Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
1THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....July 9, 2018
Last week I taught on the idea of death and what it meant to the Christian. I thought I was done for now with the subject but then one of my patients passed on Tuesday morning and God placed in my heart what I am about to teach.
My patient, Patrick, and I got close in our visits. He was one of the people that really had a wonderful outlook on the upcoming event that was sure to be a part of his life....his passing. God's Will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven and on Monday morning, He took his son to be with him.
One thing that amazed me about the the family is how they prepared for the eventual event. When I visited his loved ones on Tuesday morning, I was amazed at the attitude of each member, especially his bride. It showed me that, as a family, they prepared for death. So this morning I wanted to share with you all a teaching on that subject. How prepared are you for what will take place with all of us?
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)
While our society openly discusses sex, immorality, crime and violence, it does not usually speak of death openly or frankly. Most people do not want to think of death let alone discuss it. The exent of this aversion is seen by comparing today's attitudes to that of the Victorian era. Even in the Victorian era death was discussed more openly than now. "The taboos the Victorians placed on sex have been transferred to death in our culture. We simply, in our modern morality of sensual, materialistic, pleasure-mad existence, deny its existence, unless we see it in living color in our living room or local theater" (Rodney Miller, quoted in an article entitled, "Death," The Pekin Bulletin, November 16, 1975).
There is a time coming in each of our lives, though, when it will weigh heavily upon our minds for as Hebrews 9:27 states, it is universal and inevitable. Ben Franklin spoke of it in the oft-repeated adage, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Mark Twain said, "Death, the only immortal who treats us all alike, whose pity and whose peace and whose refuge are for all -- the soiled and the pure, the rich and the poor, the loved and the unloved."
What is your attitude toward death?? The emotions one feels about death are usually the same as he has toward life. Some face it with fear, dread, resentment and hate. Others face it with contentment, anticipation, and even joy as a welcome to another life.
In her book, On Death and Dying, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, psychiatrist, listed five emotional stages of death.
1. Shock and denial: "No! Not me!" Denial is one way to ward off an overwhelming situation and give oneself time to develop other defenses. Denial pushes away shock but reality must be accepted.
2. Resentment, anger and rage: "Why me!" An emotional reality sets in which sometimes shakes a person to the very foundation of their being and even their faith.
3. A bargaining period: A promise to do something for a longer lease on life: "Yes, but..." These might be something like, "If you give me one more year to live, I'll go to worship every Sunday" or "I'll be a good Christian from now on." Bargaining is like a temporary truce.
4. Realistic depression: "Yes, me." To be depressed when you face your own death is normal. To grieve is to realize the enormity of what is happening.
5. Acceptance: "Yes, me, and I am ready!" This attitude does not imply resignation which is giving up. It is a peaceful stage when the person realizes he or she has done what he can and the end is here. One has fully come to terms with reality.
So how do we prepare for death?? Since death is unavoidable as our only exit from this world, we must prepare for it. Dr. Billy would use John 5:28-29 as an example, "Death is not the end but rather the beginning of eternity".
It is God's desire for people to be delivered from any fear of death. Jesus Christ died and was raised as the Christian's assurance of God's care, even in death (1 Cor. 15:20). The child of God can face death without fear (Psa. 23:4; Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59).
Since heaven has done all it possibly can do for us, we must now do our part and prepare for our inevitable demise. To properly prepare, one must:
1. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33) and live a life of self-denial to the glory of God (Luke 6:26,33).
2. Live in Christ. To die in Christ one must live in Him. Those who die in Him are blessed (Rev. 14:13). To be found in Christ, one must be baptized into Him (Gal. 3:26-27), and abide in Him (John 15:7) and His word (John 8:32), His doctrine (2 John 9).
3. Let Christ have preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18). One must live a life in humble submission to His will, the gospel (Rom. 1:16). One must always seek to do His will (Matt. 7:21).
The rewards of living a righteous life that properly prepares one for death are many. They include receiving a hundred-fold in this life and in the age to come, eternal life (Mark 10:30); being carried away by angels (Luke 16:22); going to Paradise (Luke 23:43); going to a house with many mansions (John 14:2); being with Christ (Phil. 1:23), at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8); and gaining (Phil. 1:21) an eternal inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4) as a joint-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17), reigning with Him eternally (Rev. 22:5).
The concluding question is obvious: Are you prepared to meet our God? I love you all:)
DID YOU EVER WONDER???
Do you ever wonder why Jesus loved the children?? This might give you some insight...
A child's love is like a whisper,
given in little ways we do not hear
but if you listen closely it will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud but in how they come to you...
Daddy, will you play with me?
Mommy, tie my shoe?
...the many ways they tell you changes as they grow
Dad, I made the team today!
Mom, I've Got to go!
Pop, I need some money
You see there's...this girl at school...
