THE ROYAL PATH OF LIFE
Haines and Yaggy (1876)

We stand on the borders of a wide gulf which is swallowing up all things human. Death appears to have no boundaries. We see in the midst of this universal wreck, nothing stable, nothing abiding, nothing immortal, upon which this poor, frail, dying man can fasten. Ask the hero, ask the statesman, ask the nobleman whose wisdom we have been accustomed to revere, and he will tell us from his deathbed, and his illumined spirit still whispers with well-known eloquence this solemn admonition: "Ye mortals hastening to your tomb, and once the companions of my own pilgrimage, take warning and avoid my errors; cultivate the virtues I have recommended; choose the Saviour I have chosen; live disinterestedly of temporal things. Live for Life, and not for that which gives momentary pleasures -- those things that slip from all dying fingers as quickly and assuredly as the beauty fades from the lilies of every valley. Live for immortality; and would you rescue anything from final dissolution and decay, lay it up to God."

One has the most gallant and trustworthy escort when he passes from this world through the portal we call death -- the Morning Star, the Dawn of the Ages, the Guiding Light -- Jesus Christ, the Captain of souls. He breaks the chains of carnal bondage, sets the imprisoned spirit free, closes the toilsome career of frustration, opens the door of immortal happiness, and returns the soul to its own, original, and glorious home, to go no more out forever.

In a moment's time, Jesus, the anchor of Life, the dispatcher of all pleasure, and the sum total of reality, swallows the agony of toil, bringing peace to the weary soul. Sleeping in Christ is the end of all travail and futile passions, the stepping-stone and door to everlasting desires, the gate of gladness, the port of paradise, the haven of heaven, the entrance to serenity, and the continued progression of all blissfulness. Jesus is the very bed of feathery down wherein the doleful souls of God's elect rest. In Him they rise from corruption and awake fresh and most hearty to everlasting life.

A man's dying day, as he looks to Christ, will be his day of increase, when he shall be freed from the prison in which he has long been detained and brought home to his Father's house. His dying day will be his resting day, when he shall rest from all care and trouble; his reaping day, when he shall reap the fruit he has sown with tears, in faith, hope, and love; his conquering day, when he shall triumph over every enemy; his transplanting day, from the earthy to the heavenly, from a toilsome wilderness to a heavenly paradise; his robing day, to put off the worn-out garments of flesh, and put on the new and glorious vesture of light; his marriage day; his coronation day; the day of his glory, continuing in his eternal, perfect bliss with Christ.

One of Martin Luther's children lay on her death bed; the great man of the Protestant reformation approached and said to her: "My little daughter, my beloved Margaret, you would willingly remain with your earthly parents, but if God calls you, you will go with your heavenly Father." "Yes, dear father, it is as God pleases." He then said: "My daughter, enter thou into thy resting place in peace." She turned her eyes toward him and said, with touching simplicity, "Yes father." How yielding the believing Luther parted with his dying child; and I believe the sentiment of his heart was very like the inscription on a child's tombstone in an English churchyard, as follows: "Who plucked that flower?" cried the gardener, as he walked through the garden. His fellow servant answered, "The Master." And the gardener held his peace.

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Biological death was never a problem for God. The problem some here have, is they perceive a death a separation and a shame due to their sin and guilt. Adam ran and hid from God -- but He went looking for them. So shall He find those fearful ones here and He will mercifully purge their fear in the Lake of Fire, which be God himself. Man finds peace only when death has lost it's sting, for death is the foundation of all fear. We are all familiar with the examples of the sinful in this scripture yet so many look past the "fearful" that must join the others to be cleansed of their sin. I once was fearful of death and I found it to be the most deep seated and unsettling of all sin ...... a sin God mercifully rid me of. Today I can say, O death, where is thy sting!

"But the FEARFUL, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Rev 21:8

A man's dying day, as he looks to Christ, will be his day of increase. How many believe to die is gain and to live is Christ. Let us join Paul and place our earthly end in God's hands. Whether we live or we die, is the Master's choice and we shall neither move nor hinder His hand that works all things for good to those that love Him.

You all are facing death, and for some here and or even a loved one of yours, death's knock may be more imminent than with others. I can only share, "let is not be afraid to die, we will rise again." Our precious Jesus, and the Pattern Son, showed us the way.

In His Sweet Lord Jesus,
John

By Death We Live

"As dying and behold we live" (2 Cor. 6:9).

I had a bed of asters last summer, that reached clear across my garden in the country. Oh, how gaily they bloomed. They were planted late. On the sides were yet fresh blossoming flowers, while the tops had gone to seed. Early frosts came, and I found one day that that long line of radiant beauty was seared, and I said, "Ah! the season is too much for them; they have perished"; and I bade them farewell.

I disliked to go and look at the bed, it looked so like a graveyard of flowers. But, four or five weeks ago one of my men called my attention to the fact that along the whole line of that bed there were asters coming up in the greatest abundance; and I looked, and behold, for every plant that I thought the winter had destroyed there were fifty plants that it had planted. What did those frosts and surly winds do?

They caught my flowers, they slew them, they cast them to the ground, they trod with snowy feet upon them, and they said, leaving their work, "This is the end of you." And the next spring there were for every root, fifty witnesses to rise up and say, "By death we live."

And as it is in the floral tribe, so it is in God's kingdom. By death came everlasting life. By crucifixion and the sepulchre came the throne and the palace of the Eternal God. By overthrow came victory.

Do not be afraid to suffer. Do not be afraid to be overthrown.

It is by being cast down and not destroyed; it is by being shaken to pieces, and the pieces torn to shreds, that men become men of might, and that one a host; whereas men that yield to the appearance of things, and go with the world, have their quick blossoming, their momentary prosperity and then their end, which is an end forever (ages lasting) --Beecher

"Measure thy life by loss and not by gain,
Not by the wine drunk, but by the wine poured forth.
For love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice,
And he who suffers most has most to give."

Note: parenthesis mine. And surely after this world there are myriads of other worlds, that those that gave it all, shall bring forth new and great bounty. Yes, the Cross which be the Tree of Life grows on both sides of the river and each man, a Cross turned to Life.

I have been clear to share the Kingdom of God is now and we progress even into greater perfection in the 'morrow wherever that be, this world or the next. What do you think it will be like to be face to face with our Lord, where there be no veil of flesh separating us. Think about that when you measure that which is found on the other side.

You my friend are trying to convince yourself of something we all share. For we know of the many kinds of death. Right now for your in formation we are discussing physical death.

Now pick up your cross, preacher and rid yourself of the dotz you gotz. Don't be afraid to suffer abit, Pilgrim, for it is there you will learn the greater lesson.

And yes, for God's sake it is past time for you to slip into the proverbial "big boy pants" Please at least try them on and then we might be able to stay on point and share an adult type discussion.

your pal ;-))

John