Tag Archives: Death

It Is Appointed

Posted in Death, Forgiveness, God, Jesus Christ, Judge, Just, Righteous, Salvation, Sin by

Like so many people around our country, I was shocked and saddened to hear the tragic news of Kobi Bryant’s death yesterday, along with eight other people, including his daughter Gianna.  It was shocking…sudden, unexpected and he was so young as were others on the same flight.

I’ve been thinking about death quite a lot in the past few weeks.  One night I was laying in bed praying and thanked God for the gift my husband Chris.  I realized how much my life has been enriched and changed because of him.  He has brought my life new meaning and the everyday ordinary things like cooking and taking care of our home have a purpose.

As a Christian, I know that our death is a divine appointment.  God knows our end before we were even born.  He has determined and appointed our times…our beginning and end, even where we live.

He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him…Acts 17:25b-27b

Each day is a gift from God.  It’s important for me to be grateful today and not take people for granted because I don’t know if we will have another day.  More important is the truth that we will all die one day and we will stand before God to give an account for lives.

  • 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, – Hebrews 9:27

Every one of us has sinned and broken God’s Law.  We can never be good enough or do enough good works to earn our salvation.

  • 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, – Romans 3:23

That is all of us…you and me!

  • For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
    And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment. – Isaiah 64:6a-b

Apart from God sending His Son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sin, none of us would or could be saved.  There is One Way to God…Jesus Christ.

  • Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” – John 14:6

The death of those nine people on that helicopter was tragic and unexpected.  We should be in prayer for their families, friends, teammates, and co-workers.

But I want each one of us to consider our divine appointment.  We don’t know when it will happen.  We don’t know how we are going to die.  Will we be on our deathbed and have time to repent and confess Jesus Christ as Lord?  Or will our death be sudden and unexpected?  We don’t know that.

  • Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 2 Corinthians 6:2b

Lord willing, you may be granted many more days.  But I beg you…do not delay.  There is nothing more important than making sure that your salvation has been secured.  That your sins have been forgiven.  Because there will be no second chances once we die.

  • 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  – Titus 5:4-7

Our Sovereign God…the One who is Holy, Holy, Holy and Righteous, He is the Righteous Just Judge and His Wrath against sinful man is just.

In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we see a picture of our Heavenly Father.  He is standing and looking out and waiting for his wayward son to return.  Here we can see the Mercy and Grace of God…His Lovingkindness and willingness to Forgive.  The son didn’t deserve the father’s forgiveness…but the father was willing to forgive.  God is rich in mercy and He has made a way for sinners to be forgiven, through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ who paid the sin debt of all who will repent and believe.

The Prodigal Son

11 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’” – Luke 15:11-32

Don’t delay…for today is the day of salvation.

 

Five Minute Friday – It Only Takes a Moment

Posted in Christ Jesus, Five Minute Friday, God, Gospel, Hope, Moment, poem by

It’s been a while since I’ve participated in the Five Minute Friday writing challenge. But it feels so good to dive back in. If you like to write or need some inspiration and encouragement from others be sure to check it out.

Today word prompt: Moment

It only takes a moment
For everything in your life to change

One moment
And things will never be the same again

Sometimes those are good moments
Filled with happiness, excitement and joy

Other times, it’s a sad or desperate moment
One that you will look back on and wonder
What if
If only
I wish

The thing of it is
We don’t know when those moments are coming

We don’t know
When it will be the last time…
You’ll see that loved one alive
Or the last time you get to say I love you
The final time you will hear their voice
The last message that will come across your phone

When that moment comes
Only then you realize…
No more chances to say I’m sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me
No more opportunities to share the Gospel of Christ
No longer can you tell them what they’ve meant to you
Your words of encouragement will not be heard by the one who needs it the most

No longer will you be able to hold their hand
Look into their eyes
Laugh together so hard it makes you cry
Hug them and feel them hold you tight

So today
For a moment
Take a moment
To be with
To do or say
That which you can’t do
When the one you love has been taken away

Susan Wachtel
October 26, 2018

In light of the recent death of my brother, Michael Bunts, I’m very aware of those moments that have passed and I can’t get back or do over.

When a fellow Christian dies you miss them, are profoundly sad and grieve their loss. But it’s a grief with hope in the knowledge that their life is not over and you will see them again in heaven. They are in the presence of God, where we long to be.

But when it’s someone who doesn’t know the Lord Jesus Christ, or hasn’t repented of their sin and put their faith in the complete and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, that’s a sadness without hope for their eternal security.

