Who’s Afraid of Death?

Who’s Afraid of Mister Death?
by Brotha DC

A few years ago I was in an office with a bunch of people that liked to get into some deep conversations during slow periods.  Often we discussed the vicissitudes of life... love... etceterra.  But on one occasion, the conversation turned to the concept of death.  “How would you like to go,” the question was asked.
Most wanted to go in some quick and dramatic way... like a skydiving mishap.  Or maybe a quick automobile collision.  The discussion also covered those who were to be executed for a capital crime.  Would a firing squad be preferable to the slow burn of the electric chair?

One colleague finally chimed in.  With a panicked voice, she begged us to please change the subject!  She couldn’t bear the thought of her own demise.  The great unknown of death was terrifying to her... as it seems to be for a lot of people.  Many just try to push the idea aside.  When they do discuss it, the conversation can be like two colleagues I overheard just the other day.  One was concerned that they would be trapped in a paralyzed body with their brain crying out... but nobody hearing. 

I am so happy that I don’t have any such worries or concerns. 

Why?

Because I have a great and precious promise... and you can to.  What promise?  The promise in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that the moment that I am absent from this physical body, I will be in the presence of the Lord.  Check it out:

⁷ For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.
⁸ [Yes] we have confident and hopeful courage and are pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.
⁹ Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth away from Him] or away from home [and with Him], we are constantly ambitious and strive earnestly to be pleasing to Him.

2 Corinthians 5:7-9 [AMP]

For those who who by fath make the quality decision to cling to, trust in, and rely upon God’s free gift of love, death is no longer a threat.  So what is this gift?  How can you get it?

¹⁶ For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
¹⁸ He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation--he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.]
¹⁹ The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil.

John 3:16-19 [AMP]

The great unknown is now revealed. The mystery of what happens after we die is solved. And for those worried that they might not have lived a good enough life to escape hellfire... the good news is that we don’t have to.  Jesus lived the good life that we could never live.  And when we cling to, trust in, and rely upon what Jesus did... then we can receive the eternal life that we could never earn.  And since Jesus told us in John 3:16 that we shall not perish (will never come to destruction... will never be lost) then we can embrace the promise of eternal (everlasting) life.
 
But wait a minute.  People who believe and receive Jesus have been put into a pine box and buried six feet under.  How does that work?  Again, remember the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that when we are absent from our physical body, we will be in the presence of the Lord.  So then, what is there to say about Mister Death?

But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I'll probably never fully understand. We're not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it's over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we'll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:

   Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
   Who got the last word, oh, Death?
   Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?

It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 [MSG]

Wow! When the world has reached the end of its lifespan and the celestial trumpet sounds, those who died in Christ will rise first (after all, they have six feet farther to travel).   Then, those who are alive will rise up with them to meet the Lord in the air. 

Okay, but what happens before the end of the world... before the trumpet blast?

Well, Saint Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:54 that death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory.  He goes on in the next verse to ask, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The answer for those in Christ is that death has no victory.  For those who have eternal security through Christ, the sting of death has been rendered impotent.

Delivered From the Power of Darkness
by Judy Ann

Father, we thank You for Christ, our Passover lamb, Who has been sacrificed to clear us of sin. You have delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of Your Love. Therefore we will keep the Festival, not with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the bread of sincerity and truth. Amen.

Purge (clean out) the old leaven that you may be fresh (new) dough, still uncontaminated [as you are], for Christ, our Passover [Lamb], has been sacrificed.

1 Corinthians 5:7 [AMP]

God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

Romans 3:25-26 [MSG]

[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love

Colossians 1:13 [AMP]

Life in the Spirit
by Judy Ann

Father, I thank You for strengthening those whose hearts are fully committed to You. You prove Yourself mighty on their behalf. LORD, You have done great things for Your people, and we are filled with joy! We are a happy people, replacing the lower life for the higher life of the Spirit. Thank You for the great things You have done and are doing for us in the name of Jesus, amen.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars."

2 Chronicles 16:9 [ESV]

It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles.
   We laughed, we sang,
      we couldn't believe our good fortune.
   We were the talk of the nations—
      "God was wonderful to them!"
   God was wonderful to us;
      we are one happy people.

Psalm 126:1-3 [MSG]

Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].

Matthew 10:39 [AMP]

Complete in Christ
by Judy Ann

My life is complete in You, Lord Jesus. Every answer, every need, every solution I have need of is available to me. You are Jehovah-Rapha, my Healer, Jehovah-Nissi, my Victory, Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider. You are Jehovah M’Kaddesh, my Sanctifier, Jehovah-Shalom, my Peace and Security. My Shepherd, you’re Jehovah-Rohi, Jehovah-Tsidkenu, my Righteousness, and Jehovah-Shammah, my ever-present Friend. Because I am complete in You, Lord Jesus I can overcome my insecurities and bring maturity and wisdom to every relationship for the good and benefit of others. Amen

And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].

