Tag Archive | death

Dad’s Greatest Gift to Me!

Mar20

My Dad passed away 9 years ago today.
This is what I shared at his memorial service:

I would like to tell you about the greatest gift my Dad ever gave me. This gift is a gift that he actually received. This was and is a gift that doesn’t lose its value when re-gifted. This is a gift, because he accepted it, which affected many, many people. This gift, like a diamond, has many facets. This gift comes wrapped in strength, peace and assurance.
The greatest gift my Dad gave to me was the gift of salvation that he received from Jesus Christ!
When Jesus was being led away to His crucifixion there was a large crowd following Him — women were mourning and lamenting Him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”*
My Dad is with Jesus now and O the peace that brings to me and the strength to carry on. John 14:27-28 says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” As Jesus said — weep for yourselves and for your children — Dad is at peace, experiencing joy as never before — my concern here is . . . do you know Jesus? Have you received the gift Jesus has for you so that when you pass, your loved one can have the assurance and peace of your salvation and the strength to carry on?
There is no greater gift you can re-gift to anyone than to receive the greatest gift ever given – the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Please, if you do not have the assurance of where you are headed in death – come talk to me or someone you know who knows Jesus. It makes all the difference.
Thank You Jesus for my Dad’s salvation, my salvation and the peace and assurance of where Dad is. All praise and glory to You, my God. Amen.

🌹Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

*Luke 23:27-28

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Entrusted With the Gospel

Dec28

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 2:15-‬17 NASB

Holy, Royal, Majestic, God, Your ways are perfect. Your will be done in the lives of Your chosen ones, a holy priesthood, a holy nation of believers, a people for Your own possession. Thank You, God, for calling us out of darkness into the marvelous Light of Christ so that we may proclaim His excellencies. For we once were not a people, but now we are the people of God; we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. We are not adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from You God. With sincerity may we in Christ, spread the gospel, in the sight of God. For we are a fragrance of Christ to You God. A fragrance to those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. For those who reject You are dead already and facing an eternal death with no hope – an aroma from death to death. But praise be to You God for those who respond to Your call – an aroma from life to life. A life of joy turned to eternal life of abundant joy. I pray that I will be a sweet aroma of Christ to God, speaking the word of God in truth for the salvation of the lost and the glory of my King!! Amen. 1 Peter 2:9‭-‬10/2 Corinthians 3:5 NASB

🌹but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Live to God

Dec26

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Romans 6:10 NASB

Jesus died for you. Jesus died for me. Jesus is alive. Do you believe it? Jesus lives to God. Do we?

🌹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Ephesians 5:1‭-‬2 NASB

An offering and a sacrifice to God. Are we a fragrant aroma to God?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

God Cares

Nov11

Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than (is it not) that he should turn from his ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:23 NASB

The Creator of every human being alive, loves His creation. For God so loved the world. He put each of us here on earth for a purpose, to love our Creator, God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are a broken, messed up people in need of help. Help to turn from our wicked ways, yes, every one of us. God saw and knew our need so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the only One who could and did pay the price for our sin. Jesus paid it all and we can have that pardon from sin and death if we believe. BELIEVE that Jesus is the Son of God and came to earth, setting aside His glory for us, God’s creation, to pay our debt.
Once we are His He pardons our iniquity and passes over our rebellion when we repent and return to Him, a God like no other. He does not retain His anger forever because He delights in unchanging love.
So a God who would go to those lengths for His own creation, how could He possibly take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
John 3:16/Mark 12:30/Micah 7:18/Ezekiel 18:32/Galatians 5:22-23 NASB

🌹You want to truly live? Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and know what it really means to live. Experience love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as the Holy Spirit guides your life. Let God transform you into who He has called you to be, His child. If you’re a believer but God is not forefront of your life, it’s time to repent and return to your Creator. He is waiting with loving open arms.

Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’
Ezekiel 33:11 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Philippians 3:10-11

Jul1

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10‭-‬11 NASB

God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Eternal Lord and King. Powerful God over death and giver of the resurrected life found in Jesus. Glory, honor and praise be to You. I pray Lord to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent; for in Him is my eternal life established. Multiply in me the knowledge of You, God, and of Jesus, my Lord so that I count all things as lost in view of the surpassing value of knowing Jesus. Your divine power, has granted to me everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Jesus who called me by his own glory and excellence.
I pray I become united with You, Jesus, in the likeness of Your death so that I may also be in the likeness of Your resurrection. I have been crucified in You and I will one day know the power of Your resurrection. Jesus I pray to persevere, as You did, to suffer with You so that I may also be glorified with You.
Lord may I not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I will finish my course and the ministry which I received from You, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. I had the sentence of death within myself so that I would not trust in myself but in You, God, who raises the dead. Hallelujah!! Praise God!!! I will carry about in my body the dying of my Savior, so that Your life, Jesus, may be manifested in my body for the sake of others and to Your glory! Amen.
John 17:3/2 Peter 1:2/Philippians 3:8/2 Peter 1:3/Galatians 2:20/Romans 6:5/Romans 8:17/Acts 20:25/2 Corinthians 1:92 Corinthians 4:10 NASB

🌹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Philippians 2:8-11

Jun10

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:8‭-‬11 NASB

Yesterday’s devotion spoke of the humbleness of Jesus. His grace bestowed upon us. He became poor so we could become rich.

Jesus, my Savior, You are worthy to be praised, for by Your humbleness You brought salvation. What we do see is You, Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels, and because, You suffered death for me and others, You are now “crowned with glory and honor”. Yes, by the grace of God You tasted death for everyone. By this I am humbled, Lord. Out of obedience to the Father You were delivered over to the hands of godless men and put to death, nailed to a cross. For through one man’s disobedience all were made sinners, even so through Your obedience, Jesus, many can be made righteous. For this I am truly grateful. And by Your seeking the will of the Father and not Your own You have shown me what I must do, seek Your kingdom first.
I will fix my eyes on You, Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before You endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sit down at the right hand of the throne of God far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. You are far above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come! In Your glorious, everlasting name I pray, amen.
Hebrews 2:9/Acts 2:23/Romans 5:19/Matthew 26:39/Hebrews 12:2/Ephesians 1:21 NASB

🌹For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Romans 14:9 NASB

Is Jesus your Lord? Your Savior? If not, He can be. The Bible says,
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Romans 10:9 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Power in Jesus

May10

which He (God the  Father) brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Ephesians 1:20‭-‬21 NASB

🌹Prayer:
All powerful, mighty God, my Father; all things were created, both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Jesus and for Jesus. Jesus, You spoke to Your disciples, of which I profess to be, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Jesus, You were crucified, put to death, but God raised You up putting an end to the agony and power over death!! Hallelujah,  I rejoice that You sit at the right hand of the Father far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. You are ruler over all people. Your name, Jesus, is above all names. In Your name, Lord Jesus, I find my confidence to face the world for Your purpose and glory! Amen.
Colossians 1:16/Matthew 28:18/Acts 2:24/Philippians 2:8-9 NASB

The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
Psalms 118:6 NASB

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28 NASB

Continually Seeking Him  

Sharon 

Already Dead

Mar7

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
1 John 4:9 NASB

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:17‭-‬18 NASB

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:24 NASB

🌹I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Eye of The Lord

Mar3

The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;
From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth,
Psalms 33:13-14
For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens.
Job 28:24 NASB

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope (wait) for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 33:18-19 NASB
The Lord favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
Psalms 147:11 NASB
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.
Psalms 34:15 NASB
For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:12 NASB

🌹Jesus, (For) You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.
Psalms 56:13 NASB

Lord God, You have heard my cry, my prayer, as I wait in hope for Your lovingkindness that has delivered my soul from death. Cover me in Your righteousness that I may walk before You in the light of the living and receive Your favor.  Amen

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

For The Love of God, Repent and Return.

Oct18

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
Ezekiel 18:32 NASB

God has no pleasure in sending anyone to Hell. In that is the love of your Creator. So much love that He sent His only Son to take the penalty of sin for all mankind.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
John 3:17 NASB

So.  .  .

Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:6‭-‬7 NASB

The time is now.  .  .

🌹Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19 NASB

Want to but not sure how? Connect with someone you know to be a Christian. Talk with a Pastor. Don’t wait. Your life depends on it. If you know God personally, tell (warn) others.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon