Category: Death

Three-Hundred-Million Years From Now

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Church, Death, Discipleship, Heaven
Monday, I began reading a book entitled One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven by Mark Cahill.  The introduction contains a compelling question:  “Three-hundred-million years from now, what will be the only thing that will matter?”  Before you read on, please consider this question and give an answer.  (I’m waiting to type any further while you formulate your answer . . . . . . .)
The author goes on to say, “Will it matter what kind of car you drove?  Will it matter who won the NCAA football and basketball titles this year?  Will it matter who you took to the homecoming dance?
Cahill gives his answer in the next paragraph.  “Three-hundred-million years from now, the only thing that will matter is who is in heaven and who is in hell. And if that is the only thing that will matter then, that should be one of the greatest concerns now.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:11, The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. If is of the utmost importance for Jesus to reach the lost, shouldn’t it be a major priority for you?”
What was your answer?
The author goes on to say, “The real question then is:  What are you doing of significance today that will matter three-hundred-million years from now?”
As I was typing this, I received a phone call from a dear man that attended our church a long time ago. We have kept up with him here and there. His life had recently spiraled out of control due to alcohol and drugs. The call was this dear man sharing the good news that he had just trusted in Christ as his personal Lord and Savior!  Three-hundred-million years from now, this dear brother will be in Heaven as will the man who cared for his soul!

Romans 10:9-15  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Wow!!

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death, Heaven

Recently, I have posted about the Home-going of pastor friend, Tom Craig, from Oak Ridge, TN.  One of his faithful church members and a former college classmate of mine, Brad Zockoll, has written some excellent posts on his own blog, zockollthoughts, that are a must share.  Today, here’s a post that is a true illustration of Psalm116:15, and as for me, eclipses some of the recent books that have been written.  Thanks, Brad, for sharing your heart and being intimate with all of us about something so precious, yet teaching us so much about the precious side of a believer’s death.

I had a conversation with Kim Craig, Tom’s wife, about the last days of our dear pastor’s life.  She had mentioned that he saw some wonderful things, and I received her permission to write about it and share it with you:

It was the last week of Tom’s life.   He would be gone by Wednesday evening.

The hospital room was quiet.  Tom, alone with his wife Kim, lay quietly gazing at the ceiling, fighting the pain and weakness brought on by the crush of pancreatic cancer.

1dHe was tired.  His energy was gone.  But he was alert… and Kim noticed that his eyes were fixed on a scene…

Tom stared at the ceiling, looking intently at something.

Kim, seated on the bed beside him, stroked his hair, “What is it, Tom? What do you see?”

His voice was weak but audible.  “Angels.”

Kim leaned closer.  Her heart skipped a beat.  “Angels?”

He nodded his head. Yes.

“How many of them are there?”

Tom moved his lips quietly as he lifted his two hands, counting his fingers softly.  He turned and gave a definitive answer:  “Twelve.”

Kim leaned in closer.  “What do they look like?” “Do they look like female angels?”

Tom, unable to talk freely, shook his head no.

“Are they male angels?”

He clearly nodded his head yes, then lay back exhausted, but enthusiastic.  Kim realized his fatigue, but was struck by his determination in what he was witnessing. No doubt about it; Tom knew he was seeing angels.

He lay quiet for a time, perking up upon greeting numerous friends and family as they stopped by, occasionally attempting to converse, but growing frustrated that he did not have the energy to utter more than a few words at a time.  However, he didn’t give up; three words he was able communicate: “I love you.”

Later on, Kim and daughter Allie told me, he grew excited and animated.  When they leaned in to hear, he exclaimed that he saw something new.  Something almost indescribable.  He saw colors.  New colors.   Incredible hues and shades. Colors not realized on this earth.  Possibly the colors of heaven?  Tom was adamant that they were unseen by him before.  Kim and the family pondered this.

He spent his last day with family around him, quietly adding a word here and there as he was able.  But then he’d stop and look at the ceiling.  His eyes were open, gazing above the group.  It was a different kind of look, as if … well, as if he were listening for something.  It became apparent that he was indeed hearing something, and he let them know through gesturing that this was something different …

“Do you hear … music?” Kim asked, drawing near as he nodded his head yes.

“What kind of music, Tom?”

“Beautiful,” he whispered.

