Why should Christians dread the figure in white
Seen by one at or past death's final throe?
He is an angel come to hold him tight,
To take him to heav'n where redeemed ones go.
What is there to fear on our final day?
It brings us the prize for which we've long fought;
He promised to go, make ready the way;
Now He's back for the one His lifeblood bought.
How blind are those born only of water;
Seeing truth, yet not knowing what they see!
When they see death, it is only slaughter,
Blackness for them throughout eternity.
My life can be long or short, as it may;
I am more ready to leave than to stay.
We have read or heard of "near death" experiences, in which the person is aware of dying and his soul's leaving his body; he reports floating above the circle of doctors and family members around the bed. He can see his own body lying there lifeless, as he is drawn down a dark tunnel toward a shining figure dressed in white. These reports are all similar; the departing soul is happy to be leaving but is drawn back against his will and reenters his body. He is resuscitated and lives to give this report.
Paul wrote to the members of the church at Corinth that: "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8) He was confident that when a follower of Christ dies, immediately he is with the Lord. (See also Phillippians 1:3)
The Bible also tells us that a person who is not a follower of Jesus Christ will immediately live again, but he will be taken to another place called hell. I believe the "near death" stories depict an angel dressed in white, either an angel from heaven or a fallen angel.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
But Not A Throne
Her place is special, there's no doubt of that;
And why not? For a maid like no other?
The fruit of her womb, that no man begat,
Was the Son of God, Who called her 'mother'.
Among women, she was favored supreme;
But not divine; of worship, unworthy,
Not to pray to; lacking the pow'r to redeem.
Some have deemed her sinless, and unearthy,
But she's no higher than flesh; is not slow
To kneel to Christ, even though He's her son.
Her sins He forgave, like us from below;
Welcomed her to heav'n, when her life was done.
She deserves honor and brotherly love,
But not a throne, as Jesus has above.
Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus Christ, is venerated by some Christians, even to the extent of praying to her with requests as to God. Can a person be embarassed in heaven? If so, I am sure she is embarassed to receive those prayers; I am also sure she relays them to her former Son. Those mistaken worshipers of Mary have declared her to be without sin, even though she delivered other children in the normal way. They have also absolved Mary's parents from sin in order that she not be guiltyof original sin, or the sin all mortals possess from Adam's sin. The Bible does not support these claims.
"But He answered them saying, 'Who is My mother, or My brothers?'" (Mark 3:33) He said this to a circle of listeners once when He was interrupted by a messenger, who informed Him that His mother and brothers were outside asking Him to come out to them. Perhaps they were ashamed of his preaching and fearful for His life. But the fact that He had brothers is evidence that Mary had children after Jesus, and making her a participant in Adam's sin.
Mary was an obedient girl when told by the angel Gabriel that she had been selected by God to give birth to His Son, even though still a virgin. She endured much tribulation for her obedience and is a wonderful representative of how we should obey God. She is not divine, however, nor sinless.
And why not? For a maid like no other?
The fruit of her womb, that no man begat,
Was the Son of God, Who called her 'mother'.
Among women, she was favored supreme;
But not divine; of worship, unworthy,
Not to pray to; lacking the pow'r to redeem.
Some have deemed her sinless, and unearthy,
But she's no higher than flesh; is not slow
To kneel to Christ, even though He's her son.
Her sins He forgave, like us from below;
Welcomed her to heav'n, when her life was done.
She deserves honor and brotherly love,
But not a throne, as Jesus has above.
Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus Christ, is venerated by some Christians, even to the extent of praying to her with requests as to God. Can a person be embarassed in heaven? If so, I am sure she is embarassed to receive those prayers; I am also sure she relays them to her former Son. Those mistaken worshipers of Mary have declared her to be without sin, even though she delivered other children in the normal way. They have also absolved Mary's parents from sin in order that she not be guiltyof original sin, or the sin all mortals possess from Adam's sin. The Bible does not support these claims.
