"But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:16
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WHERE, O DEATH, IS THY STING? WHERE, O DEATH, THY VICTORY?
George burns once said of death, "If you live to be one hundred, you've got it made. Very few people die past that age."
This quote although comical is just about as meaningful and realistic as are the views of most modern Christians toward "physical death. In contrast surely those of the early church must have understood the true measure of our vaporous existence on earth as they marched to their deaths while sharing their greater hope in Christ and His shared resurrection. The Apostle Paul the great spokesman out of that era found himself in a quandary of desiring to leave this worldly existence to be with the Lord or fulfilling His earthly service to the Church. He penned these familiar words, quoted below, continued his service and then later went on to martyrdom.
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Phill. 1:21
Death had no sting for Paul nor the early Christians and neither should it for you or I as we hold onto the greater Hope which be our Heavenly existence in God. I know this a sensitive and even a difficult subject for many, thus very rarely do we see it addressed, although it's importance cannot be overstated. Two years ago this month I lost my mother and I was forced to really pray about my own understanding and acceptance of our physical ends. Even today, while possessing what I would hope is a true and mature understanding of man's last earthly state, the loss of my mom still pains me. Without doubt I know she is in an unimaginably better place now as she rests in the bosom of Jesus. Still I miss her and some times terribly so. I don't believe there is anything wrong with that. With that said I hope you might continue with the rest of this message, which I end with a touching tribute by Jack Grey. Jack's wife of sixty years, Margaret went to be with Lord last year and in this short sharing he honors her memory while beautifully explaining the difficult journey of one left behind. I know it will touch you as it did Joian and myself when we read it.
Before closing this series with a couple of short messages by Fenelon and Dr. Grey, please allow me to diverge for a moment by sharing some thoughts that have helped alleviate "the sting of death" for me. I am one that prayerfully believes you and I are spirits having a human experience rather than humans partaking of a spiritual experience. We were, will be and even now are part of the Godhead as the Elohim. Before the foundations were even laid we shared a pre-existent estate in the eternal realm of God. We all, like Jesus our elder brother, were then lowered into the realm of space and time which makes up this world. Before we left and descended from the comfort of our Father's bosom, I believe we saw and knew how our lives would be played out here on earth. We also saw and knew how all that was to occur in this world as far as mankind and even us personally was magnificently purposed in Love. With that in mind, I can only believe that with such supernal knowledge we were all in perfect agreement as to the roles we each would be assigned in this world. Partaking of God's omniscience we chose our births and our deaths, knowing how all would perfectly fit together in God's sovereign plan for the ages, which finds it's summation with all being gathered together in God that He might be All in All of us. I speak of both sinner and saint knowing every one lives out their role perfectly. Thus we are called to "know no man after the flesh." 2Cor. 5:16. With this knowledge we learn to kiss even the hands of those that nail us to the cross for they are but fulfilling their roles in God's perfectly appointed plan.
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:1-7
In these scriptures above God is petitioning Job to remember back, far back and even before his time on earth. I believe the "morning stars singing and the sons shouting" is a picture of you and me and all mankind in our eternal Heavenly state looking toward God's purpose and plan for creation. My friend do you remember this? Can you hear the song and the shouts deep within your heart?
In my last message I shared this quote by Swift. "It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so universal as death, should ever have been designed by Providence as an evil to mankind."
Here, Fenelon who wrote centuries ago adds something to Swift's thought above. This short perspective of our fleeting life and sure death is one of the very best I have ever read.
"What we admire, is as nothing in the eyes of God: a little more or less of life, is a difference that disappears in the light of his eternity. What matter whether this fragile vessel, this clay tabernacle, be broken and reduced to ashes, a little sooner or later?
What difference can we discover between two persons who lived a century ago? The one died twenty years before the other, but now they are both gone; the separation which then seemed so abrupt and so long, appears as nothing to us, and was, in fact, but short. Those things which are severed, shall soon be reunited, and no trace of the separation will be visible. We look upon ourselves as immortal, or at least as having a duration of ages. O folly and madness! those who die from day to day, tread upon the heels of those that are already dead; life flows like a torrent; that which is gone is but a dream, and even while we contemplate that which now is, it vanishes and is lost in the abyss of the past. So will it be with the future; days, months, and years, glide like the billows of a torrent, each hurrying along the other. A few moments more, and all is over! Alas! how short will that existence then appear, which now wearies us with its sad and tedious length!" Fenelon
And now finally, Jack Grey's beautiful tribute to his recently departed wife, of sixty years. If you have lost a loved one I pray this touches you as it did me.
The Shadow of Death
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and staff they comfort me."
