Because I Live, you also will live ~Jesus said that...

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4 NKJV). The Living Bible states that same verse this way: These things that were written in the scriptures so long ago are to teach us patience and to encourage us so that we will look forward expectantly to the time when God will conquer sin and death.  

Oh, how I look forward to and long for the culmination of that time. But God's longing is far greater than mankind's because of His holy perspective of sin. Because of my limited understanding, my perspective is based more on my own comfort and peace. Even though we think evil is increasing, God's always working to restrain evil. He is holy and has a complete understanding of sin and the wrath to come. He is so full of patience and mercy not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9 NIV). For those in Christ, sin and death will be a very distant memory one day soon. But in the meantime, we are to "abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming" (1 John 2:28 ESV).

In my March post, I alluded to the struggle of realizing last October it had been ten years since Clark David's earthly death. Anyone knows, life doesn't stop. In the midst of the heaviness, I was navigating through a difficult season that happened four days prior to that date which lasted several months. It was somewhat stressful, but the Lord was right in the center of it. He always knows what to send and when to send it as He cares for His own. I might not like the way it comes packaged, but He knows what's best! I take comfort in that as I try to remember to walk by faith and not by what I see.

 

I also take comfort in knowing He's an on-time God (Habakkuk 2:3; Isaiah 60:22). 

It's amazing to me how He uses specific ways and people to comfort and encourage us on our journey in unexpected ways.  He's always doing a new thing. Two days prior to the 10th anniversary, a close friend and sister-in-Christ texted me to ask if she could buy some flowers and take them to the cemetery and would I want to go. I texted back to let her know she could, but I would rather meet her there. As we got out of our vehicles and greeted each other, I saw the basket of flowers and noticed she had her Bible. She asked if it was okay if she read a passage which of course I welcomed. I was anxious to hear what she had to share. It was a warm fall day, and the sun was shining as we walked over and leaned against the headstone. She began reading, "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

"O death, where is your sting?"

O Hades, where is your victory?"

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-57). She kept reading: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Later that evening as providence would have it, she had previously loaned me a book, "Finding Peace in Life's Storms" by the18th century pastor, the late Charles Spurgeon.  It was so timely because the verses she read at the cemetery intermixed with the page I had bookmarked. I started reading on page 135 where Spurgeon wrote 13 pages evaluating "Christ in You" and the confidence and reason for our hope. It comes from the verse in Romans 5:5 that says, "and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. It was so timely and a beautiful reminder of our hope as born-again believers from the Truth of God's Word and the surety of that hope. 

Below are one and a half pages so eloquently written in Spurgeon's words of the confidence of our hope as true Christians versus those that are lost without hope: "Some people have no hope, or they have a hope of which they might justifiably be ashamed. Ask those who deny the validity of the Scriptures what their hope for the future is. 'I will die like a dog,' they will answer, 'and when I'm dead, that will be the end of me.' If I had such wretched hope as that, I certainly would not go around the world proclaiming it. I would not think of gathering a large audience and saying to them, 'Friends, rejoice with me, for we are to die like cats and dogs.' It would never strike me as being a matter to celebrate. 

The agnostic knows nothing, and therefore I suppose that he hopes for nothing. I do not see anything to become enthusiastic about in this stance, either. If I had no more hope than that, I would be ashamed. The Roman Catholics best hope is that when he dies, he may come out all right in the end, but meanwhile he will have to undergo the purging fires of purgatory. I do not know much about that place, for I cannot find any mention of it in Holy Scripture (I would add because it's a lie from the devil himself). However, those who know it well, because they invented it and keep its keys, describe it as dreary place, to which even great bishops and cardinals must go. I have seen, personally seen, invitations to the faithful to pray for eternal rest for the spirit of an eminent cardinal; and if this is the fate of the princes of the church, where must ordinary people go? There is no great excellence in this hope. I would not call people together in order to say to them, 'Rejoice with me, for when we die, we will all go to purgatory.' They would fail to see any particular grounds for rejoicing.

But we are not ashamed of our hope. We believe that Christians who are absent from the body are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). We look for a city that has foundations, who Builder and Maker is God (Hebrews 11:10). We are not ashamed to hope for glory and immortality and eternal life.

Moreover, we are not ashamed of the object of our hope. We do not believe that Heaven consists of indecent, carnal pleasures. We do not believe in an Islamic paradise of sensual delights, or we might very well be ashamed of our hope. Whatever imagery we may use, Heaven is pure, holy, spiritual, and refined happiness. The false prophet would not have regarded this as sufficient bait for his followers. Yet, our hope is this: that our Lord will come a second time with all His holy angels, and 'then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father' (Matthew 13:43). We believe that if we die before that time, we will sleep in Jesus and will be blessed with Him. 'To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise' (Luke 23:43) is not for the thief only, but for all of us who have entrusted our spirits to the crucified Savior. At His coming we expect a glorious resurrection. When He descends from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, then our spirits will be restored to our bodies and we will live with Christ as complete renewed persons. We believe, and are sure, that from that day we will be with Him forever. He will grant us the right to share in His throne, His crown, and His Heaven--forever and ever! The more we talk about the promised bliss, the more we feel that we could not possibly be ashamed of the hope of glory.

The ultimate reward of faith, the ultimate reward of a life of righteousness, is such that we rejoice in the prospect of it. Our glorious hope includes purity and perfection: freedom from all sin and the possession of every virtue. Our hope is that we will be like our perfect Lord and that we will be with Jesus where He is so that we may see His glory. 

