TODAY, YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE

Today, you shall be with me in paradise

What is paradise or better still how does one get into paradise?

Paradise is a place of comfort, a place that is empty of any kind of trouble, stress or difficulty. A place of eternal rest and bliss.

Paradise is the final destination for every believer of JESUS CHRIST, we understand that as soon as we give our lives to JESUS we cease to be citizens of this world and receive a new citizenship, one of the eternal life, such that our whole essence from henceforth becomes that of the Lord, heavenly and with this knowledge we live daily fulfilling our citizenship.

As an ambassador in a foreign country would normally try to portray his own customs and the culture of his home nation so also we as citizens of heaven should on this earth portray the lifestyle, the culture, of heaven which is simply righteousness.

The same way the president of a nation appoints someone into the office of an ambassador for a foreign nation in order to make public the splendour of the homeland and equally make it easier for other citizens of the homeland to gain access into the foreign land, in the same way access into paradise only comes through believing and confession of the LORD OF THE WHOLE EARTH (Isa. 54:5) as our Lord and personal saviour and it equally falls upon us Christians to make it easy for others to get access to the Father simply by showing them the way to GOD and to not so much waste time rendering worship to an unknown GOD (Acts. 17:23)

Luke  23:39-43 "And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  41. And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Two thieves were to be crucified alongside JESUS at Calvary, amidst all the cries and uproar, one of the thieves, particularly the one on the left hand side of JESUS's cross felt that JESUS should be a very powerful and he went on to say rather derogratorily that is He were the son of GOD, He should save both Himself and them (vs. 39), maybe since he couldn't come to comprehend why the son of GOD would die such a shameful death and would not invoke the host of heaven for His deliverance or he simply didn't believe that He was the son of GOD,  hence the use of the word "IF".

Now, his companion on the other side quickly stopped to correct him saying that for them their punishment was just but for this man, he has done no ill (vs. 40&41), but he didn't stop at just confronting his partner about his comments to JESUS,  he quickly turned to Him to say, please do not forget me when you get to paradise (vs. 42) and you can be sure to trust JESUS,  He who never refuses anyone who comes to Him but receives them unto Himself (John 6:37) quickly made a sure promise to the man on the right hand side that "this day, you would be with me in paradise" (vs. 43)...HALLELUYAH

This scriptures teach us that no matter what we might have done in the past, no matter how deep we must have meddled with sin or partnered with the devil, the mercy of the Lord still supersedes all of that and His blood is yet well able to wipe away every such stains off you. So why not heed his call of repentance made unto you today and see just how you would begin to enjoy peace, not just until your physical body goes under before peace comes but even now, being in communion with JESUS gives a peace that no where, place or power in this world can ever guarantee.

Like the man on the right hand side of Jesus's cross, reach out to Him today and let Him show you what your life was intended to be.

GOD bless you.