#246 - Are YOU a 10?

Proverbs 31:15a, 26 - She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household ... She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction].

I was recently having a conversation with someone about the Proverbs 31 woman. The woman whom I've read about so many times before, the woman whom I feel like I know, I'm friends with, who I aspire to become. Despite the many shortcomings & imperfections that I still have to work on, I look to this woman, this 1 chapter in the Bible that gives us women some direction. We have 1 chapter devoted to being a blueprint of the model woman, the ultimate woman. We have 1 chapter that lays out the inside & outside of who this woman is, what she does, how she does it & even the rewards she receives for being who she is. So this morning, as I read again, for maybe the 100th time (probably more) about this woman, I read it differently.

Most likely, if you are reading this blog, you are a Christian. If I asked you the question, "What defines you?" most likely you would have the same answer as I do or at least, hopefully you would have the same answer. What defines me? It's not that I am a mom, a wife or a business owner. It's not that I am a former teacher, former Corporate America banking officer, former collegiate athlete. It's not that I am a writer, a blogger, a sister or a friend. What defines me? What defines me is that I am a Christian. What defines me is that one day I met Jesus and He changed my life forever! What defines me is that the Jesus I met so radically changed my life that I owe it to Him to share His love with others. What defines me is Jesus. What defines me is that if today I woke up and breathed my last breath, though my earthly being would be sad to leave my family, I know where I would wake up... I know on the other side of that breath I would be walking on streets of gold. I would be rejoicing in Heaven. When I approached the pearly gates and proceeded to enter in, my name WOULD BE in the book of Life. I WOULD enter in.

I have often known of the "Utopia" that I live in. I've commented with friends about it, friends that live in the same Utopia. I've enjoyed it. Only recently have I been reminded that not everyone lives there. Not everyone lives in this "Utopia," not everyone lives in this bubble. What bubble? What Utopia? A world I have created for myself. I'm surrounded with friends people, who if asked this question would answer the same as me. "If you were to die today, on a scale of 1-10, how sure are you that you would be going to heaven?" Those people who I have surrounded myself with would all say, "10." They would be SURE they are going to heaven. So... as I go through life doing crafts, decorating, raising kids, building a successful business, being a wife .... my life is like a bubble. I spend time with people who we don't have to visit the most important question on earth. I already KNOW that they know the Jesus I know. I already know that they have the MOST IMPORTANT decision already taken care of. They know Jesus! They have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour, as their Lord.

I've recently stepped out of my Utopia and been almost speechless. There really are people out there who would not answer a "10." There really are people out there who are searching, some who are not searching but should be. There are people out there who if they breathed their last breath today and approached the pearly white gates would NOT enter in to heaven. Stepping outside of this Utopia I have created is a very good eye opener to me! There is STILL work to be done here on earth. There are STILL people who need Jesus and I may be just the person to introduce Him to them!

So, I ask you: On a scale of 1-10, how sure are you that if you died today you would be going to heaven?

<<<<<<<<<< waiting for you to think of your number >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Do you have a number?

Are you pretty sure? Is it a 7? Maybe an 8? A 5? Just like I would tell my middle schoolers when I taught middle school Bible... anything other than a 10 is not good enough. 99% sure is 100% unsure. I would not want to gamble with my eternity on being "pretty sure." If you want to be 100% sure that you are going to heaven, I have an answer for you if you'd like to know how you can know, how you can be a 10.

The simplest answer can be found in Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!


So if you want to nail it down once and for all you can say this simple prayer:

Heavenly Father, I want to confess my sins to you. Please forgive me of all my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. I confess & I believe that Jesus came for me. I believe you raised Him from the dead & that He now sits at Your right hand. Right now I want to ask Jesus to come into my life. Come into my life and save me. Be the Lord of my life. And Lord, help it not to stop with me. Help me to grow in wisdom so that I can be a light to others. Be my compass Lord. I pray all this in Jesus Mighty Name, AMEN!

If you prayed that prayer, congratulations! You are now a 10! You can now say with confidence you are saved, that you are a Christian, that if you died today, you WOULD BE going to heaven! Now... I encourage you.... if you have been in a Utopia like me.... get out.... associate ..... find others who are lost and need to know the way to heaven!