RSVP

 Happy Sunday!

"And the seventy returned again with JOY, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through THY NAME.  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and NOTHING shall by any means HURT you.  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather REJOICE, because your names are WRITTEN in heaven."(Mark 10:17-20 KJV).

My cousin Sonya and I still chuckle about the guest list at her wedding reception.  I was instructed to only allow those to enter that were on the list.  How was I to know that her boss did not RSVP?  I was not letting him in!  Somehow he got a hold of the Bride, or maybe she saw him about to be kicked out to the venue. LOL!  If he were to see me today, he'd likely recall that interaction.  Jesus sent out 70 additional disciples  and gave them clear instructions too.  "When you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you, HEAL anyone who is sick, and tell them, ‘God’s kingdom is right on your doorstep!"(Luke 10:-9 Message).  They were amazed at the power and authority they had when using the name of Jesus.  We are also given the authority to use that Name. 

BUT Jesus told them not to rejoice over demons being cast out out, and people being healed, but to rejoice that their names were written in Heaven.  Rejoice that you have an RSVP.  Cartoons always portray St. Peter at the pearly gates with the book looking for your name.  It may be funny, but it's not accurate.  Numerous testimonies of those that have died and come back to life, tell of either going up or down.  Not going up, then down.  GOD knows those that are His.  Jesus even told the story of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar.  Their eternal destination was determined before the event.(Luke 16:20-25).

Have you RSVP'd?  Is your name written in Heaven?  Romans 10:8-11 says, "It is the secret of faith, which is the burden of our preaching, and it says, in effect, “If you openly admit by your own mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and if you believe in your own heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” For it is believing in the heart that makes a man righteous before God, and it is stating his belief by his own mouth that confirms his salvation. And the scripture says: ‘Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame’."(Phillips).

Love and prayers, Cynthia