Colossians 2:10 [AMP]

Don’t Go to Hell

One of the most common things that people say when they are angry or want to insult someone is “go to hell”.  A friend of mine uses expressions like “That was funny as hell.” As we will see in this week’s blog... there is nothing funny about hell. Jesus paid a terrible price to give us a free pass out of hell. Why would anyone turn down such a free gift?

What if There is a Hell?

By Richard (Dick) Innes, Acts International

Hell!

Not a popular topic by any stretch of the imagination. And these days it isn’t a popular or politically correct topic to preach, write or talk about as if it were a reality. For many, hell is a place they hope doesn’t exist and if it does, they don’t expect to go there. For others, hell is a figment of the imagination from outdated folklore, or a place to curse people to whom you don’t like. Many believe that death ends all.

Think of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina that caused the city of New Orleans to be hopelessly flooded so that thousands were stranded and many lost their lives. How unthinkable it would have been had the city known about the impending disaster and not warned the people to evacuate the city. How tragic it was for those who could have left but failed to heed the repeated warning. How much greater the tragedy not to let people know about the warning that God’s Word has clearly given for all to flee from the wrath of hell to come.

C.S. Lewis wrote:

“There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than Hell … but it has the full support of Scripture and specifically of Jesus’ very own words.” In fact, Jesus talked more about hell than he did about heaven. He said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”¹

The Bible describes hell as a place of utter darkness … also as a lake of fire that burns day and night forever.

Whether this is literal or figurative I do not know. What we do know is that Jesus described hell as a place of eternal torment. It is a place that was prepared for the devil and his fallen angels/demons—a place to where those who have never received forgiveness for their sins will be banned forever.

It’s not that God sends us to hell but that we send ourselves there when we don’t heed God’s warning and receive his forgiveness for all our sins and his gift of eternal life.

Eugene P. Harder shared how, In his book entitled To Hell and Back, Cardiologist Maurice Rawlings recounts the startling near-death experience of a patient taking a cardio stress test on a treadmill.

“The patient became breathless and began to sweat profusely. The monitor showed a dangerous rapid heartbeat. This was followed by a long pause in the beat and then by a flat line. Charlie’s heart had stopped, his eyes rolled up in his head and he fell.

“One of the nurses breathed ‘the kiss of life into Charlie’s lungs.’ Another nurse started the IV but the heart would not beat properly. A temporary pacemaker was needed. Whenever Dr. Rawlings stopped pushing Charlie’s chest to adjust the pacemaker, his heart would stop. Charlie’s eyes would roll up and he would turn blue.

“This time when Charlie’s heart re-started he was screaming the words, ‘I’m in hell! I’m in hell!’ Hallucinations, Dr. Rawlings thought. Most victims scream, ‘take your big hands off me, you’re breaking my ribs.’

“But Charlie was saying the opposite: ‘Don’t stop! Don’t stop. Every time you let go I’m back in hell!’

“When conscious, Charlie begged the Doctor to pray for him. Dr. Rawlings said, ‘I felt downright insulted. In fact, I told him to shut up. I said I was a doctor, not a minister and not a psychiatrist. The nurses looked at me as if to say, “Do something!’”

“So I composed this make-believe prayer to keep Charlie off my back. ‘Jesus Christ is the Son of God, keep me out of hell. If I live, I’m on the hook. I’m yours. Say it Charlie!’

“Charlie said the prayer and then a very strange thing happened that changed both the Doctor’s and Charlie’s lives. Dr. Rawlings said, ‘A religious conversion experience took place. I had never witnessed one before. Charlie was no longer the wild-eyed, screaming, combative lunatic who had been fighting me for his life. He was relaxed and calm and cooperative.”

“‘It frightened me. I was shaken by the events. Not only had that make-believe prayer saved Charlie McKaig, but it got me too. It was a conviction that to this day I cannot explain. Since then, Charlie has outlived three permanent pacemakers. It’s difficult to believe that my simple prayer opened the road to both Charlie’s and my own salvation.’

“Dr. Rawlings [not a crackpot by any means] was a specialist in cardiovascular diseases at the Diagnostic Center and area hospitals of Chattanooga. He served in both the Army and the Navy and became chief of cardiology at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. He was the personal physician at the Pentagon for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which included Generals Marshall, Bradley, Patton, and Dwight Eisenhower. In civilian life Dr. Rawlings was appointed to the National Teaching Faculty of the American Heart Association, specializing in teaching methods for the retrieval of patients from sudden death.”²

A study of near-death cases by Dr. Rawlings was also reported in Omni magazine. “It is no longer unusual to hear about people who have almost died who speak of seeing a bright light, lush green meadows, rows of smiling relatives and experiencing a deep sense of peace. However, Dr. Rawlings obtained additional information from his patients by interviewing them immediately following resuscitation while they were very much in touch with their experience.

