This is a little long and I hope everyone will read it in it’s entirety.
My Husband and I were talking the other night about all of the things going on in the world. I was watching a show on CNN about North Korea. The program is called. “Secret State: Inside North Korea”. The reporter Will Ripley is a CNN international correspondent and he was given special permission from the government to talk to those who live in that country and to freely, well, for the most part they were able go throughout the country. I will be posting more on this program.
In addition to me watching the program, we were talking about the hurricanes that has wrecked havoc in the country. We also talked about how our area has been having some highly destructive lightning storms. I have never seen lightning like we have had this year. The tree in my yard was struck by lightening and the tree came crashing down on my car. That was way to close for comfort. In addition to our tree being hit, the LDS’s Tabernacle was struck by lightening and homes have fallen victim as well. Overall this year has been the craziest I have ever seen. Pictured below you can see the burn marks on the tree after it was hit by lightening.
As Chuck and I were talking, we got around to the signs of the end times. Everything that has been going on in our world has been foretold in the Bible. I think every generation has said that the end will happen in their generation. I’ve talked with a number of people about why they think we are in the last days and why would past generations think theirs was the last.
Generally, most people thought it was the last days because they have seen things escalate such as crimes, storms, wars and people falling away from Christ. Those who are from my generation feel we are in the last days because of all of the things we see on the news. We are getting information in real-time. We are living in the information era. Because of the internet and smart phones, we are literally watching things unfold at alarming rates.
Question: “What are the sign that we are in the end times ?”
Answer: We can look at Matthew 24:5–8 which gives us some information about what will happen as we get closer to the end of days. “Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” An increase in false Messiah’s, an increase in warfare, and increases in famines, plagues, and natural disasters—these are signs of the end times. In this passage, though, we are given a warning: we are not to be deceived, because these events are only the beginning of birth pains; the end is still to come.
Chuck and I have gotten into some pretty heated conversations when it comes to faith. A few years back before Pastor Ray came to our church my husband stopped wanting to go to church. He had no interest at all. Many of our discussions was about what happens when you die.
I totally 100 percent believe that there is a Heaven and a Hell. The Bible says it is true, so it is true. End of the discussion in my opinion. I may not understand how it all works, but it works. I don’t need all of the details. Like with the end times. I know that Christ is coming again. I don’t know if it will be pre-trip, post-trib, Millennial, Mid or whatever theory there is out there. I am hoping for the rapture though since I am a woose and I sure don’t want to go through the tribulation. When you read about what will happen during the tribulation period, you will understand where I am coming from.
What I Believe
We will all spend eternity somewhere, and we only have two choices: heaven or hell. The scriptures tell us that everyone will live forever in either heaven or hell, with God or with the devil, in paradise or in torment. The choice is ours.
When we die, our body is laid down into its final resting place. Our soul and spirit is no longer there, because death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body. Our soul also goes to a resting place – awaiting the final judgment. The soul of a person that is righteous goes to a place of rest. The soul of the sinner goes to a place of punishment.
- Ephesians 4:8-10 –Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
- 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
- Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
- Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
- James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.Hell is a place of torment.
What Chuck Believes or Believed
He thinks that once you die, you are dead, nothing more and nothing less.
I can’t even count how many discussions Chuck and I have had about the Bible. One time he was saying that he didn’t believe there was anything and he was driving. I tell ya, if I had a hammer I would have knocked some sense into him right then and there. I figured I shouldn’t do that since he was driving and we both would have had to see which one was right when we die and I am certain he would not like where he would be heading.
Pastor Ray just became our pastor at this time. I sent Ray an email to see if he would pray about this ongoing tension. All the way home it was quiet. I actually think the rest of the day was where I wouldn’t talk to him. I couldn’t figure out how someone who goes to church could think there was no heaven or hell. I was dumbfounded.I asked him one question before we went to bed and I tell ya, I should have had two hammer when it came to his answer.
I asked him how he can believe in Jesus and still not believe there is anything after you die. He was about to find out right then and there what happens when a person dies. I was going to let him have that experience lol. But, he told me that he has to believe in something, so he might as well believe in Jesus. HELLO, even Satan believes in God. Chuck was about to find out first hand.
After this argument, I figured I needed to pray for direction and for God to save me and Chuck from me wanting to knock some sense into him. I had to step back from this conversation and give it over to God. I was allowing me wanting to hit Chuck over the head with hammers to control my life. That was not a good thing for many reasons.Chuck has pretty much been helping with the sound and advancing the slides for church since Pastor Ray was there. I did talk to Ray about my issues with this. I couldn’t wrap my brain around how a person can believe in Jesus and still not believe there is a Heaven or a Hell. But, anyhow, we fast forward till today.