"But He answered them saying, 'Who is My mother, or My brothers?'" (Mark 3:33) He said this to a circle of listeners once when He was interrupted by a messenger, who informed Him that His mother and brothers were outside asking Him to come out to them. Perhaps they were ashamed of his preaching and fearful for His life. But the fact that He had brothers is evidence that Mary had children after Jesus, and making her a participant in Adam's sin.
Mary was an obedient girl when told by the angel Gabriel that she had been selected by God to give birth to His Son, even though still a virgin. She endured much tribulation for her obedience and is a wonderful representative of how we should obey God. She is not divine, however, nor sinless.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
When No Answer Is The Right Answer
Oftimes no answer to prayer comes back to me,
And I doubt His promise, "Whate'er you ask
Believing", the answer is sure to be.
Once I asked the King to alter my task,
Thinking it best to serve another way;
I waited long in vain; no answer came.
Was my faith too weak for God's will to sway;
Or my sins too great His promise to claim?
Sure, I'm His child; His promise cannot fail---
He must respond to prayers believing;
Others asked Him for things and did prevail;
Why, then, was my request so unrelieving?
As time passed, my task became more inspired;
His no-answer was the answer required!
Jesus told His disciples (and us, too, through them), "I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)
Ask the Lord in silent prayer, which he hears as well as we hear shouting, to give you the ability to love others as He loved you, and He will help you to learn how. Sometimes we ask for things that are selfish or that won't be good for us, and He does not give it to us. Don't lose your faith because of that. Maybe His silence after a prayer is like that of a gentle parent, who, instead of a quick "No!" when his beloved child asks for something that may harm him, just holds back his answer. No answer to your prayer is an answer, and is usually the best answer.
And I doubt His promise, "Whate'er you ask
Believing", the answer is sure to be.
Once I asked the King to alter my task,
Thinking it best to serve another way;
I waited long in vain; no answer came.
Was my faith too weak for God's will to sway;
Or my sins too great His promise to claim?
Sure, I'm His child; His promise cannot fail---
He must respond to prayers believing;
Others asked Him for things and did prevail;
Why, then, was my request so unrelieving?
As time passed, my task became more inspired;
His no-answer was the answer required!
Jesus told His disciples (and us, too, through them), "I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)
Ask the Lord in silent prayer, which he hears as well as we hear shouting, to give you the ability to love others as He loved you, and He will help you to learn how. Sometimes we ask for things that are selfish or that won't be good for us, and He does not give it to us. Don't lose your faith because of that. Maybe His silence after a prayer is like that of a gentle parent, who, instead of a quick "No!" when his beloved child asks for something that may harm him, just holds back his answer. No answer to your prayer is an answer, and is usually the best answer.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Keep Apart From This World
All earth cheers the birth of the Jesus child
For gifts, and lights, and the retail sales boon;
Easter, too, with heaps of candy eggs piled,
Baskets, bunnies, that ring the registers' tune;
But let one Christian tell why He did come;
How this same Babe calls for men to repent;
Or that He rose, death and grave overcome;
How free Grace saves all who from sin relent:
Then see the fury of Satan unleashed
Against the messenger, whose words of hope
Are offered in love to a world deceived,
Drowning, as the life guard might throw a rope.
O friend, don't you see? Keep yourself apart
From this world; it deserves not your heart.
The Christmas season is almost here, and the nation is in mourning that the people won't spend enough money on gifts to help the troubled economy. Long ago, most people forgot, or never knew, the true meaning of Christmas. To most of us, it is a time of celebrating gifts or office parties or family feasts. We ought to call it Moneymas, or Giftmas, or Spendmas, since the fact that a baby named Jesus was born in Bethlehem; our God came to earth in flesh like us; and that He came to die for our sins, not His, because He didn't commit any sin; since these facts are lost amidst an orgy of shopping and partying.