“Dr. Rawlings says that nearly fifty percent of the 300 people that he has interviewed have reported lakes of fire, devil-like figures and other sights reflecting the darkness of hell. Rawlings says that these people later change their story because they don’t want to admit where they’ve been, not even to their families. ‘Just listening to these patients has changed my whole life,' claims Dr. Rawlings. ’there is a life after death, and if I don’t know where I’m going, it’s not safe to die.’³

Of one thing we can be certain and that is that death happens to us all as nobody gets out of this place alive.

Life can be dreadfully uncertain. A friend’s husband was on his motorbike when a dog ran out at him. Trying to dodge the dog he fell from his bike and was killed. Last month another friend’s 49-year-old wife died of cancer. Last week a long-term friend of my wife’s died suddenly of a heart attack. Two months ago my oldest sister died. I wrote today to another friend whose husband died suddenly in his sleep. He was in his early to mid-40s.

How foolish it is to make all sorts of preparation for this life but none for the next. Time and again God has warned us in his word that there is a heaven for all who have accepted God’s forgiveness and a hell for all who haven’t. As Jesus said, “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”⁴ And, “If anyone’s name was not found written in [God’s] book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”⁵

As God warned ancient Israel, his word also applies to us today: “Prepare to meet your God.”⁶ God’s Word also reminds us that, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”⁷Also, God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”⁸

It’s not God’s will that anyone should go to hell—whatever and wherever it may be. We know that heaven is where God is so we can be certain that hell is where God—the author of all love and life—isn’t. He has given his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins so we can be freely forgiven and delivered from hell. So whatever you do don’t neglect God’s warning regarding the terrible doom of hell for all who have never accepted Jesus as their Savior, and God’s forgiveness and gift of eternal life.

Accepting Jesus as your Savior and God’s forgiveness is God’s “passport into heaven.” Whatever you do don’t leave earth without it. And don’t leave it until it is too late to “apply for it.” You can receive your “passport for heaven” today by accepting God’s invitation to come to him by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

For assistance to do this click here.

1. Matthew 10:28, (NIV). 2. Eugene P. Harder, "Positive Praying for People in Danger Pastor," Sermon, April 20, 1996. New Hope Community Church, www.newhope.bc.ca. 3. Aaron Burgess. “Winning the Lost," Sermon, SermonCentral.com, http://tinyurl.com/7n4xn. 4. Matthew 13:49-50, (NIV). 5. Revelation 20:15, (NIV). 6. Amos 4:12, (NIV). 7. Hebrews 9:27, (NKJV). 8. 2 Peter 3:9, (NKJV).

“To Hell and Back”

by Dr. Maurice Rawlings

This is a very compelling video by a medical doctor (not a minister or a theologian) that covers examples of medical crises in which individuals experienced hell and lived to tell about it.  It runs just under 1½ hours.  Enjoy it.

Receiving Forgiveness

by JesusLover Judy

Father, You are my source of love, forgiveness and acceptance. All other sources have left me emotionally wounded and confused. I built my walls of self-protection, turned my back on You and the spring of living water; I dug my own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. I repent of my transgressions. In the name of Jesus, I ask You to cleanse me and take away my guilt. Jesus, I drink from the living water; I believe on You, and out of my innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. Amen.

For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water.

Jeremiah 2:13 [AMP]

³⁷Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!
³⁸He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
³⁹But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).

John 7:37-39 [AMP]

²Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!
⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:2, 7 [AMP]

Father, in the name of Jesus, I am blessed. I am happy because You gave me a fresh start; my slate’s wiped clean. I count myself blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied)—You are holding nothing against me and You’re not holding anything back from me. When I confessed my sin, my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. In the Name of Jesus I thank You!

¹BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.
²Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
³When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.
⁴For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
⁵I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]--then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
⁶For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray--pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.

Psalm 32:1-6 [AMP]

⁷Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried.
⁸Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him.

Romans 4:7-8 [AMP]

Powerhouse Podcasts

Below are two of our Seven Minutes of Wisdom podcasts on the subject of heaven and hell.  If you would like to give them a listen, use the audio controls below:

Listen to our Podcast “Heaven and Hell”:




Listen to our Podcast “Hell and Heaven”:

Don’t Go to Hell

We have discussed in the previous blog about people using their mouths in inappropriate ways. And one of the most common things that people say when they are angry or want to insult someone is “go to hell”.

A friend of mine uses expressions like “That was funny as hell.” As we will see in this week’s blog... there is nothing funny about hell. Jesus paid a terrible price to give us a free pass out of hell. Why would anyone turn down such a free gift?

What if There is a Hell?

By Richard (Dick) Innes, Acts International

Hell!

Not a popular topic by any stretch of the imagination. And these days it isn’t a popular or politically correct topic to preach, write or talk about as if it were a reality. For many, hell is a place they hope doesn’t exist and if it does, they don’t expect to go there. For others, hell is a figment of the imagination from outdated folklore, or a place to curse people to whom you don’t like. Many believe that death ends all.