These words from Psalm 23 have been familiar to me since childhood, and till the recent loss of my dear wife, Margaret, I have always understood them as referring more specially to the experience of believers drawing near to death. Now I see them in a new light and their truth has become a reality to my heart in a fresh way.
A Scripture which became very dear to Margaret over the last year of her life was Proverbs 4:18 "The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." She was living in the consciousness of that growing light and longing for the dawning of that perfect day. As I have thought about this it struck me that when a person is walking towards the light the shadow is behind them. The shadow of death then falls on the person left behind and in bereavement that is the valley through which one must pass. It is a valley of desolating emotions as the greatness of one’s loss threatens to overwhelm, and a dauntingly lonely path stretches ahead. It is into that valley that the Shepherd comes with the comforting ministry of His rod and staff exercised through the Scriptures and through the love of family and friends. Encouraging too is the fact that the valley is not endless, though it may be long, and the Shepherd will see us through. And the light of dawn is before me too.
Jack Gray
I pray that with this series of messages, your apprehension and fear of death has been lessened. With that, I also hope the value of the gift of "His never ending Life" within you has been increased.
George burns once said of death, "If you live to be one hundred, you've got it made. Very few people die past that age."
This quote although comical is just about as meaningful and realistic as are the views of most modern Christians toward "physical death. In contrast surely those of the early church must have understood the true measure of our vaporous existence on earth as they marched to their deaths while sharing their greater hope in Christ and His shared resurrection. The Apostle Paul the great spokesman out of that era found himself in a quandary of desiring to leave this worldly existence to be with the Lord or fulfilling His earthly service to the Church. He penned these familiar words, quoted below, continued his service and then later went on to martyrdom.
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Phill. 1:21
Death had no sting for Paul nor the early Christians and neither should it for you or I as we hold onto the greater Hope which be our Heavenly existence in God. I know this a sensitive and even a difficult subject for many, thus very rarely do we see it addressed, although it's importance cannot be overstated. Two years ago this month I lost my mother and I was forced to really pray about my own understanding and acceptance of our physical ends. Even today, while possessing what I would hope is a true and mature understanding of man's last earthly state, the loss of my mom still pains me. Without doubt I know she is in an unimaginably better place now as she rests in the bosom of Jesus. Still I miss her and some times terribly so. I don't believe there is anything wrong with that. With that said I hope you might continue with the rest of this message, which I end with a touching tribute by Jack Grey. Jack's wife of sixty years, Margaret went to be with Lord last year and in this short sharing he honors her memory while beautifully explaining the difficult journey of one left behind. I know it will touch you as it did Joian and myself when we read it.
Before closing this series with a couple of short messages by Fenelon and Dr. Grey, please allow me to diverge for a moment by sharing some thoughts that have helped alleviate "the sting of death" for me. I am one that prayerfully believes you and I are spirits having a human experience rather than humans partaking of a spiritual experience. We were, will be and even now are part of the Godhead as the Elohim. Before the foundations were even laid we shared a pre-existent estate in the eternal realm of God. We all, like Jesus our elder brother, were then lowered into the realm of space and time which makes up this world. Before we left and descended from the comfort of our Father's bosom, I believe we saw and knew how our lives would be played out here on earth. We also saw and knew how all that was to occur in this world as far as mankind and even us personally was magnificently purposed in Love. With that in mind, I can only believe that with such supernal knowledge we were all in perfect agreement as to the roles we each would be assigned in this world. Partaking of God's omniscience we chose our births and our deaths, knowing how all would perfectly fit together in God's sovereign plan for the ages, which finds it's summation with all being gathered together in God that He might be All in All of us. I speak of both sinner and saint knowing every one lives out their role perfectly. Thus we are called to "know no man after the flesh." 2Cor. 5:16. With this knowledge we learn to kiss even the hands of those that nail us to the cross for they are but fulfilling their roles in God's perfectly appointed plan.
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 38:1-7
In these scriptures above God is petitioning Job to remember back, far back and even before his time on earth. I believe the "morning stars singing and the sons shouting" is a picture of you and me and all mankind in our eternal Heavenly state looking toward God's purpose and plan for creation. My friend do you remember this? Can you hear the song and the shouts deep within your heart?
In my last message I shared this quote by Swift. "It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so universal as death, should ever have been designed by Providence as an evil to mankind."
Here, Fenelon who wrote centuries ago adds something to Swift's thought above. This short perspective of our fleeting life and sure death is one of the very best I have ever read.
"What we admire, is as nothing in the eyes of God: a little more or less of life, is a difference that disappears in the light of his eternity. What matter whether this fragile vessel, this clay tabernacle, be broken and reduced to ashes, a little sooner or later?
