FORUM II
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? November 1
Dear friends and neighbors…
Thank you for your participation in this E-mail Forum presentation WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH. It is our sincerest desire that you will be greatly comforted, especially now during these troubling times.
Our initial presentation, as a practical matter so as not to be overwhelming, is going to be spread out over 4 consecutive days. This is the 3rd day. After that, we will continue with our series Journey of Faith. Feel free at any time to E-mail any questions you may have, or to contribute any thoughts and input. We will always get back to you on a personal one-to-one basis, so as to maintain confidentiality and your privacy. None of your personal information will be shared with anyone else in the Forum; we will honor and respect confidentiality in all matters.
If you remember nothing else from this Forum, never forget this: GOD LOVES YOU.
God’s Love 4 U is…
Unconditional
Unfailing
Unchanging
Unending
In today’s discussion, we will begin with examining the 2nd of God’s 5 foundational principles that form the framework for human existence.
2. ETERNAL PURPOSE: Relationship. I made you for Myself…in My Own image and likeness…Divinely crafted with the capabilities and capacity to be joined together with the Triune God in a Sacred Covenant relationship…a living union of oneness…the very crown jewels of My Creation, and that, as a mirror of the Almighty, you would reflect My Glory to the created universe.
It was because I loved you that I brought you into existence. My Eternal Reason for creating you is that I love you; the desire of My heart was to bring you into existence. I made you for Myself, in My Own image and My Own likeness. The most intense desire of My heart was to pour all of My Blessedness and all of My Goodness into you, to have intimate fellowship with you, and to become ever more one with you…even as We are One with One Another in our Blessed Holy Trinity!
God created you for deep and intimate personal relationship with Himself…to be joined together with the Triune God in a Sacred Covenant relationship. There is only one [1] God, but the Godhead is Triune in nature…a Holy Trinity. Triune and Trinity…which means 3…refers to the 3 Persons within the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are 3 distinct and separate Persons within the Godhead that is the one [1] God. For a visual picture of what this looks like, the Godhead can be likened to an Earthly family. The family is one [1] entity…but within the family there are distinct and separate persons…father, mother, child[ren]. All of them together, though, are still just one [1] family.
Our Sacred Covenant relationship with the Triune God is a relationship with each one of the Persons of the Godhead, in the unique role that each has in that Blessed Holy Trinity:
- God the Father is my Father; I am His child. We have a Father/child relationship.
- God the Son…Christ Jesus…is my Husband; I am His spiritual bride…the bride of Christ. We have a spiritual Husband/wife relationship.
- God the Holy Spirit is my Master; I am His servant. We have a Master/servant relationship.
Human beings are the crown jewels of God’s Creation. We were created with capabilities, capacities, and faculties that no other living being possesses; You have made Mankind only a little lower than the angels, and placed a crown of glory and honor upon his head. You have put him in charge of every living thing You made; everything is put under his authority.
In our high status as God’s crown jewels of Creation, it was God’s intention that each of us would be a mirror of the Almighty, reflecting His Glory to the created universe. Whenever the Created universe comes into contact with me, they are to see something of Who God is reflected in me; they are to encounter something of God’s character and nature in me.
Moving on to the 3rd of God’s 5 foundational principles that form the framework for human existence…
3. ETERNAL PLAN: I know the plans I have for you; you are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus My Son to do the good works I have planned in advance for you to do. Every day of your life was recorded in My Book before you were born…before you ever began to breathe.
God has eternal plans for your life…absolutely, and very specific. He determined and formulated plans for you in eternity past…an Eternal Plan for your life in the physical realm, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. And He has prepared a body for you suitable to be engaged in those plans and to fulfill those purposes. He Personally knit you together in your mother’s womb with the necessary capabilities, capacities, and faculties to do the work He had ordained for you. You were custom made, tailor made! And then He gave you a specific allotment of time for your life in the physical realm…an allotment of time known only by Him that you would need to carry out His work and His will ordained for you. He Himself has determined the day and the hour of your physical death here on Earth…and no one, nor any circumstance, event, or thing, can override it. Every day of your life was recorded in His book before you were born…before you ever began to breathe!
Yet, you can’t even begin to be part of God’s Eternal Framework for Mankind’s existence, including His plans for you, until you become one of His children in the Family of God. Until then, you will just be floundering through life, with no meaning or purpose.
Moving on to the 4th of God’s 5 foundational principles that form the framework for human existence…
4. ETERNAL PROMISE: I have prepared a promised rest for My children. No matter what storms of life may be raging…a fierce tempest, whipping the waves into a tumultuous, churning, turmoil…beneath the surface, in the depths of God, all is peaceful and calm, all is tranquil and unruffled. In the shadow of the Almighty, you will find an unruffled child-like rest for your soul.
