"Beyond The Grave"

"He that is our God is the God of our salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." (Psalms 68:20) Yesterday was a pretty emotional morning; I had not cried like that for quite some time, and it felt so good! I tried several times to try and explain what it was that I was trying to say, but nobody really got the point of the message; maybe it was just for me, but that's alright. You know, Jeremiah really did not have much success trying to be God's messenger, because nobody would listen; but like most of the prophets of his people, his work was really for another generation, and far beyond. Now about that "third day", we all know what happened after the second day that Jesus was in the tomb; the first day was good because He took away our sins, the second day was not so good, but on the third day He conquered death! People really need to understand that the grave is not our final resting place. Notice that this verse above does not say, 'issues of death', but it says, "issues from death", as in after death. To be more to the point, we have a chance to participate in the outcome of what happens after our death while we are alive, but after death, there are no more choices! I have written in my Bible below this verse, John 11:25, which is where Jesus answers Martha concerning her brother rising again, by saying, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?" Something else I felt to Lord speaking into my heart about those first three days, is that it is pretty much like that message about the tombstone: the first day we came into the world, the third day we departed, but the second day is that dash between the two dates, which belongs to us, so we had better make it count... "For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear my voice - the voice of the Son of God. And those that listen will live." (John 5:21-25) NLT