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Ending life

I feel like ending my life…

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In our daily journey called life, we have days that fill us with happiness, and days that fill us with sorrow. For many of us, there are more days filled with sorrow and loneliness, which can lead us to feel like ending our life’s journey. These continuous feelings can be overwhelming and make us feel like the journey isn’t worth the travel.

Our life’s journey began at the moment of conception, as we are each a wonderful creation made and formed in the image and likeness of God, (Genesis 1:26). The Psalm writer states, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14). We tend not to see ourselves this way. Instead, we see our personal failures, faults, and shortcomings. Because of this, we can be consumed by our failures and allow them to be the focus of our daily journey. “I am not worthy of God’s love”, is the message we send ourselves. These negative messages lead us down the wrong path, the path of self-destruction.

So what causes us to focus on these negative self-destructing thoughts that can eventually cause us to feel like ending our lives? In a word, sin. Sin destroyed everything perfect that God designed. Sin impacts the way we feel about ourselves and has a direct impact on the feelings of despair that looms over our head like a thick, black cloud. When we feel like ending our lives, we are at a point in our journey where life is not worth living anymore, life is too hard, too painful, and the thick, black cloud is not looming over our heads, but rather, we are living in the cloud everyday.

There is a way to take a different path on our life’s journey and that is learning about Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life for us. He died for us and made everything right simply because he loves us. (John 3:16) He desires to have all of us in heaven with him and ending our lives out of despair prevents us from entering his glorious kingdom.

So, on our life’s journey, reach out your hands to Jesus, seek his will for your life, and he will end all of your feelings of despair and sorrow by renewing you with a sense of peace, comfort, and joy that will last for an eternity.

Eternal Life - out of the grave

Facing Death

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Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. – Isaiah 12:2

There is a saying in our English language which is falling out of use: whistling past the graveyard. There are two theories about its meaning. The first is that it is used to describe people who don’t know that they are in a terrible situation. The second is that it is used to describe people who know they are in a terrible situation yet remain confident even in the face of overwhelming odds.

If we take the second meaning, that saying can describe Christians. The Bible tells us why. It says, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2). We human beings face a terrible situation and overwhelming odds. Sin infests our hearts like a disease, showing itself in hateful thoughts, hurtful words and hostile actions toward others. The result is that we are headed for the graveyard, facing the death of our bodies and souls forever as our just punishment. And there is nothing we can do about it. There is nothing we can do to make up for our sins or set our wrongs right.

We need saving, and that saving comes not from us, but from God. He has become our salvation. He sent his Son, Jesus, to endure the punishment for all our sins by giving his life on the cross. But that’s not all. Jesus not only fought our fight against sin and won, he also rose again, conquering death. So in Jesus, we have victory over sin and the grave. His work on our behalf gives us unshakable confidence in the face of overwhelming odds.

We can sing past the graveyard because in Jesus and his sin-conquering strength we have forgiveness. We can sing past the graveyard because the grave is not our end. Instead, Jesus makes heaven our eternal home. So no matter the terrible situation, no matter the overwhelming odds, Jesus and his salvation gives us strength for singing.

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Jesus Teaches Us About Death

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Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live even though he dies.” (John 11:25)

Alfred Nobel woke up to a grim and unexpected notice one morning. In the local paper he read his own obituary! You see, the local reporter had mistaken the death of Alfred’s brother for his own. But the appearance of Alfred’s obituary did not alarm him as much as what he read in that obituary. It read, “The Dynamite King has died!” Alfred was described as the man who had made a great fortune from his invention of dynamite.  Sadly, he would be remembered by the world as someone who profited from bringing disaster; a merchant of death and destruction.

Someone once said, “Death is the ultimate statistic.” It’s a hardened reality that is completely inescapable. Death can fill us with a feeling of defenselessness. Most of us do not get the opportunity to reflect on our own death like Alfred did. So when these thoughts creep into our minds, we find ourselves with a lot more questions than answers. When?…Where?…Why?

Our God desires a different statistic for all people. Our Savior Jesus Christ says, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (1 Timothy 2:4). This life that Jesus offers each of us extends beyond the grave. It is life in its fullest; it is life with God forever!

Jesus does not want us to have a heart full of worry and questions about death. Instead he wants us to be confident of his power over death. Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies.” Even though death will make its unwanted visit, Jesus breaks through the gloom of death with the assurance that he will raise all the dead and give eternal life in heaven to those who believe in him.

It’s not so important how people remember us after we die. What is important is that we know Jesus before we die. When questions about death plague our minds, Jesus teaches us to be confident that through faith in him we will live forever!

Why am I afraid of death?

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If you want to know about catching fish, a fishing guide can help. If you want to know about cooking, talk to a chef. But, death? Who really knows about death?

No wonder so many people are afraid of dying! The atheist says death is the end of our existence. Others think death is a natural part of life. Who really knows? Can anyone take away our fear?

Yes. The Lord can. THE LORD CAN TAKE AWAY OUR FEARS OF BOTH PHYSICAL DEATH AND SPIRITUAL DEATH.

God tells us in his Holy Word the reason for death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Also in Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. “Death is the penalty for sin, and since everyone dies, all are indeed sinners. This does scare us!

But, God’s Word tells us something else about death. GOD’S WORD TELLS US THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WILL ALL EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL DEATH, WE DO NOT HAVE TO FEAR THE EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH.

Do you remember what the thief on the cross next to Jesus asked? “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42). Do you remember Jesus’ answer? “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43).

You see, OUR PHYSICAL death is ONLY THE END OF OUR LIFE ON EARTH. OUR PHYSICAL DEATH is the door to ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN!

But, now I suppose you are afraid of eternity? The Bible tells us “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). You see, everyone who believes that Jesus died on the cross to take away the penalty of sin (eternal death in hell) has the gift of eternal life in heaven.

Now wouldn’t it be great to speak to someone who has already been there and came back to tell us about it. Well, there is. Jesus. Jesus EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL death and CAME BACK TO LIFE to tell us about ETERNAL LIFE IN HIM.

God’s own Son did this, AND TELLS US ABOUT IT IN THE BIBLE. Now that’s one great authority on death we can trust!