What Happens When We die?

“Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:5-8

I would argue that Paul makes a compelling argument for the first law of thermodynamics. (And you are thinking – “OK – here we go again!” Martie, my wife told me that when I go off like this that people really aren’t listening, they are just being polite!)  So humor me for a moment. Please read to the end.

"What is the first law?", you ask. – since it seems to have slipped your mind.   “Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; energy can only be transferred or changed from one form to another.” (First Law of Thermodynamics – aka – the Law of Conservation of Energy)

Death.  It is not something people like to think about - but it is something everyone will think about and experience. We don't get to choose when, where, or how we will die, apart from taking our own life that is. But death is a certainty unless Jesus returns first and even then the first law of thermodynamics will take effect.

" … it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment .." Hebrews 9:27

So in the context of the first law - Paul was saying that when a Believer dies – they are “transferred” from one form to another. Get it? Good! Why bring it up? I am not intending to be morbid, but reflective.  This past weekend, Martie and I went to Northern California to celebrate the life of a dear friend and partner in the Gospel – John Turnbull. John, as of August 11, 2019 is now absent from the body so he is …. Yes, you got it don’t you! Present with the Lord in another form.  Do you know who invented the law of thermodynamics?  Not the one who observed and described it …. That was Sadi Carnot a French scientist who died in 1832.  No – it was God – the creator so why should it come as a surprise that when we die the law of thermodynamics, one of His laws for His creation, is at work?

To my point.  One of the speakers at the memorial service was a neighbor of John’s.  As I listened to him, it became apparent to me that the man was not a Christian.  As he pontificated on his own near death experience – or was it an actual death and he came back to life? Anyway – he failed to mention the Father of lights – His Son – Jesus who is the resurrection and the life – nor the Spirit given to us by the Father – nor the fact that John was now with the Lord. I suppose that he wanted John's wife to know that there was something beyond the grave.

His words caused me to think about how the lost think of death.  Most suspect that there is something after life on earth – they just don’t have the foggiest idea what it might be – but it certainly has nothing to do with our Jesus.  

^"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools." – Romans 1:20-22

People wonder what their will existence be like after death?  Some think they will be reincarnated.  Maybe, it will be something toadally (sic) different! Like becoming a toad in their next existence maybe. Do you remember the line in “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” – Delmar O'Donnell: "We thought you was a toad!" Pete: "What?" Delmar O'Donnell: [leaning in, speaking slower] "Weeee --- thooooought ---- youuuuuuu ----- waaaaaas ----  a toad-ah!"

I am not making fun of the speaker – actually – in fact I thought it is very sad.  He may have been grand standing a bit, but he revealed his desperation to understand what happens beyond the grave. He knows there is something. We all know there is something. Natural laws cannot be disrupted or undone.  God put them into place. Only He can change them. The simple, inescapable truth is this.  If you are not a Christian when you die – the law of thermodynamics will take effect - for everyone.  The thing is – the result for the lost will be that they are not with the Lord – they will exist but are hell bound and that will not change either. The only thing that can change their destination is a decision they can make before they die. That is putting their faith in Jesus.  

Pray for that man and his family. The entire pew that was sitting with him nodded their heads in agreement with him as he spoke. Pray for them as well. No amount of thinking - human wisdom - or wanting something else to be true will change the Truth - the Truth will eventually reveal the lie for what it is. (As Jesus said to Nicodemus who wanted to know the answer to the same question – "You must be born again." - John 3)

Tennessee Ernie Ford sang a song – Almost Persuaded (Philip Paul Bliss – Public Domain)

"Almost persuaded” now to believe; “Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
  Seems now some soul to say,  “Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
  Some more convenient day  on Thee I’ll call.”

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past! “Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last;
  “Almost” cannot avail;   “Almost” is but to fail!
  Sad, sad that bitter wail— “Almost—but lost!”

Each Of Us Has A Specific Calling In The Body Of Christ

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

You have a special place and purpose in the Body of Christ. We all do. Each of us has been called to our purpose. Not everyone has been called to be a missionary to another people, a pastor, a teacher, an evangelist, but we have all been called to our place in the Body. We should not look at callings, such as being a pastor, as meaning that those people are somehow more important in the kingdom than others, like you and me, might be. That, my friend, is worldly thinking. Everyone is the same to the Father. The source of the power to do what He calls us to do is from Him and not ourselves. We can’t, or shouldn’t, take credit for it. Apart from God we are spiritually impotent. We are incapable of doing anything, by our own power, that has eternal significance.

