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Posts Tagged ‘How can I get to Heaven?’

THE ENDLESS SUPPLY OF LOVE

Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 6, 2025| 3 Comments »

So, is renowned atheist philosopher Friedrich Nietzche (who famously first declared “God is dead”) correct? Is there only a finite amount of love and goodness in this troubled world? Are they a resource doomed to eventually disappear?

I’m pretty sure that like me, you’ve never considered such questions, especially when considering the existence of a creator who (1) cares about His creation and (2) is involved in the affairs of humanity.

I showed this meme to my wise pastor friend Ross Carkner. His response:

“Love in the world is not a resource. From a Christian perspective, love is an outward expression of an individual’s or a community’s inward experience of the true and living God. As such love is not finite … it cannot be exhausted … it is completely renewable.

“Love is uncontainable – it emerges in the very times and places where we would expect it to not exist. We see it in wake of famines and natural disasters. We discover it the midst of wars and tragedies.

“While love on occasion can be directed as if in a garden hose, it seems to work best when it emerges from within and reproduces seemingly on its is own. Love does have a source. The greater the acknowledgement of God’s presence, the stronger it is experienced, for as the Bible says, God is love!”

There’s an unspoken viewpoint behind the words of Nietzsche (1844-1900) and it’s this: don’t waste your time bothering with anything you consider to be a creator.

I understand his position, given his atheist beliefs. But consider how loving God and Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God) has changed this world:

  • Dozens of non-profit organizations, such as Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Compassion Canada and Lifewater, are providing vital physical, spiritual and emotional help to millions of suffering people around the world. All of them are driven by the love of God.
  • Some of the world’s most renowned universities, such as Oxford and Princeton, were started by people inspired by their love of God. (Read more about this, in a blog called ‘Higher Learning & The Higher Power,’ here: https://wp.me/p2wzRb-9O)
  • Saint Basil (330-379), A Turkish Jesus follower, establishing the first comprehensive hospitals in the 4th century. This charitable tradition continued through the Middle Ages with institutions such as the Hotel-Dieu (in English, ‘Hotel of God’) in Paris. Would this have happened so early on without God-loving people?

This is why I can write, with great confidence, that becoming a Jesus follower can not only transform your life — giving you a new purpose, a new sense of joy and a worldview that doesn’t shift with every new trend — it also opens the door to eternity in the presence of your creator. And I guarantee you, that will go far, far beyond anything you can possibly imagine.

Sound interesting? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

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THE BOOK OF REALITY

Posted in It's Not About 'Religion', tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 16, 2025| 7 Comments »

Perhaps you’ve never read a Bible and, based on what you’ve heard from others, never want to even touch one.

You’ve lived with the satisfyingly vague notion that there’s some kind of creator out there and, if you manage to do more good than bad, you’ll get entry to whatever coming’s next.

And yet, here you are, reading a blog examining a book that apparently still leaves you curious. So give me a few moments to do my imperfect best to explain the Bible and encourage you to give it some consideration.

First of all, it’s absolutely NOT a novel. While the Bible contains narrative sections, it also has historical accounts, poetry, legal codes, letters and prophetic writings.

Plus, novels are usually written by one or two people; the Bible is written by dozens of people in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic — the language of Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God — and Greek) over thousands of years.

Despite all these authors and all that time, the Bible has consistent themes:

  • The universe, this planet and everything on it are God’s creation
  • Humanity is the crowning touch of God’s creation because we were made aware of ourselves and aware of our creator.
  • Through the bad things we’ve done and the good things we’ve failed to do, humanity has walked away from the love and care of our creator.
  • God ceaselessly invites us back to Him — first through passionate men (called prophets) endowed with unique knowledge/experience of God, then through the life, teachings, miracles, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

The last point is critical, because Jesus told anyone willing to listen: “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” So there it is; when this life ends, you’ll need to be perfect to get past the bouncer at the ‘pearly gates’.

Well, that’s a problem, isn’t it? Since no one can ever get close to perfection, how can even one of us get to Heaven?

