Understanding death.
I can remember as a young boy my mom was driving me thru a neighboring town and I saw a cemetery for the first time. I asked my mom what that was. She told me that's where people went when they died. Not that I was in a position to fully understand, but there was no further explanation given. I can remember thinking about that experience many times as I was growing up.
Around the 6th or 7th grade my classmates and I found out that a boy in the grade below ours had committed suicide. A very difficult situation with no memorable explanation from the sisters and priests who were my teachers during elementary school.
When I was getting ready for my senior year of High School my next door neighbor died of leukemia. She was a year younger than me. I remember that it came out of nowhere. Looking back at this I found it strange that I did not go to her funeral. I'm not sure why this was the case. Perhaps my parents thought they were protecting me.
Upon graduating from college I moved out of the area. One day I got a newspaper clipping in the mail from my parents that one of my best friends had died of a brain tumor. We were inseparable growing up, along with 2 other very close friends at the time. It's crazy how we lost touch after graduating from High School. I wish I did a better job of staying closer to all 3 of them. To this day I pray for these men and/or their families.
As God would have it, I have been involved a ministry for a number of years that helps prepare men who are going into a faith based rehab. My goal is to help them face a world that looks totally different to them when they come out of rehab. Unfortunately, there have been a number of men who have since passed on due to various reasons. By the way, it's not the rehab facility that changes these men, it's Jesus who changes the hearts of the men who choose to make a commitment and endure thru the valleys of life.
Where do we go when we die?
How is it possible to experience peace and joy upon the death of someone close to us? How many of us have been truly changed by these events? In other words, how many of us have sought greater meaning and understanding regarding this inevitable event we all face?
I recently passed by a the local donut shop and they had the following message above the door: "Time is the only currency we will spend and not know what our balance is".
We are all one heartbeat from eternity. It was probably Solomon who said that God has put eternity in our hearts. That being the case, I think it's wise to seek more truth about this prophecy, as this is how true peace and joy can abound. The verse that changed me is 2 Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.
For me, there are 2 very key words in this passage: endure and reign. It's interesting that in Chapter 5 of The Book of Daniel that Belshazzar was the co-regent in Babylon with his father Nabonidus, who was absent in Arabia. Is it possible we could hold positions of authority and responsibility as co-regent with Jesus Himself? If so, where we specifically will we be reigning with Christ?
As for the word "endure", I have previously discussed that one of the interpretations of the word "abide" in John 15:5 is to endure. This word endure stirs up the idea that traveling thru the valleys of life is not easy, especially if we try to do it on our own. This is why End Times prophecy is so important to me. I need to know more about these prophecies and how they apply to my future.
The secret to peace & joy.
At the end of this post I will share a prophecy that gives me a tremendous peace. In Matthew 24:13 Jesus tells us that "he who endures to the end shall be saved". The good news is that we do not have to go it alone. Matthew also tells us that Christ's yoke is easy and His burden is light in Chapter 11:30.
When I travel thru the valleys of life and encounter trials and temptations I try to visualize Jesus yoked beside me with Him doing the heavy lifting. Yes, He gets me thru the temporary battle, which is actually spiritual in nature, but if I endure, this also allows Him to work thru me for the benefit of others. It's interesting that most valleys have an entrance point an an exit point. The question is, will I allow Him to mold my character as I travel all the way thru the valley He has presently placed me in.
So, what does Matthew mean when he says "he who endures to the end"? I believe "the end" is when we leave our physical bodies and join Him. Believers are told not to fear death. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. It could also refer to Christ's Second Coming. There is much we do not know, but more will be revealed. The exact timeline of events leading up to End Times is also somewhat unclear.
I would encourage you to do your own research (Proof of Work). Pray for revelation and understanding. I have compiled a timeline for my own sanity here. I don't claim it to be 100% correct, but it may help you to put prophecies about the future into a more understandable format. I found that it gave me more joy and peace knowing what is to come, but it also created an urgency to point others to the on-ramp to this journey.
Here is one of my favorite prophecies because it gives me much more than just peace and joy. It gives me hope and purpose. It's the compass that keeps me aligned with God's will =>
Revelation 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
This is the return of Christ. The Second Coming, not the rapture of the church. He is ending the Battle of Armageddon, which occurs during the last 3 and a half years on earth as we will know it. Here's the crazy thing. The armies that followed Him on white horses are you and I as believers! It doesn't get any better than this. See you there!
