Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 30
Saturday


BEHIND
THE PARTED
CURTAIN

READ:
Luke 23:39-43
________________________________________________________

Jesus said to him
"Assuredly, I say to you,
today you will be with
Me in Paradise."
__Luke 23:43
________________________________________________________

Pastor and author Erwin Lutzer wrote: "One minute after you slip behind the parted curtain, you will either be enjoying a personal welcome from Christ or catching your first glimpse of gloom as you have never known it. Either way, your future will be irrevocably fixed and eternally unchangeable."

Luke recorded a short yet powerful narrative that pictures two men about to go behind that curtain of death. When Jesus was being crucified, two thieves hung alongside Him. According to Mark, both men hurled insults at Jesus (15:32).

One of the thieves, however, had a change of heart as he realized Jesus' innocence, his own sin, and his destiny. He rebuked the other thief and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. These words were a sign of repentance and simple faith. Jesus responded, "I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Salvation for the man was immediate. He knew that day where he would spend eternity.

Realizing that we are sinners and placing our trust in Jesus' death and resurrection assures us that we can immediately know where we will spend our eternal tomorrows when we slip behind the parted curtain.

__Marvin Williams
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``````````````````Oh, why not turn while yet you may;`````````````
````````````````````````Too late, it soon will be--````````````````
````````````````````A glorious life you may possess```````````````
`````````````````````Throughout eternity. __Anon````````````````
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To prepare for tomorrow, trust Jesus today.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 23:39-43************

39 Then one of the
criminals who were hanged
blasphemed Him,
saying, "Do you not even
fear God, seeing you are
under the same
condemnation? 41 And we
indeed justly, for we receive
the due reward of our
deeds; but this Man has
done nothing wrong."

42 Then he said to Jesus,
"Lord, remember me when
You come into Your
kingdom."

43 And Jesus said to him,
"Assuredly, I say to you,
today you will be with Me
in Paradise."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The Lord Jesus gave us three assurances when He told the
believing thief: "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me
in Paradise" (v.43). First, Jesus assures us of the certainty of our
salvation--we are saved the moment we believe in Jesus. Second,
Jesus assures us of an abiding fellowship with Him--we will be with
Him the moment we die (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). Third, Jesus assures
us of our home in heaven--paradise is where God dwells (2 cor.
12:1-4). Christ called it His Father's house with many rooms, a place
where He has gone to prepare for each one of us. He will personally
come and bring us home to that place (John 14:2-3). __SIM KAY TEE