Luke 1:46-47 (NLT)
46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

Luke 25:49 (NLT)

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.

John 17:3 (NLT)
3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

The Holy Spirit has been around since the beginning. He’s in us even if we don’t recognize His presence. Yet, not until Christ ascended did his spirit take the form it has now, the redemptive power of eternity, the power of salvation.

1 John 2:17 (NLT)
17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Philippians 1:19-22 (NIV)
19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance [or vindication; or salvation]. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

A friend’s 24 year old son passed suddenly last week. I know the horrible wall they are going to run into and fall off as the shock wears off. Our pain wells up as we relive the same shock we had 16 months ago. My friend and mentor is facing death. He figures 6 months tops, but the Drs screwed up his medication and almost took him last week. They figured it out, but he knows his time is coming. Another friend’s brother in law is dying of cancer. Here’s preaching today and next week on the Philippines verses above.

How we die is a reflection of how we live. Christ died for us so that we can live in eternity with God, Christ, the Holy Spirit when this life passes. I know my friend and mentor is at peace with his death. If not for his concern for his wife’s well being, he’d go right now.

I know others who don’t know what. They don’t think about death because this life is the only thing they have. There’s nothing more. My heart goes out to those even more than it goes out to my friend who’s near death. The peace of salvation brings comfort to the final days. The fear of ending brings turmoil to an earthly life.

My walk with Christ has been weak lately as I’ve given myself credit for recent changes (all for the good) in my life. Death brings clarity to the fallacy of that notion. Lord, forgive me for losing sight of your life and love. I’ll make time in my life for you because the promises you died for are far more important than whatever else I’m doing.

Thank you Lord.