Planning a Trip?

When I plan a vacation, I have a specific “To Do” list that helps me prepare.

1. Schedule my dates way ahead of time so I can reap the cost savings.
2. Learn all about the place I’m going to be visiting.
3. Get my house in order so I don’t have a messy house when I return.
4. Pack my bags according to the climate and length of my trip.
5. Make arrangements with family members or friends to take care of mail, etc.

After all my details have been handled, I can’t stop thinking about my upcoming trip! Excitement sets in and concentration is very difficult 🙂 I have already begun my vacation, mentally 🙂

Shouldn’t we be preparing for our eternal trip with the same fervor and anticipation? My “To Do” list for my eternal trip can still be used to prepare:

1. Schedule my dates way ahead of time so I can reap the cost savings. The first thing a person must do to prepare for his eternal trip is to be sure of where he is going to spend eternity. The Bible speaks much on eternal life and how to go to Heaven:

~Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

~John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him (Jesus Christ) should not perish, but have eternal life. (parenthesis add author’s words)

~John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

~John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

~John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

~John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

~Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

~Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

~Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

~1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

~1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

~1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

~1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

~1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

If you are not already born-again, you cannot enter Heaven.

~John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

~John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

~Romans 10:9 That 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.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then your eternal home is Heaven! Congratulations! Now let’s plan the rest of your trip!

2. Learn all about the place I’m going to be visiting.

There are 238 verses in the New Testament alone that mention the word Heaven. Why not start preparing for your trip by reading up on them.

Do a word search for Heaven in your New Testament Bible software. You can do this online as well or even look up the word in your Strong’s Concordance. You will most certainly be blessed as you read all that God’s Word has to tell us about our eternal home!

3. Get my house in order so I don’t have a messy house when I return. Are you quenching the Holy Spirit in your life as He tries to mold you into the image of Christ?

~1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

~Colossians 3:9b-10 … that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Are you working for those crowns which you can cast at Jesus’ feet at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 4:4)?

~1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

~1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

~2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

~James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

~1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

There are five possible crowns that a believer can earn. These crowns, again, will be cast at Christ’s feet in Rev. 4:4.

4. Pack my bags according to the climate and length of my trip. What can you put in your spiritual bags to prepare for your trip? What about souls that you’ve been personally responsible for leading to Christ! What about fruit of the Spirit? You are currently being molded into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit if you are yielded to Him. All that you become during your pilgrim’s walk on this earth will be what you take with you, nothing more!

~2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

5. Make arrangements with family members or friends to take care of mail, etc. Don’t stop telling your friends and family about Christ and His precious salvation while you are yet here!

~Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Are you ready for your upcoming eternal trip? This should be THE most important trip of your life since it will involve eternity! You will not be coming back so think carefully as to where you will be spending eternity. Where will it be? Heaven or Hell?