The answer is Jesus. When He allowed Himself to be arrested on false charges, convicted and put to death, Jesus paid the penalty for every wrong thing done by His followers, and every right thing we’ve failed to do.

After that, God saw — and continues to see — His Son’s followers just as He sees Jesus: perfect in every way. The result is when Jesus followers end this life, the bouncer ushers them into a joyous eternity with God.

Just as important, when people like YOU invite Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, He comes into your heart IMMEDIATELY and begins making you more like the person God created you to be.

All this is in the Bible for you to discover. What about the “murder, corruption, homophobia, bestiality, incest and cruelty”? Well, the bible absolutely isn’t “full” of that stuff as the meme creator suggests, but they are there. Why? Because the Bible is about REALITY.

It doesn’t sugar-coat the often horrific behaviour of humanity. The Bible lays it all out so it’s plain to see why we are in a bad way and why/how Jesus can and does fix that for everyone who follows Him.

So how about you? Are you willing to at least read a few Bible chapters now and then? Yes or no, post your comments below and let’s have a conversation.

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“THIS IS NOT A FULFILLING LIFE”

Posted in In The News, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 19, 2025| 3 Comments »

I’m not a huge golf fan but this headline, in Canada’s National Post, grabbed my attention because in our culture, professional athletes are supposed to obsess over their careers.

So what gives with American golfer Scott Scheffler, who’s currently the top-ranked player in the world?

“I’m not here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what’s the point?,” he told reporters, who must have been thoroughly gobsmacked at hearing this heresy. “This is not a fulfilling life.”

What?? How can this be? Did Scheffler get hit in the head with a golf ball? Did someone whack him with a putter? There must be some explanation for this wonky, ridiculous thinking.

And there is. Consider Scheffler’s answer to a question about his reading habits: “I have a devotional book on my iPad. I have another book which I’m reading that’s definitely not a golf book. It’s another spiritual book. My Bible is pretty much it.”

Ah. There it is. Scheffler is some kind or religious nut, right? And yet you’re reading this blog because somewhere in your mind and heart, you’re open to spirituality – and maybe even to Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God.

Despite Scheffler’s astounding success — the article says the 29-year-old Texan “has taken over the sport as the most dominant player since Tiger Woods” — he has found himself grounded in a way most of us can only dream about.

Among the many things Jesus told anyone willing to listen is this: “What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?”

Scheffler appears to understand this very well. And maybe this understanding has contributed to his success.

There’s something for me and you to learn from this. Whatever we’re pursuing, is it worth damaging our health, our emotional well-being or our relationships? NO. Especially when it’s all temporary. Our 70 or 80 years on this planet are nothing but a blip compared to what’s coming next.

Scheffler seems to comprehend what’s coming next. That’s why he’s placed his faith and trust in Jesus, because anyone who does so will spend a glorious eternity in the presence of their creator.

This is how it works: Jesus told his listeners, “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” So there it is; when this life ends, you’ll need to be perfect to get past the bouncer at the ‘pearly gates’.

Well, that’s a problem, isn’t it? Since no one can ever get close to perfection, how can even one of us get to Heaven?

The answer is Jesus. When He allowed Himself to be arrested on false charges, convicted and put to death, Jesus paid the penalty for every wrong thing done by His followers, and every right thing we’ve failed to do.

After that, God saw — and continues to see — His Son’s followers just as He sees Jesus: perfect in every way.

Just as important, when people like YOU invite Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, He comes into your heart IMMEDIATELY and begins making you more like the person God created you to be.

Are you interested? Yes or no, post your comment below and let’s have a conversation.

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OUR HEART PROBLEM

Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 17, 2025| 3 Comments »

Do you share the opinion of famed Indian actor and atheist Kamal Hassan? It wouldn’t surprise me. There was a time when I thought this way, too. So stick with me as I do my imperfect best to unpack this statement and, hopefully, persuade you to rethink your position.

