They have gone home glorified to our glorious Savior

A dear friend of mine passed away last month going home to be with the Lord. The loss is one that many will bear for some time. For many of us this life will now be a lot sadder and the days that pass a bit darker, if you will, because they are gone. Heaven on the other hand will be a bit brighter because its shining star has now gone home. It is a truth that our loss is heaven’s gain. As the cloud of grief over shadows us they will shine more in heaven as our friend reaps in the blessings of heavens glory. One day soon grief will give way to memory and the light that they once were will return to us in loving thought and recollection.

Life is a beautiful gift from the heart and mind of God. How much greater is that gift when we return to Him “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). This world dims in the light of eternity and eternity shines in the light of the one who has gone home.

Will they be missed? Absolutely
Will they always be a part of our life? No doubt
Will they always have a place in our heart? Most definitely
Will they ever know the impact that they had on our life? Most assuredly for one day we too will go home to be with Christ and to spend eternity together with them. Then the other half shall be told.

God tells us in Scripture that the passing of a saint is precious to Him, "Precious int he sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15). Their death is precious because He can now receive them home from all their wanderings. As an earthly father we rejoice when we receive our children home after an absence. When one of our children is even the smallest bit over due we begin to fret because any absence can bring thoughts and illusions of many dangers that exist in our world today. With this thought in mind we must think of how much more shall God rejoice to receive his children home? He loves his children far better then than we can imagine. He knows that their suffering is now over and that their sorrow is past.

Their passing allows Him the opportunity to truly display for them the sufficiency of His overeign grace. How do we know this? Because the passing saint goes directly into the arms of the Lord, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8). We are saddened for a time yes, but part of that sorrow is an extension of the desire that we too have to be with Him. They are with Christ, the one that they loved and the one that truly loved and cared for them.

We are confident from the Scripture that the LORD takes special notice of His children and cares for us in a special manner. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1). “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” (Isaiah 43:2) Just to mention a few. Then we find in Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” This should be precious to us as well. This statement from God brings before us an aspect of death that which we sometimes fail to consider. It gives us a glimpse of what may be termed the God-minded view of the subject. We cannot contemplate death as a final thought, which is an earthly view, taken solely from our perspective. This passage opens up the heart of the Lord showing us from His viewpoint of Heaven. In the eyes of the Lord the death of a saint is not horrible but “precious.” Precious because that which is His is now going home to ever be with Him. We must learn to rejoice as David did with the passing of a loved one as found in 2 Samuel 23:23, “But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I
bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

We do pray for their family and all the friends that the Lord God will flood their hearts, minds and thoughts with memories and that His presence will overshadow them during this time of grief.

You've Got a Friend In Me

David & Jonathan – a relationship that was more than companionship, closer than friendship, it was a relationship that Christ desires of us today.

In this day and age that we live in, we find that friends are a very precious commodity. It is easy to find someone to befriend you but it is very rare to fine one that you can truly be friends with. A friend is someone who you know and trust to have your back at all times and at all costs. You need not worry and or fret because you know that you are covered. Some may say they are your friend but you have to keep an eye on them, sleep with one eye open and walk with a constant looking over your shoulder. This is because to be a true friend they have to be trusted and trust is something we hold tightly to our breast and find it hard to let go of. It is something that has to be earned before it is extended to someone. To trust someone without a consuming worry or fear of back lash or reprisal is a rare commodity at best.

The bond of friendship should never be overlooked or worse yet, taken for granted. One true test of this bond is seen in times of disagreement; you may see or take opposite sides yet still be friends. This is almost in direct conflict with Amos 3:3 which says, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” I believe that a true friendship can and must cross that line at times and yet still survive. It is really a matter of trust and trust with respect which I believe stems from the origins of a new birth relationship. The kinship that comes from Christ is knitted in the realm of friendship, it is something that most never experience and few date to attempt. Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” We find that Christ sticks closer than a brother and we too, should do the same regardless of our own desires, differences, preferences, prejudices and convictions. In the area of friendships pettiness is a selfish desire we cannot afford because it stifles restoration where needed along with compassion and rebuke if and or when necessary.