“Are you familiar with it?  Do you recognize the song?” Kim asked quietly.

“No,” he replied.

“You’ve never heard it before? Is it a new song?”

“Yes,” he replied firmly.

And then another visit by the angels…

Tom saw the angels, as family members stood about him.  “How many do you see, Tom?”  He was weaker but he was determined to let them know.  Once again he counted with his fingers, One, two, three…

Five, he told them.

This got us all to considering what was occurring to Tom, aligning this with a Biblical account of Heavenly messengers.  When Jesus related the story of Lazarus, He made mention that when the beggar died, he was carried into glory by angels.  Think of it.

Stop and ponder this truth.  It was Tom’s time to have his load carried for him.

Pastor Tom had indeed been carrying a lot of burdens in his ministry, numerous responsibilities that would test the strength of any pastor.  His compassion loaded him with the responsibility of seeing folks who were in physical need.  His desire to show Jesus charged him with preparing messages saturated with Biblical truth.  His oversight of the church weighed on him the financial responsibility of the assembly.  His outreach vision added the burden of making sure missionaries were being supplied with their necessities.  Visiting, counseling, leading, speaking, praying, exhorting … being available 24 hours a day.

Tom carried a load.

Now it was time for the angels to carry him to the Father.

“It was so precious,” said Kim.  “The way he described it, well… I wanted to go myself!”

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants…

I used to get puzzled about that Psalm.   I mean, death is precious?

Yes, it is to the one who is heading to the Heavenly Reception.  The Portals of Real Life.  The Grand Celebration with the Author of Life.

The family told me that, one of the last words they heard escape from his lips was “Wow.”

I get the feeling that’s what we’ll all be saying as the angels come down to escort us to the Heavenly realm.

Wow.

—Written October 11, 2014

A Broken Down Shuttered House

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death, Heaven, Hope, Joy

Recently while visiting with a dear saint of God, I listened as she reminisced about her old home place and said, “The last time I was there, the house was run down and the grass had grown up around it.  Why, it didn’t even look like it used to.  Even the church I attended is not as pretty as it used to be, and they only have one or two services a month.”  As I sat there looking at what age and the curse of sin had done to this dear lady, pinching its wrinkles in her face, causing her to use a walker for stability, and making her wish for times of fellowship at church and in town with her friends, this passage of Scripture  came to my mind.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)

While listening, I could not help but notice the twinkle in her eye accompanied by the precious smile etched on her face as she recounted days gone by.  Within moments, she said, “So many people are unhappy these days.  Me? I’m happy.  I’m content.  I’m ready to go Home whenever the Lord is ready to call me.”  It did my heart good to listen to the lilt in her voice and to see her God-prepared confidence that someday soon she would exchange the old broken down shuttered house for a glorified habitation not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

The Life and Death of a Vapor

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death

While eating dinner yesterday in celebration of a dear lady’s 89th birthday, the server came to clear off our table.  The “birthday girl” was still working on her plate, and she said to the server, “I’ll be finished in a moment.”  With that I said, “Take your time.  You’ve waited 89 years for this!”  That sounds like a long time.

Yesterday evening, my wife and I attended a memorial service for a man found dead in his apartment at the age of 38.  The words spoken by his father during the service were, “My son lived 78 years in those 38 because he got all he could out of life!”

Interesting, that in the same day, my wife and I would celebrate a birth and then later on sit through a memorial service; life and death.

The truth is, no matter if you truly live to be 89 or try to squeeze 78 years into 38, time is fleeting and life is but a vapor.  James 4:14 reminds us, For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

A gentleman who spoke at the memorial service is a well-known artist in Kentucky and pastor.  In his message, he said, “I used to make good money painting, but that is not my goal anymore.  It is telling others about the brevity of life and the gospel.”

So the question comes, what will you do with your “vapor”?  What are you doing right now with your “vapor”?   James goes on to give us the answer to those questions, Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil (4:15-16).  The Lord wills that you be born again, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  God wills that you have a true view of Him and His Son, for only when you do are you really ready to live! God is in total control of your vapor.  He started it, and He knows when it will end.  Life is a vapor, but only God can give substance to what is so fleeting (John 10:10, 28-30).

