War Cry - April, 2015 Page 42

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The War Cry | APRIL 2015

Dear Mourning:

I'm so sorry to hear about your

mom's death, and I do understand
your heart's desire to know that she
has found happiness in Heaven. The
short answer is that only God knows
for sure. And He has given no clear
direction about this in His Word.
What is clear, and repeatedly so, is
that only those who have accepted
Jesus Christ's payment for their sins
will be able to have a relationship
with God. That relationship based in
love would see an increasing desire
on our part to be more like Jesus, and
to live our lives to please God. This is
the most important factor in where
we spend life after our earthly death.

Well into the 20th century, it was

widely believed that suicide was one
sin the person could not ask God's
forgiveness for after committing the
act and, therefore, they could not re-
ceive His forgiveness. That being the
case, they would spend eternity in
Hell, separated from the Father.

Today, there is a greater under-

standing of the complex nature of
suicide, as well as the fact that God is
the only one who can truly know the
condition of our hearts. He alone will
make that final judgment regarding
our eternal home.

It is important to remember that

each of us is made in the image of
God and that each life is extremely
precious. God has a plan for our lives
that does not include suicide. As the
One who creates all life, God alone
has the authority to say when our
lives will end. To commit suicide is to
put ourselves in the place of God and
it is self-murder. Two sins.

Trust God with your mother's dis-

position. Leave your concerns about
this in His hands. And perhaps you
can direct that energy towards those
you encounter in your life who may
be facing depression and despair. Ask
the Lord to increase your sensitivity
in this area, so that you may be able
to offer them assistance. Do it in
memory of your mom.

Dear Curious:

Prayer is an unbelievable privilege

and cherished opportunity for those
who have accepted Christ's salvation.
It is the ability to walk into the pres-
ence of God at any moment in any lo-
cation and talk to Him on any subject.
It is to have fellowship with our Father
who is in Heaven. There, through con-
versations over one's lifetime, a rela-
tionship develops and deepens. Love
for the Father blossoms. We increas-
ingly desire to please Him, to be like
Him. Our lives begin to be transformed
and we start to look more like our Fa-
ther. Invaluable counsel is found. Op-
portunities abound for us to bring our
concerns, our loved ones, our friends
before His throne, to add our voice to
others asking for attention and inter-
vention in these areas. HALLELUJAH!

Dear Aunt Sally:
My mom, who was a Christian,
killed herself. Is she in Heaven?

-- Mourning My Mom

Dear Aunt Sally:

What is your view on prayer?
Doesn't God still know our

hearts' and souls' needs and
wants even if we don't pray as
much as we should?

-- Curious About Prayer