"Life and Death"

 "When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in the grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." 

 Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." 

 "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." 

 Jesus told her, "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, Martha?" 

 "Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you." So Mary immediately went to him.

 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."" (John 11:17-32 NLT) 

 Maybe we should take a little time and think about what is most important, both now in this life, and in the face of death. Oddly enough, those of us that are alive in Christ, do not need to face death, at least not in the way that the world facing it.

 There is something more than just this life; as long as you believe that, it will be a reality to you, and you will not fear death as much as those that don't believe. If you believe in eternal life, then you will take a little more time to think about what happens when you die, making choices that will be directed towards eternity; if you truly believe in eternal life! 

 Make some serious changes in your life, if you are worried about what happens in this life, because this life is temporary and will soon be gone; there is absolutely nothing that you can do to change the fact that you cannot hold onto anything in this life! Set your sight on that which produces treasure in heaven, where nothing, absolutely nothing, can touch it, take it away, or cause it to be lost!

 Remember how much God loves you, what He has done to show how much He loves you, and let that be what causes you to fear Him...

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembrreth that we are dust. As for mam, his days are as grass; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them." (Psalms 103:8-18 KJV)