Tom & Roger

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death, Heaven, Hope, Trials

March 18, 2007, I stood on the parcel of ground where Oak Ridge Baptist Church is now located.  There, Pastor Tom Craig, Pastor Gary Ledbetter and myself gathered in prayer for the future construction of their church building.  As we joined our expectant hearts together before the Throne of Grace, we asked God to do a mighty work for His glory.  God answered our prayers as well as the prayers of a host of others. Not only was the building constructed, but greater still, lives were and continue to be transformed and built for God’s glory.  Tom was sure that would happen.  He discipled, loved, cared, and ministered the Word of God with grace and balance.

Interesting enough, that March 18th morning, another individual who impacted Gary’s and my life through his music, Roger Bennett, passed into the presence of the Lord after a long bout with leukemia.  The connection with Roger and his ministry team, Legacy Five, was the primary purpose for Gary and I being in Oak Ridge that weekend.  I remember walking into the Hampton Inn to meet Gary and his family on that Friday afternoon.  There in the front lounge area was Tom and Bobby cheering on their UT Vols in the college basketball tournament!  How surprised he was to see us.  He thought he had missed some conference in the area.  🙂

Tom and Roger, two men from two completely different ministry orbits, but today in the presence of the Lord! Both involved in a journey with cancer now forever over. How thankful I am for those the Lord brings into our lives to edify, encourage, exhort, and enjoy!  Thank you, Tom, for being such a man.  Gary and I will continue to sing and preach the Word until we join you on the other side.  Until then, My Hope Is Jesus.

A God-Ordained Cancer Journey, Now Over

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death, Heaven, Hope

Last evening, our brother in Christ, fellow-discipler, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Tom Craig, left the night here to enter into that eternal day.  He left behind the weeping and entered into morning joy (Psalm 30:5).  He exchanged the crushing pain of cancer for the cheerful presence of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1,6-8).  And, not too very long from now, we too will join him and the millions in the presence of our Lord (Philippians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  In the meantime, please intercede for his wife, Kim, his daughters, Aimee, Allie and Anna, and the dear folks of Oak Ridge Baptist Church.

Tom, we praise God for you.  Soon, we will once again praise God with you.

A God-Ordained Cancer Journey

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Church, Death, Faith, Hope, Prayer

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To hear the diagnosis of cancer is like trying to hold on in the midst of an 8.0 earthquake.  The sounds of that word sends rippling emotional effects through your mind and body as well on upon all those around you.  Imagine what effect it would have on a congregation when they find out that their relatively young pastor has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Such is the case of Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, TN.  Pastor Tom Craig is weakening physically day-by-day, yet in the midst of it all, ORBC, along with the Craig family are being strengthened moment-by-moment by the awesome grace of God.

One the members of ORBC, Brad Zockoll, has been giving us a very transparent glimpse into this church’s journey with their dear, beloved pastor.  Today, I share with you the link, august-week-5-the-hollowness-of-cancer.  Please take the time to read Brad’s comments from Week 5 as well as the prior posts.

Intercede for Tom & Kim and the congregation of ORBC.  Learn from them as you read these posts.  Praise God for them and with them.

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life (Psalm 119:49-50).

Why? – Part 2

by Dale, posted in Death, Suicide, Trials

FoxNews reported the following about Robin Williams:

The beloved “Mork and Mindy” star had been battling severe depression recently, said his rep Mara Buxbaum. Just last month, he announced he was returning to a 12-step treatment program he said he needed after 18 months of nonstop work. He had sought treatment in 2006 after a relapse following 20 years of sobriety.

He had a complicated personal life and often seemed driven by demons. He did a few lines of cocaine with John Belushi on the last night of that comic’s life.

A darkness seeped in during an interview with comedian Marc Maron in 2010, where Williams seemingly dismissed what would be a career highlight for many actors. “People say you’re an Academy Award winner,” he said. “The Academy Award lasted about a week and then one week later, people went, ‘Hey Mork!'”

