believing in Jesus

DEAR GOD: Is It A Sin Wishing To Die?

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I’ll Forgive (feat. Becky Willard)Suzanne Hodson – Music From Suzanne

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born,And a time to die; 
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV)

I have known several people in my lifetime who have wished “to die” and prayed for death. Mainly in nursing homes, which was my entire career. My patients who were sick, riddled with excruciating pain were the ones most likely wishing for death.

Some screaming for it. And I’ve been in witness of others outside of the nursing home who have wished for death – and not from being ill, but from being lonely, bored, or depressed. All very sad – but not fatal in their physical sense – but spiritual sense.

Which brings me to what many Christians have asked – Is it a sin to pray to God for death?  Well -God has chosen to leave you here on this planet in order to accomplish something for Him. The scriptures remind us that God has determined the length of our days. –Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”  James 4:15 (NKJV)

We must recognize that it is His will and not ours when we die. We must be willing to submit to His plan for how long we live on this earth. God uses the difficult events of life to grow us and mature us spiritually. He uses these events in our lives to motivate us to seek Him with all our hearts.

When we know Jesus, we can readily accept the joy that comes from being in an intimate relationship with Him, and all that entails. Hearing His voice, listening with ears perked at all times, and steadfastly staying in His Word and adhering to it day and night, all the days of our lives. And when it’s over, it’s His call not ours.

With Jesus as your Lord, peace and joy will most definitely come to fruition -as you spend time in prayer and the scriptures, and dwell on Him. The following two examples are perfect verses to meditate and dwell upon as we seek His face wishing to grow closer still to Him.

I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart-
Psalms 119:111 (NASB)

Those who love Your law have great peace- Psalms 119:165 (NASB)

As faithful Christians- we serve a Holy pure and loving God- who works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). I would encourage you to ask God to reveal His will and purpose for you over the remaining days of your life, and readily accept His will, His timing, and His control in all areas of life, including when the time is to be called home.

God our mighty Father has a plan and purpose for your life. He has brought you here on this planet in order to accomplish things for Him. Scripture always reminds us that the LORD has determined the length of our days. And until that time and length has expired – it won’t happen until it happens by God’s hands alone.

I therefore leave you to answer the question yourself after praying and spending time with the LORD – Is it a sin to pray for death? After reading scripture and asking for wisdom I think you will find your answers – Amen.

“Father, I pray for those who are in the grips of depression, grief, loneliness, and longing for death, may they be touched in spirit and heart by Your hands of mercy and grace, may they come ‘alive’ in the Presence of Your Spirit and willingly submit to Your will and purpose for their lives, and may they survive in a mode of optimism knowing if they believe, they shall live forever, all to all things there is a purpose, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

DEAR GOD: Time After Time –You Are You~

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I heard an atheist speaking during a live show conference alongside a person of deep faith. The startling contrast in their views, modes of behavior and overall ideology were the veritable antithesis of each other.

Each one spoke about their perspective and most intimate belief systems, and how each one grappled with life, circumstances, and adversity in the highest form culminating into a tragic scenario, and how each one coped in the aftermath. The one of faith eased through the difficulty time, while the atheist had trouble and spiraled into a deep depression.

While I was enthralled with the side-by-side analysis of the minds of both individuals, I found myself way after the show concluded thinking about the “one who was an atheist.”  And I tried to understand how someone can have or hold that belief when there is so many things that can cancel out that “benign” wave pattern or illogical misapprehension.

Now, hang on. I am for “free thinking” and “choice” and that is what this country represents. Freedom!  Freedom to think what they want. Believe what they want. And ascribe to what they want.  And now that being said, I started to think, for me and countless others with great faith, it is incomprehensible to ever deny God or His commandments and His Omnipotent power and control over the entire Universe.

Time after time, He’s there. He’s there is the birth of a newborn. He’s there in the midst of a storm. He’s there in the calm of morning. He’s there in mourning. He’s there in marriage. He’s there in love. He’s there, time after time after time.

  • He’s there in the Word.
  • He is the Word.
  • He’s there in His love.
  • He’s there and here and everywhere.
  • Time after time after time.

The energy they spend on trying to convince others there is no God, seems to me to be a “religion” of sorts. Their own religion of non-belief. But who made them? Oh, the big bang theory?  So, if that were the case, that kind of reproducing would still be happening today each time a person is born. You don’t ‘evolve’ into something else. Nope. It would be a consistent process of birth renewal each time IF that were true.

Nope, instead it is still the same process for bringing a child into the world. A woman conceives when her egg is fertilized by male sperm. After nine months in the woman’s womb, or sooner an infant is born. And so it goes, and so it goes. Until the end of time, such process is reproduced, the same way over and over again. And in that process, He is there, time after time after time.

I know I’ve been redundant here in this post, but I’m passionate about my God and His amazing ways. And again, although every one has a right to their own opinion or belief, or “disbelief” –there are those who still choose God over all else. And find it intensely satisfying and comforting to know that “time after time” He is there!  Amen.

“Father, thank You for Your Presence in my life, time after time, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”