Regrets

We have talked to a lot of people over the years- and one subject seems to come up time and time again. It is a topic that I will call “regrets”.

Most of these people live in nursing homes and tell us that they have a lot of regrets as they look back over their lives.

They regret that they bought the expensive house that they did when they were young;

They regret marrying the person they married- and wonder what life would have been like had they married their high school sweetheart instead;

They regret working long hours and spending so much time away from their children when the children were growing up;

They regret spending the money that they did on the things that they thought were so important- things like fancy cars and expensive jewelry;

They regret that they didn’t take better care of their bodies- such as eating healthier foods and getting more exercise;

They regret that they didn’t have a chance to tell their loved ones how much they loved them before the loved ones died;

And the list goes on and on…

How about you? Do you have any regrets?

We should live our lives with no regrets. That is, if we knew that we were going to die tomorrow, then we should have nothing to regret. We should be able to look back over our life and be totally satisfied with how we have lived it.

I have some regrets about how I lived my life in the past…mostly that I would love to have become a born-again believer earlier in life than I did- and consequently have been able to give my children a better life growing up than what they had.

BUT- I have no regrets today about how I have lived my life since 1998- and why not? Because that is when I became a born-again believer in Jesus Christ- also known as a Christian! And since then, I have lived my life in such a way as to have NO regrets… at all!

How about you?! Would you like to be able to lie on your death bed and know that you have no regrets- that you do not owe anyone an apology for something that you have said or done to them; or that you have forgiven those who have done you wrong?  Or even that you have lived your life in such a way that no one can say anything bad about you after you are gone?

If you honestly answered that question, “No way, I have a lot of regrets about how I live- or have lived- my life”, then I have good news for you!

There is a way that you can live your life- from this moment forward- with no regrets! We cannot change our past- but we can surely change the path that we are headed down for our future.

Jesus stated in:

Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matthew 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Jesus tells us in these scriptures that there are two paths that we can take in life. One path, or way, as He calls it, has a gate– or entryway- that leads to destruction, (verse 13); and the other one leads to life, (verse 14).

Jesus uses the words destruction and life here to represent Heaven and Hell.

Please notice that He states in verse 13 that the path, or way, to destruction – or Hell- is broad and has a wide gate, or entryway. He then goes on to tell us that there will be MANY who take that path, and will enter into Hell after they die.

But in verse 14 He states that the path- or way– to life, or Heaven, is narrow and has a strait gate– which means that it is a narrow path full of obstacles and difficulties; and FEW there be that find it.

Jesus plainly states here that MANY people will choose a path that will take them straight to Hell when they die; and FEW people will choose the path which leads to Heaven.

These are words that came from Jesus Christ Himself! And yet- His Words are TOTALLY CONTRARY to what we hear preached from most pulpits worldwide.

People today seem to think that just about everyone ends up in Heaven after they die. Don’t believe me? Go to just about any funeral and you will see what I mean!

The Pastor talks about how good “Joe” was to everyone; what a nice, clean life he led- never drank or smoked; what a good husband and father he was; how much money he gave to the church; and how much everyone loved him.

But rarely does the Pastor talk about the day that “Joe” became a born-again Christian. And why is that? Because the Pastor probably has no idea whether or not “Joe” even WAS a born-again Christian! But he preaches good old “Joe” into Heaven anyway!

We seem to have some kind of a preconceived notion in modern society that you are definitely a Christian, and will go to Heaven after you die, if you:

• go to ‘church’ whenever the doors are open;
• tithe regularly;
• and are a nice person.

BUT Jesus clearly gives the ONLY REAL way for you to become a Christian, and to consequently spend eternity in Heaven with Him after you die, when He says in:

John 3:3 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Meaning to enter into Heaven after he dies.)

There are so many scriptures which talk about how Christians should live if they want to stay on that strait, which means full of obstacles and difficulties, and narrow way, or path, which leads to life.

And there are also plenty of them which tell us exactly which sins will lead us down that path to destruction– no matter how much of a “good Christian” we think we are!

Most Pastors today preach warm, fuzzy messages; full of things like, “Jesus loves you”, and “God wants you to be blessed”- but they seem to be leaving out some of the most important things that people need to hear. Namely- that they need to make sure that they take the RIGHT path in life, the one that leads to life, and NOT the one that leads to destruction!

We will continue this discussion in future studies- and will give you scriptures which will show YOU how to choose the right path in life; and how to avoid taking the wrong one.

These are not our opinions- they are the “Truth Indeed”- out of God’s Word!

May God richly bless you as you choose to follow Him!