I dreamed last night I went to #Heaven.

• I searched for a #Baptist church,
  • but could not find one.
• I searched for a #Catholic church,
  • but could not find one.
• I searched for a #Church of Christ,
  but could not find one.
• I searched for a #Pentecostal church,
  • but could not find one.
• I searched for a #Mormon church,
  • but could not find one.
• I searched for every single denomination's #church,
  • but none were to be found.

I searched for THE church and found it everywhere.

• I looked in the mirror,
  • and there was THE church.
• I looked at my friends,
  • and there was THE church.
• I looked at my very best friend
  • (Do you know Him? He's the one with the nail scarred hands),
    • and there was THE church.

• I searched for my friend
  • who attended church every time the doors were opened,
    • but he was not there.
• I searched for my friend
  • who knew and followed every single doctrine of our denomination,
    • but he was not there.
• I searched for my friend
  • who religiously went through several weekly and daily rituals
  • (praying, singing, communion, saying "Hail, Mary", fasting, reading the #bible, etc.),
    • but he was not there.
• I searched for my righteous friend
  • who knew exactly when to say that loud "amen" or "glooooooorrrrrrrrrrry" during our church services
  • that made me think he must be so much closer to #God than I was,
    • but he was not there.
• I searched for my friend
  • who always tithed and gave large cash donations to the church,
    • but he was not there.
• I searched for my friend
  • who spent his life doing good deeds for others,
    • but he was not there.

Nobody ever told them
"works won't get you into heaven."

• I searched for my friends
• who had trusted in Jesus Christ to be their savior,
  • and all were there.
• Some of these friends didn't belong to a church,
  • let alone attend one regularly.
• Some of these friends didn't know our church had a defined doctrine.
• Some of these friends didn't do anything religiously.
• Some of these friends didn't read the Bible much.
• Some of these friends didn't tithe every week.
  • None of these friends were deserving,
    • but all were there in heaven.
      

Why?

• Because at some point in their life,
  • they realized who Jesus Christ was
    and had #faith that He would save them.
    • When they did, the #angels sang as Jesus wrote their name in His book and added them to THE church.
      

Friends, it is fantastic if you do good works and religiously attend church.

• In fact, if you truly #love #Jesus you will want to do good works and be part of a local congregation.
  • But, don't put your trust for eternity in your good works, or a church or denomination.
  • Don't trust in anything,
    except the fact that
    #Christ died for you
    so that you may be found without blemish.
    • Trust in the blood that Jesus shed for you on the cross,
      so that your every sin (past, present and future)
      will be wiped away from His memory.

Trust in JESUS.

Welcome to THE church.

© 1998 WizarDave