First of all, The U.S.-based World Food Program says this: “There is no global food shortage because we produce more than enough food to feed everyone in the world.” The problem, according to the United Nations, is:

  • 14 percent of the world’s food (valued at $400 billion per year) continues to be lost after it is harvested and before it reaches retail.
  • a further 17 percent of our food ends up being wasted in retail and by consumers, particularly in households. That lost and wasted food could feed 1.26 billion hungry people every year.

This is why, when I showed my pastor friend Ross Carkner the meme above, he noted “the problem is not with what God has provided us, but with the hearts of humanity. God provided food for every hungry child, but it has been kept from them by greed, indifference and selfishness. We can’t blame God for our injustice!“

In other words, all of us, including ME and YOU, have a heart problem. Said Ross: “This is hard for us because we feel like we don’t have enough … we always want more. To live more simply so others can simply live is beyond too many of us.”

Again, it’s a heart problem. That problem manifests itself in labelling so many of our selfish, indulgent wants as needs. And I’m as guilty as the next person.

Meanwhile, there are many charitable organizations that follow Jesus of Nazareth — who many people believe is the Son of God — and are committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus to people imprisoned in generational cycles of poverty. I recently retired from one of them, Samaritan’s Purse. Others include Lifewater, Compassion Canada, Salvation Army and the Mustard Seed.

As you digest this, consider your heart problem and how to fix it. Are you frustrated that so often, your efforts to improve yourself have failed? That’s often been my frustration, until I realized that I simply cannot do it on my own. I don’t have the willpower, the endurance, the strength of character.

So I trust God to improve me. Years ago, after much reading and discussion with thoughtful Jesus followers, I decided to trust my present (and future) to Jesus. I asked Him to forgive me of all the wrongs things I’ve done and all the right things I’ve failed to do.

That opened the door for Jesus to come into my heart and soul and start the life-long process of making me more like the person God created me to be. And when that journey finishes, I’ll spend eternity with my creator.

Does this sound interesting to you? Yes or no, drop a comment below and let’s have a conversation.

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WHO KNOWS IT ALL?

Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 12, 2025| 4 Comments »

Maybe you’ve encountered some “religious” Christians who left you with a bad taste in your mouth because they insisted all they need to know can be found in the Bible.

I’m with you on this. In fact, this is just one more reason why I want nothing to do with “religion” (a few more reasons can be found here: https://frankscottage.blog/2018/06/30/the-unniceness-of-religion/).

I’m a man of faith who follows Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God), but I absolutely DO NOT know everything. In fact, since deciding to follow Jesus more than 20 years ago, I’ve yet to meet a single person who fits the stereotype of the atheist meme that sparked this blog.

So let’s clear up the misconceptions. For a start, I have approximately 1,000 fiction, non-fiction, photography, humour, history and spirituality books. Now I’d never claim that other Jesus followers are similar reading enthusiasts, but a majority read at least a few books now and then. Just like most other North Americans.

What about Jesus-following scientists (I wrote about a few of them here: https://wp.me/p2wzRb-e9)? I feel quite safe in writing that most of these folks have entire walls of books. And I can’t imagine even one of them claiming to “know everything” from the Bible.

So what do we know? Based on philosophy, archaeology, science and ancient documents that have never been disproven, we know this:

  • There’s a creator behind the universe, this planet, the air you’re breathing and YOU.
  • This creator is without fault, blemish or stain. I know this because Jesus said His Father is absolutely holy.
  • This creator knows ALL of His creations, including YOU. In fact, He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we fall far, far short of being holy.
  • This creator promises us that there’s much more to life that just 75 years of eating, sleeping, working and watching bad reality TV. This life is just the opening page to the book of all eternity.
  • This creator’s standard for spending that eternity with Him is perfection. I know this because Jesus told anyone willing to listen that “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”
  • Since no one has any hope of reaching that standard on their own, God provided a way: His Son’s undeserved death and extraordinary resurrection three days later. Jesus himself said He “came to serve others and to give [my] life to save many people“.

Why not to save ALL people? Because being saved — to qualify for eternity in Heaven — requires declaring Jesus to be Lord, Saviour and best friend. When this happens, God no longer sees all the wrong things we’ve done and the right things we’ve failed to do. He only sees His Son’s perfection.