The point that I want you to understand is that you have been called to fulfill your particular place in the Body. It is God’s desire that you be faithful in that calling, whatever it is. Don’t use the world’s standards to judge your value in the kingdom of God. Let your light shine and trust God to use you for His glory.

We each have a God-ordained place and purpose. To fulfill our spiritual destiny on this earth, we must be willing to trust God ― or as a pastor friend of mine says, “To faith God.” God calls whom He wills, for what He wills, and sends where He wills. Our part is to obey.

“God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.” ― Oswald Chambers

It Is Hard To Hit A Moving Target

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” — Isaiah 40:8

One of the first things you learn when firing weapons – well beside which end is the “business” end – is that it is harder to hit a moving target than a stationary one.  I am sure you are familiar with the saying, “He couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn!” Meaning the person was a very poor shot.  I known a few of them over the years.  So – what does this have to do with anything spiritual? Let me tell you.

Do you remember hearing or reading about the root of the word “sin”. The Hebrew word for sin is "Het" which is the same Hebrew word for what happens in Archery when one does not hit the bullseye – one someone misses the mark.  And if you don’t like that answer, read on. The Greek word hamartia (ἁμαρτία) is usually translated as sin in the New Testament. In Classical Greek, it means "to miss the mark" or "to miss the target" which was also used in Old English archery.  There's more to this, actually: "The English word sin derives from Old English synn. The same root appears in several other Germanic languages, e.g. Old Norse synd, or German Sünde. The word may derive, ultimately, from *es-, one of the Indo-European roots that meant "to be," and is a present participle, "being." Latin, also has an old present participle of esse in the word sons, sont-, which came to mean "guilty" in Latin. (Yahoo Answers)

Tired? Confused? Me too.  Whether the derivation is from Hebrew, Greek or Latin is not really the point.  The point is that the target that the archer or sinner shot at was stationary. “The word of our God endures forever.”  It does not change.  The one great thing about the truth is that it is, well, the truth.  It does not change.  And better yet, if you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said – because what you said will always be true – no matter to whom you are telling it or even when or where you are telling it! So what to do if you can’t hit the broad side of a barn – let alone the bulls eye. Well – you can always move the target to where you are shooting. In the spiritual context – you change what is true to fit what you are doing. That is what our culture does.

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.” – Romans 1:25

Our culture has moved the target so it might stake its claim as an expert marksman – the doers of what is true. And each year the target gets moved a little further away from God – the Source of Truth.  Contrary to what our culture might claim, it does not matter where the target is moved to – Truth does not change. As Christians – failing to embrace the lie makes you intolerant. Being called intolerant in this culture is like being branded with a Scarlet Letter “I” as opposed to an “A”.  (that was probably lost on younger generations)

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I [Jesus] have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” – John 15:19

“I [Jesus] have given them your [Father God] word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”  – John 17:14

“Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.” – 1 John 3:13

I think you get the idea.  With respect to the target of Holiness and Truth that God has set up for us to shoot at – it is harder to hit than a moving target – in fact it is impossible – you will never be a good enough marksman – it is impossible apart from faith in the “Way, Truth, and Life” – Jesus. The world is doing the best it can – but all it manages to do is dig a deeper hole.  And what can you do about the path the culture is on? Live according to the truth – be salt and light – keep your eyes on the target. And know that if you are labeled as intolerant, that is OK, just don’t be labeled as unloving and uncaring. And that is the truth!

God Bless You My Friend

Tempted To Dance To The Beat Of The Drum

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” —1 Corinthians 15:33

Jesus was criticized for meeting and eating with people that the Pharisees considered unclean.  Yet, Jesus was not influenced by their sin. Come to think of it, He was not influenced by the sins of the Pharisees either.  In the same way that it is possible to for a fish to live its life in salt water and yet not be salty, it is possible for a Christian to live in a sinful world around sinful people – unsaved people – and not reflect their way of living. I am not speaking about what they wear – where they live – or what they eat – but their attitude toward God and the condition of their hearts.  To continue the fish analogy a bit further, as a child, we would fish in the river. Some of the fish that were caught had what was called a “mud vein” that had to be cut out because, unlike their salt water cousins, they absorbed the mud into their flesh.  If you did not remove that vein from the fish before you cooked it, the entire fish was spoiled.