Think of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina that caused the city of New Orleans to be hopelessly flooded so that thousands were stranded and many lost their lives. How unthinkable it would have been had the city known about the impending disaster and not warned the people to evacuate the city. How tragic it was for those who could have left but failed to heed the repeated warning. How much greater the tragedy not to let people know about the warning that God’s Word has clearly given for all to flee from the wrath of hell to come.

C.S. Lewis wrote:

“There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than Hell … but it has the full support of Scripture and specifically of Jesus’ very own words.” In fact, Jesus talked more about hell than he did about heaven. He said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”¹

The Bible describes hell as a place of utter darkness … also as a lake of fire that burns day and night forever.

Whether this is literal or figurative I do not know. What we do know is that Jesus described hell as a place of eternal torment. It is a place that was prepared for the devil and his fallen angels/demons—a place to where those who have never received forgiveness for their sins will be banned forever.

It’s not that God sends us to hell but that we send ourselves there when we don’t heed God’s warning and receive his forgiveness for all our sins and his gift of eternal life.

Eugene P. Harder shared how, In his book entitled To Hell and Back, Cardiologist Maurice Rawlings recounts the startling near-death experience of a patient taking a cardio stress test on a treadmill.

“The patient became breathless and began to sweat profusely. The monitor showed a dangerous rapid heartbeat. This was followed by a long pause in the beat and then by a flat line. Charlie’s heart had stopped, his eyes rolled up in his head and he fell.

“One of the nurses breathed ‘the kiss of life into Charlie’s lungs.’ Another nurse started the IV but the heart would not beat properly. A temporary pacemaker was needed. Whenever Dr. Rawlings stopped pushing Charlie’s chest to adjust the pacemaker, his heart would stop. Charlie’s eyes would roll up and he would turn blue.

“This time when Charlie’s heart re-started he was screaming the words, ‘I’m in hell! I’m in hell!’ Hallucinations, Dr. Rawlings thought. Most victims scream, ‘take your big hands off me, you’re breaking my ribs.’

“But Charlie was saying the opposite: ‘Don’t stop! Don’t stop. Every time you let go I’m back in hell!’

“When conscious, Charlie begged the Doctor to pray for him. Dr. Rawlings said, ‘I felt downright insulted. In fact, I told him to shut up. I said I was a doctor, not a minister and not a psychiatrist. The nurses looked at me as if to say, “Do something!’”

“So I composed this make-believe prayer to keep Charlie off my back. ‘Jesus Christ is the Son of God, keep me out of hell. If I live, I’m on the hook. I’m yours. Say it Charlie!’

“Charlie said the prayer and then a very strange thing happened that changed both the Doctor’s and Charlie’s lives. Dr. Rawlings said, ‘A religious conversion experience took place. I had never witnessed one before. Charlie was no longer the wild-eyed, screaming, combative lunatic who had been fighting me for his life. He was relaxed and calm and cooperative.”

“‘It frightened me. I was shaken by the events. Not only had that make-believe prayer saved Charlie McKaig, but it got me too. It was a conviction that to this day I cannot explain. Since then, Charlie has outlived three permanent pacemakers. It’s difficult to believe that my simple prayer opened the road to both Charlie’s and my own salvation.’

“Dr. Rawlings [not a crackpot by any means] was a specialist in cardiovascular diseases at the Diagnostic Center and area hospitals of Chattanooga. He served in both the Army and the Navy and became chief of cardiology at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. He was the personal physician at the Pentagon for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which included Generals Marshall, Bradley, Patton, and Dwight Eisenhower. In civilian life Dr. Rawlings was appointed to the National Teaching Faculty of the American Heart Association, specializing in teaching methods for the retrieval of patients from sudden death.”²

A study of near-death cases by Dr. Rawlings was also reported in Omni magazine. “It is no longer unusual to hear about people who have almost died who speak of seeing a bright light, lush green meadows, rows of smiling relatives and experiencing a deep sense of peace. However, Dr. Rawlings obtained additional information from his patients by interviewing them immediately following resuscitation while they were very much in touch with their experience.

“Dr. Rawlings says that nearly fifty percent of the 300 people that he has interviewed have reported lakes of fire, devil-like figures and other sights reflecting the darkness of hell. Rawlings says that these people later change their story because they don’t want to admit where they’ve been, not even to their families. ‘Just listening to these patients has changed my whole life,' claims Dr. Rawlings. ’there is a life after death, and if I don’t know where I’m going, it’s not safe to die.’³

Of one thing we can be certain and that is that death happens to us all as nobody gets out of this place alive.

Life can be dreadfully uncertain. A friend’s husband was on his motorbike when a dog ran out at him. Trying to dodge the dog he fell from his bike and was killed. Last month another friend’s 49-year-old wife died of cancer. Last week a long-term friend of my wife’s died suddenly of a heart attack. Two months ago my oldest sister died. I wrote today to another friend whose husband died suddenly in his sleep. He was in his early to mid-40s.

