Matthew 26 Then all the disciples left Him and fled.
There are some roads that must be traveled alone.
Jon 16 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it is here, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
Or should I say, alone with God.
I Corinthians 15 O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting?
Last Sunday my family and I attended a birthday party. A life celebration for a member of my sister's church. There was a typical church service with Sunday School, worship music followed by the preaching of God's Word. And then, like southern churches do so well, a country feast and a birthday party.
The fellowship hall was filled with people from all over the country who gave testament to the godly life that this man had lived. There was a slide show, laughter, tears and praise to the God who gives us all good things. And of course music. Beautiful harmony that, to me, is only found in the deep south. Rich, beautiful, from the heart harmony that comes naturally to southern gospel singers.
But to this celebration was a biting taste of bitter sweetness; for unless God offers a miracle, the life that we were celebrating may soon be no more. Without an intervention from God this man is going to God. A last journey.
And though he is surrounded by those he loves and who love him, he will make this last journey alone. With God.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me.
Thou. Not just anyone. Thou. And Thou alone.
There is a time when nothing else will do. There is a place where no one else can go. Thou, and Thou alone, art with me.
I tell you this, brothers; flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
Unless Christ returns we will all taste death. It is a certainty. A sure thing.
Do you know what has stayed with me since Sunday? The one thing I carried away? Because of this man's testimony, and his belief that this life is not the end, his life had such a profound effect on others, for good. For God. For Eternity. Even on his birthday two souls were saved. Maybe a final gift to the Lord or from the Lord. But the thing that lingers with me is this....What about my own legacy?
What am I leaving or not leaving? Will I have a fruitful legacy to leave with those I leave behind?
Maybe I should start building a legacy like Billy's. Laying up treasure in heaven and leaving good memories on earth.
II Timothy 4 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Whom have I in heaven but You and on earth, besides You, I desire nothing.
O death, where is your victory?
Revelation 20 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
I Thessalonians 4 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to be with the Lord in the air, and so we will ALWAYS be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
There are some roads that must be traveled alone.
Jon 16 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it is here, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
Or should I say, alone with God.
I Corinthians 15 O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting?
Last Sunday my family and I attended a birthday party. A life celebration for a member of my sister's church. There was a typical church service with Sunday School, worship music followed by the preaching of God's Word. And then, like southern churches do so well, a country feast and a birthday party.
The fellowship hall was filled with people from all over the country who gave testament to the godly life that this man had lived. There was a slide show, laughter, tears and praise to the God who gives us all good things. And of course music. Beautiful harmony that, to me, is only found in the deep south. Rich, beautiful, from the heart harmony that comes naturally to southern gospel singers.
But to this celebration was a biting taste of bitter sweetness; for unless God offers a miracle, the life that we were celebrating may soon be no more. Without an intervention from God this man is going to God. A last journey.
And though he is surrounded by those he loves and who love him, he will make this last journey alone. With God.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me.
Thou. Not just anyone. Thou. And Thou alone.
There is a time when nothing else will do. There is a place where no one else can go. Thou, and Thou alone, art with me.
I tell you this, brothers; flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
Unless Christ returns we will all taste death. It is a certainty. A sure thing.
Do you know what has stayed with me since Sunday? The one thing I carried away? Because of this man's testimony, and his belief that this life is not the end, his life had such a profound effect on others, for good. For God. For Eternity. Even on his birthday two souls were saved. Maybe a final gift to the Lord or from the Lord. But the thing that lingers with me is this....What about my own legacy?
What am I leaving or not leaving? Will I have a fruitful legacy to leave with those I leave behind?
Maybe I should start building a legacy like Billy's. Laying up treasure in heaven and leaving good memories on earth.
II Timothy 4 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Whom have I in heaven but You and on earth, besides You, I desire nothing.
O death, where is your victory?
Revelation 20 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
I Thessalonians 4 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to be with the Lord in the air, and so we will ALWAYS be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
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