The Other Side

Here’s Today’s Devotional from The Vine…

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” - Mark 4:35

 

Christ is continually saying the same to us, though with varying meaning in his words. He is always calling us to move on into new territory, new experiences, new privileges, new duties, new conflicts, and new joys.

He says it to the unrepentant when he graciously invites them to become his disciples. He wants them to cut loose from this world, from sin and all their old dead past, and rise up and go with him to the better life. He invites them to His Father’s country, into His Father’s family. It is a land of blessing and of beauty, of plenty and of great riches. True, there is a sea that must be crossed to reach it. No one can reach the glorious country on “the other side” without passing over this sea, and no one can pass over without encountering the storms of life. There are fierce temptations, the battle to deny self, struggles, and many losses and sorrows before we can reach heaven; but the reward is so great that we should be ready to endure any hardship or suffering to win it.

Then Christ gives the same call and invitation to His people when they reach the end of their earthly lives and when He comes to take them home. No-one wants to contemplate death and think about dying, but there’s no reason to be afraid of it. On“the other side” glory waits. There is the Father’s house with many rooms (John 14:2). And however dark and terrible the narrow sea that has to be crossed may seem, there is no danger for Jesus himself accompanies His people, and none of them will die. However, if God invites us to come over to the other side into the heavenly glory, we must accept His call to come over out of the old life of sin into the new life of holiness.

Does God Afflict His Children?

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Does God afflict His own children? Listen to the psalmist’s answer: “For thou,
O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest
us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to
ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest
us out into a wealthy place” (Psalm 66:10-12).

The psalmist is saying, “Lord, You put me in waters so high over my head that I
thought I would drown. You put me into the fire, to try me as silver is tried.
You brought me into a net, laid affliction on me, caused men to trounce on me!”

Why did God allow such afflictions? It was because He was bringing His beloved
child into a “wealthy place.” In the original Hebrew this phrase means “a place
of abundant fruitfulness.” God is saying, “I’m taking you through all these hard
places to make you fruitful for My kingdom.”

Yet not all afflictions are from the hand of God. Many troubles come from the
devil himself, straight from the pits of hell. “For he [God] doth not afflict
willingly nor grieve the children of men” (Lamentations 3:33). God says, “I get
no joy out of afflicting My children. That is not My purpose in allowing
troubles.” No, the Lord allows our afflictions only for His eternal purposes,
to bring us into a “wealthy place.”

I cringe with amazement as I remember all the sorrows, trials, deep waters,
flaming fires and powerful afflictions I have seen over the years. And usually
when afflictions came, they came not just one at a time, but in bundles. Many
times I thought, “There is no way I can make it through this.” Even the
memories of afflictions are painful — memories of slander, chastenings of the
Lord, ministry trials, personal buffetings, family problems, bodily pains and
aches. Yet, as I recall those years of suffering, I can say with assurance,
“God’s Word is true. He brought me out of every affliction that came upon me
and I praise Him!”