How foolish it is to make all sorts of preparation for this life but none for the next. Time and again God has warned us in his word that there is a heaven for all who have accepted God’s forgiveness and a hell for all who haven’t. As Jesus said, “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”⁴ And, “If anyone’s name was not found written in [God’s] book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”⁵

As God warned ancient Israel, his word also applies to us today: “Prepare to meet your God.”⁶ God’s Word also reminds us that, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”⁷Also, God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”⁸

It’s not God’s will that anyone should go to hell—whatever and wherever it may be. We know that heaven is where God is so we can be certain that hell is where God—the author of all love and life—isn’t. He has given his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins so we can be freely forgiven and delivered from hell. So whatever you do don’t neglect God’s warning regarding the terrible doom of hell for all who have never accepted Jesus as their Savior, and God’s forgiveness and gift of eternal life.

Accepting Jesus as your Savior and God’s forgiveness is God’s “passport into heaven.” Whatever you do don’t leave earth without it. And don’t leave it until it is too late to “apply for it.” You can receive your “passport for heaven” today by accepting God’s invitation to come to him by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

For assistance to do this click here.

1. Matthew 10:28, (NIV). 2. Eugene P. Harder, "Positive Praying for People in Danger Pastor," Sermon, April 20, 1996. New Hope Community Church, www.newhope.bc.ca. 3. Aaron Burgess. “Winning the Lost," Sermon, SermonCentral.com, http://tinyurl.com/7n4xn. 4. Matthew 13:49-50, (NIV). 5. Revelation 20:15, (NIV). 6. Amos 4:12, (NIV). 7. Hebrews 9:27, (NKJV). 8. 2 Peter 3:9, (NKJV).

Dr. Maurice Rawlings “To Hell and Back”

This is a very compelling video by a medical doctor (not a minister or a theologian) that covers examples of medical crises in which individuals experienced hell and lived to tell about it.  It runs just under 1½ hours.  Enjoy it.

Powerhouse Podcasts

Below are two of our Seven Minutes of Wisdom podcasts on the subject of heaven and hell.  If you would like to give them a listen, use the audio controls below:

Listen to our Podcast “Heaven and Hell”:




Listen to our Podcast “Hell and Heaven”:

R.I.P. Dana Key

Wow... I can recall first hearing Degarmo & Key... a band that broke the tradition of sad sack church hymns with a blazing electric guitar, electronic keys, and a jamming band.

Also... the distinction of producing a music video that MTV refused to air!

Founding band member Dana Key exited the planet after suffering from a blood clot. He was 56.

Details at CCM Magazine and The Examiner.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Oral Roberts

Evangelist Oral Roberts has exited the planet after suffering from pneumonia at the age of 91 years. 

You may read details about the man, his ministry, and more at The New York Times.

There is also an audio retrospective available for listening at National Public Radio.

Life is Short

How many of the following people have you heard of?

How many of their names will you recognize?

How many of their stories will surprise you?

John Lennon

Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:

“Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him.”

Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot and killed by an assassin.

Tancredo Neves
(President of Brazil)

During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.

Cazuza
(Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet)

During a show in Caneco ( Rio de Janeiro ), whilst smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: "God, that's for you." He died at the age of 32 of AIDS in a horrible manner.

Thomas Andrews
(The Man Who Built the Titanic)

After the construction of the Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: “Not even God can sink it” The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.

Marilyn Monroe

She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: “I don't need your Jesus.” A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.

Bon Scott

The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang: “Don't stop me, I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell.” On the 19^th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.

Campinas (2005)

In Campinas, Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter - holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: “MY DAUGHTER, GO WITH GOD AND MAY HE PROTECT YOU.” She responded: “ONLY IF HE (GOD) TRAVELS IN THE TRUNK, CAUSE INSIDE HERE IT'S ALREADY FULL.” Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none were broken.

Christine Hewitt

A Jamaican Journalist and entertainer, said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written, in June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.

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Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.

Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and He is still alive. Jesus died to pay the price for your sins.

You can pay the price yourself... or accept what He did for you and receive eternal life.

It is your choice.

Meditations from Judypie

Do you pray for others because you want them to change to make your life easier, or because you want God to be glorified? When you pray for others, pray for them with joy. When you pray for others you are restored to a spiritual tone of heart and mind. Probably few of us have been through as much as Job of the Old Testament. He lost everything, and was attacked physically. After many months he prayed for his friends. The Lord turned his captivity and restored his fortunes; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Let's pray for one another.

In the name of Jesus, I thank God for you—every time I pray. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Amen.

Scripture Meditation: Ephesians 1:16-23

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Begin everyday with a smile, a glad heart and a happy, joyous spirit.