This time we might help ourselves to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas by not spending any money. We could take our Bibles and read Chapter 2 of Luke; meditate on what a price the King of all the universe paid to leave the safety and glory of heaven for 33 years on earth and a painful death; attend a neighborhood church on Christmas Eve to participate in a candlelight worship service; and silently ask God to forgive us for the way we have trashed His birthday party. We would feel a lot better afterward, and our credit cards would be a lot lighter.
For gifts, and lights, and the retail sales boon;
Easter, too, with heaps of candy eggs piled,
Baskets, bunnies, that ring the registers' tune;
But let one Christian tell why He did come;
How this same Babe calls for men to repent;
Or that He rose, death and grave overcome;
How free Grace saves all who from sin relent:
Then see the fury of Satan unleashed
Against the messenger, whose words of hope
Are offered in love to a world deceived,
Drowning, as the life guard might throw a rope.
O friend, don't you see? Keep yourself apart
From this world; it deserves not your heart.
The Christmas season is almost here, and the nation is in mourning that the people won't spend enough money on gifts to help the troubled economy. Long ago, most people forgot, or never knew, the true meaning of Christmas. To most of us, it is a time of celebrating gifts or office parties or family feasts. We ought to call it Moneymas, or Giftmas, or Spendmas, since the fact that a baby named Jesus was born in Bethlehem; our God came to earth in flesh like us; and that He came to die for our sins, not His, because He didn't commit any sin; since these facts are lost amidst an orgy of shopping and partying.
This time we might help ourselves to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas by not spending any money. We could take our Bibles and read Chapter 2 of Luke; meditate on what a price the King of all the universe paid to leave the safety and glory of heaven for 33 years on earth and a painful death; attend a neighborhood church on Christmas Eve to participate in a candlelight worship service; and silently ask God to forgive us for the way we have trashed His birthday party. We would feel a lot better afterward, and our credit cards would be a lot lighter.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Is This The Time?
What if the sheaf of days is less
That's ready in the hand of God,
And Christ does no longer suppress
His return to where we still plod?
Is this the time the earth will end
Its ordained path around the sun;
He proclaimed King, and all knees bend,
Of man's gods, He the only One?
Do we so live, that if He come,
We could gaze in joy on His face,
Heads high, not bowed in shame, as some,
Who, in sin, do His cross abase?
Let the bells of ev'ry church chime;
Christ our Lord is coming this time!
Many, probably most, people have no notion of the approaching end of the world, but it really is coming to an end, and soon. When the shutdown will occur no one knows. Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36)
Since we cannot predict the precise time of the second coming of Christ in glory, which will mark the end of time as we know it, He tells us to be ready immediately, rather than postponing our commitment to love others as Jesus loved us until some time in the uncertain future. Reach for your Bible, the guidebook, and keep it in reach.
That's ready in the hand of God,
And Christ does no longer suppress
His return to where we still plod?
Is this the time the earth will end
Its ordained path around the sun;
He proclaimed King, and all knees bend,
Of man's gods, He the only One?
Do we so live, that if He come,
We could gaze in joy on His face,
Heads high, not bowed in shame, as some,
Who, in sin, do His cross abase?
Let the bells of ev'ry church chime;
Christ our Lord is coming this time!
Many, probably most, people have no notion of the approaching end of the world, but it really is coming to an end, and soon. When the shutdown will occur no one knows. Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36)
Since we cannot predict the precise time of the second coming of Christ in glory, which will mark the end of time as we know it, He tells us to be ready immediately, rather than postponing our commitment to love others as Jesus loved us until some time in the uncertain future. Reach for your Bible, the guidebook, and keep it in reach.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
God's Ultimate Miracle
The world was gray, when out her door she passed,
For what to us seemed most certain to be,
Of all her thousands of leavings, the last.
Though weak and prostrate, her hand raised in plea,
"If die I must, please let me here remain
Among my treasures, gleaned as time went by."
I fell to my knees, sought God's ear again,
Lifted in agony, my wretch'ed cry,
"Lord, let her return to this house of love;
Heal her weary flesh once more; blot her pain."
