If you ever make it to the Forbes’ List, please send me an email. I will promptly send you a congratulatory note. If you should later fall off that list or be squeezed out by more successful people, send me another email and I will promptly send you a sympathy card. The world-famous Forbes’ List works that way.
The wealthiest people today are not millionaires. They are billionaires and the number of fish in that pond happens to be growing. In the United States alone, there are 400 billionaires. Together they are worth $1.13 trillion.
But just because you are # 3 this year does not mean you will even be on the list next year. New ones get added each year and others fall off. Some climb the ladder while others get knocked down a few rungs. The Registry is fluid. Casino Magnate Sheldon Adelson shot up from #15 on the list to #3, just behind Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Some estimate Adelson earned about $1 million an hour over the past two years.
The youngest on the famous list are the two Google founders – Sergey Brin and Larry Page. These 33 year olds gained about $13 million a day over the last two years.
With all the shuffling going on, Helen Walton, widow of the Walmart founder, lost her place in the top ten. Martha Stewart for reasons we won’t mention here, fell off the list completely. Others have slipped off the list as well.
With a bit of a laugh and a fleeting wishful thought, you wonder what it would be like to be on the Forbes List.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be on Heaven’s List? Realistically, the Forbes’ List may not be within your reach – but Heaven’s List definitely is. And there is quite a difference!!
There are people on the Forbes’ List who will never make it to Heaven’s List. Their riches are fleeting at best. They lose it all at death and fall off the Forbes’ list forever. Those on Heaven’s List enjoy spiritual riches in this life and death is just a passageway to a fuller enjoyment of those eternal riches. No name ever drops off Heaven’s List – no one ever gets bumped or squeezed out. Once your name is there – it’s there forever!
And you don’t have to be a billionaire either! In fact, the names on that list are not there because of personal success or outstanding merit. Spiritually bankrupt sinners can make it to Heaven’s Registry. Their name is on Heaven’s Registry because of the merits and worth of Another – namely Jesus Christ.
The Bible refers to Heaven’s Registry more than once. It is called the Book of Life. Jesus told His disciples to rejoice because their names were written in the Book of Life. In the Book of the Revelation it is referred to as the Lamb’s Book of Life. The Lord Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God. His innocent blood flowed at the Cross for our sins. He paid the ultimate price to save us. He was the Sacrificial Lamb who died in the place of the guilty sinner. He took the load of our sin upon Himself. “Christ died for our sins.” (1Corinthians 15:3) and “The Blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1John 1:7)
The moment you come to Christ by faith as a helpless sinner and trust Him as your personal Saviour, your name is entered in the Lamb’s Book of Life. And it is there forever. Jesus said: “I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never, no never perish.” (John 10:28)
When the next Forbes’ List comes out in 2007, your name may not be mentioned. But it’s not the end of the world if you don’t succeed. Of far greater importance is whether or not you make it to the Lamb’s Book of Life. The Bible warns: “Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire.” (Revelation 20:15)
Other than your own will, there is no other obstacle or barrier keeping you from Heaven’s Registry. Christ has made it possible for your name to be there. The moment you simply accept Christ as your personal Saviour is the moment your name will be recorded in Heaven’s Registry.
Forget the Forbes’ List – go for the Lamb’s Book of Life! And let me know when your name is added. I will send you a congratulatory email!!
(1) Forbes’ List Even More Exclusive: All Are Billionaires, CNN.com
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/09/21/forbes.400.ap/index.html (link no longer active)