King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, "To everything there is a season....a time to be born, a time to die...". We celebrate the births and mourn the deaths. Yet when a saint dies, we should celebrate that death, for they have been called home. Coming home after a long journey is always cause for happy times.
~It is a time of rest; of laying aside the cares of our days.
~It is a time of peace, never to know pain, sorrow, anxiety again.
~It is a time of joy; of being received into the everlasting arms of Jesus and God.
~The death of the saints is a time of temporary sorrow, grief and mourning on our part (though it may feel as if it will last forever), for we will miss them during our lifetime here, but it is with great joy that we know that we will see them again in heaven.
~Psalm 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."
The births that get celebrated in the kingdom of God are the new births in Christ: the adoptee into God's family through the blood of His only begotten Son, Who died on the cross to pay for our sins. For it is only through the blood that the adoption process can begin.
1. We need to believe that Jesus Christ died for us. That He conquered/overcame, death, hell and the grave when He walked out of the tomb in which He was buried.
2. We need to acknowledge our sins to God, repenting of them (turn away from them and never do them again). It's not enough to have a changed life, we need a changed heart, as well.
3. We need to ask for God's Holy Spirit to come into our lives, to make us the holy people God commands us to be. For we cannot be made holy by doing anything mere man tells us to do: it's all God.
4. We need to be baptized publicly: making a bold statement to the world that we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and now He is Lord of the one who has been baptized.
5. We need to follow the lead of The Holy Spirit of God: not just reading our Bibles every day, but studying The Word, as well. Knowing that when we understand what we have been studying, we can then apply it to our lives. Without The Holy Spirit it is impossible to live a God-filled life, a changed life. A life that is lived for Jesus must have Jesus in it.
This is how we come into God's family. This is our adoption process. We are the lineage of Abraham: children of righteousness, people of faith and trust in God. Not only are we grafted into The Vine, but we are now in God's family tree. We are the planting of The Lord, trees of righteousness.
Believe it. Receive it. Live it.
I WILL RAISE IN LIFE TRIUMPHANT
by Mary Barker Spencer
1. The tree of life’s still standing and all who will may eat.
Come and dine is still the call. The place is Jesus' feet.
The crimson cleansing fountain yet is flowing from His side.
His holiness still beckons us to heed His humble cry.
-chorus-
I will raise in life triumphant!
I will let hosannas roll!
I will drink that Living Water that shall ever flood my soul!
I will worship crying, "Holy"!
For worthy is The Lamb
Slain from the foundation of the world
Just so I can.
2. Oh grave, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting?
For the God of all creation has swallowed you to bring
My life to me immortal back with Him from Calvary.
In the valley of the shadow there’s a brilliant light for me!
-chorus-
I will raise in life triumphant!
I will let hosannas roll!
I will drink that Living Water that shall ever flood my soul!
I will worship crying, "Holy"!
For worthy is The Lamb
Slain from the foundation of the world
Just so I can.
