Author: lifeinthespirit222

The Merchant of Death is Dead

Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist who made millions of dollars from inventing and selling dynamite. One day in 1888, he was shocked to open the newspaper and see this headline: “The Merchant of Death is Dead.” It was his obituary! The newspaper had confused him with his brother Ludvig who had in fact died in France. The article remembered Alfred as a person who had gotten rich by helping people kill each other.

After reading his own obituary, Alfred Nobel realized that the legacy of his life was not what he had hoped. He set out to make a change becoming a generous person who shared his resources to make a positive difference in the world. You probably recognize the name from the Nobel Prizes (like the Nobel Peace Prize), which Nobel created with a $9 million investment to honor individuals of many professions whose work and efforts have benefited humanity. The Merchant of Death, Alfred Nobel, learned what it meant to become a generous person.

God blesses you and me so that we can be a blessing to others. He desires us to be generous people, and when we are, our joy and happiness overflows. Jesus said in Luke 6:36, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” There is a spiritual principle here: When you give, you will be blessed! When you give, God will grant you not only what you need, but it will overflow.

You and I have been blessed with time, talents, and treasure. We have been blessed with freedom, education, intellectual abilities, friendships, material possessions, skills, and wisdom. The mistake we often make is when we use these things just for ourselves. God has blessed us to be a blessing to others. When we hoard it all to ourselves, we miss the blessing. The gift actually becomes a burden! Rather than experiencing joy and happiness by giving, too many of us become stressed out by debt and the care of “our” material possessions.

Learn to give. Learn to become a generous person. For then you will see that the real gift from God to us is NOT the gift, but what happens when we give the gift. Generosity: it’s the true gift from God.

A Special Letter from Jesus

My most precious child, if you are receiving this letter, it is because someone loves you very much. He or She may not have been able to talk to you about this in the past, or perhaps they have talked to you about Me, but you were not ready to listen.

The most important thing I want to tell you is that I LOVE YOU. I love you more than anyone in this world could ever love you. I want you to read this now and learn of Me because you are running out of time to learn the truth. Life as you know it now will suddenly and radically change in an instant and I want you to be ready.

My Name is Jesus Christ the Messiah, I have come to you to give you eternal life. I have come in the flesh and given you the most ultimate sacrifice anyone could give in that I died for you, shedding My blood to atone for your sins; not only those sins you have committed in the past, but for every sin you will ever commit. 

The price for your sins has been paid. I was the sacrificial lamb, slain for you. Your debt is paid. I did this so that you could have access to the Kingdom of Heaven with Me and Our Father forever. You were beautifully and wonderfully made, intricately designed, and purposed for so much more than this life. You have known all along that there was more, that your heart yearned for something greater, something that would fill the emptiness, fill that space inside and ‘complete’ you.

It is My greatest desire that you know that what you have been looking for is Me! I am the One who has created you for a special purpose and whose love for you will never die! My gift is a free gift, no conditions, all you need to do is accept this most precious gift from Me and you will then have all My promises. 

You must know that you could never do anything on your own to earn My love, or earn your way into Heaven. Your acceptance of Me and My sacrifice is all that is required. My blood covers all, and ensures you will live with Me always.

I have given you a book- The Holy Bible – that tells you all about who I am. It is your instruction manual in this life, and it tells you not only what has happened in the past, but it also tells you what is about to happen to this earth.

I love all of My creation so much that I always let you know what I am about to do. This is why you are receiving this letter. I am about to make Myself known in a very powerful way. Because so many have chosen not to accept Me for who I am and follow My commandments for your lives, I will shake the very foundations of all you know to be your security. This is how I will get the attention of My creation.

I do not want you to be in fear, and I do not want you to miss the most important reason that you were born to be here. This reason is to have an intimate relationship with Me. To not choose Me is to choose a life in darkness eternally.

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I offer you this gift and this decision because of the free will I have given you. I would never force you to love Me, but you must know that to ignore My desires for your love means eternity without light, love, peace and joy. It is a life wasted and cast away.

