A Hope Realized

/ Neal Embry / Leave a comment

I’m at that point where words just won’t come.  Yesterday, a good friend of mine was killed in a car accident, at the age of 19.  It still doesn’t feel real.  These things aren’t supposed to happen.  But they do.  And the only question pounding on everyone’s heart and mind is: Why?

I wish I could answer that.  Not for me, but for her family and loved ones.  I don’t know why.  No one does.  Going to class today just didn’t feel right.  Practicing lines for drama doesn’t feel right.  It’s as if nothing else matters right now.  Life is so precious, and yet I can take it for granted every day.

One of the verses behind this blog, Philippians 4:7, says “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  I blog about the peace of God through Christ all the time, and yet, on days like this, that peace can seem so elusive.

The memories I have are those of her smiling, laughing, and singing.  I know she’s in a better place, but it doesn’t take away the pain of those who are still here.  As I look back on the last year or so I’ve known her, it still hasn’t hit me that she’s gone.  It is truly painful to write at this point.

But we do have hope.  She had hope.  And that hope is now realized for her.

Romans 8:18–“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Romans 8:38-39–“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Philippians 1:21–“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

The greatest comfort I know in this tragedy is that she loved the Lord.  In everything she did, she praised the wonderful love of Christ Jesus.  And I take comfort knowing that this day, she is in the presence of her Savior, and of her Heavenly Father.

Nothing can take away what happened Sunday afternoon.  But nothing can take away the promise, given by God Himself, that she is in glory, and that she is rejoicing with Jesus today.

Throughout all the pain, the tears, the heartache, God is still God.  We may not take joy in anything else right now, but know that God is still God.  There will be a day where death is no more, where every tear is wiped away, but for now, we press on, making known the blessings of knowing God, and giving praise to Him in all that we do.  That’s what she did.  My prayer for these next few weeks and months is that God would continue to receive all the glory He is due, and that, in remembering our friend, we honor the Savior she loved so deeply.  That will honor her memory.  That, if nothing else, may help to bring peace.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57–“Behold! I tell you a mystery.  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’

‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

My words may not be much consolation to those who knew my friend.  But maybe the word of God is.  God has given us the victory through Jesus.  Death has no power over the believer in Jesus.  We are set free from sin and death through our Lord and Savior.

This sweet girl is alive in Jesus.  We miss you.  We long to see you again.  And we will.  One day, we will meet again in glory, when we bow before the throne and worship, once again as brothers and sisters in Christ.  And on that day, there will be nothing that stops you from singing your beautiful song to the Lord.  On that day, every pain and every tear will be gone, and we will together praise the goodness of our God for all eternity.  Rest in peace, my friend.

God bless,

Neal E

Kingdom Inheritance Continued

/ Neal Embry / Leave a comment

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

The kingdom.  I strive, so many times, to earn good grades, to enter into that “one” relationship, to be known, to make money…and my heavenly Father, out of His amazing love for me, has given me the kingdom!  How foolish I can be!

Don’t miss the first part of that…not only does God give us the kingdom, He delights, it pleases Him to give us the kingdom!

When we enter into relationship with God, which is made possible only through Jesus Christ, He makes us part of the family of God, and we have an inheritance in the kingdom of God.  We are co-heirs with Christ, our Savior.  Hebrews calls this an “eternal inheritance,” for it will never fade.  Our God is eternal, and when we are saved, we are promised that for the rest of time, for all eternity, we will live and share and enjoy the presence of God.  No more tears, no more sin, no more death, only God and His family.

Is that enough for us?  To live eternally, with no end, in the presence of God, who created this universe, who is sovereign over all things?  In the presence and enjoyment of the God who created us, who LOVES us, unconditionally, and who SAVED us from our sin and from death?  Is it enough to enjoy Christ, our Savior?  We have a foretaste here on Earth and what that eternal fellowship will be like through the local church, but it does not compare to the awesome and glory of heaven.

So again I ask, why do you worry? Or rather, what worries you?  Job, home, family?  Concerns about how you look to others?  Lay it down, brothers and sisters.  Jesus is Healer.  He is Savior.  Will life get easier?  No, and it might get harder.   But we have the promise that God is with us, and He will work in and through us for His glory, and that, I can say with full confidence, satisfies.  Being a part of the family of God brings true joy.

This kingdom inheritance should radically impact and change the way we live our lives. Look at verse 33 of Luke 12: “Sell your possessions and give to the needy….For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  We give to the needy because we are no longer needy because God has secured us eternally.

If we truly love the Lord, and have fellowship and intimacy with Him, we will give everything to follow Him, to know Him, and to make Him and His glory known all around this world.

Romans 8:15-17 says “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Suffering.  Not a fun word, we don’t like to think about it.  But we are promised that through our suffering, we are being made more like Christ (James 1:3-4) and that after it all, we will be glorified with Christ.  It will be worth it.  Christ is worth it.

He is worth it.  Our inheritance in the kingdom of God should overcome all of our worries, anxiety, and suffering.  We have peace with God because of Christ.

Don’t seek after the things of this world.  Center your life around Christ.  Seek God’s kingdom.  Do not worry, for God loves to love you, to give you the kingdom.

If you are a believer, there is no cause for concern because we have a heavenly Father that delights in providing for us, so much so, that He has given us the greatest gift in Himself, and has also given us an inheritance in His eternal kingdom.

One last thing I want you to see is the result of this glory, this inheritance, what this treasure will look like.  Turn to Revelation 19:6-9.  This is what awaits us in heaven…a feast, a fellowship, with God Almighty, and with our Lord and Savior, looking forward to an eternity with Him who loves us deeply.

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’–for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.  And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'”

The marriage supper of the Lamb to His bride, the church, the believers.  Revelation 21:3-5 says that God will wipe every tear from our eye, and there will be no more mourning or death.  He will “dwell with them,and they will be his people.”  There is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, man or woman, American or Middle Eastern….only God’s family.  We look forward to this feast, to this fellowship, to enjoying our inheritance in God’s kingdom, and enjoying God Himself, for all eternity.  We can do this because of the incredible love Christ showed for us on the cross.  It is by Him alone that we can live, and have right relationship with God.

And it is for Him only that I write, and that I live for.  May God get the glory.

God bless,

Neal E

Comments, questions, concerns? Send to rembry@forum.montevallo.edu.  I will be more than happy to tell you more about God, and how you can be a part of this family.