God heard; that day He took her soul above,
Her flesh fore'er healed, ne'er to hurt again.
God's ultimate miracle became clear---
In joy, we knew she'd shed her final tear!
God does grant miracles, even today, but His greatest is to give the Christian's pain-wracked body eternal healing by taking his soul to heaven, where the pain is gone forever.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...'" (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Without Christ, the difficulties and hardships of life are painful and distressing to a person, but to one who loves as Christ commanded, troubles in life bring joy, for it is then that God's might can be seen.
For what to us seemed most certain to be,
Of all her thousands of leavings, the last.
Though weak and prostrate, her hand raised in plea,
"If die I must, please let me here remain
Among my treasures, gleaned as time went by."
I fell to my knees, sought God's ear again,
Lifted in agony, my wretch'ed cry,
"Lord, let her return to this house of love;
Heal her weary flesh once more; blot her pain."
God heard; that day He took her soul above,
Her flesh fore'er healed, ne'er to hurt again.
God's ultimate miracle became clear---
In joy, we knew she'd shed her final tear!
God does grant miracles, even today, but His greatest is to give the Christian's pain-wracked body eternal healing by taking his soul to heaven, where the pain is gone forever.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...'" (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Without Christ, the difficulties and hardships of life are painful and distressing to a person, but to one who loves as Christ commanded, troubles in life bring joy, for it is then that God's might can be seen.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Technology Crowds Out God
See man engrossed in the tech-toys he makes,
Which multiply, to keep him removed far
From nature, that reminds him God still wakes
And can be always found where gleams the star!
Does Satan abet growth in tech-science
To further dim the light from Calv'ry's cross,
Outshone by glare from man's tech-appliance,
So in man's tech-light sacred beacon's lost?
O, foolish man! Reclaim the holy touch;
Cast from your eyes the blind of tech-machine!
On technology engorge not o'ermuch!
Recall nature's charm, in which God's best seen.
Growth in tech-science but inflates man's pride,
Crowds out the still small voice of God inside.
"Professing themselves as wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22). Your Bible is the guidebook that will teach you love as Christ commanded us to love. He certainly warned us not to love the things of this world. His apostle Paul tells us, "Since, then, you have been raised [from the dead] with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2)[brackets added]
If we become so engrossed in the entrancing gadgets which are flooding into our homes, such as television, cell phones, texting, IPOD's, MP3"s, video games, computers,
etc., we will have too little time left free to meditate on the things of God. When we go outside at night and view the starry sky, and we realize that God created it, how the technological achievements of man, that seem so astonishing to us, pale into insignificance compared to the power of God. Too much technology, garish light and noise included, drowns out our time to spend with heavenly things.
Which multiply, to keep him removed far
From nature, that reminds him God still wakes
And can be always found where gleams the star!
Does Satan abet growth in tech-science
To further dim the light from Calv'ry's cross,
Outshone by glare from man's tech-appliance,
So in man's tech-light sacred beacon's lost?
O, foolish man! Reclaim the holy touch;
Cast from your eyes the blind of tech-machine!
On technology engorge not o'ermuch!
Recall nature's charm, in which God's best seen.
Growth in tech-science but inflates man's pride,
Crowds out the still small voice of God inside.
"Professing themselves as wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22). Your Bible is the guidebook that will teach you love as Christ commanded us to love. He certainly warned us not to love the things of this world. His apostle Paul tells us, "Since, then, you have been raised [from the dead] with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2)[brackets added]
If we become so engrossed in the entrancing gadgets which are flooding into our homes, such as television, cell phones, texting, IPOD's, MP3"s, video games, computers,
etc., we will have too little time left free to meditate on the things of God. When we go outside at night and view the starry sky, and we realize that God created it, how the technological achievements of man, that seem so astonishing to us, pale into insignificance compared to the power of God. Too much technology, garish light and noise included, drowns out our time to spend with heavenly things.
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