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WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE TO DEPART THIS EARTH

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Having a desire to depart

Depart

By Ken Blue

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Philippians 1:23

Paul made it clear that the whole creation groans under the curse. Our body becomes our greatest physical enemy while we are alive. No wonder he had a “desire to depart…” Death is far better for the Christian than life. In this life, we struggle every day with everything the curse has touched. “For in this, we groan…” So does the whole creation.

To depart and be with Christ is far better for many reasons. Each month I receive news that a family member or friend has been diagnosed with some terminal illness. We sorrow for them and miss them. But, thank God, once we are with Christ, we will never be separated.

To be with Christ means there will be no more death, pain, or tears. Can we question that to be with Him will be far better?

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…to be with Him will be far better.[/perfectpullquote]

Once we are with Christ, the personal battle over sin will be over. No matter how long we live on this earth, we will battle the sin nature within us. What a wonderful day that will be when we can’t sin, can’t say or think anything wrong!

Lastly, we will see and be with Christ! We love Him now because He first loved us. Faith will then become sight, and we shall see Him! Won’t that be a wonderful day? Tomorrow, on earth, will be like today and yesterday, but when we depart, we will be with Him, we will live in His eternal light.

I too have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is FAR better! Cheer up, Christian, only a few more days to go!

DR. JACK KEVORKIAN; A FOOL?

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THE ARROGANCE OF DR. KEVORKIAN

KEVORKIANBy Ken Blue

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” Psalms 14:1.
“Dr. Kevorkian first drew national attention in 1990 when he hooked up a 54-year-old Alzheimer’s patient to his homemade suicide machine and watched as she pushed a button to release lethal drugs. By the time he was jailed nine years later, he claimed to have helped more than 130 terminally ill or chronically ill patients take their own lives.”

In a interview of Fox News, (Sep. 2, 2009), Dr. Kevorkian made it clear that he does not believe in God, and then he attempted to show how ridiculous it is to believe that the body is sacred or that there will be a resurrection. His question to the Fox interviewer was, “If the heart of a baboon was transplanted into the heart of a child, is the baboon heart now sacred, or if a kidney is removed and discarded to the garbage, is the kidney sacred?” His question may sway many school children and corrupt the minds of men like himself, but his argument only shows his ignorance and arrogance about the subject.

Paul makes is very clear that the body which is put in the ground is not the body that will be raised as it was buried. That is, a brand new body, of similar fashion, will come from the corrupt, deformed, and decomposing body. It matters not the condition or location of that body at burial. If the body is cremated, buried at sea, or put in a grave, it will have no effect on God’s ability to give you a new body in the resurrection.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Kevorkian made it clear that he does not believe in God.[/pullquote]

About four miles from my home is a large field of corn. The location is well known to locals and is called “Bob’s Corn.” Each spring the soil is plowed and prepared for planting. The seed planter is filled with kernels of corn and attached to a large tractor. As the tractor and planter move along, kernels are dropped into the ground at even intervals. In just a few days you can see the new stalks emerge from the ground. In a few more weeks, two to four ears of corn develop on each stock with approximately six hundred kernels per ear.

Now, you know that none of the kernels on the stalk is the kernel you placed in the ground. It has decayed and will disappear, but from that kernel came evidence of what was planted. Paul uses this same illustration to explain the resurrection and the new body. “And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:” 1 Corinthians 15:37. The word, “chance” here means, “for example”. That is, you know from the new harvest the nature of the seed that was planted. So will it be in the resurrection. The only reason Jesus retained His scars was to validate His resurrection. You will not have them.

We must also keep in mind that the new body will be new, young, and alive! Babies and the aged will not be infants or old in the resurrection. Infirmity or deformity will not be part of the new body. Therefore, it matters not if you have a baboon tail or a chicken gizzard. Just make sure you don’t have a Kevorkian heart.

LET GOD USE YOUR INFIRMITY

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GOD CAN USE YOUR INFIRMITY

InfirmityBy Ken Blue

“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;” Philippians 1:12

Last week I received a phone call from a lady whose fiancé has ALS. Her doctor is a member of Open Door, and she suggested I be contacted because I too am afflicted with this terminal neurological disease. We set a time for a meeting at the church.

When I first met Charles, it was obvious that he was very ill and troubled. I spent some time getting acquainted and sharing my story and history of ALS. I explained how I became a Christian and why I have perfect peace concerning my death and meeting the Lord Jesus Christ. I assured him that I am not looking forward to the process, but I am sure of heaven after I die.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]God wants to use your infirmities to help win others to Christ.[/pullquote]

After presenting the simple gospel story, I ask if he too would like to accept Jesus as his Savior. Again, I made it clear that this would not change the nature of his disease, but would change his destination at death. I also reassured him that it is acceptable to trust Christ, even when one is dying. It does not mean he is praying a “foxhole prayer.” I told him of the thief on the cross and that he was saved that very hour.

Charles agreed that he wanted to accept Jesus as his savior and in faith bowed his head and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. I showed him a couple of assurance verses and we rejoiced together.

Two things I would like to ask you to do. One, please pray for him and his family as Charles nears the time of his departure to be with the Lord. Next, don’t complain about your misfortunes; God wants to use them to help and win others if you will be available. Believe me, I am not glad I have ALS; but if this one soul will be in heaven because of it, then I thank God that He could use it to win others to Him.