Daily Devotional for Monday February 10, 2020

The answer to our fear of death and two challenges for your life today!

(Revelation 21:4, I Corinthians 15:54-55)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Lord, help me this day to never take one day for granted. Your Word tells us that each day is a gift from God, a truth we often take for granted. We are reminded how sudden death occurs and how final it is. We have but this one brief journey to make a difference with our life. May our focus not be on simply living, BUT LIVING WITH A PURPOSE...A DIVINE PURPOSE! In the name of Jesus I pray...AMEN!!!

***THE DAILY LIVEPRAYER TV NUGGET: Just forget we said that! Two weeks ago in this space, I told you how great it was that the Church of England came out with a “guidance” stating that sex is between a man and a woman in the bond of marriage...PERIOD! It was a shock since this is the church that sadly stated what I have been telling people about the church for well over the past 15 years, and that is the culture is leading the church, not how it is supposed to work where the church leads the culture. The exact quote came from a Church of England bishop who shared this lie from hell, “culture trumps the Bible!” So this “fake church” that supports killing innocent babies, embracing sexual deviancy, advocating for the perversion of God’s Holy Institution of Marriage shocked people to put out a guidance that was actually in line with God’s Word. Well, they have now rescinded that guidance and are apologizing profusely for offending anyone. LOL! Trust me, I am laughing at how sad and predictable the fake church of 2020 is. Of course all of the God-haters across England howled at this intolerant and archaic belief that sex is only for marriage, and marriage between a man and woman alone no less! The ink wasn’t even dry on the Church of England guidance before they ripped it up (ala speaker Pelosi) and went on their endless apology tour to once again prove this lie from the lips of satan that so many churches have bought into, “culture trumps the Bible!”

*Don’t miss the Liveprayer TV program, airing “LIVE” every Monday thru Friday from 11pm EDT to Midnight! For details on viewing options for the Liveprayer TV program, “LIVE” or “On Demand,” go to: https://liveprayer.com/liveprayer-show-about.cfm

Why do we feel personally grieved when a famous person dies or announces they are dealing with a life threatening health issue? The answer and two challenges for your life today!

A couple of Sunday’s ago the sports world was shocked to hear of the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. In the midst of a quiet Sunday afternoon, news came that a helicopter taking Kobe and his 13 yo daughter to her basketball game, along with 6 others and the pilot, had all died in a fiery crash. The exact cause of the tragic accident won’t be known for months to come, but despite being very experienced, it looks like pilot error in severe fog may end up being the cause.

Kobe Bryant was a worldwide superstar and arguably one of the top ten basketball players of all time. Having retired a few years ago, he was scheduled to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall, an honor he will now receive posthumously. He was only 41 years old and his tragic sudden death really impacted people even beyond the sports world. Why were millions of people grieved about the death of a famous athlete who they didn’t even know outside of watching his amazing career unfold on television or in person at his games?

Just days later, the nation was shocked with the disclosure that conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh had “advanced lung cancer.” For over 30 years people have been able to turn on their radio at Noon eastern and for 3 hours be entertained and educated about politics from a conservative point of view by Limbaugh. Just the announcement of his grave illness was enough to cause people to be deeply saddened by the potential loss of a voice on their radio. Why?

The answer to both of these questions is fairly easy. In dealing with the news of a famous person dying or one who receives life threatening news, it brings us face-to-face with our own mortality. Regardless of what people say, even Christians, death is NOT something most people are comfortable thinking about...ESPECIALLY THEIR OWN!

The reality of death is something each person has to deal with at some point, though the reality is an overwhelming percentage deal with it by NOT dealing with it. They simply ignore it. They treat death as something that happens to other people. Most people really only deal with their own mortality when faced with a major health crisis or the passing of a close loved one. Absent that it is an issue they do their best to avoid thinking about.

As an evangelist of nearly 3 decades, it has been humbling to have been used by the Lord to help lead over 1.6 million souls to faith in Jesus, thousands of those in person. Despite the conscious decision to accept Jesus as Savior and “giving their life to Jesus,” a person understands that their faith in Christ means when this brief journey of life is over they will spend all eternity with the God who created them and loves them infinitely.

