you confess them from the heart to Him so He can forgive you and clear your guilty conscience. God Promises in His word; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)

5.
Call Upon the Lord Jesus Christ Through Prayer to Be Saved.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

My friend, is there any good reason why you cannot prepare to meet God right now? You have no promise of another opportunity to prepare to meet God. The Bible says, “Today is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time, if you hear His voice calling you, harden not your heart.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

If you see your self as a lost sinner and are willing to turn away from your sinful life and surrender your life fully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, pray in this fashion; “Dear God; I acknowledge that I have sinned against You and am in need of your forgiveness. I am truly sorry for, and repent of all my sinful ways. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he died for my sins and rose again. I make you Lord and master of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen”

The Bible promises, “... as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12) “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

My friend, if you have trusted in Christ Jesus as your Savior your whole life has just changed. Pray everyday, read your Bible, obey what it says and find a Bible-believing church that glorifies Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message.

If God has recently changed your life and you would like to speak to someone contact our counsel room,we will gladly listen.