---Death walks the land...but death has always walked the land...Death is enjoying far more publicity and attention...

---Remember David saying, "...there is but a step between me and death." First Samuel 20: 3---Why don't you do a biblical study and "see" how many souls actually "out ran" death? You will find the number to be surprising...

---The writings of the Early Church Father, St. Cyprian, of Carthage (200-258), have blessed me. He lived in a time of terrible persecution against the Church of Jesus. He would end up giving his own life because of his devotion to Christ. This is basically his guidance on "how to live forever"---that he penned for the text above, First John 2:17...

We who desires to live forever should do the will of the everlasting God. Now this is God's will which Christ both obeyed and taught:

Humility in behavior; firmness in faith;

Modesty in speech; fair-mindedness and compassion in all we do;

Self-control in sensual appetite; to be unable to harm others,

And to be able to put up with any harm when it is done to us;

To live at peace with our brothers and sisters;

To love God with all our heart;

To love Him because He is a Father;

To reverence Him because He is God;

To treasure nothing whatsoever above Christ,

Because He treasured us above everything;

To cling with utter attachment to His love;

To stand by His cross boldly and devotedly;

When there is any struggle for His name and glory,

To show in speech the loyalty with which we confess Christ;

In torture, the strong trust with which we fight for Him;

In death, the endurance by which we are crowned.

This is to aspire to be joint-heirs with Christ;

This is to obey the command of God;

This is to fulfill the will of the Father.

---From Cyprian: "Behold our God! Behold our Christ! He is the Mediator between God and humanity. He puts on human nature that he may lead humanity to the Father. What humanity is, Christ was willing to be, that humanity may become what Christ is."

Grace & Peace in Jesus Our Lord, Pastor Jason