Don’t waste another moment believing the lies of My enemy, the devil. Don’t believe that life will go on continually the way it always has been. Time as you know it is over and I am coming to make all things new. The signs of the times in which you live are all around you. Life as you know it has become unsustainable. Everything that can be shaken, will be shaken, and you will be forced to make a choice for your very survival. You will choose to trust Me, the One who created you, or you will trust in a system that will fail. My Word speaks truth and all else that is not of Me will collapse. Please, come to Me now. Come as you are. I love you no matter what you have done. 

My blood washes away all your sins and makes you white as snow. I will keep you and protect you, I will provide for you and when it is your time, I will take you home with Me.

I will only have so many warnings, and then the sudden-lies will be upon you. Will you be ready? The choice has always been yours. If you accept this free gift and desire to know Me intimately, and want to spend eternity with Me in complete peace and love,

Please say this prayer (out loud) 

Father, please forgive me for all of my sins. I accept your gift. I believe that you sent your Son Jesus to die for me, and that He is your only Son. I believe that His blood has paid the price for all the sins I have ever committed, and all those I will commit. I trust in you as My Creator and in all of your promises. I surrender my life to you and ask that only your will be done. I invite your Holy Spirit to come into my heart and change me, and make me more like you. I want to be obedient, and I need your help. Please come into my heart this moment Jesus and make me a new creation in you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN

Your loving Father, Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Yahushua ha Mashiach)

Received By Julie Whedbee

Excerpt from http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2018/05/the-war-on-israel-begins-the-mark-of-the-beast-is-coming-3614964.html?currentSplittedPage=0

A Call to Personal Holiness

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.    Hebrews 12:14

We are called to spiritual completeness, and we are called to empty ourselves before God and men, to humble ourselves as empty vessels to be filled with the Spirit of God.

Steps to Personal Holiness

STEP 1 – HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AND MEN.

God calls men to be humble:

If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

The steps to personal holiness (being sin-less and separated from wickedness) are clear:

  • Humble ourselves (personal humility);
  • Pray (communicating with God);
  • Seek God’s face (personal devotion to God – obedience); and
  • Turn from our wicked ways (repentance).

God guides the humble in what is right:

You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.  Psalm 18:27

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in His way; He guides the humble in what is right.   Psalm 25:8-9

For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:4

This is the one I esteem, saith the Lord, He who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word.    Isaiah 66:2b

This is what the high and lofty one says who inhabits eternity: “I live in a high and holy place but also with him who is contrite [crumbled, bruised, beaten to pieces, crushed, humble, or smitten] and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite”.    Isaiah 57:14

Jesus says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  Matthew 11:28-29

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another with love. Ephesians 4:2

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?  Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.  Or do you think scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?  But he gives us more grace.  That is why scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.          James 4:4-6

Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.  James 4:10

SUMMARY:  God seeks the humble, contrite, or broken heart that He might mold it and fill it with His Grace.  The admonishment is clear: we must humble ourselves before God and Men to receive the blessings of a loving and gracious creator.

STEP 2 TO ACHIEVING PERSONAL HOLINESS – PRAYER

God’s supernatural power can be released through prayer.  Many talk about prayer but what, truly, does scripture say about successful prayer?

Those who walk in faith and obedience to Christ can expect to receive answers to their prayers.

Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”     John 14:6

  • Contact with God through prayer begins when we accept Jesus into our lives as Savior and Lord. 

Praying with a clean heart is vital to successful prayer:

The psalmist said: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. “ Psalm 66:18

The Lord is far from the wicked but He hears the prayer of the righteous.  Proverbs 15:29

We must come to God with a forgiving heart if we are to receive the Christian’s legacy of power in prayer.  An unforgiving spirit is a frequent hindrance to prayer:

Jesus says: “When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  Mark 11:25

  • We must have a believing heart if we expect God to answer our prayers.  We must have faith and

in the exercise of our faith we develop trust that God is hearing our prayers and is attentive to our requests:

Jesus says: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22

According to your faith will it be done to you.  Matthew 9:29

SUMMARY:  Pray with adorning hearts, confessing sin, thanking God for the blessing He has abundantly poured upon us, and in supplication, we are to pray for everything in specific terms.

