Author of 100 Things To Do Before You Die... Dead

On August 17, 2008, Dave Freeman, the co-author of "100 Things To Do Before You Die," died.

The book asked about life: "How can you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?"

Freeman did not complete all 100 things before his death, but that's not important.

Let's assume that he did all 100, and more.

Assume for a moment that he achieved all his dreams of fun, and visited every cool place on earth he could think of. Imagine that he lived to a very old age, and literally packed his home full of photos, trophies, trinkets, souvenirs, and every form of achievement and recognition that he ever wanted.

He'd still die, eventually.

What about all those trophies and memorabilia? They'd go into boxes, they'd be sold or given away to admirers and family members. Some might go into museums. Many would go directly to the land-fill. Eventually all of them, including his checklist, would rust or rot and fall apart.

The Bible says, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)

You can do everything you can dream of. You can earn billions of dollars. You can travel around the world, or into space, or to the moon. But when you die, none of that matters. The only thing that matters then is whether you've planned for what happens next.

What does happen next? The Bible says, "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..."

You will be judged for every thought and deed. Your travels won't matter. Your bank account balance won't matter. Your reputation in the community won't matter. The only thing that will matter is the Judge you stand before.

Since everyone will face judgment after they die, don't you think that the most important item on your checklist of things to do before you die is: "Plan for how I will do on Judgment Day"?

Of course it should. It should be number one!

How will you do on Judgment Day? It only takes a few minutes to find out.

The Bible says that "the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God." The Bible also calls the unrighteous, sinners.

How can you know if you are a sinner? Just as you might look in the mirror to see check your appearance, you can look at God's Law, the Ten Commandments, to see if you are a sinner.

The ninth commandment says, "You shall not bear false witness." This means, do not lie. Have you ever told a lie? If you're like everyone else, you have. In God's eyes, that makes you a liar.

The eighth commandment says, "You shall not steal." Have you ever stolen anything, even if it's small or inexpensive? If so, God sees you as a thief.

The seventh commandment is, "Do not commit adultery." You might think you're safe here, but during the Sermon on the Mount Christ said that everyone who looks with lust has already committed adultery in the heart.

During that same sermon, Christ said that everyone who is angry with his brother is guilty of murder! So, if you've ever been really angry with someone, God sees you as a murderer at heart, and you've broken the sixth commandment.

We've only looked at four of God's Ten Commandments, and chances are you are guilty of being a liar, a thief, an adulterer and a murderer at heart.

How will you do when you stand before a Holy God? Innocent or guilty?

If you're honest, you'll admit that you would be guilty. You're not alone. So would the rest of us.

Once you realize your peril, you realize you need a savior. That's why Jesus Christ, who is God, came to earth. When Christ was crucified, He took upon the sins of the world. He paid the fine for your crimes. That means that you can be found innocent.

How? Two things.

First, admit your guilt. Cry out to God for mercy. Decide that you never want to sin again - not because you want to be 'a good person' but because you want to obey God. This step is called repentence.

Next, depend upon Christ as your only hope. Make Christ the Lord of your life. This is called faith.

Then, read the Bible daily and join a church. You read the Bible to understand how to live for Him. You get involved with a church so you can fellowship with other believers and to obey God's desire that you join others in worship.

Don't wait another day. If there's one thing on your list you must accomplish before the other 99, this is the one!