If all that seems far away and, therefore, irrelevant, consider this: Jesus told His followers that He would leave them a spiritual guide to help them become the people God created them to be. In other words, trusting in Jesus can make a positive, life-changing difference NOW.

Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

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LEARNING AND UNLEARNING

Posted in It's Not About 'Religion', tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2023| 1 Comment »

Well. This atheist meme certainly paints “religion” in a very bad light. And I get it. As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God), I want nothing to do with the negative, judgemental attitudes that infest religion like a cancer.

So, from a Jesus-following perspective, what about the points made in the meme? Give me a few minutes to go over them and, hopefully, give you something substantial to think about.

  1. Am I “nothing” without God? From one viewpoint, absolutely. You, me, this planet and this universe would not exist without its creator. But my faith tells me all human beings are loved by God. No exceptions. He so much thinks YOU are “something” that He sent His Son to show us a new way to live, and then die to make up for ALL the wrong things His followers have done and ALL the right things we’ve failed to do. In that way, we are *everything* to God.
  2. Some of our desires are, indeed, sinful. My desire to always look good means I’ll sometimes lie or hold back information or avoid difficult situations. That’s sinful. Are you OK with all your desires? What actions have you done — or not done — because of your desires? Got any regrets?
  3. Our spiritual selves are of vital importance. Would anyone other than atheists (who claim we have no souls) think otherwise? But our physical selves matter just as much and I don’t know of any Jesus followers who disagree with me. That’s why so many Jesus followers support Samaritan’s Purse, LifeWater, International Justice Mission and other organizations that help people physically and spiritually.
  4. When this meme was created, I’m assuming “saving others” meant spiritually. Well, from my perspective, that’s false. I am not responsible for spiritually saving anyone. Jesus told His followers to “Go everywhere in the world. Tell the Good News to everyone.” See the difference? In words and deeds, I’m supposed to *tell* them about Jesus. It’s GOD who does the saving.
  5. Just one way to live? That’s ridiculously vague. People, including Jesus followers, live all sorts of lives. That said, Jesus told anyone willing to listen that “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Anyone who doesn’t like that has a problem with Jesus, not His followers. And if He is the Son of God, then he has the right to make this statement. (If you’re not sure who Jesus is, check out the ‘Links to other sites’ tab.)
  6. Are all people “broken”? You won’t like the answer, because all people older than toddlers, who have even a slight ability to discern right from wrong, are broken. All of us have done wrong and failed to do right. That includes you and it certainly includes me. Just ask my patient and forgiving wife. Now here’s the thing: Jesus told anyone open to hearing that “You must be perfect, just as my father in Heaven in perfect.” So, that’s what it takes to get to Heaven. Since we ALL fall short of this standard, we ALL need saving.
  7. Sometimes I can trust myself. Sometimes. Other times I miss the target more often than a drunk darts player. So in the end, I cannot trust myself to make the right decisions, to understand who I am and who God is. That’s just one reason why I follow Jesus. Because I CAN trust Him.

So, do my explanations help you better understand a life of faith? Does following Jesus (and avoiding “religion”) make more sense? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation. 🙂

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SERVING OUR TIME IN THE PENALTY BOX

Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 26, 2022| 4 Comments »

If you don’t follow hockey, then let me drop a surprise on you: goaltenders can get penalized.

The guy in the photo above, Ron Hextall, picked up a whopping 569 penalty minutes during his 13 National Hockey League seasons. That translates into almost 9.5 hours!!

But here’s the thing about hockey goalies: they don’t spend a single minute in the penalty box. Almost every league insists another player take the place of goalies in the ‘sin bin’. And it must be a player who was on the ice (rather than sitting on the bench) when the penalty occurred. The only exception in the NHL is game misconducts, which are *extremely* rare.

So the goalie is penalized, but someone else serves the time.

If you’re open to spirituality — and I assume you are, since you’re reading this blog — then consider this: the exact same scenario plays out every minute of every day in the spiritual world.

