For Christians Only (Atheists, please don't read)...

Never forget how you feared death before you became a Christian. The Bible says that until we come to Christ, we are "subject to the fear of death all of our lifetime." When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, God places a shield of faith in our hands so that we can combat the sharp and fiery arrows of fear. We can look death in the faith and say, "You no longer have any power over me!"

Think of two men in a plane. One has no faith in the pilot, and one does. The man without faith opens himself to fear. The less faith he has, the more susceptible he will be to fear if there is severe turbulence. However, the man with faith in the pilot will have no fear, as long as he keeps that faith.

He who lives without faith in God is open to fiery darts of terror that will pierce him to the core. I once saw a man like that as he lay on his deathbed. He was consumed with terror. It was a horrible thing to see, and my heart went out to him. He lived his life with his back turned to God, and consequently, when he needed faith most, he had none.

So when you are sharing your faith, don't hesitate to tap into a powerful evangelistic tool that is often neglected--the sinner’s will to live. He doesn’t want to die. Don't be afraid to ask him if he is afraid of dying. It can often be a relief to talk about it, because the world avoids the question.

The king of interviewers, Larry King, once said, "Death is the hardest thing to deal with, from an interviewer's standpoint because no one really knows what's going to happen, and I don’t care what anybody said, everybody’s frightened." He says that, from the perspective of a man who lives without faith in Jesus. He makes the massive assumption that "no one knows what's going to happen," when that's just not true. Christians know what happens at death. We no longer walk in darkness as do the ungodly. Our understanding is no longer darkened, because we are no longer alienated from the life of God. He is frightened, because he has no faith.

Let me ask you a thought-provoking question. What is the most important moment in the life of any human being? Is it the moment of birth? That certainly is an important moment. Is it the moment he or she is married, or the moment they arrived on a new job? Those are big moments, but the most important moment, without a doubt, is the moment you and I die. That's the moment for which we all wait with bated* and it draws closer and closer, like the ticking of an untimely clock, with every beat of our heart.

Such are fearful thoughts . . . if we have no faith. Never let that happen. Have faith in God. He is trustworthy. If you trust Him, He will be there for you at the moment you pass from this problem and pain-filled life into eternity. Until that happens, seek those who live without faith, and plead with them to get right with God. Let your heart go out to them, to a point where you go out to them, regularly.

Every now and then you and I see faith shine in this dark world. Just after the tragic shooting of 19 people in Tucson, Arizona, one elderly man died while using his body to shield his precious wife. At a news conference, his daughter had a shining faith in her eyes as she boldly proclaimed, "What a way to go home!" How true. How wonderfully true. Those who trust in Jesus don’t die. They go Home.

* EDIT, sp. correction