Enjoying the Journey
Posts Tagged ‘Death’
What Does GOD Think of Abortion?
Yesterday was the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. In less than a half a century over 61 million babies have been put to death by abortion. This barbarity parades as “reproductive health” but it is still what God called it in Scripture…”murder” (Exodus 20:13). The new administration put out a statement of their renewed commitment to abortion, saying that “now is the time to rededicate ourselves” to making it accessible to anyone who desires it. May God have mercy on our land! Satan was a murderer from the beginning and he continues to do his ugly work today (John 8:44). I believe now is the time for true followers of Christ to rededicate ourselves to know what the Bible…
Read MoreStill Worshipping Together
Today a precious friend, a faithful preacher, a man of prayer went home to be with Jesus. He walked with God and, in the last few hours, like Enoch, “he was not, for God took him.” I imagine that at this moment he is rejoicing at the throne, and while I grieve for his loved ones, I rejoice for him. With the social distancing in recent weeks we have all been worshipping at a distance from one another. (Thank God, we don’t have to be at a distance from the Lord!) It has caused me to consider that when Christians die they are immediately transported into the most amazing worship service. They are simply worshipping the same God in a…
Read MoreHelp For Life And For Death
He was only 39 years old when he died, but he looked much older. War will do that to a man. His death by human logic was unnecessary and untimely – he was accidentally shot by his own men. Yet Stonewall Jackson would see the providence of God in the details. My travels this week have taken me to the area known as the most bloody region of the Civil War. Not far from where I write these words General Stonewall Jackson, and countless others, were shot at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Jackson’s left arm was amputated, but within eight days he had developed pneumonia. Jackson was carried to a field hospital in Guinea Station, Virginia where he took his…
Read MoreReflections On The Death Of My Childhood Friend
Last night I was asked to share a few thoughts at a memorial service for one of my childhood friends. Ramie and I attended kindergarten through high school together. He was my friend and now, at age 42, he is with Jesus. He leaves behind two beautiful little girls, a grieving mother, and a host of friends. He leaves behind precious children that he instructed and influenced through his work. And he left behind something else for me…a reminder that life is brief and we have a short time to make it count. Since his home going I have been thinking about Moses’ words in Psalm 90:10, life “is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Last week I noticed a timbering…
Read MoreGuest Post: “When Two Worlds Collide”
Mark Fowler and his wife Stephanie have been special friends to me and Tammy since college. The Lord is using them to lead a growing church in Elizabethton, TN. We had the privilege to be there again recently and were so blessed. His guest post and the available resource will be a help to many. Thanks for reading! Please share it with others… Is it possible to live in two worlds at once? As a child of God we live each day in the reality of two worlds. We know the Bible teaches us that we are a citizen of heaven and that we are pilgrims in this world. The daily struggle we face is that this world is all…
Read MoreSuicide is More Than A Statistic
Suicide is up 300% from my father’s generation. Over the last few months I have read an alarming number of articles on the suicide rate in our nation. A quick Google search will reveal that suicide is on the rise in almost every region – and most alarming, it is on the rise among pre-teens. Would it surprise you to know that a number of the greatest people in the Bible at one time thought they would rather die than live? Job gave up on life. Elijah prayed to die. Moses wanted the Lord to kill him. Jeremiah said he wished he had never been born. Jonah thought death was better than life. What a list! Yes, good people sometimes…
Read MoreMy Final Trip
Late last night I returned from meetings in Georgia and Tennessee. Soon I will leave for another appointment in Ohio. It is a way of life in itinerant evangelism. A friend said to me this week, “You must really love to travel!” Not always. I love the Lord. I love preaching His Word. I love fulfilling the call of God upon my life. I love being with pastors and local churches. I love seeing people come to Jesus Christ. I love witnessing the work of the Holy Spirit. …but, I don’t always love travel. Recently I started meditating on my final trip. It is already scheduled, though I don’t know any of the details. (And that is ok with me!)…
Read MoreA Better Way to Say Goodbye
Over the last few months several of my dearest friends have said goodbye to loved ones and watched them slip away to Heaven. Moments like these remind us all that this earth is not all there is. Our bodies are for a little time. Our spirits were made for eternity. I have stood by the temporary burial-place of many who I love. Gravesides are different for those who know the Lord. There is more to come…much more. A precious lady told me last week with tears of the many family members and friends who are waiting on her around the throne of God. Her tears were expressions of gladness instead of sadness. She rejoiced as she spoke! She was not…
Read MoreThe Rising Death Toll
I enjoy laughter and love life. I wish that every thought could be a happy one. But that is not the world in which we live. Ours is a day of spiritual warfare. It seems the attack is stronger than ever and the casualties are great. War is a terrible thing. Death is inevitable. In World War I over 16 million people were killed. More than 75 million in World War II. 1.2 million in the Korean Conflict. 3.8 million in Vietnam. The death toll continues in the modern War on Terror. We read the statistics, but it is the realization of one truth that is most staggering: every number was an eternal soul. Stand at the Vietnam Memorial and…
Read MoreDealing with Goodbyes
Goodbyes are hard. I was standing in a security line at an airport not long ago preparing to go through the regular process that has become so much a part of flying. In front of me was a young lady who was weeping. Occasionally she would turn around and strain to see if her loved one was still there. A faint smile. A wave. Another goodbye. With all that has changed about travel through the years, some things never change. It is not easy to say goodbye to those you love. My attitude was much different than the young lady who was in line with me. You see, I was going home. On the other end of my flight was…
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