Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Beyond Heaven's Door (p. 37). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Even in the most final activity of our life, God has a purpose. Max says, “Many people assume that death has no purpose. It is to them what the black hole is to space—a mysterious, inexplicable, distasteful, all-consuming power. Avoid it at all costs. And so we do all we can to live and not die. God, however, says we must die in order to live. When you sow a seed, it must die in the ground before it can grow (1 Cor. 15:36). What we see as the ultimate tragedy, he sees as the ultimate triumph. “And when a Christian dies, it’s not a time to despair but a time to trust. Just as the seed is buried and the material wrapping decomposes, so the fleshly body will be buried and will decompose. But just as the buried seed sprouts new life, so the body will blossom into a new body. As Jesus said, ‘Unless a grain of wh...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Beyond Heaven's Door (p. 29). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) No, I’ve never seen a farmer grieve over a seed being planted.   He understands the miracle when a seed is planted. Max says, “Don’t you know that you will soon witness a mighty miracle of God? Given time and tender care, this tiny kernel will break from its prison of soil and blossom into a plant far beyond its dreams.” Max later says, “A friend told me that Paul’s parallel between seeds sown and bodies buried reminded her of a remark made by her youngest son. He was a first grader, and his class was studying plants about the same time the family attended a funeral of a loved one. One day, as they were driving past a cemetery, he pointed and said, ‘Hey, Mom, that’s where they plant people.’“ He then says, “The apostle Paul would have liked that. In fact, he would like us to change the way we think abou...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Beyond Heaven's Door (p. 16). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Jesus while here on earth tells a story of a king and a wedding.   There were invitations and people came but there must have been a dress code because there was a certain man who wasn’t wearing the right wedding attire and he was thrown outside. Max says, “Jesus loved surprise endings, and this one surprises . . . and frightens. Here is a man who was at the right place, surrounded by the right people, but because he wore the wrong clothing, he was cast from the presence of the king. “‘Wrong clothes? Max, are you telling me that Jesus cares what clothes we wear?’ “Apparently so. In fact, the Bible tells us exactly the wardrobe God desires.” “But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and forget about satisfying your sinful self ” (Rom. 13:14). “You were all baptized into Christ, and so you...