The best biblical example of friendship is found in David & Jonathan they had a relationship that was more than companionship, closer than friendship, it was a relationship that Christ desires of us today. As a friend you are not there to judge but to honestly and openly care for one another. It is obvious from Scripture that these two men were also very good and close friends. In their relationship we can see at least three qualities of true friendship. First of all, their friendship was sacrificial in nature, each placing their needs second to the others and their own. Second, In 1 Samuel 18:4, “And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.” we read that Jonathan gave David his clothes and military apparel. In this selfless act, Jonathan show us that he recognized that David would one day be king of Israel this action of Jonathan’s signified this. We can see from this act that he was selfless, not envious or jealous in fact we see that Jonathan did so in submission to God’s will and sacrificed his own right to the throne. Third, we find in Scripture that Jonathan’s loyalty toward David is seen in his defense even in against his father Saul, 1 Samuel 19:1-3, “Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. (2) So Jonathan told David, saying, ‘My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. (3) And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you." We find that Jonathan stood up to challenge his father having him remember David’s faithfulness to him including his killing Goliath.

People who have tried to misrepresent the relationship between David and Jonathan have never understood the relationship of those who share a common battlefield experiential relationship. I have shared a foxhole with another. I have also trusted another with my very soul. We shared many things together and were closer than brothers but not once did the thought of any other relationship cross either of our hearts or minds. I have friends now that I entrust everything to, even and including my very soul. I experience joy when I see them and am glad to receive a call, txt or e-mail from them. We laugh together and there have been times when we cried together. But not once have we ever desired to cross the lines that God has set in order.

I do thank God for those few men that God has brought into my life. They are there when I need them and I will be there when they need me. There is a bond that we have and share that holds our friendship above and beyond the norm. Accountability is there, counsel is there but even more, the love of the Savior is there. It is His example, His love that keeps our friendship above and beyond most friendships.

I am Who I am

Last night before the clouds started to roll in I was outside praying and looking toward the sky. It was during this time that I began to realize once again what an awesome God we serve. He created the heavens and all that is there in. Among His work in creation, He created this tiny planet called Earth and it is on that planet where I stood. If that is not enough to really boggle the mind we must come to the realization that he also created man and placed him on that planet. So, He not only created me too but He desired a relationship with me before I was born. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) This desire for a relationship placed those across my path who would witness to me. When I finally called upon Christ He saved me and He has time for me and desires time with me. In the midst of all that he has created He sees each and every one of us as individuals. He saves us individually and cares for us the same.

How insignificant this can make you feel when you look at this from man’s perspective but when you take in consideration that God does all that He does out of His great love for us. This thought turns into that which is inconceivable. How wonderfully amazing is this God of ours? It is this that drives me to know Him more, to serve Him more and to Love Him so much the more.

Part of that which I love to study comes from the writers of the past. I often read the works of the church fathers and I believe that they truly understood the majesty and the sovereignty of our all might God. I believe that their understanding of God far out exceeds that of most Christian writers today. They had a firm grasp of our creator and with that they had a sound respect for who He was and is. They humbly stepped into the presence of the sovereign God of the universe. We often find them bowing humbly before His presence bringing tears, praise and petitions. What a far cry this is form the modern day believer who often charges in with demands, pouting and trying to barter with God. The reverence that was once a common trait of His children is now replaced with prideful arrogance. That which the church fathers saw as an awe-inspiring experience is now not much more than a mundane experience an almost borderline boring formalism task to be done.

We have access to this Exclusive God, I do not mean that He does not love the world as His Scripture’s says, but I do mean that we who are saved have an exclusive relationship with Him. It is a relationship for those who belong to the family of God enjoy. Jesus referred to the Father as Daddy (Abba) “And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’” (Mark 14:36) We also see that the apostle Paul was familiar with the concept Abba Father, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (6) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” (7) Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:4-7) So with this, we too have that privilege to do so. We are adopted into His family we have access to His throne.