Even in that profound sadness and loss…there is always hope for the believer based on who God is. Sovereign, Righteous, Holy, Holy, Holy, Compassionate, Truth, Deliverer, Refuge, Strong Tower, Strength, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Great High Priest, Everywhere Present, Creator, Eternal, Without Beginning and Without End, The Good Shepherd, The Way, The Truth and the Life, The Narrow Gate, Without Sin, Pure, The Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World, Resurrected Savior, Kind, Patient, the Mighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ the Son of God, Immanuel, Messiah, Wrathful, Punishes the Wicked, Merciful, Gracious, Just, Judge…and so much more.

Are You Kidding Me – Bad Theology Does Not Bring Comfort

Posted in Ray Comfort by

Recently I read a quote by Henry Scott Holland that was shared and meant to bring comfort to the family and friends following the death of their loved one.

As I read it, I was shocked at the incredibly bad theology written by a Regius Professor of Divinity from the University of Oxford.  It’s filled with lies that come from the pit of hell.

Death is nothing at all.  It does not count.  I have only slipped away into the next room.  Nothing has happened.  Everything remains exactly as it was.  I am I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.  Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.  Call me by the old familiar name.  Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.  Put no difference into your tone.  Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.  Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.  Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.  Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.  Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.  Life means all that it ever meant.  It is the same as it ever was.  There is absolute and unbroken continuity.  What is this death but a negligible accident?  Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?  I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner.  All is well.  Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.  One brief moment and all will be as it was before.  How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

First and foremost, only those people who have repented of their sin and confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have the assurance of heaven.  Only those family and friends who have done the same will have the hope of heaven and the promise that they will one day see their loved one again in heaven.

All human beings will continue to exist after death.  Some in heaven because they have been saved by grace through faith, not of themselves, but it was a gift of God lest we boast.  Tragically far too many will find themselves in hell after living a life of rejecting God or thinking they will enter heaven based on their own good works.

All is not well for the loved one who died without Christ.  They are hurting very much and will continue to do so eternity.

Death is huge…it is a confirmation of Genesis 3 when sin entered the world and the consequences that all humanity will face entered in- death!

Anyone who has lost a loved one to death knows it is something huge.  Death brings to a close any chance of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Men are appointed to death once and then they will face judgment.  For those who are in Christ they are absent from the body, present with the Lord.  For those who did not receive Christ they are awaiting judgment and face eternity in hell.

Following death our relationships change forever, even for those who grieve with hope in Christ.  Ask a mother who lost a child, or a husband who lost his wife.  There is grief and at times our sorrow may be overwhelming.  It’s not wrong to feel sorrow in the face of death.  Our relationships will change after we die.  What our relationships are today is not what they will be or remain once we die.  For those who know Christ and are in heaven, relationships will continue, but they will be different.

Praise God for the wonderful memories you may have of a loved one who has died.  Those memories are a gift from God.  You may weep, grieve and feel sorrow and that’s okay because you have experienced a great loss.  The Lord desires to comfort you in your sorrow.  Lord willing, you will once again you will find joy and happiness, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have an ache in your heart when you remember your loved one who has died.  Life does go on, but you can’t help but think of all the things your loved one will not be there to see.

In his writing Mr. Holland erred when he said, “pray for me.”  I can assure you that you do not need to pray for person who has already died.  If they are a Christian they are in heaven with the Lord – absent from the body, present with the Lord.  If they are an unbeliever, they are awaiting judgment and hell.  Your prayers will not change their eternal destiny one iota once a person dies.  Save your prayers for the living, for the family and friends who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

The thing that troubles me the most about this writing by Henry Scott Holland is that he did not share the Gospel message of salvation through Christ alone.  He gave the illusion that death is nothing, when in fact the knowledge that we will all die ought to grab our attention and cause us to ask where will I go when I die.

Except for the Christian who is alive when the rapture occurs, we will all die…Christians and unbelievers alike.  However, our destinies are different.

For the person who has repented of their sin and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ they will be in heaven forever.  A place of no more sorrow, sickness, death, tears or sin.  For the unbeliever they are facing judgment and an eternity in hell forever.  It’s a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, punishment and eternal torment.

If I really thought that death was nothing I would have no reason to share the Gospel message.  I wouldn’t need to.  But death is indeed something huge…it’s a game changer and people’s eternal destiny is fixed once they die.  Until then, we need to share the Gospel message of salvation in Christ alone

I can’t help but believe that satan is quite pleased with Mr. Holland’s writing.  It’s puts people minds at ease and comforts troubled emotions that people may feel in the wake of someone’s death.  It does nothing to warn about the reality of hell and makes death seem like it’s nothing significant.

Henry Scott Holland is very wrong indeed.  Bad theology brings no lasting comfort in the face of death.

A great resource to better understand about death and our eternal destiny is Hell’s Best Kept Secret by Ray Comfort.  Click on the link below to read this book.

Hell’s Best Kept Secret – Ray Comfort