STEP THREE TO ACHIEVING PERSONAL HOLINESS – SEEK GOD’S FACE – A LIFE DEVOTED TO GOD.

Examples of men who were known as men devoted to and obedient to God:

Noah:  (Genesis 6)

            * Noah was known as a righteous man.

            * Blameless among the people of his time.

            * Noah walked with God.

            * Noah was obedient to God.

Abraham:

            * Called the Servant of God (Genesis 26:24

            * Called God’s friend (II Chronicles 20:7 and Isaiah 41:8)

            * Found to be righteous (Genesis 15:1)

David, Daniel, and Joseph of the Old Testament

Joseph of the New Testament and many less notable men of the Bible

What were the common characteristics of these men?

            * They were righteous in God’s eyes,

            * They were obedient to God,

            * They were humble men.

SUMMARY: God commands men to be righteous, obedient, and humble.

STEP FOUR TO ACHIEVING PERSONAL HOLINESS – TURN FROM WICKEDNESS (REPENTANCE)

Repentance: a Hebrew, primary root word meaning to turn back (hence, away); to bring back; to call to mind; bring back home; come back again; draw back; recall; recompense; reverse or return.

God’s commands can not be more clear in this area:

If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways…  II Chronicles 7:14a

 …yet, when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, “We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness.  I Kings 8:47

As seen in the above verse, Solomon, in his second temple dedication prayer, prayed for mercy from the Lord when the people:

* sinned (missed the mark),

* did wrong (deliberately disobeyed), and

* acted wickedly (failed to conform to the true standard of God).

Elihu, in his fourth speech, says of the Lord God:

He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.  Job 36:10

Therefore this is what the Lord says: If you will repent, I will restore you so that you may serve Me.    Jeremiah 15:19

Ezekiel’s prophetic message to the house of Israel on individual accountability and the need to repent:

Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord.  Repent!  Turn away from your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.  Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get anew heart and anew spirit!  Why will you die, O Israel?  For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord, “Repent and live!”  Ezekiel 18:16-32

The ministry of John the Baptist was a ministry characterized by a call to personal repentance.

The ministries of Paul, Timothy, James, and John were ministries which were characterized by a call to turn from wickedness and accept the truth of God’s redemptive love through Christ.

Jesus preached repentance in Luke 13: 1-5:

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 

Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Jesus spoke to the seven churches in Asia Minor in Revelation, but first to the church in Ephesus, the church pastored by Paul and Timothy and the first church established in Asia: 

Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.  Remember the height from which you have fallen!  Repent and do the things you did at first.  If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  Revelation 2:4-5

SUMMARY:  It is not enough to seek forgiveness from sin.  God commands repentance, a rejection of wickedness, a rejection of worldly pleasures and return to Him, who through His abundant grace, pours out the blessings of heaven upon us.

OVERALL SUMMARY – ACHIEVING PERSONAL HOLINESS:

 God has called His people to:

  • Humble ourselves before God and men,
  • Pray for forgiveness of sins, with adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication,
  • Seek God’s face – become devoted and obedient to Him and His commandments, and
  • Repent (turn away, reverse, reject wickedness).

Michael Drake

A Story of Two Horses

Just up the road is a field not far from here, with two horses in it.  From a distance, each looks like every other horse.  But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.  His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.  This alone is amazing.

If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.  Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.  Attached to her halter is a small bell.  It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you’ll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.  Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.

Good friends are like this – you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.  Please listen for my bell and I’ll listen for yours.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

The Greatest Danger

          The greatest danger facing all of us is not that we shall make an absolute failure of life, nor that we shall fall into outright viciousness, nor that we shall be terribly unhappy, nor that we shall feel that life has no meaning at all – not these things.

