1 Corinthians 15:55-58 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Over the weekend, the ministry lost a dear brother who suddenly died of a heart attack. In times of mourning, the realization dawned (once again) that this life is utterly fleeting ... a vapor in the wind ... and these frail human bodies in which we dwell are mortal dust. We are living in the land of the dead and dying, and only those of us who truly know and are known by the Messiah, upon our death, will enter the land of the truly living!
Mourning is the only honest and human response to the death of loved ones, and it quickens the profound realization just how precious life is. Death, and the funerals which attend it, also inspire the opportunity for serious introspection and for taking account of how we are living our lives in this world. Values, priorities, and building upon the foundation of Christ ought to occupy our minds when we encounter the stark reality that someone else has just gone to his or her reward.
When I think of funerals, I'm reminded of D.L. Moody and his attempt to write his first funeral message as a young pastor. He searched and searched the Gospels and came to the realization that every funeral service Yeshua (Jesus) attended... He resurrected the dead body. Yeshua (Jesus) was the ultimate funeral party crasher! Praise God... He said, "I am the resurrection and the life ..." [John 11:25]
Death is the ultimate wake-up call to remind us of the great message we carry ... Messiah has come, He raises the dead, and we will give explicit account for our deeds, either when we pass to the next world or when He returns. If He dwells within us, and we allow His resurrection life to inspire our words and guide our actions, everyone we encounter will have the opportunity to know and experience that He truly is "the Resurrection and the Life"!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]My wife and I had the privilege of leading a tour in Israel with over 50 people from all over the world. When tourists come to Israel, and especially to these southern parts where we live, one of the first things they're warned is to make certain they drink enough water. The climate here is very dry -- it fools you into thinking it's not as hot as it really is. You might not even feel thirsty, and before you know it, you can collapse from dehydration.
In one passage in John, Mary and Martha come running to Jesus, asking Him to heal Lazarus, who was critically ill. Since Lazarus was a good friend of Jesus, I'm sure they were expecting that Jesus would come immediately to his aid. The scripture says, however, that Jesus stayed two more days in the place where He was. It was in those two days that Lazarus died.
A noncommissioned officer was directing the repairs of a military building during the American Revolution. He was barking orders to the soldiers under his command, trying to get them to raise a heavy wooden beam.
With everything happening in Israel, I’m often asked what I think will happen with the latest political situation in the holy land. Right now, we're getting ready to have the 5th election in the past 4 years. And, it may very well turn out to be another stalemate, as there appears to be no way to form a coalition according to the latest polls.
All Hallows Eve, October 31, otherwise known as Halloween, is celebrated throughout most of the world -- however, that doesn't take place in Israel.
Still, I do remember the days of haunted houses in amusement parks when I was growing up. These "attractions", houses created to inspire fear, anxiety, and a sense of danger ...
A life without a goal is like the captain of a ship without a map and a compass. His ship will just drift aimlessly from day to day hoping to arrive somewhere. The apostle Paul set for himself a goal! He pressed forward in search for his goal -- he pressed toward the mark of the high calling in Messiah! He had a clear direction of where he was going and he was focused on the Lord! How much more should we!
Anyone that has run a marathon can attest to how difficult the race is. Well, at the 1968 Olympic Games which took place in Mexico City featured a true story of grit and determination.