I heard a wonderful message today from one of my all-time favorite preachers. Apostle Richard D. Henton. The title to his message was, “I’m a Survivor, Not a Casualty!” Not only did I love the message, I identified with it as well. As I looked at my Dad, who has been in that place between life and life slipping away – I couldn’t help but think of how he would classify as a survivor! He has beat the odds on death several times in the last few months; just when it looked as if he was going down for the last time, he recovered from that weak place and resumed strength. My grandmother, his mother was the same way. Quite frankly I hope those genes and characteristics still run through me.
Scripture says that “it is appointed unto man once to die,” – it is for certain that we are born to die Hebrews 9:27). However, there is no victory in going before the appointed time
Ecclesiastes 5:18(KjV) says:
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. ????? ? ?????????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ??????????? ???? ??????
The days of our life are to “enjoy the good of our labor to enjoy our family, to enjoy life. As much as we as believers hope to make heaven our home, we are not to race to get there. Life is preparation for eternity! It’s the dressing room, the place where we take off and put on –until that day when we are robed in the garments that will take us home to live with God forever and ever and ever!
Do we see a conflict in scripture when we look at Job 2: 6:
6And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
There is none – for satan can attack, he can rile against us and make accusation, but ultimately he cannot take our life without the permission of God.
The message I heard today was intensely personal for the preacher who gave it, and yet it was a universal message of hope to anyone who could receive it – and this is the message I too want to leave…
Until the day God calls us home we are to “fight the good fight of faith” – when anything is not the will of God comes against us we must remember that we are survivors – not casualties – we have been given “power over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt us.”(Luke 10:19 (KJV)
The message of the cross is a message of life! Let’s live out our days in the victory that Jesus died for!
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
God Bless You,
Maria ????????? ????? ????