As Chuck and I were watching the hurricanes that hit Houston and Florida, you can see how deadly this hurricane season has been. I have a number of friends who lost everything.
We were also talking about the white supremacists, all of the riots, North Korea and so on. Out of the blue Chuck made a comment about how surprised they are going to be when they die and have to stand before the Lord and where they will spend eternity. I about fell out of my chair. I didn’t even know how to reply to his comment. It was something I never thought I would have heard. I was afraid to say anything because I didn’t want to jinx anything. I know faith and jinx’s don’t work out well. But, I was in a stupor when I heard what he said. I refrained since I knew I would be opening mouth and inserting foot.
Then a couple of weeks ago a friend of ours died and they just had the memorial service Saturday. Just hours after Roy’s service happened, Roy’s wife BJ died. OK, Now, wait for it, 1,2,3… Boom, he said and I’m not kidding, he said that at-least Roy and BJ are with each other and wait for it, 1,2, and 3, in Heaven. I kid you not, that is what he said. I am still trying to not over react. I don’t went to throw a wrench into anything happening.
Then tonight Chuck and I were talking about a conversation that his dad and I had before his dad passed away. His dad was begging me to pull some strings with God because his dad actually felt that I was a real angel. I know he had to be confused lol. But, I collected angels and I have had some angel experiences, I will go into that sometime. But, his dad Harold asked me to pull strings to that the cancer would be healed. He couldn’t understand how I couldn’t go to God on his behalf. Of course I prayed for him and I tried to comfort him. But, I’m not an angel. If I was, I would have the worst bent halo ever.
As Chuck and I was talking about that tonight, he was saying that he didn’t know his dad asked me that. I told him that I felt bad for him because he didn’t believe that he could ask God and there was no need for a middle man or should I say a not so middle angel. The one thing I felt very blessed about is that my father in law knew I had the kind of relationship with Christ that would have him ask me for this special request.
I did talk to him in private about Christ, but, I don’t know if he understood what I was saying. By the time he asked me about talking to God on his behalf, he was having problems with alzheimers and he was hard of hearing. He actually passed away from Esophagial Cancer. I think that was a blessing in so many ways. I can’t imagine what his life would have been like since he had alzheimers, hard of hearing and he found out just a few months before that he had glaucoma.
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hen Chuck said to me that he isn’t the kind of person who shares his faith in Jesus like I do. That isn’t something he is comfortable with. He did say that he believes, but he was raised where men didn’t show the emotional side. He didn’t say emotional side, I am just paraphrasing. But, he told me that it isn’t how he works. He did say that he believes in Jesus Christ and he knows there is an afterlife, which means a Heaven and Hell. In a round about way, he and I talked about if I thought his dad was in Heaven. I told him I don’t know. I know for sure his mom is. But, when his dad said that he doesn’t have enough faith to go to God, I don’t know the answer to that. That is one of those things that only God knows and only God and his dad really knows what is in their heart.
I could tell in his voice that he was worried about his dad. I feel much more relieved and at peace knowing that he said he does believe in Jesus Christ and that he does believe that we don’t just die and that’s it.
When I can’t make it to church, he will tell me what the sermon is about and if he enjoyed it. Usually he will remember the sermons. I’m kind of hoping at some point we will have a sermon about this subject. Even though Pastor Ray has been covering the book of John and this is the one book of the Bible that gives people hope and it lets them know what they need to do in order to be saved. It makes me feel more at ease knowing that he is listening to the sermons.
Chuck and I have also talked about how not everyone was raised in churches. Chuck went to church when he was little, but not that much. He wasn’t raised where he was taught the stories of the Bible. There are many adults who don’t know what happened with Moses, Noah. Sampson and Goliath and all of the other stories of the Bible. I know many adults who won’t get into discussions because they don’t want to seen stupid.
There is this one man who I know that refuses to play games or discuss things of the Bible because he doesn’t know what I am talking about. Chuck has gotten to where he will look things up to see what either Ray or myself says. When it comes to Chuck, I think that it has helped that Pastor Ray doesn’t speak over his head. He doesn’t use big words that nobody knows what the heck he is talking about.
I just want to close this blog by asking for prayers that Chuck will continue to let God into his heart and that God will use friendships and messages to answer those questions that he doesn’t want to ask me. I have found it best for me to give it to God and that I need to throw the hammer away. It’s not a good idea to hit people over the head with hammers and other lethal weapons, lol. Also pray that I don’t open my mouth and insert my foot. I have a way of doing that big time.
Senseless Ramblings of the Mindless 