Death, fear and THE LIVING GOD

For other perspectives on this subject visit websites: http://www.deathonline.net/ and http://www.gnmagaz.org/afterdeath or http://www.beyondtoday.tv/program/commentary
I have visited a lot of Funeral Homes and Cemeteries. One funeral that stands out to me since my childhood is my uncle George in May of 1976. Two weeks prior to his death, he planned and purchased clothing for his services. I remember because it was Mother's Day and we were all sitting at the family table(me at a portable table with the children) having dinner and out of nowhere George said, "Mama(my grandmother who raised me), when I die I want to be buried in that new gray suit with the powder blue shirt and tie I bought last week. I want Yvette Flunders to sing "Canaan Land", Sheryl Roy to sing "Going Up Yonder", I want as many flowers as money can buy and I want y'all to have church."
Everybody at the table began to shout and rebuke George but he ignored the taunts and continued, "Mama did you hear what I said?"
My grandmother looked at him as though they were the only ones in the room, shook her head and replied, "yes, son I heard you. But there is no need for you to be talking like that this is a day for family and good times and old stories not funerals and dying."
He simply smiled and asked, "Did you hear what I asked you for?"
She smiled back and said, "Yes, boy".
He was healthy a strong and vibrant man of 32 just short of turning 33. He is another reason I believe in The Bible and THE LIVING GOD, ALMIGHTY. I observed my family my mother and her three brothers, George, Bobby and Travis. I watched them and their associates all my life and I remember a time I hated everybody because of the conflicts and destructions of other peolples version of events and circumstances.
See, I was raised strict and super religious. My grandmother(Mama) considered everybody that did not go to church sinners and doomed for hell. She made me read, study and learn the Bible. We bounced from religion to religion searching for what she felt was right.
In 1972 my great grandmother(Big Mama) sent a preacher from a "Church of God In Christ". What he offered that was different from the other sects we had joined was explain the reason for Repentance and Reconciliation to ALMIGHTY GOD.
He told us, Mama, Jean(my mother) and me to get on our knees and repeat these words, "Father(ALMIGHTY GOD) I recognize that I am a sinner and I believe that YOU Died on the Cross for my sins. Forgive me for my sins and come into my life in THE NAME OF YOUR SON JESUS AMEN.
Now I was 09 at the time almost ten and I was tired of religion and all the stories about babies and mangers and wise men. I just wanted to play outside, watch cartoons(they used to be funny), and eat candy. I didn't feel anything except contempt for this man like all the other men and women who preached or shared their beliefs with my grandmother.
By the way, "mama" is a word children use to identify momma or mother. I took a long time to grow up so I still refer child-like at times.
I observed though a significant change in my mother(Jean), she was nicer and had a different attitude once she got off her knees. I witnessed this change from January 1972 until May of 1976. Jean began to respond as a lady without etiquette classes and began to function in life as a real citizen of the human race. Prior to repenting she had been a drug abuser and habitual liar and a manipulator. She had four children and constantly would disappear and act as though she had none. Leaving Mama and myself to raise her babies. We are all close in ages 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966. I was grown before I was 09. I was like an only child since all of Mamma's children were grown and away from home except for the frequent invasions of my space by those little kids of Anna Jean's(what I'd call her when I was mad) and my uncles clans. I had heard many stories of how young Jean was and how I was not going to repeat her mistakes. I was then forfeited a life of childhood and became a "saint" of anger and revenge.
The day George died was weird. The night before there was an argument because George had told Mama that Anna Jean was "backsliding(a term used to define returning to sin)", he said, "I can't let my sister go back out into that world alone(everyone was saved). She will need me for protection. It has been a long time since she was a sinner and it will be hard for her to adapt."
My Mama responded in anger, "Boy that's just dumb you gone lose your soul and burn in hell for nothing? You got to stand before GOD for yourself, you can't be concerned with nobody else and their decisions."
They went back and forth all night and I finally went to sleep, it was a school night I was in Jr. High and caught Muni so I had to get up early. George woke me the next day, odd because usually Mama woke me and I woke him. He told me not to disturb Mama.
On the bus George gave me his wallet and told me he would see me later. I felt bad because of the arguments the night before, I had said some things I should not have said.
Mama had a tendency to share everything with me and discuss everyone but then demand I "stay in a child's place", when I would repeat the things she would say.
