App
Fred R. Coulter—June 20, 2020
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Greetings, brethren! I want to thank you for your cards and prayers with the passing of my lovely wife Dolores! Your love and concern for us and our family is greatly appreciated. We thank you for it very much.
We know the Truth concerning the Word of God, that He 'delights in the death of His saints, because they now are resting, waiting for the resurrection to eternal life as a son or daughter of God.
When Jesus returns, all the saints in the grave, going clear back to Abel will come out of their tombs and joint he two witnesses who will be the first to be resurrected at the return of Christ. All of us together will meet on the Sea of Glass in joy and happiness and understanding that now, when we return to the earth, the sorrows, pains and everything that has been going on for over 6,000 years will now come to an end at that time.
This is what Dolores looked forward to! Our very firstborn—Deborah—unfortunately, was born two months premature and she died in September, 1965. We are looking forward to seeking her again. What a wonderful time that will be, because we will also be there to help God with the second resurrection.
We know that the sorrow that we have will be temporary. As Dolores would want me to do, to get out and do what God has me to do. Just as the saints who preceded us and have all died in the faith, their survivors had to go forward and do what they need to do.
Let's remember what Paul wrote concerning the resurrection.
1-Corinthians 15:45: "Accordingly, it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam… [Christ] …became an ever-living Spirit.'…. [through the resurrection] …However, the spiritual was not first, but the natural—then the spiritual" (vs 45-46). This is what we all look forward to, brethren! The very spiritual reason why we are here!
Verse 47: The first man is of the earth—made of dust…." As He told Adam, 'Dust you are and unto dust you shall return, but the spirit goes back to God! This is what He uses for the resurrection!
"…The second Man is the Lord from heaven. As is the one made of dust, so also are all those who are made of dust…" (vs 47-48).
It says that if we live three score and ten (Psa. 90:10) or if by strength four score, God is pleased with that. Dolores lived 76 years! A wonderful woman, smart, intelligent, dedicated and serving the brethren and taking care of the family, the house and the home. Everything about it she did with marvelous, wonderful dedication through:
- thick and thin
- joys and sorrows
- ups and downs
"…and as is the heavenly One, so also are all those who are heavenly" (v 48).
Now, here is the promise for Dolores, and all who are in the grave, all the saints down through time who have died:
Verse 49: "And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly One. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption" (vs 49-50). It must come from God as a gift! It's not automatic!
Verse 51: "Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep…" At the end-time some will still be alive!
As we know, the way that time is going most of us will end up in the grave. That is a blessing, while it's sorrowful for those who remain, because they have to go through the things, going beyond what we have gone through.
"…but we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (vs 51-52).
That's what we're all looking forward to! So, even though we have sorrow—yes, we've had sorrow for over ten days now—remembering all the things of the past, the whole family was able to be here. We had a special commemorative internment at the cemetery.
Verse 53: "For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility, and this mortal must put on immortality." That's the whole plan of God!
Verse 54: "Now, when… [Paul didn't know when this was going to take place; and he'd been 2,000 years up till now] …this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'"
So, Paul writes, v 55: "O death, where is your sting?…. [and all the sorrow that accompanies it; all that went with it] …O grave, where is your victory?"
Think about all the cemeteries, all the deaths in war, sorrow and agony, the martyrdom of the saints, and all the destruction! It's all going to come to an end! God has called us so that at the first resurrection we can begin to end it forever!
Verse 56: "Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (vs 56-58). That's what God would have us to do!
That's what Dolores would have us to do, all of those of you who knew her, who loved her, who were with her. We in the family miss her and went through the sorrow of death with her. Now she is resting in the grave waiting for the resurrection! That's going to be a wonderful thing.
But for us, Isaiah has a message for us; Isaiah 57:1: "The righteous perish…" and there will be many of us who perish, brethren, because there are many of us who are advanced in age!
That's all in God's plan and purpose. Don't be overly concerned. But when you go through the sorrow, and you go through the difficulties then know that it will end forever!
"…and no one lays it to heart, and merciful men are taken away; none considering… [because they don't understand the plan of God; but we do] …that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come."
Isn't that true? Now, here in the world—not just in America, but in the world—we are facing the potential and prospect of tremendous evil such as we have never seen before! Dolores has been spared that evil!
It's going to get the worse! As Jesus said, 'Since the beginning of the world.'
Verse 2: He [or she] shall enter into peace; they shall rest in their beds … [a simile for grave] …each one who walked in his uprightness."
All the things of the sorrows of the flesh, overcoming the sin and death, will all be forgotten. We will have the full joy of the Lord!
Let's look forward to what we find in the book of Revelation, when we come to the time that Satan will be removed, sin and death will be over, and we will all have eternal life. Here's the promise that Dolores wants us to look to, because she's gone:
Revelation 21:1: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…"
Just like the night before Jesus was arrested to be taken off to be crucified, He kept His mind on the goal! He knew that His hour had come. So, let us do the same thing: Let us keep our mind on the goal! That's how we can get through the difficult times that are to come.
"…for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem…" (vs 1-2).
That's where we're going to live! All the saints, all those in the first resurrection are going to be there will God the Father and Jesus Christ! That's what we look forward to, and that's the whole purpose for why we remain alive and the things that we have to do. If we perish between now and then, the return of Christ, then those who come after us will have to pick up the baton and go forward themselves.
"…the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from heaven say, 'Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men…'" (vs 2-3)—and women made perfect:
- perfected by God
- raised from the dead
- changed from flesh to spirit
"…and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people; and God Himself shall be with them and be their God" (v 3).
- that's the hope of the resurrection
- that's the victory that Paul was writing of
Verse 4: "'And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall not be anymore death, or sorrow, or crying; neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away.' And He Who sits on the throne… [God the Father] …said, 'Behold, I make all things new.'…." (vs 4-5).
What is that going to be like? With the greatness of the vastness of the universe, all things new!
"…Then He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'…. [they will come to pass, and here is the victory]: …And He said to me, 'It is done….'" (vs 5-6).
Remember that there's a beginning and an ending; Christ is the First and the Last and He has the keys to the grave and death, so that we can be raised to spirit beings!
"…I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts…" (v 6). This is what we need to do:
- thirst for the Truth of God
- thirst for the Spirit of God
- thirst for the completion of the plan of God
- thirst to be faithful to the end of our lives
"…I will give freely of the fountain of the Water of Life. The one who overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son" (vs 6-7). That's the view we need to take concerning the saints who die in the faith!
Dolores was faithful in everything. We're sorrowful that she has gone, but we know that our sorrow will be turned to joy when we are all resurrected and together on the Sea of Glass.
Keep this in mind as things come about and as time goes on, that we remain faithful unto death!
{a hymn is sung}
Scriptural References:
- 1 Corinthians 15:45-58
- Isaiah 57:1-2
- Revelation 21:1-7
Scripture referenced, not quoted: Psalm 90:10
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 6/23/20
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