What do I do now? A life long friend was dead in his trailer for three days before anyone found him. The night before he was found I could smell death and was going to check on him, but business took over and I did not.

The fear that I will go the same way is overwhelming, how can I get free from this death. I know that in Christ Jesus I can do all things, but this just keeps nagging and I can't seem to get free.

I need, brothers and sisters help, it seems my mind is overwhelmed with this fear. I know the word, but cannot come to peace. I am 71, all the men in my family made it to about 75/76. I have heart desease and take meds and have a stent and may need more???

I need words of wisdom that I for some reason cannot recall. Thank you for what you all are about to say.

In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip

Dear Phillip,

I'm sorry to hear about your friend, and how sad it is when something like this happens not how we would have wanted for them, or for ourselves.

We will miss you when you go to be with the Lord. That's the first thing I want to say. Also, I hope you are looking forward to being with Him, in peace and love and joy for ever. The Lord has your good at heart, whenever He takes you home.

We have to remember that death was never intended by God, and it is an unpleasant, unhappy event for those who are left, but it is neither to be feared nor invited.

I think perhaps you are feeling a bit shocked, and maybe you are misinterpreting some of what you're feeling.

I will be praying for the Lord to show you some new point, which enables you to get back into rest with Him, and if there are changes or arrangements you need to make, He will show you and lead you. For now, maybe you need to give yourself some time to get over such a big loss.

2 Timothy 4:6-8

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

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Christiaan

Thank you Linn and Miccah

I knew Linn you would be first to answer my prayer. I am not afraid of death, for I am already eternally alive in Christ. I am only concerned for those left, that they would not have to go through that kind of death. I know it is in God's hands whatever comes, it is for His Glory, which is also my prayer. Thank you for your kind thoughts and scripture. I still need prayer for peace in this. His thoughts not mine.

Love you both: Phillip

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Phillip

Dear Brother Philip - when I get overwhelmed, I pray and ask The LORD to speak to me through His Word and just open His Book by faith or open to the Psalms.

Brother, I think you're just in shock that someone who was a friend died in such a way. That is a great shock to anyone - no matter who it is. To find out 'a friend' laid dead in his home for three days would shock anyone who called him friend. GOD's heart goes out to you in this shock and sorrow. It will take time to just get over the shock of it. It would seem strange if this event 'didn't' bother you about a friend. You sound rather normal to me and having a very normal and one could say, 'expected' reaction to the way a friend went.

I don't think you fear death at all. When you think more about this after a while.... who cares 'what' happens to our bodies once we're With Him. They could lay there in our houses until Resurrection day - it doesn't matter where our bodies are --- to be absent from thd body is to be present with the LORD. Our body's are just a vehicle for who is going to go to Heaven and spend Eternity with our Beautiful LORD. The body is worth nothing Until He gives us a Glorified body. :)

His Love and Comfort to you and please give yourself time to mourn this sad event. With heartfelt prayers and sympathy for you, Brother. Jesus Loves you!

Phillip

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I am not sure that I have any words of wisdom to share with you except to say that you are not alone. We are here praying for you and Jesus is with you always! I pray you will find comfort in HIM.

God Bless
maryjane

I am reminded of the pilgrims experience when he had to cross the river of death to enter the Celestial City...

Now I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river; but there was no bridge to go over, and the river was very deep. At the sight, therefore, of this river the pilgrims were much stunned; but the men that went with them said, You must go through, or you cannot come at the gate.

The pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other way to the gate. To which they answered, Yes; but there hath not any, save two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread that path since the foundation of the world, nor shall until the last trumpet shall sound. The pilgrims then, especially Christian, began to despond in their mind, and looked this way and that, but no way could be found by them by which they might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the waters were all of a depth. They said, No; yet they could not help them in that case; for, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower as you believe in the King of the place.

Then they addressed themselves to the water, and entering, Christian began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head; all his waves go over me. Selah.

Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother: I feel the bottom, and it is good. Then said Christian, Ah! my friend, the sorrows of death have compassed me about, I shall not see the land that flows with milk and honey. And with that a great darkness and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him. Also here he in a great measure lost his senses, so that he could neither remember nor orderly talk of any of those sweet refreshments that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the words that he spoke still tended to discover that he had horror of mind, and heart-fears that he should die in that river, and never obtain entrance in at the gate. Here also, as they that stood by perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins that he had committed, both since and before he began to be a pilgrim. It was also observed that he was troubled with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits; for ever and anon he would intimate so much by words.

Hopeful therefore here had much ado to keep his brother’s head above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down, and then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful did also endeavor to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the gate, and men standing by to receive us; but Christian would answer, It is you, it is you they wait for; for you have been hopeful ever since I knew you. And so have you, said he to Christian. Ah, brother, (said he,) surely if I was right he would now arise to help me; but for my sins he hath brought me into the snare, and hath left me. Then said Hopeful, My brother, you have quite forgot the text where it is said of the wicked, “There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; they are not troubled as other men, neither are they plagued like other men.” Psa. 73:4,5. These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters, are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.

Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was in a muse a while. To whom also Hopeful added these words, Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. And with that Christian brake out with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again; and he tells me, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.” Isa. 43:2. Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. Christian, therefore, presently found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river was but shallow. Thus they got over.

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Ron Halverson

Bless you dear Phillip. How traumatic for you. Do you doubt your salvation?

Inthelight, thank you for that passage from Pilgrim's Progress. If there is anything i associate with death it is rivers! I hate them, for i will never forget how a nearby river was dragged for the body of an angelic little 8 yr old boy who drowned. If there is anything that signifies death it is a river. I had once began reading Piglrims Progress but had never finished it nor gotten far.

Hi Phillip,

God bless you brother. And may the Lord comfort you in this time of mourning. Just a few weeks ago my father-in-law dropped dead and lay in his house for five days. It was not a pleasent task to go in and clean up the house. Just a couple of years after being saved, I was diagnosed with stage three pulmanory fibrosis. It was the finest thing that ever happened to me. It was a tremendous training ground for me, and even although the doctors said I would die, here I am 17 years later, praise God. What I learned in the cauldron of that situation, and it permeated my very being, was that I was not leaving this planet one second before He deemed it.

I was a child and a servant of the most High God and no affliction was greater than Him. He had a plan for me and that plan would be carried out. This brought a tremendous peace into my heart. The scripture was " Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

This peace brother, this peace, where Jesus Himself guards your heart, comes with throwing ourselves into the hand of the Living God. It comes when we determine in our hearts to be anxious for nothing and to give thanks in everything. God bless you in your mourning of your friend and may you throw yourself, every part of you, into that safe hands of our Lord Jesus Christ where peace reigns and the stormy seas are stilled for He is the anchor of our souls........brother Frank