Life After Death

Man wonders about life after death and usually basis their belief on experiences of their own or someone else's that is close to them. Does this mystery captivate you betimes? Perhaps I can help to clear up the nagging question in your soul.

In the Holy Bible , King James version, is one recording of the answer in 1 Corinthians 15: 35-58. In verse 51 Paul calls it a mystery.

Some will ask. How are the dead raised up? With what body do they come?

All flesh is not the same flesh? Man ,beast, fish, and birds, celestial, terrestrial,sun moon and stars are all different. Resurrection is a different matter also. Living again in a different way, in a different body, that is spiritual instead of natural. Being heavenly instead of earthly is resurrection.

Jesus Christ along with many others at that time had died and been resurrected in bodies unlike the natural earthly ones we are accustomed to. In these glorified bodies they could go through locked doors and suddenly appear and disappear. Still they could be touched and eat food and drink. Jesus floated upward out of sight when He left the earth. He is supposed to come again in the same way according to the angels present there at that time. Acts 1:9-11

Jesus raised several people from the dead, Lazarus being the one buried for four days. It is not recorded that any of these ones had the heavenly body but returned to their former state, only healed. My sister Geraldine was brought back to life by a hospital team in Elliot Lake. Her experience was peaceful as far as the time out of her present body. She found herself in a waiting room being asked by Jesus if she wanted to continue on to Heaven or return to earth. She replied that she had two young children and so should go back to them. She returned to her bruised body as the work to revive her was strenuous.

Resurrection involves a changed body that becomes incorruptible, glorious, powerful and spiritual. Immortality is awaiting the human body,soul and spirit because it is the will of God for the human race. Where each of us goes in these new bodies is also decided by God at the white throne judgment.

I dreamed once that I was at the top of a set of stairs that are not normally seen in my mother's kitchen. I was waiting there with a room full of people saying where is she? It is after nine o'clock. I called to her and she came out of her room looking radiant and happy. She flowed up the stairs in a lovely white dress right past me into the arms of a large man similar to my father who went on to be with Jesus in 1980. Over his shoulder she was waving to an old friend that had also gone on home to glory earlier. At present my mom is ninety-one and a half. Am I to go ahead of her ?

This kind of dream is in keeping with the Christian belief that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved and death will have no power over us. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

The Kenyans are going through some terrible tribal conflicts right now and christians are targeted and losing their lives for Christ. They are now in His presence, their KING, their GOD, their MASTER, their SAVIOR. and they are hearing "Well done thou good and faithful servant. Enter in to the Joy of your Lord"!!!

Perfectionism

I never thought it possible to be perfect or have perfectionism allotted to me as I am laid back and passive and have a live and let live attitude. How about you? Does it seem that perfect is a description of you and your ways? You might be very surprised who calls you perfect.

My eldest son, the genius was on his way out the door for a busy day of appointments. I asked him what it meant to be perfect to which he replied that he did not know but had a feeling that I was ready to tell him. I was indeed and excited to relay the message of God to him.
Being perfect would seem impossible in this world but God says all things are possible if you believe. When one says it is a perfect fit for them when they are considering a new challenge you automatically think that it must meet their exact specifications for their lifestyle, talents and favourite things to do.

Perfectionists work at a thing until it is exactly how they want it to be. To them it is now perfect. Parents expect their children to be perfect and get everything right at least the second time. To feel perfect one has no health concerns, no social battles, no upcoming financial upheavals and certainly no zits.
To have a perfect wedding one must manage to bring at least a dozen people into harmony along with a hundred details that please the bride and bridegroom. The weather must cooperate and the guests must time it just right to attend the ceremony. The gifts must be only what they need or ask for.

None of these describe being perfect like Jesus Christ does. According to His word in the Holy Bible in
Matthew 5:43-48 (King James Version) it is actually a possible thing to be perfect by obeying Him.

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Love is a choice we make. We do not love the acts of the enemy but the person or persons. Loving someone as a mother, brother, father, sister or brother , a friend must happen to fulfill the Lord's word and to be perfect like Father God Jehovah.
Doing good and blessing our enemies requires action as in rebuilding a country after a war. Giving food to those who hate us can often bring about a friendship. Praying for and not against our haters seems like a tough call but the Father honors such prayers and places His seal of approval on the words of our mouth concerning them.

After preaching this word of perfection, Jesus did all that He commands us to do . He died on a cross after much persecution , curses, hatred from His own people, and prayed that all of this would not be held against them and they would all be forgiven. Perfect Jesus the Christ now enables us to do the same.

Many missionaries are now in our time being perfect as their Father in heaven is. Many laymen and women are loving unto their death and praying that the slayers not be held accountable for these crimes.
Some men and women are married to their enemies and loving their spouses to the end of their lives. Such love is truly tested and tried daily wearing on the souls but strengthening the spirts of just men made perfect. The choice to obey Jesus Christ our example is becoming more and more prevalent. Love's way is God's way because God is love.

Expect to be given opportunities to practice loving your enemies in spite of themselves. As a christian look for, go out of your way to find and bless an enemy or persecuter or hater or and abusive user. Obedience will bring a smile to your face, a humming in your heart and energy to your spirit as it feeds on Father's approval.

What Will it Take for us to Believe?

God's prophet Elijah said it ain't gonna rain no more, no more and it did not. A drought ensued.
God said go and stay by the brook Cherith before the Jordan and I will cause the ravens to feed you flesh and bread each morning and each evening.
When the brook dried up because the drought lasted a long time, about 3 years. God told Elijah to go to a widow in Zarephath and she would look after him.
Elijah obeyed God and the women met him at the city gate. She obeyed Elijah as a prophet of God and lived out the drought with the miracles of never ending oil and meal.
During Elijah's stay with her household her little son died of an illness. After Elijah prayed and God gave the boy back his life, the widowed mother declared her belief in Elijah as that was proof enough. 1Kings 17: 23 &24
23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!”
24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth.”

The same thing happened in Jesus' ministry on the earth. People saw his miracles of healing and provision but failed to believe in Him until they saw Him risen from the dead. Thomas is the example of this in John 20 24- 29
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”


My sincere hope is that we will not wait to believe Him only by seeing a resurection from the dead as that is not a common occurrence. It is happening sporadically here and there in this earth but it never hits the global news as it should.

Doubt your doubts is good advice. Believe your beliefs in a big and huge way. Expect miracles for sure but believe in the miracle worker Jesus the Christ the Son of the living and true God of all.