Living under grace

Here is something I read on Facebook.

Living under grace

by Diana

We live under the law of grace, but we have sin defined so that we have loving boundaries in place. There is freedom in boundaries that help us uphold healthy standards. Healthy standards help for healthy individuals, families and societies.

Present life and future death

Here is something I read on Facebook.

Present life and future death

by Joshua Agan

I love to laugh. I love to poke fun at absurdities, inconsistencies, and even my own problems in life. I believe that if you can’t laugh at yourself and laugh with others, then you’re doing life the hard way. Life’s too short not to enjoy (and none of us make it out alive anyway). 😂

But there is not only a time for laughter—there are times that we have to be serious and even somber.

It’s not what you know but who you know

“It’s not what you know but who you know.”  Have you ever heard anyone say that?  Usually it is said by someone who believes some other person has received a promotion or some other honor because someone has shown favoritism to him, not because he earned it.  Often this is the case.  People are often promoted over those who are better qualified because they know the boss and the other person doesn’t.  This is certainly unfair.

But there is one case where who you know is more important than what you know

A near life experience

Many people have had what are called near death experiences.  They found themselves outside of their bodies and saw a bright light to which they were attracted, but before they could reach the light they were back in their bodies.

Opinions differ as to what really happened.  Some think this was a real event and they actually left their bodies for a short time.  Others think this was a delusion created by their minds.  The Bible has many accounts of death but it never describes what goes on in the mind of a person who is dying, so we can’t use it to answer the question.

I have no personal opinion on the subject.  Those who believe it is a real experience claim that this proves that life continues after the death of the body.  I believe in the continuation of life because the Bible teaches it, so I don’t need any scientific confirmation.  After we experience death ourselves we will no doubt learn the truth.

Light affliction

Paul wrote,

This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Later in the same letter he tells us what some of these light afflictions were.

The guards

Peter and the other apostles were imprisoned by order of the high priest and were freed from prison by an angel.

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
Acts 5:17-21

Peter was imprisoned again when King Herod began persecuting the church.

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
Acts 12:1-3