Quick! What is . . . Greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, you will die? Guess the answer and learn something about yourself. (There's a hint on the first page [below])

Hint: It is claimed that . . . 80% of kindergarten students asked, got the answer    compared to 17% of Stanford University Seniors. That hint didn't help?   Let's elaborate . . . Imagine if you will, a little boy or girl, kindergarten age, named Shannon.   Shannon is raised in a typical household where he/she was told there's an all powerful, all knowing, so-you-better-behave-or-else God.   Shannon's parents are not religious, mind you; they've also told Shannon about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and a rich tooth fairy (you get the picture).   Anyway, Shannon becomes old enough to go to kindergarten and one day the riddle is posed to the class.   When confronted with the question, Shannon answers almost immediately!   (Smart kid)   Well, you can imagine with brains like that, Shannon grows up getting A's in school, bags a scholarship to the college of his/her choice, and picks Stanford because it never snows in California.   (Smart kid!)   One day, lo and behold, Shannon's study partner comes up with that same riddle Shannon brilliantly answered what seems like eons ago.   Unfortunately, because it was "eons ago," Shannon doesn't remember ever being confronted with it!   So poor Shannon spends half the night trying to solve it, only to finally screem "I GIVE UP!" What happened to Shannon?! Can you imagine what Shannon's dad would do if he found out that after spending almost as much money on college as he did imitating a tooth fairy, his kid's brain regressed?   Anyway, if you can figure out what happened between kindergarten and college you will have the riddle practically solved.   (Unless you're a Stanford graduate, of course . . . Just kidding!) Take some time to think about it . . . [This blank space represents the passing of time.] . . . Okay, if your calendar shows a different number and you still haven't guessed it, maybe you should just look inside for the answer . . .

The answer is . . . Nothing! Don't look at me like that; THAT'S THE ANSWER!   Try it out yourself. Nothing is greater than God; nothing is more evil than the devil.   The poor have nothing; the rich need nothing; and if you eat nothing, you will die.   The key to solving this riddle is to find the answer to the first line! Now, while the answer is nothing, the object lesson is tremendous!   Here's why . . . The reason Shannon found it easier to solve the riddle, as a child, is tied to something profound that Jesus taught while He walked on the face of this earth.   He said, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God AS A LITTLE CHILD shall in no wise enter therein."   Luke 18:17 Was Jesus saying that only a little child can enter Heaven?   No.   Read the Bible and you will find many adults [going] to Heaven.   (The term the Bible uses to describe those that are going to Heaven is "saved".)   Christ was referring to a child-like quality. And the next verse identifies one of the childlike qualities that will be found among the saved in Heaven: "Whosoever therefore shall HUMBLE HIMSELF as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."   Mat. 18:4 Children don't tend to be puffed up with pride like adults.   You can well imagine Shannon as a child, humbly acknowledging that nothing is greater than God. However, Shannon the rationally intelligent, pride-filled adult had a totally different mind-set. By adulthood, Shannon's belief in God had been crushed. For one thing, Shannon's exposure to evolution had "scientifically" discredited the existence of God; Shannon could rationalize God away.   Therefore when confronted with the question, "What is greater than God?" Shannon's immediate answer was no longer "nothing".   After all, to Shannon, God wasn't real anymore.   Thus, the answer could conceivably have been anything.   So poor Shannon spent half the night trying to find some object that would satisfy every clause in the riddle.   Little did Shannon know, there was no object; it was nothing!   Shannon lost all that sleep for nothing! But how does all this nothingness affect you, personally?

What it means to you depends on how you answered the riddle.   Did you     have a hard time?   Or did you answer it immediately?   Did you exercise child- like humility?   More importantly, are you capable of child-like faith? Does believing that there is a God come easy to you?   If the answer is yes, are you willing to believe that the Bible is His Word?   The Bible says: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."   Rom. 15:4 Friend, if you believe there's a God, rest assured He hasn't left us in the dark.   He has given us everything we need to know this side of heaven.   His Word not only gives us hope for the future, but it provides practical instruction for the here and now. Jesus said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."   John 10:10 It's up to us to believe it.   Jesus said: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).   The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   The word "gospel" even means "Good News" and the good news is that, "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US."   Rom. 5:8 Christ's shed blood on the cross paid for our sins.   Why is this such good news? Because the fact is, we can't pay for our own sins through our acts of righteousness! "NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which we have done, but according to his mercy HE SAVED US."   Titus 3:5 If it were not for what Christ sacrificially did on our behalf, we would have no other alternative but to die as lost, hell-deserving, hell-bound sinners with no hope of ever appeasing a just and holy God.   "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; YE ARE YET IN YOUR SINS."   1 Cor. 15:17 Jesus said it best when He warned: "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for IF YE BELIEVE NOT THAT I AM HE [the one and only Saviour], YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS."   John 8:24 Friend, don't pridefully rationalize yourself into Hell.   God could not have made salvation any simpler.   God has done everything including dying on the cross to save you.   All you have to do is REPENT, change your mind about your sin and disbelief, and TRUST CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOUR.   Call upon His name in childlike faith and He will save you: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED."   Rom. 10:13 To learn more, please read the back . . .

IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven?   The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).

BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.

SECONDLY, you must realize that there is NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   Eph. 2:8-9   Baptism, good deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are all examples of good works that cannot save you, because: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he [Christ] saved us," Titus 3:5.

THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through Jesus Christ.   He said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   (John 14:6)   THAT'S WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   (Rom. 5:8-9)

THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner and can't save yourself.   And call upon Christ, and Him alone, to save you.   "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."   Romans 10:9

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