Saturday, October 31, 2015

Life now- temporary to eternity

Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Glorious truth!

Do you have a fear of death? Many do. Many also have a fear of life. It's so easy to understand why. There are so many things in life that cause fear. Pain, sickness, injury, deprivation, poverty to the point of life endangerment. We have control over so little in life, and those who try to convince you otherwise, they are deluded. The deluded are filled with self-delusions based upon their own unique experiences. They have these experiences and then believe all who choose can share in their experience if only they do certain things. They can't comprehend the reality that others are not them, and therefore will not find life as they find it. Pain in one might cause them to rise, another might experience pain and it causes them to be bitter and angry, still another might take on an attitude of pure despair in their pain.  The uniqueness we hold as individuals should be recognized but by and large it isn't and we are thrust into a society of norms regulated by majority rule. 

The truth of the matter is, pain is frightening. Depravation is discouraging. Injuries are depressing. Life is filled with many pains- emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual. And while I can sit back and spout my personal advice based on my personal experience, it has no weight behind it because it is unique to me and my personal unique life not another's.

We all have things in common, but not necessarily unique in details. 

Our Savior took on our flesh and blood, God in the flesh, choosing not to take on the flesh of angels.
Our Savior acknowledges that the Devil has the power over death.

How does the devil have this power?

God told mankind they would surely die if they did not trust in Him, their Creator.
Mankind believed God and trust Him.
The Devil didn't want mankind to trust God.
The Devil lied to mankind.
Mankind believed the Devil's lies.
Mankind stopped trusting their Creator.
The Creator allowed mankind to choose.
Mankind chose death, because God was true- in disobedience- no longer trusting, mankind would surely die.

Death is so much more than the mere ending of our lives. Death is living in the knowledge of death to come, it's living in a world that no longer has God as their all in all, but rather the Devil.

In choosing to believe the Devil over believing God, mankind switched allegiances to the Devil by that choice. 

The Devil- in who sin was birthed, gave to all mankind all that sin entails.

Jesus came to redeem mankind, to buy them back by the sacrifice of HIS LIFE, HIS GODLY, SINLESS LIFE.

We choose to believe that we've been redeemed, and the promise of that redemption is to be revealed fully at the last trump, when Christ shall appear and all those alive and dead in Him, will be reunited to live forever without sin, without death, without fear, without the Devil.

We have HOPE for the future promise to be fulfilled even as we suffer life and all its horrors right here and now.

Our hope is heaven, all else is TEMPORARY to eternity, even the worst of all things we may ever encounter.  And even the most chronic and awful of circumstances that we may endure for years and years and years, are still temporary to eternity! We need to have this HOPE, this eternal hope found only in our SAVIOR, not in ourselves or anything, any situation we are found in here and now in our temporary home.

Please Father, please, we would be YOURS. We would cling to YOU and YOUR promises just as the closest of all to you have had to do, cling to the promises through FAITH even when by all appearances in our lives there should be no hope, in You we MUST hope! 

By YOUR grace and mercy, Lord, by YOUR love now and forever!

In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen! 

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