I remember going to school and being anxious to end the day so I could make up with my favorite uncle(brother). He liked 7up and vanilla ice cream with oreo cookies. I purchased them with the money from his wallet and waited for him to come home. He never did.
Later that night I heard Mama scream, " I knew my child was dead, I knew something was wrong oh God why?"
She continued, " I never let him go anywhere without his I.d., he been in that morgue all day as John Doe because they could not identify him. The coroner says that he was healthier than he and he can't explain what happened they are gonna get an autopsy. Oh God my child, my child."
I was immediately reminded of a conversation George and I had where he said, "I don't want to die no horrible death and I don't want to have no incurable disease. I want to go like Enoch did in the Bible, I want to walk right into Heaven and I don't want no one to know who I am."
I couldn't believe his wish was coming true.
The funeral was just as he planned with the exception of the song Yvette sang because there was no time for rehearsal with the choirs. Jean spent $1485. on flowers. I remember because the song by Shirley Caesar, " No charge" was a favorite of George's and the amount she quoted for her nephews demands was $14.75, jean spent $10. more than the song. We had "church" even my uncle Travis shouted(a spiritual dance).
There was talk of that funeral for years. Anna Jean left the church and dove deep into sin, shame and addiction.
I had reference though of a time before "repenting" after "repenting" and returning to the sin you had previously been forgiven(Jeremiah 03:22). It took from 1976 until 2004 for Jean to return to THE LIVING GOD and forsake her sinful nature. Again permitting me to reference THE PRESENCE OF GOD in and out of the lives of family members including myself. Who lived hypocritical to please Mama and people until August 2005.
Many members of my family have died and I have watched their lives and observed the situations and circumstances that evolved the decisions of each person and their destiny at least from a finite perspective.
The book of Hebrews 09:27 speaks of what has to happen to humanity due to sin. Romans 06:23 explains the wages of sin. Isaiah 59:02 explains the separation between sin and THE ALMIGHTY. Genesis 03:01-24 identifies the temptation and fall of humanity.
I get upset when preachers tell families that "god loved them best so he took them" that is the biggest lie told. John 10:07-22 speaks of The Good Shepherd CAME that we could have Life and have it more abundantly, and the thief(Satan, the devil) comes to steal, kill and to destroy .
Death is the final stage of this life. We were born to die so that we could spend eternity after JUDGEMENT DAY. Death was the punishment for Adam and Eve rebelling against the COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
We inherited that sentence and to correct that error we must repent.
Now fear is a spirit of bondage to disrupt the desires to live right. Fear is torment by the adversary of GOD, to deceive us like he deceived Eve.
JESUS Defeated death and the devil on the Cross, we don't have to fear no "boogie-man". We all return to God asleep until the last trumpet blows and The Kingdom of GOD replaces the earth as we know it now. We will be awakened and JUDGED and sentenced to ETERNAL LIFE or death.
The 23rd book of Psalms, the book of Psalms 27:01, Isaiah 41:10 and 43:05 confirm our confidence about fear(terror, torment). The fear of THE LORD is Reverence not that boogie-man persona. It is to Honor and Revere THE ALMIGHTY out of gladness for HIS Unfailing LOVE Deuteronomy 06:02, 10:20, 28:58, Psalms 111:10, Proverbs 01:07, Luke 01:50, 18:04, Acts 10:02, 13:26 02:02-10.
Another experience with death was the day my dad(Big Willie) died July of 2003. I observed the "Spirit" of my dad exit his body and return after an argument with GOD to Permit me to give honor and praise to my dad and to repent of my issues toward our relationship.
When The Spirit returned it had no relations to the body that it had left except to listen to me transform my guilt's into jewels and memories. I mean my dad did not respond to touch or the fact that his body had released and fluids were leaking through every open cavity his body obtained.
He was wearing an oxygen masks before the code blue and exit, it was now filling up with this dirt colored fluid and I kept emptying it for fear he would drown but he was already expired even the doctor said so, " this man is expired as of" (he looked at his watch then stated a time it was 09:something a.m.), I'm not going to turn on any machines but someone is here(looking at the shell of my dad and shaking his head) and they apparently need to hear what you(pointing to me) have to say. I do not believe in God( he seemed to be whispering to himself), but somebody is here and as long as they are here you will not be disturbed this room will be available until we come to extract the body." The doctor mumbled then shook my hand and left the room along with the staff that had attempted to separate the grip my dad had on my hand when he left his physical body.
