This week's enjoyable time of praise and worship was led by Jackie.
Pastor Jonathan Fiddy spoke about how through Jesus Christ we can have victory over death. God never planned for us to die - He intended us to have perfection and a lasting relationship with Him. But man's sin broke the relationship with God and brought death to all people.
As Romans 5v12 says: "Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."
We all know that we have to die one day, and it is foolish not to make sure we are ready to die and meet God. The only exception to death is for those Christians who are still living when Jesus returns to earth and takes His followers to heaven with Him in 'the rapture'. Until Jesus comes back we all have to pass through death either into heaven or hell.
Jesus made it possible for us to go to heaven by putting Himself through death for us. Matthew 27v50 says that Jesus 'gave up His spirit'. There was a large earthquake and 'the tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus's resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people (v52-53).
As a perfect man who didn't sin, Jesus's death broke the power and curse of death. Now those who believe in the power of the cross of Jesus can go to heaven and not hell. Hell was never meant for people, but for the Devil and his demons, who will be thrown into the lake of fire at God's last judgement.
Rev. 20v11-15 talks about how one day every person who has ever lived will stand before God to be judged. If we believe in Jesus' death on the cross for us, our names are in the 'book of life'.
Everyone will be given a fair trial - God is a God of justice and He is holy. He cannot let people get away with sin but must judge it. Sin cannot be allowed to enter heaven to pollute it the way it has harmed earth!
But He has provided a way of escape for us in Jesus. We all choose our own destiny for eternity, either heaven by accepting Jesus as our Saviour, or hell by rejecting Jesus's death on the cross for us.
And God is 'not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance' (2 Peter 3v9). God is a loving God, and full of forgiveness for those who trust in Him. Heaven will be a wonderful place, made by our Creator God, full of wonder and creativity, joy and beauty and peace beyond our mind's understanding.
We need to come to Jesus and trust in His death for us, and make sure we don't miss out on the glorious things He's prepared for us.
Pastor Jonathan Fiddy is available to talk to on 871975, and the church website is emmanuelgospelministries.org. CDs of the messages can be bought for £1. All are warmly invited to a barn dance in the church hall tonight (Friday) at 7.30 pm. Tickets £5 adults, £2.50 children, with all proceeds going to the Christian charity Release International.