Mama, I met a boy today and wow he is so cool...!
Dad, I've got something to tell you... I think she is the one.
Mom, He asked me to marry him. Would you love him as your son?
Dad, I've got some news for you...
It's gonna be a boy!
Mom, I'm kind of scared of this, yet I'm filled with joy!
A child's love is like a whisper,
given in little ways we do not hear
but if you listen closely it will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud but in how they come to you...
Grandpa, will you play with me?
Grandma, tie my shoe...
It is never ending
A blessing from above
Listen to the whispers of a child's love.
Do you ever wonder why Jesus loved the children?? This might give you some insight...
A child's love is like a whisper,
given in little ways we do not hear
but if you listen closely it will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud but in how they come to you...
Daddy, will you play with me?
Mommy, tie my shoe?
...the many ways they tell you changes as they grow
Dad, I made the team today!
Mom, I've Got to go!
Pop, I need some money
You see there's...this girl at school...
Mama, I met a boy today and wow he is so cool...!
Dad, I've got something to tell you... I think she is the one.
Mom, He asked me to marry him. Would you love him as your son?
Dad, I've got some news for you...
It's gonna be a boy!
Mom, I'm kind of scared of this, yet I'm filled with joy!
A child's love is like a whisper,
given in little ways we do not hear
but if you listen closely it will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud but in how they come to you...
Grandpa, will you play with me?
Grandma, tie my shoe...
It is never ending
A blessing from above
Listen to the whispers of a child's love.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
We continue this week with our journey through the Bible overview...this week, we look at the Book of Exodus...
Who wrote the book?
As with Genesis, early Jewish traditions name Moses as the most likely and best qualified person to have authored Exodus. This theory is supported by a number of factors. Moses’s unique education in the royal courts of Egypt certainly provided him the opportunity and ability to pen these works (Acts 7:22). Internal evidence (material found within the text of Exodus itself ) adds support for Moses’s authorship. Many conversations, events, and geographical details could be known only by an eyewitness or participant. For example, the text reads: “Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said,” (Exodus 24:4 NIV).
Additionally, other biblical books refer to “the law of Moses” ( Joshua 1:7; 1 Kings 2:3), indicating that Exodus, which includes rules and regulations, was written by Moses. Jesus Himself introduced a quote from Exodus 20:12 and 21:17 with the words, “For Moses said” (Mark 7:10), confirming His own understanding of the book’s author.
The title “Exodus” comes from the Septuagint, which derived it from the primary event found in the book, the deliverance from slavery and “exodus” or departure of the Israelite nation out of Egypt by the hand of Yahweh, the God of their forefathers.
Where are we?
Exodus begins in the Egyptian region called Goshen. The people then traveled out of Egypt and, it is traditionally believed, moved toward the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula. They camped at Mount Sinai, where Moses received God’s commandments.
The book covers a period of approximately eighty years, from shortly before Moses’s birth (c. 1526 BC) to the events that occurred at Mount Sinai in 1446 BC.
Why is Exodus so important?
In Exodus we witness God beginning to fulfill His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Though the children of Israel were enslaved in a foreign land, God miraculously and dramatically delivered them to freedom. He then established Israel as a theocratic nation under His covenant with Moses on Mount Sinai. The ten plagues, the Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, the fearsome majesty of God’s presence at Mount Sinai, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the building of the tabernacle . . . these events from Exodus are foundational to the Jewish faith. And they provide crucial background context to help future readers of Scripture understand the entire Bible’s message of redemption. The frequency of references to Exodus by various biblical writers, and even Jesus’s own words, testify to its importance.
What's the big idea?
The overall theme of Exodus is redemption—how God delivered the Israelites and made them His special people. After He rescued them from slavery, God provided the Law, which gave instructions on how the people could be consecrated or made holy. He established a system of sacrifice, which guided them in appropriate worship behavior. Just as significantly, God provided detailed directions on the building of His tabernacle, or tent. He intended to live among the Israelites and manifest His shekinah glory (Exodus 40:34–35)—another proof that they were indeed His people.
The Mosaic Covenant, unveiled initially through the Decalogue (Ten Commandments), provides the foundation for the beliefs and practices of Judaism, from common eating practices to complex worship regulations. Through the Law, God says that all of life relates to God. Nothing is outside His jurisdiction.
How do I apply this?
Like the Israelites who left Egypt, all believers in Christ are redeemed and consecrated to God. Under the Mosaic Covenant, people annually sacrificed unblemished animals according to specific regulations in order to have their sins covered, or borne, by that animal. The author of the New Testament book of Hebrews tells us, “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3–4 NIV). Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross fulfilled the Law. As the perfect Lamb of God, He took away our sin permanently when He sacrificed Himself on our behalf. “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (10:10 NIV).
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
Ho'omaikaʻi ka Pua iā kākou