          The danger is that we may:

– fail to perceive life’s greatest meaning,

– fall short of its highest good,

– miss its deepest and most abiding happiness,

– be unable to tender the most needed service,

– be unconscious of life ablaze with the light of the Presence of God,

– and be content to have it so.

          That is the danger – that some day we may wake up and find that always we have been busy with husks and trappings of life and have really missed life itself.

          For life without God, to one who has known the richness and joy of life with Him, is unthinkable, impossible.  That is what one prays one’s friends may be spared – satisfaction with a life that falls short of the best, that has in it no tingle or thrill that comes from a friendship with the Father.     Phillip Brooks (1835-1893)

A Story of Czar Nicolas – Such a Debt, Who Can Pay

Czar Nicolas the king of Russia would from time to time travel to outposts in Russia disguised as someone else so he could see for himself what was going on in his country.

As he was making his tour late one night in this one particular outpost he was walking down the halls of this town hall kind of building and he noticed that the lights were still on in the office of the town treasurer.

Let me go back and explain what was going on in this office. The treasurer for this out post was misusing funds, He was losing money gambling and thinking his luck would turn back he kept digging a bigger hole that would eventually bury him.

Then one day it was the day of reckoning. He received a notice that in a couple of days the bank examiners were coming to check the books an do an audit.

He knew he was in big trouble so on this same night that the Czar would be walking the halls of his office, he was up late counting money and figuring out how much trouble he was in. When he finished adding up the debt that he owed, he knew he was in to deep and there was no way out.

His solution was he would take his life. He had his pistol on the table and when he finished adding up the debt he owed he wrote these words at the bottom of the balance sheet. “Such a debt, who can pay?”

He was overwhelmed with fatigue so he laid his head down on the desk and fell fast to sleep.  While he was sleeping, this is when the Czar of Russia spotted the light on so late in the office of the Treasurer. The Czar saw the door was unlocked and he walked in. He sees the man sleeping, he sees the gun lying by his hand and he looks at the record book and realized this man had been stealing from his kingdom, a crime that would mean the death penalty and disgrace. Then at the bottom of the balance sheet the Czar spotted these words. “Such a debt, who can pay?” This is when the Czar picked up a pen and under the words, “Such a debt, who can pay?” the Czar signed his name and walked out the door.

Just before morning the treasurer woke up and realizing how long he had been asleep, he reached for his pistol to take his life and just before ending his life he looked down at the bottom of the balance sheet and saw the signature of Czar Nicolas.

Finding this hard to believe he looked into his files for a document with the Czar’s signature and sure enough the Czar had been there that night and paid his debt. The next day men from the Treasury of Russia arrived with bags containing the missing money and his debt was paid in full.

The Bible says that we will all stand before God and be judged from what has been written about us in the record books of our lives. We all have been assigned guardian angels to watch over us and record every word, thought, good deeds and bad.

Just like that man in charge of the cash of his town in the story above, God has access of the record books of your life. We owe a debt that is “Such a debt, who can pay?” If you will call out to Jesus the one who died to pay for your debts.

If you will ask Jesus to forgive your sins, Jesus will take his eraser and wipe out the sins that have been recorded in the record book of your life. Then at the bottom of the blank pages of your record book, Jesus will sign His name with these words. “Paid in full by Jesus Christ.”

Casting Your Cares Upon Jesus: Why Are You Still Carrying Them?

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Most all Christians are familiar with this Bible verse. I find the words contained within it to be so simplistic that most tend to just read right through it without giving it much thought. Truth is, I also discern it has not been given the power behind the words that is so deserves. How many have taken the time to perform a quick study of the key words contained in this verse written by the apostle Peter? To candidly read right through it with no farther examination, our minds tend to go only as far as our English vocabulary takes us, therefore applying our own watered down meaning behind it. Perhaps this is one big reason why so many Christians are not doing what it says to do.

Too many believers are living day to day with the heaviness of all their problems weighing down on them. Our problems have, in essence, become a part of our being as we drag them around with us everywhere we go. Are you allowing the sheer volume and weight of all this excess baggage to make it virtually impossible to live in the fullness of joy the Lord instructs is a marking of His own people? Suffice to say, if the fruit of joy is non-existent in your life, this does not only affect you, but it affects every lost soul that comes in contact with you through the day. To fully understand 1 Peter 5:7, let’s look deeper into three key words contained within the passage:

The Greek word epiripto, [is] a compound of the words epi and ripto. The word epi means upon, as on top of something. The word ripto means to hurl, to throw  or to cast, and it often means to violently throw or to fling something with great force. The only other place this word epiripto is used in the New Testament is in Luke 19:35, where the Bible says, “And they brought him to Jesus: And they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus there on.” It is important to note this passage, for it correctly coveys the idea of the word epiripto, which in secular literature often pictured the flinging of a garment, bag, or excess weight off the shoulders of a traveler and onto the back of some other beast, such as a donkey, camel, or horse. (Source: Sparkling Gems from the Greek, Rick Renner 325)

In the blueprint of the human body, God did not create it to withstand long term stress caused by our problems. Stress wears the body down and will cause you to be sick, both physically and mentally. The meaning of “casting” is far stronger than just a “giving” of. Jesus is not a fragile kitten, rather He is the mighty LION of the Tribe of Judah, able to bare what we cannot. Instead of approaching Him timidly in defeat, He wants you to approach Him in the authority given you by the Holy Spirit and lift off of your shoulders every burden and care you are holding onto, and with ALL your strength, forcefully and violently throwing it all upon His back.

The word “cares” is the Greek word merimna, which means anxiety. However, in principle it described any affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune, trouble, or complicated circumstance that arises as a result of problems that develop in our lives. (Source: Sparking Gems from the Greek, Rick Renner 325)

What “cares” did he apostle Peter say to cast upon Jesus? ALL of them. Your cares may include family issues, such as with your children, spouse, and in-laws, or financial difficulties, trouble in the workplace, school, or even church. Mental and emotional turmoil such as depression, anxiety, panic disorders, fear, worry, and self- esteem issues are also all examples of the list of cares being toted around daily by Christians. Notice that Peter does not tell us to “try” and cast them, rather he charges us to do it. You cannot afford not to.

The word “careth” is taken from the Greek word melei, which means to be concerned; to be thoughtful; to be interested; to be aware; to notice; or to give painful and meticulous attention. (Source: Sparkling Gems from the Greek, Rick Renner 325)

Peter gives us irrefutable evidence that our Lord not only FEELS what you are feeling but His FULL attention is upon you in every circumstance in your life. He is waiting for you to fling it upon His back because He is constructed to take it on whereas you are not. You may not be able to change the present situations, trials, and circumstances you are facing, but you are commanded to shift the weight from yourself unto Him by faith.

One of the greatest ongoing battles facing the Believer is separating faith from feeling. We are moved by what we feel rather than by blind faith. Faith is an action, not a feeling. Have you been plagued with the same struggles and same unanswered prayer for months or even years?

You may have days of joy and what seems to be breakthrough, where you feel empowered to go forth and weather the storm no matter what comes your way. You may have several days or weeks where things seem to be looking up and just when you think your strength is renewed, it all comes crashing down upon you again. All the negative emotions, thinking, and speaking suddenly begin again. This empowerment then defeat is a continuous never-ending cycle. Have you recognized it to be a cycle, or are you so caught up in your feelings and defeat that you accept it as part of your life?

You then begin to doubt God or even blame God, wondering if He even hears you any longer. You expect HIM to change your situation without putting in the time and commitment it usually takes to get free. Have others made multiple attempts to give you Godly counsel on what to do and yet you still refuse to heed their words? People of like mind may give you good advice in line with scripture, but at the end of the day the answer lies within you and God alone. If you continue to refuse to take action, or only keep taking short-term action, this is considered disobedience. The answer does not lie in God’s willingness to act, but lies in you not doing what He instructs in His Word.

Granted, the Lord at times will allow these trials to promote growth, but my focus is on those who are living with their burdens indefinitely, allowing them to control every aspect of life, and not being diligent in obeying the Word until deliverance manifests.

