Thursday, August 21, 2014

Spiritual Perseverance


Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, 35 "Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you."

Acts 7:55-60, speaks of Stephen's stoning for his testimony for Christ. As heaven opened up to him, he shared the glory he was seeing which only angered the crowd more! Even as he was dying he called out for the LORD to not hold their sin against them. How many people today would feel this way about their enemies?Perseverance even in the face of death!

Pancreatic cancer...something no one wants to hear they have. My dad had exploratory surgery and the doctors just closed the incision giving him 4 months to live. He lived for 13 months in pain, agony, and emotional distress. His perseverance carried him to the end with a reward of joy that I'll never forget! The angels had been preparing us all. We would get peripheral vision of someone passing by going to his room, but turning to look we saw no one!  We saw visitors who came, do the same thing and mom and I would just smile! The time came. He called for mom and me. The room was dark other than for a faint light from another room. He asked for us because his eyes no longer could see us. I touched his arm, mom touched his feet. Then Heaven opened up to him! The angels began descending as he counted, "Look out, here they come...one, two, three, look out!" He turned his head side to side as though they were going to fly into him! Continuing to count four, five, six seven...look out! Then total silence when he saw King Jesus! He was about to speak but the LORD sealed his lips. A sparkle came from dad's eyes as though they were reflecting the very glory of GOD! He let out a joyful squeal like a child in a crib does when mom comes in the room to take him in her arms! His head then rolled to the side and he passed from this world into eternity! Our LORD had removed my dad from the crib of this world into the very arms of our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD!   His perseverance through the months of pain is now rewarded in the joy of heaven!

Thank you LORD Jesus, for your sacrifice for my sins and the sins of all mankind! I pray for salvation to come to those who do not know you as their personal Savior GOD.



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