Depression, alcohol, cocaine, demons, and darkness; these are the words that stood out to me as I read the report.  Why would anyone take their own life?  Yesterday, I shared two important thoughts in reference to suicide.  Today, two more.  May I quickly add that my heart is saddened when I hear of anyone coming to this point because there is a remedy for ALL of life’s trials and disappointments.  His name is Jesus (John 10:9-11)

  1. No matter what the situation or circumstance of life may be, you must begin with God.
  2. Never overestimate the condition of man’s heart.
  3. Suicide is NOT the unpardonable sin. When you study Matthew 12:31-32, where the unpardonable sin is mentioned, you find no mention of suicide in that passage.  The unpardonable sin as verse 32 says, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  For a more in-depth study of this passage, see the following link, The Unforgivable Sin.
  4. Recognize the full deception of Satan. Jesus said of the religious, hypocritical Pharisees, You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44).  Satan is a complete, absolute liar who cannot speak the truth because there is no truth in him (Genesis 3:4-5).  He has been engaged in an all-out assault on the truth, on men coming to the Truth (John 14:6), and seeking to defraud the truth from the time of Adam and Eve.  He hates Jesus Christ, Who is Truth. He will do all he can to hinder someone from coming to know the Truth. When a distraught individual considers suicide, Satan will place thoughts of revenge, selfishness, bitterness, despair, and/or utter hopelessness and helplessness in the minds of individuals.  Satan is a destroyer who is always on the prowl waiting to lick his chops over another soul he has devoured (1 Peter 5:8).

Now, there is no way any of us can know all that goes through a man or woman’s mind who considers and then completes the act of suicide.  I only offer these truths in light of recent events to maybe help someone who is thinking of taking their life as well as to shed some light on this dreadful subject.

For anyone you know who may be dealing with thoughts of suicide or even yourself, I recommend you turn this website and check out the list of resources counselingoneanother- resources-suicide

My friend, for every issue of life, for sin, for sorrow, for despair, for the agonies of life, the answer is Jesus Christ. Turn to Him today. Receive Him as your personal Lord and Savior. (Isaiah 53:1-12; Romans 3:19-26; 5:1-11; 8:28-39; Philippians 2:1-11)

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. — Hebrews 4:14-16

Laughter Gone

by Dale, posted in Death, Hope, Suicide

He made thousands and thousands of people laugh.  His quick wit, ability to play many roles, and stand-up comedy endeared him to the world of entertainment.  Sadly, his humor was often crass and ungodly. Today, the laughter is gone.

Robin Williams broke on the entertainment scene as an alien, Mork, in the 1978 TV series, Mork & Mindy with what became a household phrase of “Nanu-nanu.”  I remember my daughters loving his role as the comedic genie in the famous Disney film, Alladin.  He even appeared in the happy tune by Bobby McFarrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”  As of yesterday, Williams will no longer be making people laugh; he has passed away.  The tragedy of this death is that it is being considered an apparent suicide.  Fox411 reported, “A representative for Williams said in a statement the actor had been battling ‘severe depression of late’.”

No matter what you thought of Robin Williams, death by suicide is oh so sad.  Tragic.  Bewildering.  Selfish. Sinful.  Wrong.

There are many things that I would love to say from a burdened heart, but suffice it to say that we as believers need to realize afresh and anew, we are living in a world of hopeless people!!  For a successful man to take his life when he had everything earthly he would need says that he lacked hope.

Hope is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ! Read the following with an attentive heart:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. —John 3:16

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.— Jeremiah 29:11

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead—1 Peter 1:3

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.—Romans 5:1-11

Hope (assurance, confidence) that is eternal, persevering, faithful, not disappointing, productive, and full of grace is found only in a personal relationship with the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is the foundation, giver and sustainer of hope.  He is hope. A man without Jesus Christ is hopeless . . . forever.

For those of us secure in Christ because of the aforementioned truths of Scripture, we must share the good news of hope to a hopeless world!  We have the Truth that liberates (John 8:32).  Christ in us is the hope of glory, and He resides in us giving us hope for all of our earthly days (Colossians 1:27).

For those of you who are searching for hope in a world of empty happiness, I ask that you read the Scripture passages given in this post and turn to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.  Today you can repent which means to turn away from all you have been trusting in to get you to Heaven, and receive Jesus Christ as Your Savior today (Romans 3:23; 6:23; John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 10:9-13).  For the believer, no matter what his circumstances may be, each day is getting better because he is closer to his eternal home, Heaven.  Hope gets brighter each day!

Laughter produced by Robin Williams is gone.  Hope is not.

 

For further help in finding and understanding this everlasting hope, watch this 11 minute film: The Gospel