How often does our great God bring those across our path who have lost sight of this Awesome God that we serve? Man has often allowed their needs, wants, desires and selfish ways to stand between them and God. They do so to the point that they cannot see Him any more. All that they have allowed into their lives has obscured their view. They cannot see God because of their own selfishness. The task ahead is to get them to re-sort and re-organize the needs in their life. Getting them to prioritize the needed truths; starting with the fact that God is God and there is no other. “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14) He is the one who is, who was and who ever shall be. Sometimes it is best to begin with the basics, to go back to the beginning. And there is no better place to begin than with this simple truth, “I AM WHO I AM.”

Selfish?

I received a call the other day to go and visit a couple who desperately needed counsel. When I arrived I was greeted by a middle aged couple. The room that I was escorted into was comfortable at best, and their hospitality was more than gracious. The look that both of them had was one of both pain and despair. You could feel the tension as well as the confusion as it thickened the air. After the normal introductions we gathered together and I asked what I could do to help them. She began by telling me that she was given news that they were not prepared themselves for. Her doctor has done all that he could for her and there was nothing else that they could do. They knew that this day would eventually come but had not expected it this early.

They both seemed to take turns talking as one was over come with distraught or anxiety the other would take up where the other left off. They were both just recently retired and they had plans of growing old together and now this news came crashing in. Her time was now running out and there was noting immediately that doctors or medicine could do for her. There were no more possibilities of surgery; nothing left for the doctors could do to help.

She was now beyond her expertise; they were told that there was little that anyone could do for her. They had gone home and poured themselves into each other, they wept and held each other for hours not knowing what to do or where to turn. Asking each other what can we do or where can we go. What is left for us? Was 45 years of marriage going to end this way or is there anything left?

As I listened the first thing that I knew that I needed to do was to give them hope and encouragement from the Word of God. My first thought was to make sure that they knew Christ. I had to make sure that they knew Him as their personal saviour. After the affirmation that they knew Him I began to give them the assurance that only Christ Himself can give.

I clearly remember her saying, “I do not want to pray selfishly.” To which I replied, “What is praying selfishly?” Are we not allowed to ask anything for self? Does God only answer prayers that we ask for others needs and not our own? I do not believe that is what Christ intended or desires of us. The Lord’s Prayer clearly tells us to ask. We find that there are other scripture that teaches us the same. “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:189 (NKJV) “…ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:2b-3 KJV) “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3 KJV)

We find that King Hezekiah prayed for healing and was granted 15 more years as found in Isaiah 38. Can this same thing not be true with us today? Are we not allowed to ask for healing? Is not the God that Hezekiah served is the same one that we do and He is still on the throne? God heard his prayer and answered, cannot God hear and answer a similar prayer form His children today?

The bible also tells us something very interesting about Elijah (or Elias which is the Greek transliteration of Elijah), it says that he was a man of like passion as we are in James 5:17-18, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (18) And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” Though this passage talks about rain, we find that in the entire passage found in 1 Kings 17-18 that Elijah had a great confidence in God to ask what he wanted. He also asked for healing of the widow’s son in chapter 17.

If we go to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 we cannot help but notice the pleas of the apostle Paul in verses 7 & 8, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (8) Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” (NKJV) Paul was troubled by some personal illness that he requested relief from though God said no, He did not rebuke him for asking for personal healing.

It is not wrong to request health and healing form God, nor is it entirely praying selfishly and this dear lady thought. We must also remember what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (NKJV) Notice the words “…in everything by prayer and supplication…” God says in everything, which would include what some call “selfish” prayers.

