To Heaven a Little Early

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-11



Two nights ago I found out that one of my son's friend .. mother is in the hospital dieing of cancer .. that the cancer had spread to her brain .. they gave just a few days to live .. This young man who is only 20years old and is an only son has also been like a son to me .. I have two sons and they both have friends that have been coming to my house .. some before they were even teens .. they have grown up in my home .. this group of young men are all between 20-30 years old.. I refer to them and this is so not one could say that I care or love one more then they other .. I call all of them "number three son" .. and Philip is one of my "number three sons" .. I did not really know his mother .. met her a few times .. she was pretty much to her self .. spoke mainly German .. I knew that for a while she had been sick but I did not know the extent..

Yesterday I felt touched to my heart to go visit her to the hospital .. to witness and to pray for her .. I was not going there to pray as much for God to heal her .. which I do know that He is all powerful and also merciful .. I just figure that everyone should be spoken to of the mercy and grace of God .. of His salvation and most important about eternity at that point in their life .. when soon in the land of the living they will no longer be.. unfortunately she was not coherent .. she seem to be in a lot of pain and definitely not at peace.. since I could not talk or make conversation with her... I just held her hand and prayed to God to let her rest and be at peace .. I thank God that when we left she no longer was moving uncontrollably and groaning
or trying to make her self lose from the straps that tied her arms to the rails on the sides of the bed..

Later that night I said Lord why did I go there for .. its not like I was able to preach to her .. but I was reminded of a conversation I had a little earlier .. in fact just a few hours before I had left to go to the hospital .. I was speaking to one of my sisters who serves the Lord .. she is a good grounded Christian and has been serving the Lord for 20 or so years .. she had told me that God speaks to us when He wants us not to do something or to do something .. she said or asked me if I have ever heard the voice of God .. I said yes I have .. well God also talks to our hearts when He wants us to stop behaving a certain way .. or when we are wearing a certain type of clothing that may be offensive to Him and provocative to others.. to the men out there which that is exactly what her testimony was about .. she said listen to me bro .. when God wants you to stop doing something .. that He dose not approve for your own good .. you will know because the conviction will feel heavy.. she said we should ask God to remove from us those things which stop the flow of His blessings .. and when we pray this God will let us know .. He will speak to us and we must be willing to listen ..

I have been praying these words for a while .. after my conversation with my sister and after I return from the hospital .. I was out side talking with my son E.. .. I asked him if Philip's mom smoked cigarettes and he said she was a heavy smoker .. two seconds later just as my sister and I were talking earlier that conviction wight heavy in my heart .. that God may not send people to hell if they serve Him with their heart and continue to smoke .. but yes they are going to die an ugly death.. that is to say their human body is going to die younger and again in an ugly way .. and yes that they are going .. To Heaven a Little Early ..

Now to end my thoughts I will take you back to the scripture at the top of the page .. mainly to verse #8

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Looking at this woman lying there .. knowing that the end for her is soon knocking at her door.. reminded me of this verse .. that satan is doing everything he can to destroy our life's and the life of those close to us..

God Bless you today and ask yourselves today .. what is it that God wants me to get rid of in my own life to make me healthier or just a better child of God

JAH Bless .. Tbone out