THE GRAVESITE

 

    

     I no longer have cable TV and truthfully I do not miss it! I do have access to Pluto TV and YouTube which I watch on occasion. I was recently watching some videos of where movies were filmed such as Rocky, Beverly Hills Cop and Ghostbusters which I find interesting. This past week I was watching video's of where actors, actresses and singers are buried such as Mr. Roper from the show Three's Company (Norman Fell), Lisa Marie Presley (Elvis's daughter), Sam the Butcher from the Brady Bunch (Allan Melvin), Leslie Nielsen from the movie Airplane, Lucille Ball whom you all know, John Ritter from Three's Company and Buddy Holly where his airplane crashed in 1959. he "Youtuber" visited each gravesite and tried to find the exact location and stood in front of each gravesite telling stories and sharing memories. Watching these made me sad but they all made me think. These people had one thing in common. For the most part they all had success in whatever field they were in whether it be doing movies, singing or doing comedy. Some made a significant amount of money and did well financially and some did okay. Some were good at managing the money they made while others made bad decisions where they invested their money. They all had fame, fortune and everything they ever wanted in life here on earth, but now they all have one singular thing in common...they are all gone. When each "Youtuber" showed any of these celebrity graves, all you saw was a headstone with a name and dates which are when they were born and when they died. All that was left to talk about was a memory of that celebrity and what they accomplished in life here on earth. Some of the most visited gravesites in America include Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, President John F. Kennedy, Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee. 

     So why would anyone want to watch depressing videos of people who are gone? Well, I don't have an answer but I do know watching these videos reminded me of a scripture in Mark 8:34 - For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? All of these people lived a good life here on earth. I don't know if any of them attended church, read the bible, prayed or spoke openly about their faith. I'm not judging them whatsoever but I do think about where they are now spending eternity. Did they make any commitment to follow Jesus? Did they invite Jesus into their hearts and ask Him to forgive them of their sins? Will they be spending eternity in heaven? It's amazing to think that all that fame, fortune and worldly possessions cannot go with them. I heard a phrase one time that mad me laugh. When you die there will NOT be a U-Haul attached to your hearse! In other words all of the things you worked so hard to get while you were on this earth it will NOT be going with you! 

     We all need to come to the realization that one day we will die. One day we will stand before our creator and we will need to give an account of our lives. We will be judged yet if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our name will be in the Lambs Book of Life. I don't know about you, but I want to hear Jesus say to me "Well done good and faithful servant!" I live a very simple lifestyle. I will never own a Jaguar (the car not the animal) or live in a mansion or own a yacht or own a vacation home in Florida. I won't have a million dollars in the bank or own a lot of stock in Amazon. I do have that assurance that I am going to heaven not because I am Pastor Dave and not because of what I have accomplished in ministry throughout my life. That is going to mean nothing! We are saved by grace and not by works! (Ephesians 2:8-9). I'm going to heaven because of what Jesus did for me by taking my place on that cross of Calvary so that my sins will be forgiven and I can receive eternal life. It's a free gift that we can all receive and all we need to do is accept Jesus in your heart. We live in a world today that has pushed Jesus away in our schools, in our government and in our media. I want to invite you to do the opposite...invite Jesus to be closer to you by accepting Him into your heart!!  All it takes is a simple prayer! 

     On my tombstone I want it to read "I'm Going Home." After all, we are only visiting this planet until either we go home to heaven or Jesus returns. COME JESUS COME!! I believe we are getting closer to that day!!    

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK EVERYONE!!