So the question is, Can God hear and answer our prayer when it comes to healing? Or, do doctors have the last say? Can the prayer, asked in faith overcome that which reality and all actuality say it can’t? The answer is absolutely! James tells us, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:17 (NKJV)

One final thought, our position in Christ should be such that we should yearn to go home to Christ which is better as Paul states in Philippians 1:23-24, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (24) Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.”(NKJV) Yet at the same time, our desire is to be here with family friends and loved ones. It is the human side of us that desires to stay and be with family. It is the human side that finds it hard to let go. We do know that the believer has a heavenly home. If our family belongs to Christ here on earth, we will see them again once we are reunited in our heavenly home.

Because He is who He is and I am who I am, I must inspire to be all that I can be in Him because He is by the very definition of His being is all that He can be. I can move forward or backward, and I often do, yet He constantly stays the same because He is constant. He is Sovereign, Holy, Just, Merciful, Gracious and Righteous. I, myself, am a mess.

Our strength comes from above

I was talking to a man the other day who was down and out in several ways. In the midst of his trials he was questioning where God was in his situation and why God was not present where he could see him. He was caught in the middle of dire-straights in his life and not finding any answers. He needed God and he needed Him now. I did assure him that God was with him and that God had not left him to fend for himself. He did not just need the wisdom of God; he also needed the strength that God provides us when going through a test or trial. We all face trial and tribulations, we all are tempted and at times they feel as if they are way above that which we can handle and can rightfully be so without the strength and love of God in our lives.

One truth that I have learned is that God does not give us all the divine strength we need for our Christian walk the day that we trusted Christ as Saviour. If He did so we would not need Him. The strength of God is available when we need it but it is not here with us always. If it were many Christians would use and or abuse His strength either knowingly or unknowingly. David assures for us this truth in Psalm 31:19 which says “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!” We see in this passage that David had a need for the strength of God and he also realized that it was there waiting for him. David realized that God’s goodness has been stored up for those who fear Him for those who trust in Him. I do believe that our part in this is to work at keeping the storage tank full and the lines of communication open. We do so through reading and studying the Word of God, notice what it says here in Psalm 119:11, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

His strength is ready to be tapped into when needed. We find many applications to this throughout Scripture as seen in the prophets of old. When a prophet needed the strength of God, He provided it. This is true for us today, we do not receive the strength of God before we need it, but He does assure us that we never receive it too late. Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” God’s grace and mercies are daily applications and provisions. The promise we receive from God is to be with us in our sorrow and afflictions. He does not spare us from the trials, when we go through the waters of sorrow and the fires of adversity but He will go through them with us.

I would like to point out another passage in Isaiah where we find this prophet records the Words of the Lord, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” (Isaiah 41:10) Notice that God is speaking to Isaiah; He tells Isaiah that He will be with him, He will strengthen him and He will uphold him, why? Because the Lord God was his God, Isaiah had a personal relationship with the Lord and one of the benefits of that relationship is a personal closeness. These promises are yours today if you are Christ’s, “…For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5) What a great promise, that He will be there for us. This great promise is also seen in 2 Corinthians 1:5, “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” In what ever view we take of adversity we find that God’s grace and mercy is as abundant as it is sufficient.

The truth being that not only is His love sufficient and abundant, we find that His love is more than adequate for our every need, Romans 8:39, “Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We can see that throughout the scriptures that God loves us with an unfailing love He does so to affirm His love toward us and to establish the fact that it He, along with this love, is there for us. One interesting side note here is that it does not matter whether we believe it or not, God’s love is there standing ever sure for those who are His. The love that God has for us is found in the very heart of God and grounded in the truth of His word. It is not something that we can obtain on our own, nor can we create it on our own, it exists solely in and of God. Our ability to take part in and experience this love depends on our relationship with Him and our belief in Him and His Word. Our faith and belief in Him and the truth of His word will help to establish the comfort needed and received from this love. Those outside of Christ have no relationship with Him and do not receive His love first hand.