What difference can we discover between two persons who lived a century ago? The one died twenty years before the other, but now they are both gone; the separation which then seemed so abrupt and so long, appears as nothing to us, and was, in fact, but short. Those things which are severed, shall soon be reunited, and no trace of the separation will be visible. We look upon ourselves as immortal, or at least as having a duration of ages. O folly and madness! those who die from day to day, tread upon the heels of those that are already dead; life flows like a torrent; that which is gone is but a dream, and even while we contemplate that which now is, it vanishes and is lost in the abyss of the past. So will it be with the future; days, months, and years, glide like the billows of a torrent, each hurrying along the other. A few moments more, and all is over! Alas! how short will that existence then appear, which now wearies us with its sad and tedious length!" Fenelon
And now finally, Jack Grey's beautiful tribute to his recently departed wife, of sixty years. If you have lost a loved one I pray this touches you as it did me.
The Shadow of Death
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and staff they comfort me."
These words from Psalm 23 have been familiar to me since childhood, and till the recent loss of my dear wife, Margaret, I have always understood them as referring more specially to the experience of believers drawing near to death. Now I see them in a new light and their truth has become a reality to my heart in a fresh way.
A Scripture which became very dear to Margaret over the last year of her life was Proverbs 4:18 "The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." She was living in the consciousness of that growing light and longing for the dawning of that perfect day. As I have thought about this it struck me that when a person is walking towards the light the shadow is behind them. The shadow of death then falls on the person left behind and in bereavement that is the valley through which one must pass. It is a valley of desolating emotions as the greatness of one’s loss threatens to overwhelm, and a dauntingly lonely path stretches ahead. It is into that valley that the Shepherd comes with the comforting ministry of His rod and staff exercised through the Scriptures and through the love of family and friends. Encouraging too is the fact that the valley is not endless, though it may be long, and the Shepherd will see us through. And the light of dawn is before me too.
Jack Gray
I pray that with this series of messages, your apprehension and fear of death has been lessened. With that, I also hope the value of the gift of "His never ending Life" within you has been increased.
We all have those loved ones, whom, before us, have departed this charnel house we call world. Isn't it of great comfort that we, who know Jesus and the power of His resurrection, can look forward to that soon day when we will all be reunited in His perfect eternal Love. Let the morning stars sing and the sons of God shout, "Oh, death where is thy Sting!"
Jack
Hast thou a cloud?
Something that is dark and full of dread;
A messenger of tempest overhead?
A something that is darkening the sky;
A something growing darker bye and bye;
A something that thou fear'st will burst at last;
A cloud that doth a deep, long shadow cast,
God cometh in that cloud.
Hast thou a cloud?
It is Jehovah's triumph car: in this
He rideth to thee, o'er the wide abyss.
It is the robe in which He wraps His form;
For He doth gird Him with the flashing storm.
It is the veil in which He hides the light
Of His fair face, too dazzling for thy sight.
God cometh in that cloud.
Hast thou a cloud?
A trial that is terrible to thee?
A black temptation threatening to see?
A loss of some dear one long thine own?
A mist, a veiling, bringing the unknown?
A mystery that unsubstantial seems:
A cloud between thee and the sun's bright beams?
God cometh in that cloud.
Hast thou a cloud?
A sickness--weak old age--distress and death?
These clouds will scatter at thy last faint breath.
Fear not the clouds that hover o'er thy barque,
Making the harbour's entrance dire and dark;
The cloud of death, though misty, chill and cold,
Will yet grow radiant with a fringe of gold.
GOD cometh in that cloud."
Lettie Cowan
Jack
Hast thou a cloud?
Something that is dark and full of dread;
A messenger of tempest overhead?
A something that is darkening the sky;
A something growing darker bye and bye;
A something that thou fear'st will burst at last;
A cloud that doth a deep, long shadow cast,
God cometh in that cloud.
Hast thou a cloud?
It is Jehovah's triumph car: in this
He rideth to thee, o'er the wide abyss.
It is the robe in which He wraps His form;
For He doth gird Him with the flashing storm.
It is the veil in which He hides the light
Of His fair face, too dazzling for thy sight.
God cometh in that cloud.
Hast thou a cloud?
A trial that is terrible to thee?
A black temptation threatening to see?
A loss of some dear one long thine own?
A mist, a veiling, bringing the unknown?
A mystery that unsubstantial seems:
A cloud between thee and the sun's bright beams?
God cometh in that cloud.
Hast thou a cloud?
A sickness--weak old age--distress and death?
These clouds will scatter at thy last faint breath.
Fear not the clouds that hover o'er thy barque,
Making the harbour's entrance dire and dark;
The cloud of death, though misty, chill and cold,
Will yet grow radiant with a fringe of gold.
GOD cometh in that cloud."
Lettie Cowan
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