THE DEATH

THE DEATH.

I will write about a serious theme today and I guess I do so because I am with a close relative going towards the end of her journey. We human beings have two things in common and that is: We get born and one day we will die one day. That means that one day our earthly lives will come to an end and our bodies will stop functioning, but as Christians we have a wonderful eternity waiting for us.

Let us start by reading John 14. I recommend you to read the first six verses. It starts by saying: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” Jesus is saying that we should not have any fear, but trust in Him. I do know that even some Christians can have some fear for dying. I have heard people saying   things like: “I have never done this before.” Or “This is going to be very exciting.” I have lately been thinking how I can prepare myself for dying even if I think I will continue to live, but I do know that that day will come. I do think that the best I can do is to come even closer to the Lord and trust Him even more thinking about what He has prepared for me. Jesus is saying that there are many rooms in Heaven and He is preparing a room for us. When that is ready, He will come back and bring us with Him. We are supposed to be where He is. The disciple Thomas wondered how we could come to the place where Jesus is. Jesus answered him: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” I have talked to several believing in God and also believing that they will come to Heaven, but they do not believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. I was forced to say that their belief is not based on the Bible, referring to John 14:6. It is only the Holy Spirit that can convince anybody about sin and grace and I do not want to enter any discussion, but point to the Word. I was part of a team to another country some years back. Revival broke out while we were there and several hundred came to the Lord during our meetings. I started crying while I was standing there watching people running forward to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I saw how the empty rooms in heaven were filled. I do not want any room to be empty. The Lord has made it possible for the entire world to be saved. Many are unfortunately saying no since they haven’t had the right teaching or they lack knowledge or they have another religion. They do not really know what they say no to.

I have talked to people who are facing death and they wonder if they get to heaven even if they have received Jesus as their Savior. I believe this often comes as an attack from the devil or from the fact that they focus too much on themselves and not what Jesus has done. We read in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace and it is a gift from God. It is not based on our deeds lest anyone should boast. This is a truth that we need to preach again and again. We are not supposed to sin because of the grace, but our focus should be on Jesus and what He has done. I have been singing a psalm lately. It goes like this: “Pure and righteous, heaven to be worthy.” It ends by saying: Oh, what a mercy that Christ has bought us free just as we are and in the middle of all problems. He was fighting an army from hell – listen and remember: All sins are laid on Him. God is now saying: grace for sinners. Amen, Hallelujah. This is not translated word by word. It is so important to point at Jesus for all people, but especially for those getting close to their death. There are people being saved on their death-bed, but one shouldn’t speculate in it. God’s grace comes even there until the last breath. I thank God for Christian nurses and doctors and Christian family members that can lead them to the Throne of grace. The Bible says that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. I believe that most people understand that they haven’t lived a life free of sin and they can therefore confess their sins and call upon His grace. I do know people who have been very careful and confessed every sin they can think of before they die. Some get great fear and do things in panic. That’s a pity. We must know in Whom we trust, a Savior full of grace and a Father who is for us and not against us.

The Bible is not writing so much about heaven, but some. It is written that there is no sin, sorrow or sickness there. It is free of demonic influence. We will see streets of gold. God has allowed some people to come to heaven, but they are sent back. I do not swallow every description, but many are saying the same and I understand that it is so fantastic that my human brain can’t comprehend the fullness of it. I do believe that it is important to talk about heaven for people facing death. We can describe as much as we know. Some people are very earth-bound and they can’t let go. They are holding on to people or other things. They haven’t understood that we are not home before we meet our Father in heaven. We could actually die the day we receive Christ, but we have a job to do here on earth. I travel quite a bit and sometimes I wonder where I belong. God has said that I am a guest here on earth. We are not home yet, but have a job to do.

I have many times wondered how I would react if I got to know that I had 24 more hours to live. That is only hypothetical since I most likely will not receive such a message. What would I have done then? I do believe that I couldn’t care less in people’s opinion. I would be very eager to tell others about Jesus and that there are two places to go after death. I do not want to scare people. Some preachers have done so and I have heard adults turning away from God since they got so scared as children. That’s very sad. Children need to hear a lot about Jesus and His goodness. At the same time, we must not be so tolerant that we avoid the truth. The Bible doesn’t write a lot about heaven and hell, but enough to know that hell is not a place you want to spend your eternity. I cannot force anybody to receive Jesus as their Savior, but I really want people do to so.

Some old people get a dementia or Alzheimer and they lose control over their lives. They might have been both religious and fine people, but they change personality and might be cussing and using inappropriate words. I have also seen Christian people having a fight around their death. I believe that we might have suppressed things or tried to take control over our flesh and we might even harbor demonic powers in our soul and body. I want to be free today and I ask the Lord to show me things I should confess or get rid of now. I have had to bind spirits in dying people. That has made it easier for them to let go. Ask God to show you today what you need to be cleansed from and do not wait till the day of death.

I recently read about the patriarch Jacob. He blessed his sons and grand-sons and then he placed his legs in the bed and died. It is not written that he was sick, but old. You do not need to be sick for dying.

 

LIVE WITH JESUS AND DIE WITH HIM!

 

Mother Else