Father, I come before You rejoicing, for this is the day that You have made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. To obey is better than sacrifice, so I am making a decision to submit to Your will today, that my plans and purposes may be conducted in a manner that will bring honor and glory to You. Cause me to be spiritually and mentally alert in this time of meditation and prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture Meditation: Psalm 118:24; 1^st Samuel 15:22; Colossians 4:2

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Heavenly Father, thank You for blessing the work of my hands. I can walk confidently fulfilling my destiny because You love, accept and approve of me. I am strong even though I feel weak, and my works shall be rewarded. I am steadfast, never giving up in the face of adversity. Because I am Your child and a partaker of Your divine nature, I will stand firm until Your will prevails and Satan’s plans have been demolished. In the name of Jesus, I affirm Your love for me. Amen

Scripture Meditation: Deuteronomy 28:12; 2^nd Chronicles 15:7; Ephesians 6:13-14

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Praise God! Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? Jesus, I know that my Redeemer lives -- you are risen from the dead, and I am risen with you. I set my heart on things above, where you are seated at the right hand of God. Thank you Jesus! I have this assurance that even as you were taken up from among us to heaven you will come back in the same way you left. When you appear I shall be like you -- awesome! Hallelujah! Jesus is Lord!

Scripture Meditation: 1^st Corinthians 15; Colossians 2:12; 3:1; Acts 1:11

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“I came to the world to be a Light. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will not be in darkness”

John 12:46 (NLV)

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You can turn fear out by declaring your faith in God's Word. Praying aloud will stop the tormenting thoughts. Believe God; He is faithful, and He watches over His word to perform it.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for delivering me from the fear of death. You are with me; I will not be afraid. You are my God, and I will not be dismayed. I have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but I have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Amen.

Scripture Meditation: Hebrews 2:14-15; Isaiah 41:10; Romans 8:15; Psalm 34:4

Death Beth

Click the card to find out...

Christopher Laurie

Statement on the Passing of Christopher Laurie, Son of Pastor Greg Laurie
July 24, 2008
Christopher Laurie, son of Pastor Greg Laurie and Cathe Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, died Thursday morning in a car accident. A resident of Huntington Beach, Laurie, 33, served as the art director at Harvest Christian Fellowship for the past three years.

In addition to his parents, Christopher is survived by his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Stella, as well as his brother Jonathan. Christopher and his wife are expecting another daughter in November.

Memorial plans for Christopher are pending. More information will be posted to the Harvest website as details become available. You may pass along condolences and thoughts for the Laurie family by posting a comment on Pastor Greg's blog by clicking here.

In lieu of flowers, Harvest Christian Fellowship has established the Christopher Laurie Memorial Fund in memory of our friend, co-worker, family member, and brother in Christ. Proceeds from the fund will go to Brittany Laurie, Stella Laurie, and the soon-to-be daughter in order to assist them financially.

To make a donation to the Christopher Laurie Memorial Fund, you may make a credit card donation by clicking here. You can also make out a check to Harvest Christian Fellowship with the notation "Christopher Laurie Memorial Fund" on the memo line.

R.I.P. Ira Tucker

I grew up on gospel music... listening to radio stations WDAS and WHAT back in Philly. And one of the premier groups back in the day was The Dixie Hummingbirds.

We were so sad to read in The New York Times that lead singer Ira Tucker is now performing on the celestial stage.

Tucker was a groundbreaking performer who put true soul into his music. He will be missed.

Additional details at The Associated Press.

The Late Great Larry Norman

Won't it be great to see him in heaven with Keith Green, Roby Duke, and all the others?

R.I.P. Larry Norman

The father of Christian Rock music is now performing on the celestial stage. We received the following e-mail from his family:

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MESSAGE FROM SOLID ROCK - PLEASE READ

Hello everybody.

Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday morning. Kristin and I were with him, holding his hands and sitting in bed with him when his heart finally slowed to a stop. We spent this past week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue his ministry and art.

Several of you friends here got to come and visit with him in the last couple of weeks and were a great source of help and friendship to Larry. Ray Sievers, Derek Robertson, Mike Makinster, Matt Simmons, and a few more. Thank you guys. Larry appreciated your visits very much. And he greatly appreciated the thoughts, wishes, support and prayers that came from all of you Army members on a daily basis. Thank you for being part of his small circle of friends over the years. Yesterday afternoon he knew he was going to go home to God very soon and he dictated the following message to you while his friend Allen Fleming typed these words into Larry's computer:

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I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I wont be here much longer. I cant do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

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Thank you to all of you who were so nice to my brother over the years. Kristin and I will post funeral information in the next day or two. Right now we're not able to function very well, but the whole family is here... our mother Margaret, our sisters Nancy and Kristy, Mike Norman and his new wife Tiffany, and Silver.

We miss him beyond words. Thank you for everything.

Peace to you all in Christ,

Charles Norman

R.I.P. Roby Duke

I was just listening to one of my favorite albums, “Not The Same.” Roby Duke has quite a comprehensive collection of music, including his 2004 release, “Ghost.”

Then, I hear from a colleague that Roby suddenly and unexpectedly exited the planet. Immediately I went into disbelief. There was nothing on Google or anything.

