Five Reasons Death Is Gain

[marvelloustime]

Hope this encourages you in what a great future we have with Jesus.

 

Five Reasons Death Is Gain

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• Devotional by John Piper

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

How is it “gain” to die?

1) Our spirits will be made perfect (Hebrews 12:22–23).

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.

There will be no more sin in us. We will be done with the inner war and the heartrending disappointments of offending the Lord who loved us and gave himself for us.

2) We will be relieved of the pain of this world (Luke 16:24–25).

The joy of the resurrection will not yet be ours, but the joy of freedom from pain will be. Jesus tells the story of Lazarus and the rich man to show the great reversal that is coming at death.

“[The rich man] called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.’”

3) We will be given profound rest in our souls (Revelation 6:9–11).

There will be a serenity beneath the eye and care of God that surpasses anything we have known here on the softest summer evening by the most peaceful lake at our most happy moments.

I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer.

4) We will experience a deep at-homeness (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

The whole human race is homesick for God, without knowing it. When we go home to Christ, there will be a contentment beyond any sense of security and peace we have ever known.

5) We will be with Christ (Philippians 1:21–23).

Christ is a more wonderful person than anyone on earth. He is wiser, stronger, and kinder than anyone you enjoy spending time with. He is endlessly interesting. He knows exactly what to do and what to say at every moment to make his guests as glad as they can possibly be. He overflows in love and with infinite insight into how to use that love to make his loved ones feel loved. Therefore Paul said,

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Devotional excerpted from “It Is Great Gain to Die”

[Not me]

Though I agree being with Christ is far better. Even Paul was torn on which to choose.... Going and being with Christ or staying here and being more fruitful.

I (though I may be wrong) choose fruitfulness. For once eternity I am called into, my opportunity to increase my fruitfulness has come to an end. Only my fruitfulness or lack of will be manifested. So I choose to stay here for I will miss nothing in eternity by staying here and increasing my fruit planting years. 

Though being with Christ is far better, if I can get more of Him formed in me before being called into eternity for me it’s worth the struggles, pain, tribulations and trials, whatever might be necessary for all of Him and nothing of me to be a reality and brought to manifestation. 

My thinks and thoughts on this awesomeness of the One who called us to Himself.

Be blessed as we grow in Him, Not me 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Not me

[Not me]

2 minutes ago, Roar said:

Not my will but thy will be done oh Lord! 

Works for me!  

Be blessed in Him as He works this truth in us, 

Not me