The Proper View of Death

The Proper View of Death

By Beverly Brunner

Our Lord said, "Watch," "be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Mt. 24:42-44). There is not one person who has ever lived or who is living now that can predict the time of their death or departure from this earthly body. The flesh never wants to leave this earth because it is rooted and grounded in it. But I confess with all the dear and precious brethren who have gone on before and, as well, to those whom I may meet while sojourning in this hostile land, that I am a stranger and a pilgrim. My citizenship is in Heaven, and when my Lord calls me, I shall be ready to go.

As we walk down the path that leads to Heaven we will have sorrow, but we "sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" (I Th. 4:13-14).

We are not of those who are under the delusion that the body and the spirit lie in the grave until Christ returns. Our life, that is, the life we now have in Christ, does not stop at the grave. Death is but a door that opens into the very Presence of God. What a blessing this is for all those whose "life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). What great peace and joy this brings within our hearts to know that in God's time we shall be reunited with all those who have died in Christ. --The End--

A Letter to Sinful Flesh

Dear Sinful Flesh,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I have filed for divorce.  We cannot live together in harmony any more.  I always knew that you didn’t have the best of friends and your heart wasn’t towards anything good, but I figured that, since I had to live with you, I should make some allowance for you; This, however, has changed.  I have met Another, even Him, who was made in the likeness of sinful flesh [that is, akin to, but quite unlike, yourself], who put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and is now risen from the dead, being seated at the right hand of God, henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool.

This Man, Christ Jesus, has told me things that I have never heard before. He has revealed things to me that I cannot, and shall not, deny.  I had thought that all men were the same, but to my delight, I have found this Man to be perfect in every way.  He always encourages me to love God and is always quick to edify me.  I am looking forward to the  wedding, when I, His bride, shall be forever joined together with Him.

I know that the divorce will not be finalized for some time, so, until then I have been advised by my Counselor, to deny you any and all access into my life.  With His divine assistance, I have purposed to crucify, kill, and destroy your evil and wicked lust.  Even as I have determined to do this I feel a wave of resolve that strengthens my new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him who created him.  Flesh, I will soon be free from your defiling influence forever.  Until then, I have been told that you have an aversion to high altitudes.  The thin air of this heavenly environment causes you to lose consciousness for hours at a time.  I have decided to move to the highest mountain that I can find.

Soon, someone will be showing up at your door with the final papers. You do not need to sign them.  Just know, Flesh, that parting is not sweet sorrow. I will not miss you; I do not even like you.  It is in the light of my new home that I can finally find the strength to express my true feeling for you. I hate you. You are everything that I have come to loathe.  Until the papers arrive, I suggest that you keep still and quiet, or I will be forced to read more from that Book that you hate so much.  I promised my new man that I would come up higher, so you probably won’t be able to join us. Even so, I like it that way.  I always make more progress when you are not awake.

Good bye, or should I say, until then . . .

Your former slave, Brother Robert Cobb

On the Increase of Hope

Wherever there is interest in the truth "which is according to godliness" (Tit. 1:1, ASV), along with increasing spiritual mindedness, more power to discriminate between the temporal order and the eternal one, between the seen realm and the unseen one, and as well, between the outward man and the inward man, there hope will grow and increase. —Source Uncertain

On the Good Ministry of Hope

On the Good Ministry of Hope

“God’s fixed and faithful Word gives us certainty of future. Nor need our own sin or weakness dash our confidence, for his promises are made to the sinful and weak. We have a rock on which to build. Why should our hope cast its anchor on some floating island which may drift and melt away, when it may be fastened within the veil?”

“Some good people say ‘I hope’ in such tremulous melancholy tones that it sounds like ‘I fear.’  Joyous confidence becomes those who have God to lean on. “I am persuaded,” “we know,” are the words with which Paul and John heralded their hopes; and we should be bold to use the same. It is blessedness to hope perfectly. So we escape the alternations which, like the hot and the shivering fits of ague, rack others, and the bitterness of disappointment when some gleaming vision collapses, and, instead of the rainbow—hued bubble, we are left with a drop of dirty water. He who lives by earthly hopes is in danger of dying by earthly disappointments. A fulfilled hope is often a disappointed one. We may have a pillar of fire to guide us in all the darkness, which will glow brighter as we draw near the end. It is strength to hope perfectly. Hope is often a trifler, robbing us of energy, making the present flat, and withdrawing us from working in order to dream. But Christian hope is an armed warrior, grave and calm, ready for conflict because assured of victory. It will be as wings to lift us above care and sorrows, and as cords to bind us to duty and toil.” —Excerpted from Alexander MacLaren