TAKING A TRIP
We are all making a trip today. From the time we were born until now we are all making a journey. We all will reach our destination at a point in time. On this trip there are only two possible destinations. In order to arrive at a desired destination it requires some planning. Has anyone ever told you they were taking a trip and when asked to where they said they did not know? How silly that would seem. Imagine the following conversation:
Hey Mike I am going on a vacation.
Awesome. Where are you going?
I don’t know.
How are you getting there?
I don’t know.
But this is exactly how millions of people are currently traveling on this trip. They blindly live each day unaware where they are heading and most with an attitude of unconcern. I would like to discuss the taking of this trip.

The first thing to do when taking any trip is to pick a destination.
As stated before, there are only two destinations on this trip. The one is Hell and requires no planning whatsoever. It takes only for a person to commit a sin and their reservation is guaranteed. The other destination is Heaven and requires a reservation because it is an exclusive place. Only those who have been saved by the shed blood of Jesus may enter.

John 3:[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus said if you do not believe in Him you already stand condemned in your sins. Your destination has been chosen and if you die in your sins you will reach your destination post haste.

John 8:21] Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
[22] Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
[23] And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
[24] I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Luke 16:22] And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

I encourage you to pick your destination.

The second step in taking a trip after you have picked your destination is to make a reservation. It is the unwise traveler who plans to go somewhere without making a guaranteed reservation before leaving.

Ephesians 1:12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
[13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
[14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

2Cor.5:[1] For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
[2] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
[3] If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
[4] For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
[5] Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
[6] Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
[7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
[8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The Bible tells us we must first hear the gospel, you must believe the gospel, you must trust the gospel and then you are sealed by the Holy Spirit which GUARANTEES (the earnest of our reservation) our place in the heavenlies.

After you have made a choice in destination and you have made your reservation the third thing might be to look at a map to chose the route you will take. No one picks a destination and then gets in their car with no idea the route they will take to get to their desired destination. It would be ridiculous on the point of insanity to attempt such a thing.

John.14:[1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
[2] In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
[4] And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
[5] Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

We can indeed pick our destination, receive a guaranteed reservation and then travel according to the Will of God by consulting His road map the Bible. The only way we can walk as God wants us to walk is to seek His will in our walk. The way to know His will is to consult His book, the Bible. God has provided man with the road map to Heaven. It begins at the cross and will carry you all the way to Heaven’s door.

The fourth thing a person might do is talk to someone who has gone there before and read travel brochures about their destination.

1Tim.3:[15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
[16] And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus has already made the trip and is waiting for you on the other side. You can find out what He has to say by reading His Word and hearing His word preached at a Bible believing church every week.

Most people when taking a trip do not want to travel alone but want their friends and family to go with them. It is important for those of us going to Heaven to invite as many as we can to join us on this journey. Usually a person planning a trip talks about it to anyone who will listen.

11 Corinthians 5:[18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Philippians 2:15] That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
[16] Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Let me encourage you plan your trip. Do not leave it to chance. Based on the Word of God I tell you if you do not plan this trip you will end up at a destination where you do not want to be.