Let me explain. Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the perfect Son of God, is *always* the other player on the ice who serves the penalty for ALL the wrong things His followers (like me) have done and ALL the right things they’ve failed to do. Every time, without exception.

Jesus does that through His death on a Roman empire cross. He was put there by false charges from frightened, power-hungry religious leaders who didn’t like what He was doing (healing the sick, forgiving people, hanging out with “sinners”) and what He was saying (God loves *everyone* and following Him can transform their lives for all eternity).

Those religous leaders thought they were getting rid of a nuisance, but all four original-source biographies of Jesus make it clear Jesus came back to life, appeared to many people, and set up His followers to change the world through their new way of living.

Did they – and, by extension, ME – sometimes get it wrong? Absolutely. But those ‘sins’ do NOT negate what Jesus is all about. And they don’t negate how He serves the penalty time for ALL His followers.

Why is this important? Because Jesus told anyone willing to listen that “you must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” That’s right; in order to go to Heaven after this life ends, you must be without a single blemish or stain or imperfection.

Given that impossible standard, God took the extraordinary step of sending Jesus into our hurting world to show us how to live, how to treat others and how to follow Jesus to Heaven. Then, He had Jesus serve ALL our time in the penalty box.

The result of all that is when His followers finish with this life, God doesn’t see the wrong things we’ve done and the right things we’ve failed to do. All He sees is His Son’s perfection. So the bouncer at the gate to Heaven welcomes us in to spend eternity with our creator.

From my perspective, that’s a *great* deal for Ron Hextall and every other person in this world. Sound interesting? Yes or no, post your comment below and let’s have a conversation.

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WHO’S ON WHAT SIDE? AND DOES IT MATTER?

Posted in Me & The World, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 17, 2022| 6 Comments »

Most of us know who Stephen Hawking is. For younger readers, Kirk Cameron was a swoon-worthy idol during his time acting on the 1980s TV comedy Growing Pains.

You might also not be aware that during the show’s seven-season run, Cameron decided to follow Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God. Since the show ended, Cameron, now in his 50s, has starred in and/or produced many faith-themed movies and documentaries.

So why is he being mocked in this meme? Well, many of his productions have been….underwhelming. And some of his socially conservative public statements have made him a target of criticism from media, atheists and many celebrities.

What’s interesting about the meme that sparked this blog is how it singles out one controversial person while ignoring other Jesus followers who are widely admired for their intelligence and accomplishments.

Immediately, I can think of several:

  • Academy Award-winning actors Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington
  • Country singers Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood
  • Scientist Francis S. Collins, who led the way in mapping the human genome (I wrote about him here: https://wp.me/p2wzRb-3o)
  • U.S. talk show host Stephen Colbert

There are many, many more Jesus-following notables – I listed a few in this blog: https://wp.me/p2wzRb-e9.

Here’s the thing, though: it’s not about who’s on what side, it’s not about popularity contests and it’s certainly not about anyone’s IQ. All these “measurements” are distractions, designed to prevent us from thinking about the big questions: who am I? Why am I here? What happens after this life ends?

If you’re willing to consider these questions, then consider this: you’re a creation of God. And one of the original-source biographies of Jesus says “God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him would not be lost, but have eternal life.”

Maybe you’ve read that statement before. Did you know it applies to you? God so loved YOU that He gave His only Son, so that if YOU believe in Him then YOU will not be lost, but have eternal life.

If this doesn’t make sense, then let me ask: do you believe there’s something beyond this life? Maybe even a “good” place and a “bad” place? If yes, then ponder these words that Jesus told anyone willing to listen: “you must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”

So that’s the ticket we need to spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus and His Father. None of us have any hope of achieving perfection, so what to do? Simple. Trust in Jesus. Declare Him Lord, Saviour and your best friend.

If you do that with serious sincerity, then He’ll come into your life and start to make you more of the person God created you to be. And when this life ends, God will see you like He sees His Son: perfect in every way. And the doors of Heaven will be opened to you.

Sound interesting? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

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CAN YOU DO ENOUGH?