Then, finally, I got the following from Bob Bennett and Terry Clark:

Roby Duke - Sudden Departure

10:46 PM PST
Paso Robles, CA

I’m away from home until Sunday afternoon. This morning I got sad word
that my friend Roby Duke died suddenly (details are forthcoming, but it
appears it may have happened on Wednesday and discovered late Thursday
night). I've been excitedly telling folks for weeks the plans Roby and I
had to collaborate on a Christmas album for Fall 2008. I have always had
great admiration and love for him ... for his music and as a fellow
traveler. In times like these, I am most afraid of saying something
stupid, something shopworn, some pseudo-spiritual platitude tossed out
carelessly. It might be a spot of pride on my part, but also the notion
that I don't want to cheapen or minimize the difficulty of such a sudden
and, by human horizontal-view standards, a tragic loss as this. I will
only say again that I dearly loved this man. If you have heard him or
ever met him, chances are very good you feel the same. Shortly after I
found out, it was my difficult task (self-appointed, but necessary) to
call Terry Clark about this ... later in the day he and his wife Nancy
wrote a much more lucid and God-in-view response than I can manage here:

Dear Catalyst Family,

Our dear friend, Roby Duke, has preceded us into the presence of our
Savior, after a sudden heart attack yesterday, December 27, 2007.

We want to honor Roby and thank God for the life of sacrifice and
service that was itself a treasure given to those who knew him and
thousands of people who heard his music. He deeply impacted our lives
and we are eternally grateful.

Since 1993, Roby’s genius has been responsible for the production of U
Gada No, Love Heals, This Christmas, Only Believe and The PRIZE. During
those years we have become brothers.

We were so blessed to have been with him for his birthday earlier this
month, then again last Sunday as we played together at Calvary Chapel in
Thousand Oaks, CA. He kept glancing over at me as he sang his final
song, “I Shall See God,”" as if to assure me that he fully believed what
he was singing like never before. It was such a sweet and powerful
moment as the whole congregation echoed over and over, "I shall see Him,
touch His face."

Our prayers are with Brantley, Roby’s son; Anne Baldwin, his assistant
and the whole Duke family.

Thanks, Lord, for loaning Roby to us for a little while. It was way too
short, it seemed we had so much more to do. But we are absolutely sure
You know how to perfectly satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.
You've welcomed him personally to do exactly what he has been singing
about for as long as we've known him.

So long, Roby. We'll see you soon.

Sincerely,

Terry & Nancy Clark
Catalyst Ministries

We’ve found additional information at http://www.robyduke.com/ and information on Roby’s funeral and memorial services at http://www.robydukefamily.com/home.

R.I.P. Tammy Faye

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Tammy Faye Mesner, former wife of Jim Bakker and mother of evangelist Jamie Bakker.

Tammy Faye appeared on CNN’s Larry King Show the night before her passing. On the program, she appeared weak and emaciated. Unable to take solid foods, she was only 65 pounds.

We are praying for her family...

And understanding that Tammy Faye is now pain-free and rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

More details available at http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/21/tammy.faye/index.html.

R.I.P. Ruth Bell Graham

It was, perhaps, the love story of the century. Billy Graham and his wife Ruth were two deeply in love people... even to the very end. What a blessing for a man to find a helper meet for him whose love would sustain him for so many decades.

“Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team,” Billy Graham said in a statement released Thursday.

Billy and Ruth married on August 13, 1943. They had five children:

• Virginia
• Anne
• Ruth Bell
• William Franklin III
• Nelson Edman

Ruth didn’t just sit at home raising the children. She was an integral part of Billy’s ministry... even at one point convincing Billy to not leave his ministry to run for President of the United States.

Ruth was definitely a Proverbs 31 woman. Billy was and is a blessed man.

You can read a full obituary in The L.A. times.

Kelsey Smith, 18-Year-Old Brutally Murdered

Amidst the overblown news about Paris Hilton and the underreported news about the G8 Summit and friction between President Bush and Russian President Putin was the sad story about an 18-year-old abducted and murdered in cold blood. Fortunately, the suspected perpetrator was caught and will face trial.

During this difficult period, the parents will be grieving and attempting to reassemble their lives while following the lengthy legal process.

The Smith family will require support... and if you would like to be an instrument of the compassion of Jesus Christ, then here are a couple ways that you can support this family:

First, lift them up before the Lord in prayer. That is, of course, the most logical thing a Christian can do.

Secondarily, reach out to touch them with financial support. There are two funds established... you may wish to support one or both.

Those who wish to make memorial contributions can send them to:

Kelsey Smith Fund
First State Bank
PO Box 5188
Kansas City, KS 66119

Another fund has been set up to help the Smith family. Contributions can be sent to:

Kelsey Smith Family Support
Metcalf Bank
PO Box 4249
Overland Park, KS 66204

Seek the Lord to see what He would have you do for this family in their time of tragedy and loss.

War on Children

At least two cased in the past two months of parents who killed their children by hanging before committing suicide. A trend? We hope not!

In April, The Baltimore Sun reported on a man who took his one-year-old and two-year-old into the woods and killed them by hanging before committing suicide by hanging.

