God is a record keeper.  He writes things down a lot.  The Bible tells us that he collects our tears in his bottle and writes them “in His book”.  So clearly He has other books besides His Word, the Holy Bible.

When Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon, shortly before His betrayal, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, the worth of which was equal to three hundred denari, or a year’s wages, and she sacrificed it willingly it to annoint Jesus’ feet.  And Jesus said: “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. (See Mtt. 26 and John 12).  We know the woman’s name.  It was Mary.  Mary believed.  She understood who Jesus was, and why He came.  In “God’s book”, Mary had a name.  Hmm!

Consider the story of “the rich man and Lazarus”

Luke 16:19-31There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Lazarus had no job.  He was a beggar, a leper and a societal outcast.  But Lazarus believed.  Lazarus has a name in God’s book, but the Rich man does not.

Matthew 7:21-23 says Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

There is a certain book called the Lamb’s book of Life”.  The name of every born-again, blood-bought believer is written there. The Bible tells us that it is appointed unto man once to die, and then (comes) the judgment.  (Hebrews 9:27).  The story of Lazarus makes it clear that Lazarus was with God and Abraham, and that the rich man was in “torment of flames” and between the rich man and the place where God, Lazarus and Abraham were, a great gulf was fixed that could never be crossed.  Thus the rich man would remain in the torment eternally.

Revelation 21 tells us of a future city that “lieth foursquare”, which has no need of the sun or the moon because the Lamb is the light thereof. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

So the question is: Do you have a name in God’s book?