It is not easy for our five-senses brains to comprehend the fullness of the
wonderful spiritual realities that await us at the Gathering Together,
promised us in God’s Word (I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and I Corinthians
15:51-58).
We all endeavor to grow in our understanding of God’s Word regarding the
sensitive subject of life and death. When we lose a loved one, no matter how
young or old, it is a sting to our senses-oriented mind. But, as those
born-again of God’s spirit, we have, by studying God’s Word, some insight
to our “eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15; also read the context in
Hebrews 9:11-17). Our life on the earth in our flesh, be it 20, 40, 60, 80,
even 100 years, is like a vapor compared to living out our eternal inheritance
in our new spiritual bodies that we will receive when we are gathered
together.
James 4:14:
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is
your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away.
Life in the five-senses world is as a vapor. What does that mean? The Amplified
Bible translation of James 4:14 renders a more accurate meaning of what is
really being said: “Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may
happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp
of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then
disappears [into thin air].”
It is difficult for our carnal mind to comprehend this truth. But the more
we go to the integrity and accuracy of God’s Word and allow our heart to
soak up these truths, the better we can understand our loving Heavenly Father
and then walk for Him. He does want us to know and understand who we really
are as His children so we can serve in the family business of moving God’s
Word over the world (I Timothy 2:4).
Ephesians 1:17 & 18:
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto
you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is
the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints,
Please carefully and slowly read the following truth from God’s Word so
your heart can soak up these dynamic realities of truth.
I Corinthians 15:52-58:
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must
put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is
the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in
vain in the Lord.
The more we stay our minds on God’s Word the better equipped we are to
walk for and with Him.
A man of God named Solomon searched the world over for wisdom. He became
known as the wisest man in the world. Even the Queen of Sheba came to
inquire about his wisdom and was very impressed by him. It was Solomon who
remarked as recorded in Ecclesiastes 1:16 & 17: “I communed with mine
own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom
than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great
experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to
know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.”
Using all his resources as a powerful king, Solomon realized the world
offered nothing of substance when it came to living successfully in life. His
conclusion is recorded at the end of Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes 12:13:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear [respect] God; and
keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Even though our life now may be as a vapor compared to eternity, we still
experience length of time and days. How we spend our time during this period
is important. We need to adhere to Solomon’s declaration to respect God and
keep His Word. As sons of God the following exhortation is addressed to us:
Ephesians 5:1&2:
Be Ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as
Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Bob Lindfelt
