Daily Devotional for Friday March 25, 2011

Now there are Two Cleopatras in Hell

(2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Luke 16:19-31)

Now there are two Cleopatras in hell! Movie icon Elizabeth Taylor died Wednesday. Taylor was one of Hollywood's classic actresses, winning 2 Oscars during her long and storied career. Her personal life however, was not as successful, getting married 8 times. Saddest of all was the fact she grew up in the Christian Science cult, and later converted to Judaism.

As world renown as Taylor was, as great an actress as she was, the reality is when she took her last breath Wednesday and passed into eternity, she stood before Almighty God. God was not impressed with her movie career, her 33.19 carat diamond and vast wealth, or her beauty. Like each person who dies, the only thing God cared about was if Elizabeth Taylor knew Jesus as her personal Savior!

Some people may feel this is a very cold Devotional. Quite the opposite. It is because we have a generation of gutless pastors that I MUST share this message with you today. What I am sharing with you today is the most important issue in life, and one that needs to be discussed since death is a very real part of our life, and something each person reading these words today will experience in the future.

The Bible clearly tells us that tomorrow is promised to none of us. The fact is, the moment we take our last breath we will stand before God. At that instant, there is only one thing that will matter and that is whether you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart and life by faith. At that moment, those who have accepted Him will be forever with God their Creator, those who have rejected Him will be forever separated from God their Creator.

It is impossible for us with our finite minds to even begin to comprehend the glory of Heaven, being with God our Creator for eternity. Likewise, it is impossible for us to even begin to imagine the horrors of Hell, being separated from God our Creator for eternity.

HELL IS NOT A BAD VACATION, IT IS ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD YOUR CREATOR AND THERE ARE NO WORDS THAT COULD EVER DESCRIBE THAT HORROR!!!

The Bible, which is our final authority in ALL matters is very clear on death. It is final. There is no such thing as reincarnation, we are not coming back as a petunia. We don't die and go to some special place where people can pray us into Heaven over time. The moment we die our body is no longer of any use and our soul lives on for eternity, either forever with God, or forever separated from Him. That eternal destination is determined by only ONE THING, our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Being a member of a certain church CANNOT save you. Being baptized as a baby CANNOT save you. The faith of your parents CANNOT save you. Good works CANNOT save you. A pastor or priest simply praying over you while you are dying CANNOT save you. The ONLY THING that can save you is putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. It is a choice, a conscious choice, that YOU and YOU ALONE have to make BEFORE you die.

Sadly, based on her own words, Elizabeth Taylor had rejected faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible also tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." You see my friend, it is our SIN that separates us from a Holy and Righteous God, and why only faith in Jesus Christ, who paid for our sins can allow us to be reconciled to God. Taylor did many good works throughout her life. However, the Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:8,9 that good works will not save you.

No doubt a woman as well traveled as Taylor had to come across many people over the years that shared with her that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. Only God knows our heart, and only God knows if at some point at the very end of her life Taylor made a commitment to Christ. But let me reiterate, as great of a life as she lived, as loved as she was, it all meant nothing the moment she died.

---> If Elizabeth Taylor died without confessing Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, she is lost for eternity and in Hell with the original Cleopatra who lived a generation before Jesus, but rejected the God of Israel for the false gods of Egypt!

I have no doubt that somewhere in the world, within a few minutes of the passing of Elizabeth Taylor a woman that had accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior also died. This woman was not known by the world, she did not have great wealth, but death is the great equalizer. If Taylor died without Christ, this woman that was known and loved by the world, this woman that had all the wealth this world could offer, was instantly cast into eternal darkness.

At the same time, the woman who DID know Jesus as her Savior by faith, who had no fame or fortune in this life, was instantly ushered into the presence of Almighty God for eternity. "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?" (Luke 16:19-31)

I love you and care about you so much. Being a famous person in this life does NOT guarantee you anything when this brief journey is over. Each person is responsible for their own eternal destination by their choice in regard to Jesus Christ. You see, it was Jesus that died on a cross 2,000 years ago for your sins and mine. That is why ONLY faith in Jesus can save you.

If right now, this very moment, you do not have the assurance that when your life is over, you will be forever with God, the Bible says that TODAY is the day of salvation. You never have to doubt or wonder again, Bow your head right now, ask God to open your heart, and read the words at this following link: http://www.liveprayer.com/plan.cfm I will be praying for you as you make the most important decision that you will make in this life, where you will spend eternity.

***As we head into the last 6 days of March...we have covered the balance of our Feb. operations..but we still have the $40,000 we need for March operations. Additionally, we had worked down our 2009 shortfall from $100,000 to just $10,000..but need to get those long overdue obligations covered...along with the $10,000 we need immediately for equipment....

Please take a few minutes today and pray about helping me with a gift today..or by the end of the week towards these needs...if you can send a gift of $5,000 or more and could take the extra effort to wire the funds directly to our bank that would really help me out..or if you could FedEx your gift..I will be happy to give you our wire/FedEx account info...

I refuse to back down..or allow a few dollars to stop our efforts for the Kingdom..now more than ever as you see the upheaval and unrest...the non-stop events both in our nation and around the world..the time is indeed very short..and we have our greatest opportunity to not just see souls won for Christ..but a legitimate opportunity to turn this nation back to God and His Truth..

God has used your faithfulness over the years..and that of many others to use this ministry to impact tens of millions of lives worldwide...He has always moved on the hearts of a few at critical times to send a major gift to help me..please pray about making the sacrifce today and allow God to use you...remember His blessings flow from our obedience....

Please don't assume someone else will do what God is calling you to do!..

***To make a special gift to Liveprayer, you can send your gift to Liveprayer on your major credit card at our website www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" button, or you can give from your PayPal account by using my email address, bkeller@liveprayer.com , or you can mail it to: Liveprayer, 6660 46th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33709. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

Thank you for your love..prayers..and sacrifices to help me..together we are making a major difference in hearts and lives each day..know that you and your family..are in my prayers each day..

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller