“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55

This 2 sentence Bible verse when a time of mourning arrives, leaves 2 questions begging to be asked. Turns out that this verse is THE answer to an entire chapter in the Bible, where Paul is presenting the ultimate, technical case for what happens to a person when they die, now that Christ has ultimately defeated ‘Death’ by His own! But in their form, they are still questions!

Lifting off in a jet to come home from vacation, I knew that Keri Allen, one of our very special ‘Jesus Gals’ in church, had recently been placed under Hospice care. With a broken phone, I had no other information. I didn’t know that as our plane flew us home, Keri had already arrived in the arms of Jesus… perfectly safe and secure… FOREVER! OR that I was flying into a storm!

6 hours later, when I got the word Keri had passed, darkness fell. But the Allen family had already been intercepted by the greatest enemy of all mankind. Visiting them, they sat at my daughters house together, family and friends, remembering, reliving and telling stories in the form of ‘remember when?” Talking and crying through the first baby steps toward mourning, where Jesus rules.

The verse today is meant to be a victory shout. An ‘in your face’ punch in the air to satan and the darkness of death. Now that Jesus Christ has beaten death, we Believers are untouchable… ULTIMATELY. Keri can testify to that! But in reality, the promise is a ‘not yet’ for us now. Next to the loss of a child, the loss of a spouse or parent is the greatest emotional pain on this earth. Friend is not far down the list!

Death Sucks! I hate it! But so does God! He didn’t send it, cause it or invent it. But death IS a reality that REALLY hurts. And while the shock and pain diminish over time, it never really goes away… until WE reach Heaven. For those who choose Hell, it NEVER disappears. The answer to the question, ‘Oh Death, where is your sting?” is easily answered by experience. That ‘Sting’ is right here and NOW!

If you are blessed to know Keri and her wonderful family, YOU are in mourning. Add to the pain your remembrance when you experienced it as a spouse or child yourself, it’s a serious gut punch… relived. But now that you know, it comes with serious responsibility. Knowing gives us legs and knees! Legs to ‘Go tell the Good News’ and knees to ‘Pray and comfort those who mourn.’

The greatest ‘Mourning’ lesson I have ever learned is to ‘Be kind to yourself.’ The Bible tells us that there is a TIME to mourn. TAKE IT! We are not untouchable super heroes. Death and mourning are not things we can easily shake off. They take serious time and yielding as we walk through that valley. So take it! Remembering with each step that… Eternal Life is a promise right around the corner for those who, like Keri, choose to follow The King of The Sting! Jesus promises.  We will see Keri again!

Last Night at our FLAP Bible Study, Participants were asked to present THEIR PERSONAL and ABSOLUTE PROVEN Promises that they have tried and God has proven faithful.  THese are NOT just scriptures out of ‘The Book,’ but rather time tested promises that THEY have grabbed onto, tested and found to be 100% faithful and true.  All promises came with personal stories of difficulty, struggle and trial.  I think it only proper to share them.  Thank you participants for your input, and thank you Heather for writing them down.  ‘The List’ is NOT comprehensive of EVERY blessing GOd has for His People. Perhaps YOU may want to share YOUR personal experience and ‘God Promise’ to add to the list. Simply send it to me.  If you are lacking in any of these areas, God has a PROVEN PROMISE for YOU. 

PROMISES PROMISES – FLAP COMPILATION OF GOD’S GUARANTEES

Philippians 4:4-7

“The peace, of God, that transcends all understanding…”

• Salvation story – I was lost and blind.  Now I am found and see.  

Luke 6:27-35

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you..” “then your reward will be great”

• Praying for co-workers who are without joy and not lovable… but God supplied the Love 

Isaiah 40 – 41:10

“Hope in the Lord” will renew strength

“Do not fear ….I will strengthen you and help you”

• Going through cancer treatment

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“He is the father of compassion and the God of all comfort”

• We can use our experiences to help comfort others

James 1:5

“If any of you lacks wisdom you should ask God, and it will be given to you”

• Questions, health concerns – if we pray we get the answers of what God would have us to do

Romans 8:15

“For you did not receive a spirit of fear, but a spirit of sonship”

• Fear, anxiety, problems with society – all gone

John 14:6

“I am the way, the truth, and the life”

• Politics becomes a religion  Stick with Jesus

Philippians 1:6

“because of your partnership with the gospel from the first day until now”

“He who began a good work in you…WILL finish it”

• Don’t forget God is working in you, he will complete what he has planned for my life

Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…”

• trusting God

Romans 8:1

“There is now no commendation for those who are in Christ Jesus… sets you free”

• no matter what, we are redeemed, even in our sin!.  We have grace

John 15:11

“These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full”

• Joy  No matter the difficulty or sadness, underlying we have the possession of His Joy ALWAYS

John 15:11

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Abundant Life – Money sex and power are NOT LIFE!  Only God can give satisfying and meaningful purpose

“My soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.” Psalm 62:5

Because I don’t see it often, I wasn’t really sure what I was seeing. The choice was mine to make. I could turn from it and look elsewhere, ignoring the situation, or I could turn to it, focus and seek to find out more. “It” was a problem, an issue, a something that was not normal or even welcome. But THIS ‘it’ was embedded and surrounded the person that I love the most. And she was down!

Normally up and going a hundred miles an hour, she wasn’t going anywhere. She just sat, head down, staring at the floor. She didn’t even know I was watching her… wondering what I could do to help her to not feel so… whatever. All the things she would normally be doing, along with all the fun things she COULD be doing on a free day, she couldn’t. Her fractured foot wouldn’t let her.

It is no secret. Physical pain leads to mental pain and ultimately to a spiritual desert. When it gets to that point, words simply cannot help. Trying to make light of or to joke about the problem only made it worse. She was down. So we sat in the desert… together. Because even though neither of us wanted to, that’s what loving married people do. For better or worse, in sickness or in health.

It is times like that that my love for Jesus reminds me that seeking to move somewhere more pleasurable or more comfortable robs me of one of the greatest gifts God has for me. Love gives. That is what it does. And the blessing of receiving Life ABUNDANTLY more only comes AFTER it has been given. That is what Jesus did. And that is what He calls me to. It is what Love and Hope mean.

I am blessed and rich because of His life inside me. I am even MORE blessed because I have partnered with someone else who’s hope is in Him as well. Sharing His hope, even when it seems dark or painful, is what He calls me to do. Do YOU place your hope in Him?  

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

It started a couple days ago, as it usually does every year. Boom! Bang! Wizzzzzz! With the 4^th of July approaching, those who bought fireworks for the occasion simply can’t wait for the actual day to arrive. The temptation to ‘shoot off 1 or 2’ is much too strong. Today being the 4^th, it is time to pull ‘em ALL out and let them fly! Spectators encourage sounds and display by their applause.

WAYYY back when I was in Junior High School, a friend gave me a couple ‘firecrackers.’ To this day I will never forget the anticipation and thrill I experienced as I leaned over it, struck a match and lit the fuse. And To this day I am not sure if there was something wrong with it, or if God was trying to teach me an early lesson. Cuz I didn’t get the usual time to ‘RUN!’ before it exploded in my face!

Every American knows that the sights and sounds of Fireworks are meant as a celebration of our Independence. The term ‘Revolutionary War’ describes what it took to free America from the financial hardship that came with the yoke of slavery imposed by England. Daily living was replaced with daily revolting until July 4^th1776, when American Freedom was finally won.

Reading today’s Bible verse alludes to another date in history when man’s ‘spiritual’ freedom was won by God on a cross and through an empty grave over 2000 years ago. The first part of the verse is the ‘Wizzz Bang’ of celebration for those of us who have chosen to receive Life in Christ. The second part issues a warning. Freedom is, and never will be… free! The struggle continues.

Every person born knows that they are not perfect. Inside our being we KNOW what right and wrong are, but even though we have the rules written down, we STILL can’t keep from breaking them in our hearts. Anger, desire, lust, greed ALL convict us as slaves to rules that cannot be kept. This poses a problem! How can imperfect people share Heaven with perfect God? God answers!

Keeping rules isn’t the thing that sets me free. JESUS set me free when He paid for my revolting rebellion. When I gave him my life, I was set FREE from sin and death. But I was NOT set free from my selfish heart. Because try as I may… it still revolts. The remedy isn’t trying to be good! It comes by resting and trusting in HIM! Because only HE can keep me free! Are YOU free… really?

Don’t let life explode in your face… Follow Jesus. 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2

“OH NO!” was my immediate thought when, holding Katie’s hand, I felt a tug toward the ground. Looking down, I saw my wife on the ground, her knee bleeding. IMMEDIATELY I was overcome with love and empathy. AND with a sense of “what can I do to help my love?” What confronted me was an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Seeing my tough wife down was troubling.

We were in Florence, Italy en route to see Michelangelo’s ‘Statue of David.’ It was 1 of only 2 things she REALLY wanted to see on our European trip. In a hurry and running late, she tripped and pain set in. That was 11 days ago. Limping around since, her pain has only slightly diminished. So yesterday she finally conceded to go to the Walk-in clinic. After an X-ray, they confirmed a sprain.

It was an hour later that the phone rang and Katie was told ‘the sprain’ was actually a fracture! Which, to me, was sweet relief! I love her and want her well. But her stubbornness to NOT get a professional diagnosis was NOT in her best interest. A doctor friend of mine encouraged her to get checked out, she finally agreed. Because of pain, she KNOWS what is wrong and is on the mend.

Today’s Bible verse is a promise from God certifying fire and flood are no match for God’s hand. He PROMISES to be with us when we face difficulty. But the end of the verse can easily be misinterpreted as a false promise. God was talking to Israel in regard to their relationship to Him as a Nation. 3200 years later, we see that Israel is STILL in God’s purview. Kinda-sorta!

Not surprisingly, Christ’s relationship to His Church today carries this same promise. Jesus promised, through His Word, that He would never leave or forsake those who choose Him as their Lord. But the promise carries NO spiritual magic! He does NOT promise us healing and miraculous deliverance from every pain, but to walk WITH us THROUGH the pain and suffering we face.

My experience of walking with Christ for 56 years verifies His faithfulness. He has NEVER left me… though I have often moved away from Him, fracturing our relationship. It is humanly natural to move AWAY from pain, deny and seek more comfortable answers than to proceed through fire! But Jesus’ promise is displayed in the storm. Not on the beach! Knowing WHERE I am is critical.

Facing, seeking, and desiring God and His promises starts with ‘Truth.’ It is no accident that Jesus calls Himself “The Way, The Truth and The Life,” and then adds, “there’s NO other Way!” I know, I’ve tried many! Katie is now ‘obeying’ Doctor’s orders and will get better over time. For now, pain reminds her to rest. The SAME thing Jesus says to me when ‘I’ face the fire… Matthew 11:28-29.

Where are YOU? What fires or floods are YOU facing along this road called life. Are you being honest with yourself and seeking ‘The Truth’ and a REAL solution? Have you sought God to find Him? Or are you hobbling around in denial and pain trying to mask or hide from it? He’s waiting to hear from you… and He has answers. 

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5

The medical advice I read nailed it… ‘fatigue, an unwell feeling, unfocused with stomach problems!’ All symptoms Katie and I were experiencing, but unable to do much about. Entering the world of Jet lag is very real, coming down to so called circadian rhythms, where sleep cycles gets pegged to a time zone. The more time zones crossed, the worse it gets. We had traveled 6!

It was the first time Katie and I had traveled to Europe. My sons had advised, “sleep on the plane on the way over, stay awake on the way home.” Having done that, I STILL couldn’t figure out what was wrong with Katie! Having not felt well for a long time myself, I attributed it to old age! But Katie is ALWAYS up and running and joyful. She wasn’t even laughing at my jokes! So I Googled it!

The good side of Jet Lag produced even more awake time when I would normally be sleeping. While gone, we were so busy we didn’t really set aside our normal time to spend with Jesus, like we do here on a daily basis. Consequently, with time on our hands, we both went to our respective corners, opened our Bibles and sat at His feet. There, our spirits were revived. Ahhhh… HOME!

My Relationship with Jesus is the same as with people. While I was almost 6000 miles from my family here, they were STILL my family. I had pictures of them on my phone, and occasionally was able to email them. But when we landed, and my son came to the airport to pick us up… THAT was REALITY. The small ache of ‘missing’ was replaced by vivid experience. I hugged him HARD!

Sadly, I have found that most people have not cultivated a ‘real’ experience of walking, talking and spending genuine time with the Lord of the Universe. And even though they suffer the same symptoms of ‘missing something,’ they haven’t quite discovered what the ‘Something’ really is! Many walk around disturbed and downcast, with little hope. Eternally ‘jet lagged!’ How sad!

I’m still dizzy, tired, and internally messed up physically. But not Spiritually. I KNOW who I believe in. And I KNOW that He is ALWAYS there and ready to sit and listen and talk to me. But it is up to ME to make the move to sit at His feet first! It is THERE that I find myself ALWAYS and HOME!

Are YOU disquieted, disturbed or downcast? Have YOU a REAL relationship with The Savior and do you spend time regularly with Him? Or do you spiritually fly away? He’s there and waiting!