When Death Reigns
As a church family we have been feeling more than our fair share of the pains of death. In the last few weeks we have had to say, “Good-bye” to four people who were close to our hearts. Carol Ramey, Margret Howell, Ruth Dodridge and Kay Coriell were each unique individuals, all with different circumstances surrounding their deaths, each at various stages of their lives, and all of them had diverse types of family structures. The one common thread they shared were the saints of Sciotoville Christian Church and the blood of Jesus that held us all together.
When we begin to take stock of the saints whom we have lost, we can begin to get a bit discouraged. We may begin to waiver in our faith, and some may even falter under the burden of loss. Let us not lose heart, however. This sting that we feel is not permanent, nor is it so overwhelming that we cannot make it through. This sting is not so severe that we lose our faith and standing with God. Nor should this sting be totally ignored.
The Apostle Paul acknowledges death’s ability to hurt us, but not to destroy us: 1Co 15:50-58 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1Co 15:50-58 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
We are not a people who will labor in vain! We are not a people who can throw in the towel when death comes. No, rather I would say we are a people who can rest under the burden of death, because death has become nothing to those who live in the light of our Lord! Be faithful to the Lord and laugh in the face of death!…because He still lives, Jason
Comments (0) 22.07.2008. 10:45
Jamaica trip
I know this is a couple of weeks overdue, but I wanted to make sure that everyone who reads our site knows how much I appreciate their support for our recent Jamaica trip. 14 brave souls traveled to Jamaica with me for a 10 day trip that focused mostly on the Lluidas Vale All Age School in a sleepy little sugar-cane village nestled in the middle of the country. We had a wonderful trip with many great experiences for everyone involved. The day at Dunn’s River falls was unbelievable and the people in the church and community were fantastic. The treated us all better than we deserved as did each of you who prayed and or gave of yourself to make this happen. Thank you very much and I hope you are able to enjoy some of the pictures we were able to take while we were there.
Comments (0) 15.07.2008. 10:23
Live with freedom
Independence Day can mean something different to every person you talk to. About four years ago I had a conversation with three elderly gentlemen in Jamaica as they were celebrating their own Independence Day. Jamaica was awarded their independence from Great Britain on August 6, 1962. The interesting thing I learned from this conversation was their response to a question I asked concerning the quality of life under the “oppression of the UK” and the quality of life they now enjoy as “freemen.” There was no question they valued their freedom, and there was no question concerning their national pride. However, what they said about the way they lived their lives then as compared to now was very striking. One of the older men said this, “Back then (before independence) there were no bars on the windows, you could leave your home unlocked, and you were not afraid to walk down the streets at night. It is just not that way anymore.” What he was expressing to me was that freedoms cost runs deeper than bloodshed in the initial battles (which Jamaica did not really have a war for independence as we did). What he was trying to tell me was that when we are free we have greater responsibility than we had before we were able to make our own decisions. What he was telling me was that men and women who are given freedom to govern themselves also have the freedom to police and protect themselves. In short he was expressing his concerns that his country had not handled their freedom very well (for instance Kingston, Jamaica is one of the most violent cities in the entire world). In our country our freedom was not given, it was earned. In our country men and women have battled for our freedom from the very birth of our nation. Our independence was purchased with the blood of patriots and we have been very responsible with that freedom. However, every generation of Americans must be responsible in their handling of that gift. We must be very cautious how we use the freedoms given to us by those willing to put on our nations uniform and stand a line of defense. If we are not careful in how we live as free men and women then we may not be free for long. The Apostle Peter gives a very stern warning that can be used with either spiritual freedom as well as the liberty from tyranny. 1 Pet. 2:16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Live as servants of the One who died to grant freedom, not the one who wants to take it! …because He still lives,Jason
Comments (0) 03.07.2008. 07:45