We are supposed to be salt and light to a world that has nothing to do with Jesus or God. We are supposed to be ambassadors for Christ, to lift Jesus up. What we are not supposed to do is to participate in their sin.  To embrace their lifestyle, which is absent from the influence of the Spirit of God, and to absorb the very thing that we were saved from. The lie that many believe is that it will not happen to them.  I have watched it happen so many times.  People desperate for relationship and willing to put their faith at risk to have it.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” – 2 Corinthians 6:14

Listen, the world is not going to encourage you to draw closer to God.  The world is going to encourage you to embrace the world. We don’t have to live in a cave like hermits, but be careful that you become indistinguishable from your lost neighbor or friend. Be like Jesus when it comes to your associations with other people. His relationship with His Father was always primary.  He never tucked His faith in this pocket or left it in the car when He went to be with those who needed a Physician.  We are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  You can’t leave that behind in the car – but you can quench the Spirit in an effort to accommodate your sin – to do what the Spirit would tell you, you should not.

The reason the Bible speaks to this issue is because God knows our very fiber. The Word of God is our guidebook for living our new life and the Spirit is our teacher. But be on your guard, because the world drum beat is constant and the lost who will encourage you to dance to the beat of that drum. Christian - be on your guard.

“These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” – 2 Peter 2:17-19

God Bless You My Friend

How To Know What To Say And When To Say It

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” —1 Peter 3:15

Where I worked as a “tent maker” while we waited for our next mission orders from the Lord, our work spaces were in cubicles.  Miniature offices with no doors.  So as you meandered through the cubicle maze to go to wherever you were going, you could not help but see what was in the work spaces.  Some things reflected the work each person was responsible for, while others were more personal in nature, pictures of family, cute sayings, memorabilia from previous positions held within the organization or some other.  Some times we would see a Bible laying on the desktop. In one particular cubicle, the person had a row of books about various religions.

I had been in meetings with this person from time to time and judged him to be a very intelligent person.  The nature of the work exposed me to a good number of very intelligent people, but this person stood out as a little bit brighter light bulb.  One day I mentioned the array of books and asked if he was interested in spiritual things. He replied, “Actually I am an atheist, I have the books to better understand those who are not.” Then he waited with a smirk on his face.  The books were really a way to engage people and convince them that there is no God.  He was waiting for all of the arguments about why he and those who followed religions other than Christianity were wrong.  Instead I replied, “I can appreciate that. Everyone is entitled to believe in the way they choose.” (Another way of saying, “God has given men and women free will.”) He looked a little disappointed at first and then smiled.  He was expecting an attack – me defending why I was right and he was wrong. Instead I responded with “gentleness and respect.” As a Christian, I had nothing to prove. I didn’t have to be defensive because he denied the existence of God. The Bible tells me that people without the Spirit of God cannot understand the things of God. I knew that the only convincing that this young man would yield to was the conviction from the Spirit of God. And that particular moment was not the time.  I could see that he was seeking truth. I suspected that he was aware of the “God-shaped void” in his life. He knew who I was, what I did when I was not making tents, and why I did it. He was well aware of Who I claimed as Lord and the salvation that faith in Him brings.  

“I [Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” – 1 Corinthians 3:6

I think about that young man from time to time.  I most likely will never see him again – that is on this side of heaven should he come to faith.  One thing about those cubicles – they are not sound proof.  I often had conversations with other Christians in my cubicle and in theirs.  Well within earshot of this man’s workspace.  My point to you this morning is that we must be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit as we travel the path that the Lord has set our feet on. I know that I am very often but one of the steps in the faith journey of other people. Had he wanted to talk more about why I believe what I believe I could have and would have. But, at that moment, he didn’t. What he did take way from our encounter was that I cared about him as a person and didn't see him as just another “heathen scalp” I wanted to hang on my wigwam.  Very often people are more interested in whether you are true to what you believe than in the details of why you believe. But there are times, and there have been many times in my life, when they want to know what you believe.  Each and every moment in your life is a God moment.  We are ambassadors.  Our mission is to represent the Lord to the world. Oh that we would be found faithful in that mission.

In some translations in 1 Peter 3:15 the word “reason” is translated “defense”.  The trouble I have with that word choice is that we don’t have to defend God or prove to the world a Spiritual truth that they are incapable of understanding apart from having been sealed by the Spirit by faith in Jesus. But we should be ready to give a reason of our hope when the situation calls of it. To know when that is requires Spiritual discernment.  Oh there is so much more to write about that – but that will be for another time.

