[caption id="attachment_657" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.fggam.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Hugo-Chavez.jpg"><img alt="Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez takes part in an ecumenic ceremony to pray for his health and cancer treatment at Miraflores Palace in Caracas in this August 21, 2011 file photo. " src="http://www.fggam.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Hugo-Chavez.jpg" width="300" height="205" /></a> Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez takes part in an ecumenic ceremony to pray for his health and cancer treatment at Miraflores Palace in Caracas in this August 21, 2011 file photo.[/caption]
Chuck Smith, leader of Calvary Chapel, asked the question, “Who wants to go to Heaven?” Of course, many raised their hands, but then he was quick to point out that most people don’t want to die to get there. This article is no joke, it’s a matter of life and death. Today they laid Hugo Chavez to rest or so it would seem to those who attended his funeral in Venezuela, including some fifty dignitaries from the United States. Is death really the end of life as we know it? What does The Bible tells us about this most feared topic to many living on planet earth today? As a believer, do we realize that we have passed from darkness to light and death to eternal, everlasting, abundant, resurrection life in Christ Jesus? For those of us who put their faith in Him, we have the blessed assurance that Jesus is ours, He will never leave or forsake us and not even death can separate us from His Love!
The last recorded words of President Hugo Chavez were, “I don’t want to die. Please, don’t let me die” and then he slipped off, into eternity, but what does that mean? I know some who believe that this is it and when you breath your last, they put you in the ground and it’s all over, but that’s not at all biblical. For many followers of The God Of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, The Word tells us that they breathed their last and were gathered unto their people. Jesus explained that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living and that’s why He proclaimed, “I AM The God Of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.” Peter, James & John literally saw, Moses, representing The Law and Elijah, representing The Prophets, on top the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. Not only did Jesus tells His Disciples that Lazarus was not dead, He also told the mourners over the young maiden, not to weep, because she was only sleeping. Now, without getting into too heavy of a doctrinal discussion, one only need read Luke 16, to know that the Rich Man was very much aware of his surroundings and they were not promising at all.
Jesus promised that “everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” and we know that all of God’s Promises are Yes & Amen In Christ Jesus! He said He Is “The Resurrection and The Life,” not just that He would be The One to resurrect us. Yes, He wept, He was and Is ‘The Man Of Sorrows,’ even weeping over Jerusalem. I believe He’s still sorrowful today, especially since He wishes that NONE would perish, but that ALL would come to Repentance! He is ever interceeding on our behalf, yet still many, many will go the way of destruction, instead of trusting in, clinging to and relying on The Way, Truth & Life that God has provided for us In Christ Jesus.
<img alt="Jesus knocking" src="http://www.fggam.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Jesus-knocking-223x300.jpg" width="223" height="300" />
Hugo Chavez gained much in the world that he lived in, leaving behind some three billion dollars in assets, but what good does it do him now, if he lost his soul? El Presidente was a powerful man, but we do not gain favor with God, by our own power or might, it’s by His Holy Spirit and if we reject Him, we have no real biblical Hope. Paul The Apostle said, when moved upon by The Holy Ghost, “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain!” This is not my judgement on the man, Hugo Chavez, but we should all come to the place, where we know who we have believed in and are persuaded that He is able to keep that, which we have committed unto Him, against ‘that day,’ for it is appointed unto man, once to die and then ‘The Judgement.’
http://victorychurchofgod.weebly.com
Chuck Smith, leader of Calvary Chapel, asked the question, “Who wants to go to Heaven?” Of course, many raised their hands, but then he was quick to point out that most people don’t want to die to get there. This article is no joke, it’s a matter of life and death. Today they laid Hugo Chavez to rest or so it would seem to those who attended his funeral in Venezuela, including some fifty dignitaries from the United States. Is death really the end of life as we know it? What does The Bible tells us about this most feared topic to many living on planet earth today? As a believer, do we realize that we have passed from darkness to light and death to eternal, everlasting, abundant, resurrection life in Christ Jesus? For those of us who put their faith in Him, we have the blessed assurance that Jesus is ours, He will never leave or forsake us and not even death can separate us from His Love!
The last recorded words of President Hugo Chavez were, “I don’t want to die. Please, don’t let me die” and then he slipped off, into eternity, but what does that mean? I know some who believe that this is it and when you breath your last, they put you in the ground and it’s all over, but that’s not at all biblical. For many followers of The God Of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, The Word tells us that they breathed their last and were gathered unto their people. Jesus explained that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living and that’s why He proclaimed, “I AM The God Of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.” Peter, James & John literally saw, Moses, representing The Law and Elijah, representing The Prophets, on top the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. Not only did Jesus tells His Disciples that Lazarus was not dead, He also told the mourners over the young maiden, not to weep, because she was only sleeping. Now, without getting into too heavy of a doctrinal discussion, one only need read Luke 16, to know that the Rich Man was very much aware of his surroundings and they were not promising at all.
Jesus promised that “everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” and we know that all of God’s Promises are Yes & Amen In Christ Jesus! He said He Is “The Resurrection and The Life,” not just that He would be The One to resurrect us. Yes, He wept, He was and Is ‘The Man Of Sorrows,’ even weeping over Jerusalem. I believe He’s still sorrowful today, especially since He wishes that NONE would perish, but that ALL would come to Repentance! He is ever interceeding on our behalf, yet still many, many will go the way of destruction, instead of trusting in, clinging to and relying on The Way, Truth & Life that God has provided for us In Christ Jesus.
<img alt="Jesus knocking" src="http://www.fggam.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Jesus-knocking-223x300.jpg" width="223" height="300" />
Hugo Chavez gained much in the world that he lived in, leaving behind some three billion dollars in assets, but what good does it do him now, if he lost his soul? El Presidente was a powerful man, but we do not gain favor with God, by our own power or might, it’s by His Holy Spirit and if we reject Him, we have no real biblical Hope. Paul The Apostle said, when moved upon by The Holy Ghost, “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain!” This is not my judgement on the man, Hugo Chavez, but we should all come to the place, where we know who we have believed in and are persuaded that He is able to keep that, which we have committed unto Him, against ‘that day,’ for it is appointed unto man, once to die and then ‘The Judgement.’
http://victorychurchofgod.weebly.com