This was no Stephen King or Orson Wells movie this was my life and my dad. I had not spent much time being a daughter due to Jean and her drama along with my own rebellion after I ran away from home at age 15. I was 31 and he was 46 when he left this world. He had a rough battle with addiction, neglect and trust issues. He suffered alcoholism and had seizures for years and at least 04 brain operations.
I observed his body and the physical changes it endured and suffered then succumbed to. He was also once "born again(the term for repentance)" and lived a good life from like the same time as my mother. He left the "church" shortly after it was revealed my mother was playing church for maybe a year or so, and what I had grown accustomed to and even had jealousies about as family dissolved and never returned. So from 1976-1993 when he finally gave up the "Spirit", Big Willie struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. He remarried at one time and she died the same day as her mother five minutes apart leaving my dad and eight children that were not his.
What I witnessed the day he went to sleep permanently was that the "Spirit" and the flesh are two separate and individual portions of who we are and what we are suppose to be.
Our bodies are temples of GOD(1. Corinthians 03:16), bought with the price of HIS BLOOD AND LIFE(1. Corinthians 06:20) one day on a cross in Calvary. They were meant to be permanent, but sin entered our choices and ushered in a state called death/dying the Scripture calls it "absent from this body and present with GOD(2. Corinthians 05:06-10). The body houses GOD'S SPIRIT that is on loan to you for you to come to know GOD and accept HIS PLAN for your souls.
That's like us as pro creators, we would not appreciate something we have labored for and struggled with to rebel. Marvin Gaye Sr. proved that. If it were not for GOD BREATHING you would only be an excellent piece of art. The 2nd book of Genesis explains that "man became a living soul" after GOD BREATHED THE BREADTH OF LIFE into his nostrils.
There for those that self-proclaim righteousness. No matter how bad a person is THE CREATOR has DECIDED TO BREATH LIFE into their nostrils, so permit everyone their own path to Enlightenment. Only be concerned with the direct impact a situation has involving you. Cherish every opportunity to experience. For without experience there would be no confirmation of knowledge. Knowledge is an art of knowing and Experience is the exploration of execution and decision.
GOD SAYS, "Woe, to anyone who causes another to err(Matthew 18:06-10)", we are also instructed not to "judge(Matthew 07:01-07)" and to live peaceably with all men(Romans 12:18). All have sinned and fall short of THE GLORY OF GOD(Romans 03:23) and we all are equal( the 20th book of Matthew).
My own experiences are the many surgeries I've had beginning in 1982 with an apendectomy that lead to gangrene in my small intestines and a gastrointestinal obstruction that removed most of my bowel. I actually witnessed the surgery while I watched(out of body) from the ceiling. I could hear the voices and see my body but nothing else. I couldn't travel over to spy on my boyfriend or enter the vault of the federal reserve. I was on life-support for a time due to my bodies inability to function on it's own. Rendering me lifeless physically but alive mechanically. I could hear the nurses and staff entering and exiting my room, hear the sighs of disbelief and disappointment because of my youthful appearance and lack of anyone concerned. I don't remember how long it seemed like decades but it was a couple of weeks or months. I was told I'd probably survive another 05 years due to the stress that would be put on my other organs and functions to deal with the trauma I had invited into my existence. Since then I've endured a para-thyroidectomy, a myomectomy and a hemmoroidectomy. I've had my share of ups and downs. Viewed life from darkness and grandmal seizures from April of 1988 through November of 1992, An experience with Bell's Palsy for 112 days, I have flirted with depression and suicidal thoughts most of my life and death was always around me. Fear decreased each memorial service because of my Biblical knowledge and experiences to render testimony of such.
Confident that death is the final stage of this life. It is after death that we should fear for lack of understanding its purpose and effect on our decisions while we lived.
Life is GOD'S BREATH traveling through our clay bodies and enabling us to function as living beings and experience good and bad, knowledge and ignorance, life and death. There is no escape or formula as we will all meet the same fate sooner or later. Death is the final chapter to a well written gospel of you. Equality was given by GOD to man(humanity) and sin ushered in division learn the "Tower of Babel(read Genesis 11:01-09)". Yes, sin is the blame for societies troubles, death, fear and wars. Fear is a spirit that overcomes you when faced with your decisions. Death is an apointment we must keep, after death is your decision prior to dying, there is no other life only Salvation and the efforts to obtain peace by THE WILL OF GOD. Prayer and Repentance are solutions. Love and Compassion are keys.