God Bless You My Friend

What To Do When The Storm Comes

“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’.” —Matthew 8:24-25

Martie and I are in Houston – primarily because this is where the Lord sent us – it was not on our bucket lists to live here.  We came here in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and just recently watched the people respond to Tropical Storm Imelda. Yesterday I listened to discussions about the effects of the flooding that has resulted.  Houses that were repaired after Harvey were ravaged again by Imelda.  A number of questions might be raised about the wisdom of building a house on “sandy land”, but that is not the point of this devotion – perhaps another day.

The point is that storms – of one form or another – natural disaster – illness – relational troubles – financial problems will come into our lives.  Storms that we have no control over. Storms that perhaps strike fear in our hearts and strip us of all hope that we will be able to endure. Like watching the weather reports and seeing the green – yellow – and red swirling mass inching closer and closer to the place where we live, we have no control over it’s direction or it’s strength.  

Many of the disciples were fishermen.  They understood the sea and how storm could rise up suddenly and bring havoc to those who were riding her waves. So, they found themselves in a ferocious storm – like we all do from time to time – and feared for their very lives – losing hope that they could endure what was to come – like we all do from time to time. They had lost all positional awareness – Jesus was with them – like we all do from time to time.  So they woke Jesus up to tell Him that they were in trouble. The storm is raging – they are in fear of losing their lives – and Jesus is sleeping – in the same boat – in the same storm.  They had focused on the storm and not the one who created the universe.

“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God [the Father], and the Word was God [reference to the Trinity]. He was with God in the beginning. Through him [Jesus] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” – John 1:1-4

That same Jesus was with them – but they were overwhelmed by the natural - physical circumstance – having lost all hope that they could save themselves and were certain they would perish – like we all do from time to time.  But then they turned to Jesus – like we all should all of the time. Jesus calmed the storm. Am I saying that if we had only looked to Jesus that He would have made Imelda go away? No. I am saying that if we turn to Jesus we will not fear no matter what the outcome.  Trusting in the providence of God.  Doing all we can and trusting Him to do the rest. But like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – even if we are not spared from the furnace – even in the furnace, God will be with us.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.’” – Daniel 3:24-25

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Helen Howarth Lemmel)

How We Respond To Life Depends Upon The Nature Ruling Our Hearts

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” —Galatians 5:16

How do you approach life?  I mean .. as you live from moment to moment, one event to another .. from one breath to another breath … what is it that determines how you respond to you and around you?  What you think .. what you do .. what you say.. who you love .. who you don’t love .. what you believe .. what you don’t believe.   As Christians we have a choice, actually.  Because this new life we live, we live in the flesh by faith, we can choose to respond in the natural or in the supernatural.  We can respond as the world does, or we can respond like Jesus did.  How you respond to life is determined by your true disposition.  If you see your new life as merely an attribute – one of many facets of your life and personality, like being a citizen of the United States or having red hair, then you are in trouble spiritually.  You can hope to respond to life the way the Bible says we should and can, but it is not going to happen.  Even when we think we do, often times, we have confused spiritual response with natural restraint.  Let me explain by example.

Mary is talking to you when she says something that is very offensive. How do you respond?  If your heart is ruled by your old nature, you may very well be thinking an unkind thought, but you restrain yourself so as not to give how you really feel away, or not.  But if you are living by the Spirit, your heart submitted to the Spirit and devoted to God, you are not affected by the words, but see Mary’s heart, the source of what comes out of her mouth, and pray for her.  You hold no grudge against her, but have forgiven her for the offense.  You show compassion for Mary.  Like Jesus did for those who crucified Him.  The offense will not be logged away in your heart to be pulled up at some time in the future. 

Let’s say your children are like whirlwinds in your house.  They won’t listen so you yell at them.  You just can’t take it anymore.  You can’t help yourself.  You are right … your old nature is stronger than your will to not yell at your children … but your old nature is not stronger than your new nature, whose source is the Creator God.  You will always respond to life from your true nature. The question is, “Which nature is that?”  It is the one that rules your heart.  Not the one that you want to rule.  Not the one that you want everyone at church to think rules,  but the one that actually sits on the throne.  Living supernaturally does not just happen, it is a deliberate process, yielding your life to God each day, living by faith, meditating on the Word (when was the last time you read the Bible on your own?)  You are a child of God, don’t be satisfied with anything less.