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E Eternal life
Evangelist Junior Hill recounts times throughout his career when he's endured less-than-ideal situations in hotels: roaches crawling along the ceiling; cigarette burns in sheets and chairs; various states of disrepair throughout the room.
He notes, though, that when you find a roach or insect in a hotel room, you don't call an exterminator—because you're just "Passing Through."
Likewise, when you discover in your hotel room a chair or couch that's in need of repair, you don't call an upholsterer—because you're just "Passing Through."
In the same way, Hill notes, Christians can deal with trouble—and not get too bothered by tribulation—because they, too, are just "Passing Through" this earthly realm.
"For the Christian," Hill states, "trouble is always tempered by time." Because we know our destination, we can deal with tribulation.
Source: Junior Hill, 11/2/1998
Topics/Tags: Tribulation; Patience; Eternal life
King Tut's tomb contained some of the greatest riches the world has ever seen. The king's subjects were trying to make elaborate provision for their king's journey through the afterlife and netherworld.
How unlike King Tut is from King Jesus! Jesus emptied himself, according to Philippians 2:7.
Whereas Tut's servants made elaborate preparations for their king's journey into the afterlife, Jesus himself has made elaborate, perfect provisions for His servants' journey beyond this life.
Source: "Proclaim," 1980 #2, p. 9.
Topics/Tags: Jesus, the christ, humility of; Eternal life; Provisions
There was a women who had been diagnosed with cancer and had been given only three months to live. Her doctor told her to start making preparations to die. So she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, which verses she would like read, and what she wanted to be wearing.
The woman also told her pastor she wanted to be buried with her favorite
Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her...
"There is one more thing," she said excitedly.
"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.
"This is very important," the woman continued, "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say.
"That shocks you, doesn't it?" the woman asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.
The woman explained: "In all my years of attending church socials and functions where food was involved, my favorite part was when whoever was clearing away the dishes would lean over and say 'You can keep your fork..'" It was my favorite part because I knew that something great was coming. When they told me to keep my fork, I knew that a dessert beyond my wildest imagination was on the way! So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?"Then I want you to tell them, "Something better is coming—so keep your fork, too."
Source: Ida Richardson
Topics/Tags: Eternal life; Heaven; Death
"Many people hope to be elected to heaven who are not even running for office."
Source: "Christian Leadership" email discussion list
Topics/Tags: Heaven; Eternal life; Salvation
The True Christmas Spirit
"It was only five days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn't yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our Houston area Target Shopping Center. Inside the store, it was worse.
"Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing, but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn't buy them something. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift-buying anything but fun.
"Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20 minute wait.
"In front of me were two small children, a boy of about 10 and a younger girl about 5. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl's clothing resembled her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers.
"As the Christmas music sounded in the store's stereo system, the girl hummed along off-key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure.
"The clerk rang up he bill. 'That will be $6.09,' the clerk said, as the boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets finally coming up with $3.12.
"'I guess we will have to put them back,' he bravely said. 'We'll come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.'
"With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. 'But Jesus would have loved these shoes,' she cried.
"'Well, we'll go home and work some more. Don't cry. We'll come back,' he said.
"Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas.
"Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, 'Thank you, Sir.'
"'What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?' I asked.
"The small boy answered, 'Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Dad said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.'
"The girl spoke, 'My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won't mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?'
"My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. 'Yes,' I answered, 'I am sure she will.'
____________
"Silently, I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving. Christmas is not about the amount of money paid, nor the
amount of gifts purchased, nor trying to impress friends and relatives.
"Christmas is about the love in your heart to share with those as Jesus Christ has shared with each of us. Christmas is about the Birth of Jesus whom God sent to show the world how much he really loves us. Please show this love as we think of the upcoming season."
Source: unknown
Topics/Tags: Generosity; Christmas; Eternal life
Verses Upon the Burning of Our House"
Written July 18, 1666 (8 days after their home burned to the Ground)
By Anne Bradstreet - A poet of Colonial America
(In this poem, the poet reminds us that, even though material goods may be "here today, gone tomorrow," God's eternal provisions can never be taken away.)
In silent night when rest I took,
For sorrow near I did not look,
I waken'd was with thund'ring noise
And piteous shrieks of dreadful voice.
That fearful sound of "fire" and "fire,"
Let no man know is my Desire.
I starting up, the light did spy,
And to my God my heart did cry
To straighten me in my Distress
And not to leave me succourless.
Then coming out, behold a space
The flame consume my dwelling place.
And when I could no longer look,
I blest his grace that gave and took,
That laid my goods now in the dust.
Yea, so it was, and so 'twas just.
It was his own; it was not mine.
Far be it that I should repine,
He might of all justly bereft
But yet sufficient for us left.
When by the Ruins oft I past
My sorrowing eyes aside did cast
And here and there the places spy
Where oft I sate and long did lie.
Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest,
There lay that store I counted best,
My pleasant things in ashes lie
And them behold no more shall I.
Under the roof no guest shall sit,
Nor at thy Table eat a bit.
No pleasant talk shall 'ere be told
Nor things recounted done of old.
No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,
Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.
In silence ever shalt thou lie.
Adieu, Adieu, All's Vanity.
Then straight I 'gin my heart to chide:
And did thy wealth on earth abide,
Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,
The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?
Raise up thy thoughts above the sky
That dunghill mists away may fly.
Thou hast a house on high erect
Fram'd by that mighty Architect,
With glory richly furnished
Stands permanent, though this be fled.
It's purchased and paid for too
By him who hath enough to do.
A price so vast as is unknown,
Yet by his gift is made thine own.
There's wealth enough; I need no more.
Farewell, my pelf; farewell, my store.
The world no longer let me love;
My hope and Treasure lies above.
Source: Anne Bradstreet, "Verses Upon the Burning of Our House"
Topics/Tags: God, provider; Possessions; Eternal life; Thankfulness
A preacher once stood and asked his congregation how many were going to heaven. Not only that, he asked those who wanted to go to heaven to stand up.
Everyone stood, naturally—except for one little boy. The preacher called to him and asked, "Son, do you mean to say you don't want to go to heaven when you die?"
The boy replied with a start, "When I die? Sure! I thought you were getting a bunch together to go today."
Source: Stephen Brown, "Illustrating the Sermon," Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, p. 206.
Topics/Tags: Heaven; Eternal life
"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it."
Source: Dr. Stan Toler, ed., Pastor's Little Instruction Book.
Topics/Tags: Stewardship; Eternal life; Riches
"Work for the Lord. The pay isn't much but His retirement plan is out of this world!"
Source: Dr. Stan Toler, ed., Pastor's Little Instruction Book.
Topics/Tags: Work; Eternal life; Reward
Two little birds had a nest in the bushes in the back part of a garden. A five-year-old girl named Amy found the nest, which had four speckled eggs in it. One day, after she had been away for some time, she returned to the garden to look once more at "her" pretty eggs. To her dismay, she found only broken shells.
"Oh," she cried, "the beautiful eggs are all ruined and broken!" Her brother replied, "No, Amy, they are not ruined. The best part of them has taken wings and flown away."
So it is with death for the Christian. The body that's left behind is only the empty shell—but the soul, which is the better part, takes wings and flies away.
Source: Illustrations of Bible Truths, p. 52.
Topics/Tags: Bird; Soul; Death; Eternal life
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