True Story

Having read that many people die without hope in the resurrection, I pray nightly for the Lord to be with all those who are dying, to comfort them and their families, and to save them all in His Kingdom.  

Years ago I awoke with the impression that my California friend, actor James Stewart, was dying.  I prayed for the Lord to be very near to James, and for him to ask and receive forgiveness of his sins.

An hour later I felt peace that James was safe and fell back asleep.  The next morning I learned James had died during the night.  Though sad I believe Jimmy Stewart will be resurrected at Jesus’ Second Coming.

This all reminds me how important  each of us to God. How much He cares about each one of us!

The Soul that Sins will Die

The soul that sins will die.

The living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything. Their love, hatred and envy die with them.

The dead have no work, wishes, knowledge nor understanding - for they are dead.

The dead praise not the Lord. He breathes his last and is buried; in that same day his thoughts die also.

The dead will never arise to haunt, and will never return to his house. They will never know if their children are honored, or if they fail or face disaster. They do not know about it, because they are dead!


REFERENCES
The above quotes are from these Bible texts:
 Ezekiel 18:4/
Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10/
Psalm 115:17; 146:4/
Job 7:9,10; 14:21

Spirits of Devils

Quotes from the Ellen G. White book, Early Writings, p 262

I saw that the saints must have a thorough understanding of present truth, which they will be obliged to maintain from the Scriptures. They must understand the state of the dead; for the spirits of devils will yet appear to them, professing to be loved relatives or friends who will declare to them unscriptural doctrines.

The spirits of devils will do all in their power to excite sympathy and will work miracles before them to confirm what they declare. The people of God must be prepared to withstand these spirits [demons] with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything, and that they who thus appear are the spirits of devils.

We must examine well the foundation of our hope: for we shall have to give a reason for it from the Scriptures.

For the living know that they will die but the dead know not anything. Ecclesiastes 9:5

The Truth About Grandma!

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God..." 1 John 4:1 [RSV]

As a Christian I fully believe in the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for “Trinity” is Elohim, and in Genesis 1:26 is translated "Us." God is interested in everything that affects us, for the Trinity deeply loves each one of us.

When Adam and Eve believed Satan’s first lie, "you will never die," (Genesis 3:4, 5), the world was cast into sin and confusion that grows worse every year. Satan lied in direct opposition to God's truth - "if you eat it [a sin] you will die" (Genesis 2:17). Since that first lie almost everyone believes that when you die you keep on living.

It was this teaching and the popular 1960's television comedy, Bewitched, that almost caused my spiritual ruin. Bewitched piqued interest in other schoolgirls, and at slumber parties we would attempt levitation and seances.

We did not know the Bible truth that would protect us from danger. “The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing.” (See: Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 and 10; Psalm 115:17; Psalm 146:4; Job 7:9-10; Job 14:21; and Isaiah 8:19-20.)

On May 21, 1963 at 10:15 p.m. I sensed something "bad" in the house. Trying to alert my parents to danger by shaking their bed; I was confused when they did not respond. Crawling back into bed, I was startled when Grandma, who lived three hours away, walked through my bedroom door. She was filmy-white. Slowly she glided towards me.

"Grandma, why are you here?" I asked innocently. Never speaking she came to me, her face changing into a demonic glare while gesturing to choke me. "Jesus help me!" I screamed, while throwing the covers over my head. Moments later the ghost was gone. The clock read 10:25 p.m. I cried out to Mom in the next room, she came immediately.

The next morning the nursing home called with the news that this same grandmother had died the night before at 10:20 p.m.

"Grandma was in my room last night,” I told the family, “she was see-through white." Mom was unnerved, but said, “Such things are impossible. Grandma is in Heaven. When people die they go to Heaven."

For years I wondered what Grandma had wanted from me. Was she really trying to kill me, or just wanted me to follow her to heaven? These thoughts haunted me for years.

In 1975 SDA pastor Dr. Charles Felton explained to me, "the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything," Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10. He explained it was the devil whom I had seen - the devil had been confusing me and wanting me to follow him (the devil.)

I was so happy to finally know the truth about "Grandma!"

Faith & Works

What good is it, if a man claims to have faith but has no works? Can such faith save him?

Someone will say, "You have faith; and I have works.
Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by what I do. "

You believe there is one God? Good! But even the demons believe that and shudder.

Foolish man! Do you want evidence that faith without works is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did! Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness; and he was called God's friend.

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

As the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead.

From the book of James 2:14, 18-24, 26.

Are the Deceased Dead or Alive?

Here is the question: Do the dead come back to give us counsel?

God's Word says: "As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more. He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him anymore." Job 7:9-10. After studying this subject with a certain woman, she exclaimed: "Then who is it that appears in my bedroom and talks to me, if it is not my dead husband?"

Here is the dilemma. If what we have read from the Bible is true, and it is, then who gives the messages in the darkened room? Who is masquerading in the disguise of those loved and lost? Who is so perfectly impersonating the voice and appearance of a loved one taken by death?

God tells us who these powers are! The Bible identifies these powers or beings, that parade as the dead, as fallen angels who were cast out of Heaven with Satan. See Revelation 12:9-10. Keep in mind that angels are not the spirits of the dead. Angels existed long before this world was created and before a person ever died. Job 38:7.

I realize that it may be difficult to grasp the idea that evil angels can actually work miracles. But this fact is the key to understanding the psychic phenomena with which we are bombarded today. Remember: the supernatural, the miraculous, does not necessarily come from God! When that fact is fully established in your mind, you are safe guarded from many deceptions.

"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles." Revelation 16:14. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:13-14.

Now we see that it is possible for a fallen angel to be disguised as a dead loved one. According to the Bible these spirits, which come to us and claim to be loved ones taken by death are not dead people, they are not living people, and they are not people at all! They are fallen angels masquerading in the form of loved ones!

Friend, your Bible makes it very clear that humanity's only hope of living again is the first Resurrection, not at death or in death. Loved ones torn from us by death will be reunited with us again on Resurrection morning.

"Behold, I show you a mystery...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.... For the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.... This mortal must put on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-55.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ will rise first: then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so will we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

The Dead Know Nothing

The living know that they will die, but the dead do not know a thing. Their love, hatred and envy die with them.

The dead have no work, wishes, knowledge nor understanding - for they are dead. The dead praise not the Lord. He breathes his last and is buried; in that same day his thoughts die also. The dead will never arise to haunt, and will never return to his house. They will never know if their children are honored, or if they fail or face disaster. They do not know about it. Because they are dead!

Can the living learn the future from the dead? If there is a [false] prophet among you or one claiming to foretell the future, and if his predictions come true, but he says, "let us worship other gods," then do not listen to him/her! These are false prophets, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles! For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light!

The Holy Spirit expressly says, "In the last days some will leave the faith and will believe evil spirits and doctrines of demons." So watch yourself lest you are weighed down with life's worries and cares, and Christ's Coming catches you off guard. Watch and pray at all times so you will have the strength to keep yourself from evil.

The above quotes are from these Bible texts: Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10/ Psalm 115:17; 146:4/ Job 7:9,10; 14:21/ Ecclesiastes 9:5/ Isaiah 8:19/ Deuteronomy 18:10-12; 13:1-3/ 2 Corinthians 11:13-15/ 1 John 4:1-3/ 2 Thessalonians 2:9,10/ Revelation 22:12/ 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17/ 1 Timothy 4:1/ Luke 21:34-36