WARNING!!! Some people do not feel comfortable addressing death(which is certain), but would rather address life(which is uncertain). It’s ok if you stop right here. This is about life and death. If it will make you feel less uncomfortable, let’s talk about life first. What if when you woke this morning you knew for certain that this would be your last day on Earth. There was no physical or mental pain, you actually feel the best you have ever felt. What would you do? Who would you be? Who would you call? Who would you want to see? Would you be nicer to people even if they weren’t nice to you? How would you treat your husband, wife, sister, or brother. Would you spend more time with your parents? Would you smile at everyone and tell them you love them? Would you try to help those who God put in your path? Would you not be quick to anger and easily forgive those who have hurt you? Or would you waste time on bitterness and resentment? Most importantly, if you had not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, would you give your life to Him?
Wow. I know that is deep and a lot to think about. The last question is the most important, because ultimately, where one spends eternity, not how long one lives here on this earth, is what matters. While we should believe God for a long and full life, there are only two ways to cease from living here on earth, through death and rapture.(1Thessalonians 4:17). Paul encouraged believers not to mourn the death of those who die in the Lord the way non-believers do. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Please understand this does not mean that we shouldn’t mourn the death of loved ones. It means we shouldn’t be full of sorrow for believers who die, because unlike unbelievers who have no hope, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. For them, death is the gateway to eternity with God. Isaiah 26:19 says, “Yet we have this assurance, those who belong to God will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For God’s light of life will fall like dew on his people in the place of the dead!” That doesn’t mean that we should seek to die now! Psalm 118:17 says, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” Desire a long life, obey the Word of God, pray for a long life filled with abundance, and confess it daily. Psalm 91:16 says, “With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” I declare over myself and my children every day Psalm 92:14, “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,” However I am with Paul who said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Now let’s talk about life again. Why does it matter how we live each day and why I believe we should treat every day as our last? First of all, it very well may be, only God knows. Second, does the good or bad we do daily determine if we enter the heavenly gates? No. it. does. not! We are not saved by our works, but because of God’s grace. (Ephesians 2:8-10). We can thank Jesus for that! So why does it matter how we live then? I am glad you asked. It is pleasing to God when we as His disciples live a life that shows Him through us. We will all be held accountable before the Lord someday for our actions, for what we did with what we have been given, and for what we didn’t do that we should have done. “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God”(Romans 14:12). Sometimes we get so caught up in living “our” life, we forget to live godly lives. What we call “our” life is a gift from God. We should treat it as such. We should use every moment and everything we do to glorify Him. This life is not all about us! It is about God and those He put in our life to love, encourage, uplift, and to help. We only get so much time in a day. We could not begin to do all we want to do, to see all we want to see. But if we act as if it’s our last day, I believe we would prioritize things differently. I believe we would think and ack different. What do you think?
So how should we react to our daily circumstances? What should we tell ourselves when we face disappointment, difficulty, depression, doubt, and death? I say we can take our example from Jesus, how He lived His life and His last day. The one thing I know for sure is when we welcome Jesus into our life and give ourselves over to Him, He will lead and guide us to do what is right, what is good, and what is pleasing to God. Doing so ensures that we will have a fulfilling, joyful, and peaceful life here on earth. Love and Blessings…
Job 14:5 “A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”
James 4:14 : “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Matthew 10:28 “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.”
Psalm 90:10 “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.”ESV
Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”Romans 14:8 “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 “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.”
EMMANUEL 
Uplifting
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