Posted in It's Not About 'Religion', tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 6, 2022| 1 Comment »

If you believe there’s a Heaven (or “magic castle in the sky” as this atheist meme calls it), then maybe you think getting there requires prayer, Bible reading and giving money to churches.

Or, more likely, you’re very leery of Christianity precisely because you believe that’s what this religion requires.

I fully understand. So let’s start by dispensing of “religion”, a nasty, negative term I want nothing to do with (and here’s why: https://wp.me/p2wzRb-q1).

Now let’s move past Christianity to what — or more specifically, who — is really worth your time and consideration: Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the son of God.

When He was physically on earth, Jesus told anyone willing to listen that “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” Notice what He didn’t mention? Not a word about praying hard, reading your Bible or giving money to a church.

Don’t get me wrong, all of these behaviours are positive and important and I do my very imperfect best to carry them out. But Jesus makes it clear: they have nothing to do with that happens to you and me after this life ends.

So we’re left with the uncomfortable, unattainable goal of being perfect. Should you give up on that, go your merry way and hope for the best? Some do. But let me propose a different way forward, a way that works for me and millions of other very imperfect people.

Place your trust and your faith in Jesus. Declare Him your saviour and your best friend and endeavour to follow Him to the best of your ability.

When you do that — when you realize He’s a gift that only requires you to accept it (Him) — then God sees you like He sees His Son: perfect in every way. And when this life ends, that means Heaven will be your new and permanent home.

Just as important, it means a new beginning for you RIGHT NOW. When you say yes, with complete sincerity, to Jesus, He comes into your life and starts to make you more like the person you were created to be.

One of Jesus’s earliest and most influential followers described what that means: “God brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.“

Are you interested? Yes or no, type your comment below and let’s have a conversation.

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DO WE HAVE 12 HOURS MORE?

Posted in In The News, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 26, 2022| 2 Comments »

The headline – “Bob Saget’s Last Twitter Post Will Break Your Heart” – compelled me to read the online story. And as I did, it was clear a vital and eternal truth was being laid before me.

Just 12 hours before the 65-year-old actor (Full House and Fuller House), TV host (America’s Funniest Home Videos) and comedian was found dead Jan. 9 in his Florida hotel room, he went on Twitter and posted this:

“Loved tonight’s show in Jacksonville. Appreciative audience. I had no idea I did a 2-[hour] set. I’m happily addicted again to this s***. Check BobSaget.com for my dates in 2022.”

Clearly, Saget was looking ahead to his comedy tour and had no idea it would never happen for the most final of reasons: he would soon be gone from this earth.

It struck me that the same could be applied to anyone. In my case, I could have easily died before this blog appeared online. Pastor and author Rick Warren put it so well: “When I’m tempted to be prideful, I just remind myself that I cannot even guarantee my next breath.”

Did Bob Saget ever think about his demise and what might come after? We may never know. But this is a good motivation for us to set aside our culture’s trivial obsessions and give serious thought to the BIG question.

I did that a few years ago. After considerable reading, thinking and debating with people of faith, I decided to follow Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God.

If you believe in the existence of Heaven, then consider what Jesus told anyone willing to listen: “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” So there it is; when this life ends, you’ll need to be perfect to get past the bouncer at the ‘pearly gates’.

Well, that’s a problem, isn’t it? Since no one can ever get close to perfection, how can even one of us get to Heaven?

The answer is Jesus. One of His earliest followers noted “When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned.”

So Jesus has what it takes. And when He allowed Himself to be arrested on false charges, convicted and put to death, Jesus paid the penalty for every wrong thing done by His followers, and every right thing we’ve failed to do.

After that, God saw — and continues to see — His Son’s followers just as He sees Jesus: perfect in every way. The result is when Jesus followers end this life, the bouncer ushers them into a joyous eternity with God.

Just as important, when people like YOU invite Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, He comes into your heart IMMEDIATELY and begins making you more like the person God created you to be.

We’ll probably never know if Bob Saget did that. But you can make that decision TODAY. Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

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