Now it is no secret that Satan will make every effort to attempt to get us to doubt this fact but he cannot destroy the love that we have in Christ. He is a deceiver and the accuser of the brethren. One thing that can and will help in this area is our being in the Word of God. This will build up our assurance in Christ and this assurance will confirm the Love that He has for us. We will all struggle from time to time with doubts about God and will do so as long as Satan is free to roam about. One thing we learn from a strong assurance in Christ is that His love is ever present with us even in the midst of a trial.

The important truth to learn here is that if we never went through a trial, if we never had a struggle in life, our faith would not grow, it would have no need to. Trials bring on distress, anxiety fear and need. They are what drive us to the foot of the Cross and to the throne of God for Help. Psalm 13:1, “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” It is there in His presence that we can bathe in His Grace and Mercy. It is there that we begin to relish in His strength, and we can sing with David as he sang. “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”(Psalm 13:5)

Just a Pirate Motto?

I recently sat through the fourth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” saga if you will and right at the end of the movie before the credits rolled Captain Jack Sparrow and Mr. Gibbs exchanged a statement that is very familiar with the two and that was, “Take what you can, give nothing back.” I chuckled with the rest of the audience when I heard it but then, as I often do, I pondered over it.

This is the motto of a violent time in history. It was the theme of those who lived and cared for self and self only. Their goal was to live just a head of their impending judgment. Sadly enough, it sound like the headlines in America today except for one thing, a pirate knew or at least realized that there was an ultimate price to pay up ahead. He knew that the next corner could be his last; always keeping an eye on the horizon for the doom that was after him. They knew who they were running from and knew they were after them. Many of them even had a fear of God in them as well.

In our world today there appears to be no such fear in the majority of the population. They live life to the fullest fearing nothing. “Take what you can, give nothing back.” They take what they can; even the sanctity of life has little meaning to them. Life has no sacred quality to them any more. They take a life and when they get caught they take their own life to keep from being punished. The first life taken makes it easier to take the second even if the second is their own.

There is no remorse; there is no guilt, only selfish motives and desires. They appear to be driven by the very base nature of man, running rampant trying to satisfy the selfish desires that flood the heart.

Today’s generation thinks that they are in the right as most generations have. The sad truth to this is that they have not a clue as to how far to the left they are. They have swung so hard and so far to the left that they have wrapped themselves around center and are in the right camp but soundly in the left philosophy. You can hear their “right thinking” in the majority of their conversations. Stating things such as, “I have the right to be happy,” “I have a right to have a cell phone.” “I have a right to get on the internet, to have a ‘My Space’ or ‘Facebook’ account.” It is sad to see that this is the way of life of kids and adults alike.

What do you say to someone today that has no grasp of sin? What do you say to those who have no idea or concept of right or wrong? There is neither fear of God in their heart nor fear of Satan in their eyes. They are right, the world is wrong and to prove them wrong you may have to talk until you are blue in the face

So where am I going with this? Right back to the Word of God, that’s where. Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” Did you notice that last statement? There is nothing new under the sun. This problem has been around for a long time it is just more prominent than ever before. It is almost as if we are going backward in morality as we move forward in time. This era we are in reminds me of the mentality of the people in the time of the judges. Judges 17:6 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Another verse that comes to mind is Proverbs 14:12 which says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” This generation is not fooling any one not even themselves they are very aware of their own selfishness. Scripture says this about their selfishness, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12

We must approach them as Christ Himself did in love and stern truth. “Call for Parlay,” as the Pirates say, answer their questions and ask your own. Be diligent and remember it will take time, it may become painful but it is what we are to do. Do not give up; your stand must be unyielding because eternity is at stake. What ever you do, do not compromise, you have the truth and the truth will take care of itself. Above all, give them Christ; give them scripture for the Holy Spirit to work with. Do so with passion and compassion and Christ will prevail.

Let their motto be “Take what you can, give nothing back.” We will respond back with, “Give them Christ, hold nothing back.”