We were all born into this world, but we are not one of God’s children by virtue of our physical birth. We were all brought into existence by God, and are therefore His Creation. But I don’t become His child unless, and until, I am specifically and Personally adopted into His Family and thereby become one of His children. We will be addressing how to exercise your God-given right to become a child of God in tomorrow’s presentation…a right given by God to every human being.
Are you sorely troubled and vexed by various pressures, trials and afflictions that worry and weary a human soul? Deep sadness and sorrow, intense crying and pain, overwhelming grief, loneliness, broken heartedness? Physical infirmities… physical disorders, diseases, and illnesses? Broken and strained relationships… between husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters and family members; between friends and neighbors? Bondage to addictions and habits… addictions to pornography, drugs, alcohol, gambling; addictions to food, tobacco, television, spending; addictions to video games, Internet, social media? Various other bondages…financial, emotional, social, or spiritual? Depression, discouragement, disappointment, disheartened, disillusioned? Downcast, downtrodden, distraught, dismayed, distressed? Discord, disharmony, disunity, dissension and division? No matter how fierce the storms of life, God has prepared a promised rest for His children…peace in the midst of the storm, here and now, as well as for all eternity in Heaven!
Moving on now to the 5th and last of God’s 5 foundational principles that form the framework for human existence…
5. ETERNAL PROVISION:
Gift of My Son. I purchased you, by Myself and for Myself, with the Precious and Priceless Blood of My Divine Son Jesus. By virtue of the Eternal Power and the Eternal Worth of His Blood, poured out on your behalf on that cross at Calvary, I have forgiven all the sins of those who will receive Him and believe in His Name. Christ My Son has thereby conferred upon those the judicial status of eternal righteousness in My sight.
By virtue of the Eternal Power and the Eternal Worth of the Blood of My Divine Son Jesus, poured out on your behalf on that cross at Calvary for the forgiveness of your sins and failures, your mistakes and imperfections…past, present, and future…I have forgiven you of all you have ever done, and have blotted out the entire record of transgressions proven against you. I have erased the entire record of your sins, expunged all of your sins entirely from My Book of Life. I have removed your sins from you as far as the East is from the West, and cast all of your sins into the depths of the sea, never to remember them against you again. There is nothing written against your name in My Book…just as if you have never sinned. And I have conferred upon you the judicial status of eternal righteousness before Me; you are dressed in the white robes of Christ My Son’s Own Righteousness, pure and holy now in My sight without spot or wrinkle or blemish. Though I am overwhelmed by my sins, You forgive them all. Blessed, and filled with joy, are those whom You choose, whom You bring to live in Your Heavenly Sanctuary! I shall forever be satisfied with the good things of Your house, the eternal blessings of Your sacred Temple! My soul shall forever be satisfied, Father…as with the richest of foods! I feast on the abundance of Your House; You give me drink from Your river of delights!
The Blood of Your Divine Son Jesus envelops my soul…encases my soul…as an impenetrable shield; sin can never again stain my soul. The Blood of Your Divine Son Jesus has conferred upon me the judicial status of eternal righteousness before You, Father… forever pure and holy in Your sight, without spot or wrinkle or blemish. And although my outer garments often become soiled with sin as I live out my everyday life, I can continually come before You to acknowledge and confess my sins and failures. You are faithful and just to forgive me for my sins, and You are faithful and just to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. You wash anew my garments that have been soiled with sin in the Blood of Your Divine Son Jesus, and make them clean again, dazzling and white. And You wash my feet with pure water…You wash the dust of sin off my feet, enabling me to stand before You in the Holy of Holies, in the inaccessible light of the Glory of Your unclouded Presence. This is my birthright…by virtue of being adopted into Your Family as a child of the Most High God!
The Gift of My Holy Spirit, given to dwell in you…never to leave you, never forsake you… to be the Divine Nature abiding in you Whose Power continually guarantees and secures your capability to live your everyday life: faithful to your solemn marriage vows as the spiritual bride of Christ My Son; faithfully within the Holy of Holies and My unclouded Presence in our Sacred Covenant relationship.
My friends, I will continue this presentation in tomorrow morning’s E-mail. May you find and fully embrace a life that is peaceful and calm, tranquil and unruffled…a true sense of peace and joy, a true sense of comfort and well-being…all the days of your unfolding existence.
If anyone would like to be added to this E-mail Forum, please send name and E-mail address to:
Preserve Christian Family Ministries, Inc.
mihkail43@comcast.net
Preserve Christian Family 