Death is coming

The closer death creeps up upon me the less I am able to understand the reasons for life or living.

Yes I have experienced a close family member dying and unlike television it takes decades to handle such a thing. To think I am going to put my family through such a thing when I finally leave is more horrific to me than the thought of death itself.

My life was and is still a learning experience but when all said and done what am I to do with all this accumulated learning over my lifetime if I just die. There is no logic or reason to this.

Long ago I became aware that the God story that is sold to the majority is just a nice story to give mankind with a message of a basic layout of how nice life could be if everyone followed these ideas. Not many in life do and if one thinks about it the good and evil structures actually depend on each other. The good that can be experienced in life is only understood as good when there is it's opposite to compare it to. This is not rocket science only common sense in reality. I am not saying we need to experience bad but understanding in it is needed to appreciate the great things many of us can have in our lives. From birth to death there are many ways mankind helps his fellow man. How many ways can you help?


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Various Ways To Come Out Of Fear Of Death

By Winston Dunbar


Thinking of death and planning for the same seems very strange and paradoxical in a sense because it is supposed to be the end of life as we know it. However, throughout life we are already to deal with death as more of a difficult transition and phase rather than the end of a continuum of life. Although we may die, our relationships would not, and we would continue to be remembered as father, friend, brother, daughter, sister or any other relation we may have lived as for others through our lives.

Our bonding especially emotional liveliness of the physical self does not go away even if we die. This could be applicable for our thoughts, perceptions and even the small contributions we have made to the overall society. Our death does not wash these away at all. This invariably tells the story that our physical death does not end life; it is a milestone in the entire journey. The beginning and end of this journey is too far behind and ahead of us to see them by ourselves.

It may be understood that to know this could be very hard for people. This can be said as one of the difficult act for someone to understand it totally. That's why many act either as they know what death means and act of fear of it. However, they may have to dig deep to understand from their inner self to know it completely. This can be understood by a deep sense of asking by inner heart on who you really are, why are you really here and what would you be, if not as what you are today?

There are number of things which could have made you to think about death and made to think of fear of death. It's also critical not just to understand the real meaning of death, but to take steps towards addressing the unanimous question of life and death. Though we have to understand death and we have to deal with fear of death are two dimensions of our same search of answer and most of the time we are faced with fear of death rather than given what to understand about it. This may be more than what we ideally want ourselves to be in.

However, mostly it is in more or less in a sense which lends you with a positive sense of balance in life and lets you weigh your options before making a decision in a more intelligent manner. You might subconsciously calculate the danger of injury or death while doing something as simple and mundane as crossing the road on your way to work. However, if you care to observe its effect on your practical judgment you would find that it only makes you adopt a more intelligent and patient approach to the whole 'crossing the road' thing.

This can actually serve a positive approach to your life and helps you look at life from a positive point of you. You might have crossed the road a number of times without even bothering to look at both sides, however suddenly if you are caught with fear of death, you may take a cautious approach towards it. While getting life insurance, you might have considered death as one of the ingredients in getting it. People do not realize what death can cause to the financial status and interests of your dependents. There are very few people who take up life insurance as they are afraid about death in general.

There is still another side to it if you care to explore, when one is planning for life insurance, one is not actually planning so much for death or looking forward to it as he or she is planning to ensure the security of the dependents after death. It is this brighter side of things which urges one to look for the survival of his dependents even in his death which comes to define the meaning of life on a very practical plane for an average person.

Though it may sound that it is entirely subjective to overcome death as we just discussed about perception of death, this affects everyone in one way or another; however, this may not be an occupying thought forever. This may come up at times and go down at times too. If people are religious it may be helpful to them to take up death as one part of the journey. It may be true; however, it is common for all one gets past it to deal with their fears about it beyond death. All have to take steps towards dealing with our fears and anxieties to deal with death and takes steps for a happy life and a sense of fulfillment.




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A Biblical Events Chart And Teaching Bible Truths

By Neil J Baulch


Not long back I had a retired Pastor reprove me very sharply, for making some interesting points while preaching on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. He was very old school, and he referred to 1 Tim 1.4 "nor to be taken up with with myths and never ending genealogies.. "

I quietly and respectfully asked him if I had said anything that was heretical or inappropriate to which he answered. "No". I explained that this Scripture was never meant to exclude genuine enquiry into the Bible, but rather it was targeting the false philosophy of Gnosticism. But he would not have it.

Gnosticism had been so influential in the new Testament times, and the new Testament writings, how could a pastor of 40 years experience not know this. It is important for pastors to know these things, and to teach their congregation in order that they might understand and interpret their Bible well.

If the many pastors persist in preaching, lightweight and shallow messages to the congregation, the results will always be a people, who do understand their Bible very well. Pastors preach again and again 'moral essays' and 'warming affirmations', for this is what good Christians do, if they truly 'love' each other.

It seems that the most important thing is, that we are very positive and 'nice' to everybody. It's just too bad, if God's people are falling through the cracks 'for a lack of knowledge' (oracle).

Think about it, the more 'relevant' Christians become, to the world, the less relevant christians are in reality, to the world. :-(

Why do Pastors get stuck in a rut of favorite topics and 'feel good' messages? Preachers preach on a verse from 1 John further a part about a victorious one from Luke; topical address from Matthew following on with the true faith of Mary Magdalene or the righteousness of Abraham.

After preaching portions from here and from there, through the Bible we need then to put it all together in a clear, understandable way for our congregation.

These days a flood of new ideas and publications come under various names that have a liberal bent. If we were to be taught the basics of Church history, we then would not be so doomed to repeat it.

Let's equip the Church in understanding God, His Great Plan and the Bible by sewing each piece together into a seamless beautiful tapestry.

This is not some gruelling, unachievable task, all it needs is study with prayer.

John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (NIV)




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