Famous Last Words

Sooner or later it happens to all of us. The time comes for us to draw our last breath and pass from this life into the next. Over the years history has recorded some fascinating "famous last words"....

• "Oh, my poor soul, what is to become of you? Where do you go?" Cardinal Mazarin
• "Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." Pancho Villa, Mexican Revolutionary
• "All my possessions for a moment of time!" Elizabeth 1, Queen of England.

These words were expressed by men and women at the point when they were about to leave this world through death. Some people are prepared to die; they have made their peace with God. But others are completely caught off guard. They are not ready to go. Their last moments are filled with uncertainty - even fear and dread.

There is hope for every human being! God sent his Son, Jesus, from heaven to earth ("The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" - the Bible - 1 John 4:14) so that we might have real life and that the fear of dying might be removed (The Bible - Hebrews 2:15).

How about you? 

Do you know the peace of God? 

Do you know the God of peace? 

You can know both today if you would pray to him telling you need his forgiveness.

For more information text the word INFO to 07747 101352 

To access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

This site will give you access to Bible Teaching Audio's and Video's as well.

All posts have the aim of pointing people to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour or to aid Christian growth and development.

How do you see yourself? - A Seek the Truth Bible Media Blog

How do you see yourself?

An interesting question? 

Often we do not see ourselves as others see us. These pictures reflect how dementia patients often see themselves. As they once were or as they think they are now!

We have been thinking about William Shakespeare in our most recent blogs. Now let me turn your attention to the Scottish Poet, Robert Burns.

He once wrote 'To A Louse'

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

"To A Louse, On Seeing One on a Lady's Bonnet at Church" is a 1786 Scots language poem by Robert Burns in his favourite meter, standard Habbie. The poem's theme is contained in the final verse:

Burns original	Standard English translation
O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us! It wad frae mony a blunder free us, An' foolish notion: What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us, An' ev'n devotion!	And would some Power give us the gift To see ourselves as others see us! It would from many a blunder free us, And foolish notion: What airs in dress and gait would leave us, And even devotion!

In this poem the narrator notices an upper class lady in church, with a louse that is roving, unnoticed by her, around in her bonnet. The poet chastises the louse for not realising how important his host is, and then reflects that, to a louse, we are all equal prey, and that we would be disabused of our pretensions if we were to see ourselves through each other's eyes. An alternative interpretation is that the poet is musing to himself how horrified and humbled the pious woman would be if she were aware she was harboring a common parasite in her hair.

You might see yourself as clever, respectable, good living, morally righteous etc. If you do then you probably cannot understand that God sees you as a sinner. In Romans 3:23, in the Bible, it states 'for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God' - the glorious standard of God. Again in 1 Kings 8:46 it says that 'there is no man that sinneth not'. If you are honest you will admit that no one is perfect and we all get things wrong regularly. You may not feel that your shortcomings qualify to be described with such a serious term as sin! While I sympathise with your viewpoint, in God's terms sin is sin. Anything less than completely right is wrong. God isn't being awkward or difficult in this respect. He is a perfect being and so anything less than his glorious standard is substandard. If you are a perfectionist you probably can understand this. Earth has been damaged, defiled and corrupted by our self centred and sinful behaviour and God will not allow heaven to be defiled in the same way. Therefore nothing that defiles will be permitted into God's presence, see  Revelation 21:27.

Alternatively, you may see yourself as a bad person who can't get things right and you live with guilt, remorse and fear. The good news is that you can be forgiven. The guilt can be removed and your fears can all be dealt with by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Read these verses of scripture. Consider them and ask God to open your eyes to understand the truth of them.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
['He' is God in this verse]

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:38,39

["This man' is Jesus in this verse]

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

['I' is the Lord Jesus Christ in this verse]

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14,15

['He' is the Lord Jesus Christ in this verse]

My prayer is that you will seek the truth and discover that God loves you despite your sin and that you can be forgiven.

For more information, videos and podcasts visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk