“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”
It is so important that we surrender and understand what Jesus has done for us. We never have to worry because He has bridged the gap to heaven so we can rejoice for eternity. When we die in the Lord we live and when we live to be a light we shine all the time. The world tries and gets us to believe that we need all that it offers but that only leads us to loose focus on what (who) is true, Jesus Christ. Look at verse 11 and see the despair, “The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”
We must renew our minds daily and remember how much God loves us and has given us. The world cannot fill the emptiness in our heart that can only be filled by the Lord. I saw a quote from Erwin McManus and it really made me think, he said, "You need to live before you die - but you need to step back and make sure you die before you live." If we don't remember and be thankful daily it is easy for us to get caught up in this world. In Ephesians chapter 6 verses 13-17 we get some instructions that will benefit us for everyday life and we should put them into practice always. “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
We must remember that we will have trials and things in life will happen that we don't understand but we must always know that God loves us so much that He gave His Son for us and what ever is going on will not last for long. Look at Revelation chapter 14 verse 12 which says, “This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying His commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.”
I want to end with a verse from 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 7 which says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." Be bold and die in the Lord daily. Amen