Perspectives on Life and Death – Part 1

Last week was very eventful. I celebrated this blog’s one-year anniversary on the day that a prophetic mentor who was only a few years older than me, died. A short time before that, we had ISIS in Libya killing 21 Coptic Christians.

Let’s look at life and death today. There are all kinds of life and death in our lives…visions for our life and what we’d like it to be, death to dreams, jobs, or things we’d like to see for ourselves, plus the deaths of people we know and respect. But first, let’s look at what life and death actually mean.

Definitions – Webster’s New World 3^rd College Edition

Life – that property or quality of plants and animals that distinguishes them from inorganic matter or dead organisms.

Death – the act or fact of dying; the permanent ending of all life in a person, animal, or plant.

Existence – the act of existing, state or fact of being; life; living

Definitions – Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary

Life – Hebrew – ‘hay’ Strong’s 2416, it means living thing; life. It is a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective meaning alive, living.

Greek – ‘zoe’ Strong’s 2222, it means life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which he gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself.

Death – Hebrew – mût Strong’s 4191, it essentially means to “lose one’s life.” The word is used of physical ‘death,’ with reference to both man and beast.

Greek – nekros, Strong’s 3498, it means the death of the body, or it can also refer to the spiritual condition of unsaved mankind.

Thoughts on the Anniversary

I am incredibly grateful to all you readers. You’ve challenged me to help find my way to be help to you. To encourage, inspire and uplift you in the middle of my emotional pain and rejection, and in sharing my resources on writing with you. That’s brought me life and healing from said rejection issues that have plagued me my whole life.

Thoughts on the passing of John Paul Jackson and the 21 Coptic Christians

Last week, John Paul Jackson passed away. He was only a few years older than me. I mentored with his ministry in an informal way. I took all his classes, and tried to become a certified teacher with his ministry, but that didn’t happen. I’ve always respected him and his focus on character above gift, even if at times, I didn’t understand it. Although I haven’t really had a lot of contact with his ministry for quite some time, I’m finding I’m missing his presence on earth more than I thought I would.

Last week we also heard about the 21 Egyptian Christians being executed. There’s a lot of death in this world. The families and friends of these Christians are mourning the presence of their loved ones – who’d gone to Libya in order to find jobs to help their families’ financial situation. Their absence now is burdensome to their families. I’m hoping the Body of Christ around the world steps up and helps in practical ways.

How can we be givers and bringers of life in the midst of all this death? By accomplishing God’s will in our lives. What is His will? Jesus said we do the Father’s will when we believe in the one He has sent, meaning Himself.

Because with Christ, death has lost its sting – eternal death doesn’t have to be our portion, spiritually speaking.

John Paul Jackson

So for me, the death of John Paul Jackson and the 21 Coptic Christians is more of a temporary separation. They’re in heaven, and that’s where I’m headed. So even though we miss their presence with us here on earth, they’re in a much better place than we are.

In the case of John Paul Jackson, some people have wondered if he died before his time, or that the enemy might have stolen his life. When I first heard of this, my feelings were that he fulfilled his purpose. He lived his life, though shorter than many, to the fullest. I already miss him more than I thought I would, even though, like I said, I haven’t had contact with his ministry for years. But he left within me a spiritual deposit from himself. And even though I had the hardest times of my life while associated with his ministry, or trying to be, I feel that I can still fulfill my purpose, because he fulfilled his. And he is a seed that fell to the ground and died, so that many of us even slightly associated with him can be richer for the experience of having crossed paths with him at all.

Next week I’ll talk about our personal lives, and what brings life and death to our dreams, visions for our life, and relationships.

What about you? We’ve all had people close to us die, and we’re outraged when those of our faith are martyred. How you feel about the passing of those you think went too soon? Leave a comment and let me know.