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE HEAD KNOWLEDGE OF THIS FACT BUT NOT THE HEART KNOWLEDGE OF THIS FACT!

The Bible clearly tells us that “tomorrow is promised to none of us.” It says “each day is a gift from God.” Because we live day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, we know these verses are true but once again we fail to put them in the context of our own life, that they apply to our own life just like they do to everyone else’s life!

Each day at Liveprayer, we hear from hundreds about the death of a loved one, of a friend. They range from little babies to people in their 90’s from all over the world. They die from all kinds of illnesses to tragic accidents to being a crime victim. Some are told they have a limited time to live, yet live for many years after that diagnosis. Others see the doctor for a minor issue and are dead soon thereafter. Ignoring my own mortality is something I never had the luxury of engaging in.

THE FACT IS, DEATH WILL VISIT EACH PERSON JUST AS GOD PROMISED IN THE BIBLE!!!

Before my two very personal challenges for you today, let me help you deal with this whole issue of your own mortality. One of the byproducts of our salvation is the promise from God about what happens when this life is over. In perspective, this life is VERY BRIEF AND DEATH IS VERY FINAL. I have sat with people in their 90’s as they reflected back on their long life and how fast it went by. Turning 62 net week, I understand that thought since I can’t even believe Liveprayer is into our 21st year!

Part of our salvation experience is the peace that we have since our eternal home has been settled. Our own death isn’t something that we should ignore, nor is it something we need to dwell on. It is simply a moment in our eternal existence when we transition from this finite state we are currently in, to our eternal state no longer bound by time/space. It will be an eternal state with God our Creator who gave us life, and why each life is so precious!

The “fear” and avoidance in thinking about our own death comes from the unknown. That my friend is the key to unlocking your peace about your mortality, IT IS NOT AN UNKNOWN! WE HAVE THE PROMISE FROM GOD HIMSELF THAT WE WILL BE WITH HIM FOR ALL ETERNITY. Jesus spoke of going to “prepare a place for us.”

*Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

*Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live... John 11:25

*I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

*...or if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. Romans 14:8

*When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” I Corinthians 15:54-55

One thing I have come to know and understand about our death. As long as God still has things for us to do, we aren’t going anywhere. No illness, no acts of violence, no tragic event will take our life as long as the Lord still has work for us to complete. So be of good cheer, when God does call you home it means your work is finished and you are now onto your eternal rest, peace, and rewards!

*“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Here are my two personal challenges for you today!

1. Never take even one day for granted since tomorrow is promised to none of us, each day is a gift from God and needs to be treated as such. Should the Lord bless me the time, next week when I celebrate by 62nd birthday I will have lived 22,630 days. That seems like a lot of days, it is a lot of days, but I honestly have no idea where they all went. I am 100% certain that I wasted literally thousands of those days! Days I wasn’t promised, days I will never get back. Don’t take even ONE DAY for granted. Treat each and every day as the gift from God it is!

2. Make each day count. Just because you may not have the divine gift to play basketball at the highest level, or are a broadcast pioneer, or you aren’t a famous person known by millions, that doesn’t make your life any less important. God has called ALL of His children to serve Him in their own way. Our ultimate purpose in life that we ALL share is to serve and glorify Him with our lives. God gives each of us gifts and opportunities to do that in our own special way.

We can’t get so focused on this brief finite life that we don’t take time each day to serve Him in some way. Your opportunity to impact others for Christ is NOW, WHILE YOU ARE STILL ALIVE! The greatest legacy you will leave when this brief journey is over are those lives you impacted for the Lord and His Kingdom!

I love and care about you so much. Death is not something to fear, but to embrace as the passing of this brief journey into eternity with our Lord. Understanding how brief life is, even if you live into your 90’s, it should drive all of God’s children to not just treat each day like the gift from God it is, but to make sure you use part of everyday He graces you with to serve Him in some way.

Never forget, when we come to faith in Jesus, we are literally surrendering our life to Him! As Paul wrote to the church at Galatia, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller