HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

She Became Spirit And Dwells Among Him

It had been a long life with very few health problems. Then out of nowhere they seemed to hit her all at once. First it was one thing then another. The last bout was the hardest as it seemed to a roller coaster ride: One day better then the next not so well. Her physical body was worn out. Then it seemed her physical body could go on no longer and she gave up. In one last action to show that earthly doctors are not in charge she held on longer than they had said she would. But, with each breath the body grew weaker. The breaths grew fainter and the heart rate slowed. As the body grew closer to the earth the spirit inched ever so much closer to Heaven until she gave up the ghost. She was no longer physical: She became spirit and dwells among Him.

As Christians that is the promise that we all have. In writing to the Church at Corinth Paul told them that when this earthly body is worn out and “dissolved” that we have another dwelling (2 Corinthians 5:1). Our new dwelling is a house eternal in the Heavens. Paul wrote, “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6)” Then he went on to say, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8).”

One day we will all give up the physical body, but only those who are Christians will done the spirit body and live with the Lord. And while our earthly runs are limited by time our spiritual lives are for eternity. David wrote, “I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (Psalms 23:6).”

27 June 2006
Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
little_sorrel@yahoo.com

Living To Die

The needle dangled out of his limp arm as he sat there feeling the euphoric state that came only from the stick of the needle. It was a state of euphoria induced by the pain of the needle tearing through the skin signaling the brain that the drugs would soon be in his system. Slowly, but surely, the cares and worries of life dissipated as he smacked the horse that he road into the surreal land that he spent most of his time in. What started as one little experiment led to occasional use and then to a full blown habit of drinking from a dry well that could never satisfy his thirst. Slowly, daily, he was killing his self; He was living to die.

As Christians there is no guarantee that we will not face problems in this life. Through that first sin all sin entered the world. And, as Christians no matter how good we think we are we will face trials and temptations in this earthly life. There are plenty of vices we can use to get through these “trying time.” Be they Drugs or alcohol or whatever we choose, the trials are still there when the effects wear off. So, we take another drink from that well that never seems to satisfy but invites us back for more.

We don’t have to drink from that well that never runs dry. We have access to a well that satisfies. Jesus told the woman at the well, “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). Of the water of the world Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again” (John 4:13). Yet, when times of troubles hit us many do not turn to drink the water that Jesus gives they turn to the waters of the world and all the vices of sin. All that it promises us is that we will come back for more.

We will all face various trials in our lives. We have to choices in these various trials. We can follow the ways of the world and keep coming back again and again never being filled, or we can drink from the well of Jesus and be satisfied. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The choice is ours. We can let a satisfy us tearing little holes in our body, or we can let Jesus fill all those little holes.

2 June 2006
Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
Little_sorrel@yahoo.com