Our hope is fulfilled in this promise, 'Because I live, ye shall live also' (John 14:19). We will not merely exist but live, which is another and a higher matter. Our life will be the life of God in our spirits forever and ever. We are not ashamed of this hope. We press forward to attain it."

Spurgeon expounded on eight more pages of why we are not ashamed of our hope and gave verses to support that truth. After reading those pages, I was reminded of a previous chapter I had read and thumbed back to it. The chapter title, 'The Gift of Memory,' was highlighted by Lamentations 3:21--This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It starts..."Memory is very often the servant of hopelessness. Despairing minds think about every gloomy aspect of the present. Memory stands like a servant, clothed in sackcloth, presenting to his master a cup of mingled wormwood and gall (Jeremiah 9:15). Like the mythical Roman god, Mercury, who was a messenger, he hurries, with wings on his heels, to gather fresh thorns with which to fill pillows on which we are already sleeping uneasily and to bind fresh twigs with which to whip our already bleeding hearts.

There is, however, no need for this. Wisdom will transform memory into an angel of comfort. The same memory that may in its left hand bring so many dark and gloomy signs can be trained to carry a wealth of hopeful signs in its right hand. It does not need to wear a crown of iron; it may wear a band of gold decorated with stars.

In Lamentations 3:20 the prophet told us that memory had brought him to despair. "My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me." And then, in our text, he told us that this same memory brought him life and comfort again: "This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope." We may establish, then, as a general principle, that if we would exercise our memories a little more, we could, in our very deepest and darkest distresses, strike a match that would instantaneously light the lantern of comfort. God does not need to create a new thing in order to restore believers to joy. If they would prayerfully rake the ashes of the past, they would find light for the present, and if they would turn to the Book of Truth and the throne of grace, their flame would shine as before."

When writing the March blog last year, I mentioned how grateful I was for pictures of Clark David, but how he is so much less familiar to me (see post). That's why memories are such a gift. One came to mind last week that I hadn't thought about in a long time, and I was able to visualize that memory which made my heart joyful. The catalyst to that was prayer as mentioned above. And last October, that's why my friend's gesture of love was so timely because I was having a hard time and the Lord knew I needed the encouragement and someone to share in my burden as it "instantaneously lit the lantern of comfort," as I "found light for the present."

Naturally, our fallen flesh thinks on the pain, heartache, and the bad memories. But the verses she read out of the Bible that day and the pages I read in the book helped me to focus on truth, to set my mind on things above, and cling all the more to the sure and living Hope. And it's a reminder that today and every day I am to be unashamed, steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord in whatever form that comes. Whether my platform is in my living room, at church, in Walmart, or wherever, I know my labor is not in vain because, "God is not man, that He would lie, nor a son of man, that He would change His mind; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19). This most definitely is a day that brings so much sadness and heartache, but I am learning better to "transform my memory into an angel of comfort which carries a wealth of hopeful signs."

These encouragements and reminders are what spurs us on our journey. Hebrews 10:2-25 states: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." My friend had considered how to stir me up to love and good works and followed through which compelled me to write it down to maybe encourage someone else or stir them up to love and good works.

The miracle of salvation is such an incomprehensible gift. God sent His only begotten Son to be sin on our behalf so that through Him we might inherit eternal life. This only happens through repentance of sins by confession and surrender. Believing is not all there is because even the demons believe and shudder (James 2:19). They inherit eternal death. Sadly, on judgment day, so many will hear, "Depart from Me, I never knew you (Matthew 7:23). Salvation is not about head knowledge, but heart knowledge. It's not about any religion, but a genuine, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Of course, those that don't believe or those that don't truly repent of sins and submit to the Lord are children of the devil (John 8:39-47) whose permanent residence is in eternal Hell even though they may not be aware. The Lord gives everyone opportunities to hear and be saved though. And the Word says, we are without excuse on judgment day (Romans 1:20). Judgment is coming whether we realize it or not (Hebrews 9:27).

 I hope and pray for anyone who reads this that isn't 100 percent sure where he will spend eternity (only two choices) will cry out to the Lord and ask Him to reveal Himself to him and go read the book of John and Acts in the Holy Bible.

The Lord is mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17a).

God sees you, made you for a purpose, and longs to be your Shepherd if you're not in His fold yet. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Turn to Him before it's too late. If you are a born-again Christ follower, praise the Lord and keep abiding in the Vine, don't grow weary for in due season you will reap a reward if you do not give up (Galatians 6:9). You are loved, important, needed, and made to glorify our Father in all you do as you fulfill the purposes of God in your life for His glory.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him 

(Lamentations 3:22-25 ESV).

A song sung at Clark David's funeral October 9th, 2014

"Victory belongs to Jesus...who can stand against the King, nobody can, no one will...victory belongs to the King of Glory, and it always will, no matter what it looks like...so we put our trust in You, we cast our cares on You, we put our Hope in You...FOREVER WE WIN!..."

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:21-27)

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We celebrated at Downtown Grill with hot wings and brownie cake at home. Tess wrote on the cake, and Tucker helped with the "11th" and squiggly border, lol. You are so missed and loved, as always!

If you are battling with depression, addiction, or suicidal thoughts, please know YOU ARE NOT ALONE! You are not weak for admitting your need for help! You are not a burden to anyone! Don't believe the lies in your head! YOU ARE LOVED, but more importantly, you are loved by God, your Maker. Help IS available. Choose to talk to someone, share your feelings and get help!