Today, Reuters reported that a mother hanged her four children (ages 5, 3, 2 and 8-months) with strips of fabric before taking her own life. Fortunately, the 8-month-old survived.

There is not just a war on drugs and a war on terror... but satan has declared war on your children! Pray Psalm 91 over your children... and the children of this world!

"Honor Killing" of 17-Year-Old Girl

In John 8:1-11, a crowd of religious men wanted to murder a woman they claimed had committed adultery. They asked Jesus for His opinion. Jesus said:

Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
(John 8:7b AMP)

As much as those men wanted to murder that woman in their self-righteous fervor, they realized that they too were guilty of sin. Some, even worse than that woman was accused of. On that day, no stones were thrown.

On today’s news, a mob of religious men set out to murder a teenage girl for falling in love and marrying a man of a different religion. The vicious and brutal act was recorded on video that has been posted to the internet and broadcast on television for all the world to see.



This certainly gives fuel to those who are against all religion... but it was not religion that motivated Jesus when He told the woman:

I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.
(John 8:11b AMP)

Religion kills... but the love and compassion of God is expressed through the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. It was religion that motivated the situation that was described by the Assyrian International News Agency thusly:

For four months the girl had been given shelter by a local Muslim Sheik. It was reported that in the last few days her family persuaded her to return home, convincing her that she had been forgiven by her parents and relatives for her mistake.

In a short mobile video clip which appears to have been taken by locals at seen of the murder, the girl is seen being ambushed on her way home by a group of up to 1000 men who were waiting for her to return; the men killed her in the most brutal way possible, by throwing large stones on her head. The following clips show that while she is alive and crying for help she is taunted and kicked in her stomach until someone finishes her off by throwing a large stone on her face.

Note, video links will not be posted here, as the images are graphic and disturbing. The Assyrian News Agency continues, saying:

From the clips it appears that the girl was first stripped naked to symbolize that she had dishonored her family and her Yezidi religion. She is lying on the road naked while her smashed face is covered with blood and still breathing.

According to the website and footage from the clip a number of armed local police officers were present who in fact helped the crowd to kill the woman rather than preventing the crime. Sometime later the Iraqi army arrived at the scene and refused anyone entry, including the press.

Killing women for reasons of honor, shame and religion does happens in regions of Kurdistan and Iraq. The above incidents are not uncommon in some of the deeply religious and traditional communities. For long violence against women has been commonly used as a political and religious weapon and as a means of social control.

Deep religion kills. Jesus gives life. In the Bible, Jesus says:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
(John 10:10 AMP)

Turn away from religiousity and follow Christianity.

She Worried Herself to Death

The story of Marcie Bentz is one that serves as a wake-up call for many of us. This woman survived the attack of 9/11, healed of her physical wounds... yet allowed the emotional wounds of fear to literally take her life.

MSNBC reported that the 48-year-old went through a downward spiral of fear and depression as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder until, according to her sister, fear killed her.

I immediately realized that it was not a coincidence that, before hearing this sad news, my friend Judiepie sent an article called “Care Free” by Germaine Copeland.

This article, which takes an aggressive stance against fear, provides instructions on how to cast your cares upon your Loving Heavenly Father so that you can have and enjoy life and not be destroyed.

The article reads as follows:

The human body and central nervous system cannot tolerate the burden of worry, fretting, and anxiety. This type of burden causes a chemical imbalance in your DNA and interferes with the production of necessary hormones for physical, mental and emotional health. Worry is probably the major cause of sickness. The Holy Spirit taught me to cast all my burdens on the Lord during a crucial time in my life. I chose not to worry and declared that God cared for me and my household. The Holy Spirit taught me how to take off my cares and lay them on the Lord. I approached God boldly in prayer and read His Word aloud to myself until worry subsided. Today I teach classes on Overcoming worry, but find that some Christians are determined to worry and have their anxiety attacks. The choice is yours. you can lug around the worries and cares or you can talk to the Lord about any situation whether it is financial, marriage relationship, the death of a loved one, or children gone astray. Choose to cast the care of any circumstance that is causing you to worry over on the Lord because He cares for you.

Be willing to fight the flesh... don’t allow yourself to fall into a trap of fear, doubt, unbelief or depression. John 10:10 [AMP] tells us that Jesus came that we might have and enjoy life in abundance, to the full, until it overflows!

Don’t allow satan to use fear to steal your life...

R.I.P. Yolanda Denise King

We were shocked when we learned that Yolanda Denise King, the eldest daughter of late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., left this planet at the too-young age of 51.

An actress and producer (see her IMDb page), Ms. King appeared in major motion pictures and hit television series. She ran Higher Ground Productions, involved in theatre, film and television productions.

One of her last interviews, given on National Public Radio earlier this year, can be listened to at the NPR web site.

She collapsed at the door of her brother Dexter’s house in Santa Monica, California. Cause of death is undetermined at this time.

It is sad to lose such a bright talent at such a young age... but comforting to know that she is with her mother and father... and her Lord.