On June 28th, 2012, a seven-year-old girl named Heaven Sutton was shot while she was helping her mother sell lemondade, ice cream, and candy at a candy stand near her home. She was one of the youngest victims of Chicago’s gang violence which has claimed an unusually high number of victims this year. Heaven was shot in the back as she turned to flee a spray of bullets from a gang member who is now in police custody. She died three days later.

Heaven was described by her mother as a girl who “loved to sing, dance, and crack jokes.” Her twelve year old brother said she loved to make people laugh. Her tragic death has become a rallying point for those who are serious about ending the shocking crime levels in Chicago. This past Friday, over 1,000 people turned out to remember her life at the St. Mark International Christian Church.

The death of this little girl really broke my heart when I read about it. The Lord has blessed me and my wife, Meriqua, with 7 children and I have led all of them to the Lord at the age of seven.

Thankfully, Heaven’s family members and friends can be comforted with the knowledge that Heaven Sutton is in Heaven with her Heavenly Father tonight. There, this little girl will experience no more of the pain and sorrow that affected her life on this Earth. In Heaven, Heaven Sutton will be able to sing, dance, and laugh to her heart’s content for all eternity.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International. In light of the tragic murder of Heaven Sutton, I am reminded of a passage in Matthew 18 which says, “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

My friend, God’s heart aches when one of his little ones is hurt in this world. But, thank God, Heaven is now with God in Heaven. What I want to share with you today is that you do not know the day or hour of your death. Heaven was doing something so simple as selling lemonade when she was gunned down.

The question now is, When you are faced with death will you be ready? In other words, will you end up in Heaven after you die?