"Come What May!"

 "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." (Ecclesiastes 12:6 KJV)

  "The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to my name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (PSALM 23 NLT)

 Just so happens that I heard this message yesterday, based upon a fact: Everyone dies! Think you know everything? Well, that is surely something we should all agree on; but what about those who might be taken up in the Rapture? What death do they pass through on their way to glory? 

 Here is what I believe, if you are the least bit interested in what I have to say. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts, we became a new creation, the old you had passed away, the new you began the Sanctification process in your new life. Technically, you have died already, your eternal life has already begun. 

 Jesus specifically said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die." 'Do you believe this, Rich?' You can feel free to add your own name there if you like, as we all should agree that it is true! 

 This is why Paul said that we should reckon the old man dead; nailed to the cross with Christ! What in this life could ever harm you, if you are have already died? There is something very powerful in that thought, because we cherish this life way too much sometimes; when we should be looking towards something which is much more special...

"Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ in baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:1-11 NLT)