Archive for the ‘Death’ Category

Are You Acting Like a Prodigal Son Or Daughter?

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Today we read about the prodigal son.  Our Bible study reminded us of things that I’d like to share.

The prodigal son left home (he not only left the comforts of home but he went his own way probably because he didn’t like following the rules at home and he did not appreciate how good it was where he was) and he went his own way.

If you’ve heard the story before you already know that the p. son found out that the grass was a lot browner on the other side.  As a matter of fact he found out that after he wasted all of his earthly inheritance things were pretty barren where he ended up living.  He was so hungry he realized his Dad’s servants were eating better than he was.

He planned on admitting his error and decided to go back to his Dad’s house hoping he could at least work as a servant for his Dad.  He was realizing his former way of living was better than the life he had chosen for himself.

My husband pointed out the fact that the father in this story was looking for his son.  The Bible says that the father saw his son from afar.  He must have been looking for him eagerly awaiting his return.  The father was overjoyed that his son was coming back.  The words of the father actually tell that the father knew the son had left death and come back to life.

” Luke 15:24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

God eagerly waits for those that have strayed from the right path that will give them life.  God wants people to come back to Him.  He wants us to follow His ways.  He won’t force the issue.

A person can choose to do things their own way if they want to.  They can also choose to come back to God once they see how their ways are not working out so well for them.

God is so forgiving.  His mercy never ends.  If you’ve strayed from Godly teachings or you see where you’ve neglected to appreciate the way of living you know God intends for you to be a part of come back to God.

Come back to God asking Him to allow you to be a servant of His.  You won’t be disappointed.  All who call on the Lord will be saved.  God will give you everything you need to follow Him.  God will accept you, forgive you, clean you up, and He will be with you always.

Being separated from our Heavenly Father is the greatest pain one can ever know.  Won’t you come back to the Lord today?

Posted in Children, Death, Life, Parents | No Comments »

No One Really Likes A Rebel

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Ezekiel 18:32, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”

A rebel will end up eating the bitter fruit of having his own way.  When a person desires having their own way over following the way of the Lord they will end up eating bitter fruit.

Proverbs 1 gives plenty of warnings to the person that wants his own way.

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

God graciously gives us words of wisdom to help us do things His way.  The fool says in his heart there is no God and the rebel says in his heart, “I want to do things my way.” Even a child is known by his doings is a passage that reminds us that we are judged by our actions.  God looks to see who is doing the right thing and who is rebelliously demanding their own way.  God is our judge and He is able to judge fairly.  God judges us by the decisions we make and the actions we perform.

Have you ever heard someone say,  “You can’t judge me for God is my judge.”  If you have heard those words you may want to tell the person that you agree with them.  God is the judge of all.  God sees into the very heart of every person.  God knows why you do what you do and why you do it.  God cannot be manipulated by fine words and he isn’t fooled by any actions.  God knows when a person is in rebellion.  God knows when a person is demanding their own way.

God does not desire the death of the wicked man.  God wants a man to turn from wicked ways so he may live.  God is pleased when a man hears His Word and obeys it.  It never pleases God to see a man act like a rebel.

Other people don’t really like to be around a rebel either.  Rebels are stubborn.  They refuse to accept other people’s differences.  They get angry and complain over everything that they don’t like.  If someone doesn’t do what they want or possibly the way they want things done they are apt to show their anger.

God is the Only One that can help the rebel. God tells the rebel at heart to turn from his wickedness.

Posted in Death, Judgment, Rebellion, The Sin Of Stubbornness | No Comments »

When Babies/Children Go To Heaven

Thursday, November 5th, 2009
  Pastor Ron Johnson shared a poem at a memorial service that was held for a son that died the day he was born.  Pastor may have said he changed another poem to help it read this way.  It’s been 26 years since my son died the day he was born and I can still recall the words shared at the memorial service.
For all those that have little ones in heaven:
 
He’ll (or they’ll) get an education that will probably be worth several times as much as we could buy for them on earth.
 
It’ll be in the Lord’s big school house without contempt nor fear while there is no end to the things that could come to him down here.
 
So my precious glorious saints, let your hearts with JESUS rest    and
don’t go criticizing the one that knows the best.
 
He’s given us many pleasures. He has the right to take away.  To the Lord be praise and glory now and ever let us pray.

Posted in Death, Heaven | No Comments »

Friday, September 18th, 2009

I’ve been mindful of the many people that are going through the valley of the shadow of death right now.

Psalm 23 helps us remember that God is our comforter.  He walks with us when we are walking through the shadows.  He holds our hand to guide us when we aren’t even sure if we have the strength to walk.  He alone is our refuge during troubled times.

Knowing that we will dwell in His house forever comforts us when we face the reality that all men will die before the judgment.  Knowing our loved ones will get to reside with Him helps us receive peace when they leave us. 

May God continue to give you all restoration for your souls when you have to walk through the valley.

Posted in Death | No Comments »

Who Believes There Is A Lake Of Fire?

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Some people have said they believe in God but they don’t believe there is a lake of fire or any form of hell awaiting the souls of those who will not accept the truth.

The past couple of days I’ve been reminded of the hereafter.  I was talking with a Christian friend and he was reminded of how we won’t be able to take anything with us to heaven.  Christians talk about heaven because we believe that is where those who trust in God will be able to reside when life on earth is over.

People that believe in God’s Word should also see places where we are told there is another place for those who refuse to follow the path of life.  There is a second death mentioned in Revelation 20.  The devil and a lake of fire causing torment both day and night are both mentioned and you can also read about how people will be judged according to what they have done. 

Revelation 21:8 speaks of the lake of fire again and it tells what kind of people will be going there see: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Take a look at verse 27 seeing how nothing that can defile the Holy City will be placed in it: 

“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.”

I believe there is a devil, demons, a false prophet, and a beast.  There is a second death that includes much torment and there is a lake of fire. 

Anyone who reads the Bible can find these same things written in it.

The good news is there is salvation for those who believe. Those who believe will be able to enter the Holy City of God.  The City of God is also written about in Revelation 21.  See the first 5 verses of that Chapter below:

Revelation 21

 ”And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”

Posted in Believers, Death, God Will Tend To Evil Doers, Rebellion, Revelations | No Comments »

Friday, March 6th, 2009

I love those words, “O death, Where is thy sting?”

Death has no sting for the believer when he passes away from this life.

The only sting is the pain that goes to the ones that are left here.

Posted in Death | No Comments »