A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day January 8, 2019
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14:8)
The subject of death is not a subject most people want to talk about or deal with. I don’t personally recall ever hearing a sermon on death (except at funerals) even though we are all going to die at some point. Not only that, we are also going to experience the death of family members, friends and relatives.
This last weekend we ministered at a business function in Orlando, FL. Many people at that event were surprised that we were there after the death of our daughter-in-law. We hope you never have to go through what our family went through over the last few weeks but you need to know how to deal with death from a biblical perspective.
One of the things that I felt God showed us through this tragedy is that how we deal with death will affect how we live. Without Jesus, I don’t see how people can effectively deal with death. Let’s look at a few scriptures related to this subject:
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrew 2:14-15)
Did you hear that? The fear of death can keep you in bondage and that bondage is from the devil. It’s not from God. God did not give us a spirit of fear. Jesus conquered death and the grave so we would not have to fear death if we believed in Him.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)
So how are we as believers to handle death? Are we to shrink back or cancel our ministry events? Or, are we to double-down on our efforts? The answer is in the scripture that follows the “death, where is thy sting” scripture. This should be our response:
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
We have a ministry friend that lost his young daughter to illness several years ago. I will never forget his response to this tragedy. Rather than get mad at God (who had nothing to do with his daughter’s death) he told the enemy that he was going to pay for the death of his daughter. He told the enemy that from now to the end of his life he was going to do everything he could to win a million souls to the Lord. That is the proper response!!!
What we Christians need to always remember is that Jesus defeated death and the grave. When we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord. We never die! My daughter-in-law went from life to life.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26)
Do you believe this? You can!!!!