My hope is that today will be the day you make a conscious decision to examine the words of the apostle Peter and run to Jesus with the full revelation that He has not abandoned you. That He loves you so much that His full attention is set on you and He is desperately wanting to carry the load for you. He wants to fulfill the greatest desires of your heart and longs to see you victorious in every aspect of your life. May you once and for all settle it with yourself that you will no longer rely on your own strength but the great strength of the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord, I come before You today to repent of all areas of pride in my life. Forgive me for allowing pride to cause me to carry my cares and burdens in my own strength. I recognize that You have been waiting for me to permanently give them to You. Right now I violently fling unto Your shoulders all the cares that have caused me to not only think but speak negatively.

These cares include (confess all cares as defined in Greek-anxiety, worry, fear, etc.). Take them Lord. I can no longer do this on my own and I do not want to. Today I break to cycle I have allowed to keep returning, and I make a conscious decision that I will resist taking them back upon myself at the moment they try to come back into my life.1 Peter 5:7 ensures me that You give painful and meticulous attention to every area of my life. I will not be moved by what I feel any longer but I will be moved only by faith.

I believe You love me and died that I may be free from all my burdens, for Your Word says, “He whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” (John 8:36). Restore to me again the joy of Your salvation as stated in Psalms 51:12. I choose to walk in this joy each and every day from this day on. In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now begin to thank Him for answering your prayer. Thanking Him is your surest expression of faith. You need not beg Him every day to take your cares. Just thank Him by faith that it is done and believe for the manifestation to come.     Written by Brook A.   https://aminutetomidnite.com/the-christian-life/casting-your-cares-upon-jesus-why-are-you-still-carrying-them/

My Son Came Back From the Dead

On July 22nd I was in route to Washington , DC , for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change. As I collected my belongings from the overhead locker, an announcement was made for Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately.

I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane and I heard a gentleman asking every male if he were Mr. Glenn. At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk.

When I got off the plane, a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, “Mr.Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital.”

My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over.
Woodenly, I followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital. My call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes and that when my wife had found him he was dead. CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital.

By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness.

The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down. When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere. He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if his brain received any damage.

Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before.

Finally at two o’clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken.. He said, “Daddy hold me” and he reached for me with his little arms.

By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine, when we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely.

In the days that followed, there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older children were much closer to their little brother. My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace. Perspective seemed to be more focused and balance much easier to gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound.

The story is not over (smile)!

Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, “Sit down Mommy.. I have something to tell you.” At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story.

“Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you but you couldn’t hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad. And then the ‘ birdies ‘ came.”

“The birdies?” my wife asked puzzled.
“Yes,” he replied. “The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me.”

“They did?”

“Yes,” he said. “One of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you “I got stuck under the door.” A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air. My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as “birdies” because they were up in the air like birds that fly. “What did the birdies look like?” she asked.

Brian answered, “They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of them had on just white.”

“Did they say anything?”

“Yes,” he answered. “They told me the baby would be all right.”

“The baby?” my wife asked confused.

Brian answered. “The baby laying on the garage floor.” He went on, “You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave.”

My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian’s body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, “Don’t leave us Brian, please stay if you can.” As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left his body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form. “Then what happened?” she asked.

“We went on a trip,” he said, “far, far away.” He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn’t seem to have the words for. My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult.

“We flew so fast up in the air. They’re so pretty Mommy,” he added. “And there are lots and lots of birdies.” My wife was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known. Brian went on to tell her that the “birdies” had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the “birdies.” He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay. The story went on for an hour.

He taught us that “birdies” were always with us, but we don’t see them because we look with our eyes and we don’t hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much. Brian continued, stating, “I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan.. Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they love us so much.”

In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order. A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies.

Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the “birdies.” Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this. Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled. Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be.

You have just been sent an Angel to watch over you. Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people become friends and stay a while…leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts .. and we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present! Live and savor every moment…this is not a dress rehearsal!