Hold On, Myrna -- Hold On To GOD!

'Anyone who belongs to CHRIST has become a NEW person. The OLD life is gone -- a NEW life has begun!' (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Myrna's gone. Her physical presence is NO MORE. We will NO LONGER enjoy her visits, NO LONGER enjoy celebrating CHRISTmas and Mother's Day and Thanksgiving and birthdays with her. NO MORE precious moments by which to make memories to file away in our hearts. NO MORE TIME to know her deeper. NO MORE TIME to love her better. NO MORE TIME to enjoy her unique personality.

And WHAT a personality is the SOUL that she IS! In her teens, Myrna was a bright fuschia-colored persona, lively and flamboyant, an extroverted rebel. She forged with gusto her own self-made path in Life, headstrong into the buffeting winds that came trying to knock her down -- and she weathered through them with her deep well of inner resolve, with her "Just get back up!" attitude. Myrna was NO quitter! She did not whimper, nor throw in the towel. Myrna was a 10-round fighter -- SO determined to "hang in there, baby!" -- no matter what Life dished out.

In her later years, Myrna mellowed out. During her brief visits with us during family get-togethers, i experienced her heart of cheerful, open-handed generosity. If Mom merely said she liked the bag she was using, Myrna would empty that bag and exchange it with one of Mom's. Or if i asked her if she had an extra lipstick in her bag, she'd find one and hand it to me... just like that! Or she'd just pass out $20-bills, to Mom's and Maia's and my delight! She brought various gifts ("pasalubong") whenever she visited us -- but NOW we realize that SHE herself was GOD's utterly precious gift to us!

Myrna had this wonderful way of dealing with those who've hurt her. She had this matter-of-fact "don't worry about it" way of forgiving others -- of not holding on to grudges. At the hospital, because of an incident with a nurse, knowing that i was agitated by it, she just whispered as best as she could, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!" -- so i didn't. Or she'd just raise her perfectly arched eyebrows, or roll her eyes, and say, "Oh, well!" in that tone that says it all.

Myrna taught me the meaning of "EQUANIMITY" -- of having composure, especially under extreme duress. The night before her open-heart surgery, i asked her, "Are you scared?" And she honestly said "YES" -- having been a nurse for more than 35 years, she KNEW what that coming ordeal entailed. But she was composed -- she was not panicking that night, nor the morning of surgery. Myrna demonstrated "EQUANIMITY" as she faced the upcoming Life or Death operation. 

i learned much from my sister's RE-actions to all that she had suffered -- a 17-hour open-heart surgery (which required repairing a valve and two bypasses), 14 days of intubation (breathing with a ventilator), kidney failure, which included 2 1/2 weeks of dialysis prior to her heart surgery, which later -- caused severe edema. Then ANOTHER major surgery -- this time a colostomy due to severe colitis -- just 2 1/2 weeks after that harrowing heart surgery! And Myrna had to be intubated again -- re-attached to the much-hated ventilator. Then more tests had to be done. Three trips to the I.R. -- moving her from the fifth floor to the first floor of the hospital, with ALL the monitors and drips going with her. Then one more FINAL procedure... and her spirit seemed to say, "Oh well..." in that way that says it all.

But throughout these terrible ordeals (from July to September) -- GOD was ever drawing Myrna to Himself. She had heard the Gospel -- the Good News that is GOD's gift of Salvation through CHRIST. She may not have paid attention during my times of sharing or read the Gospel booklets i've given -- but she listened intently the night before her heart surgery and the morning before being brought to the O.R. Myrna heard the GOOD News. And our parting words were, "Hold on, Myrna! Hold on to GOD -- because HE is holding on to you. HE is holding you, but you have to hold on to Him, too!"

Before her second major operation -- the colostomy -- i explained the GOOD News again... and that TOday is the day she needs to trust her very life to GOD, to trust in CHRIST and His BLOOD-payment at the Cross for the forgiveness of ALL her SINs. i reminded her that GOD is EVER holding on to her AS she holds on to Him. And GOD brought her THROUGH this very deep Valley of the Shadow of Death -- AGAIN... for the FOURTH time within two months. That was September 1.

On September 7 (6:39 am) -- my phone text reads, "Had private talk with Myrna last night. Asked if she was believing in GOD. She nodded, YES -- her eyes open. Has she trusted her life in His hands, through CHRIST JESUS, SON of GOD? YES, she nodded. THIS is the REAL everlasting HalleluJAH we've been waiting and praying for!"

On September 8 (3:13 am) -- Dr Spitzer called to tell us to come immediately to say our goodbyes to Myrna. Mom and i arrived at 4 am (Junior and Amy arrived soon after, and Tom later). i spoke into Myrna's ear -- "THIS time, Myrna, GOD will carry you. You don't need to hold on any longer, because THIS time, GOD will carry you to Heaven. DON'T BE AFRAID. JESUS is with you. When you open your eyes, you'll be in Heaven with GOD and JESUS and our loved ones. NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE TEARS, NO MORE SORROW -- just LOVE and JOY!" i saw a tear from the corner of each of her closed eyes. Tears of sorrow AND joy? Was that Myrna's personal goodbye?

Is Myrna REALLY gone? MOST DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY NOT -- Myrna IS ALIVE! The immortal part of her, the SOUL that she IS, lives on -- with GOD in Heaven. She is forEVERmore painLESS, tearLESS, fearLESS. NO MORE torturous intubation, NO MORE unsightly colostomy bag, NO MORE attached to drips and beeping monitors. GOD IN CHRIST has removed ALL of Myrna's sorrows; He has given her FINAL and EVERlasting VICTORY over Eternal Separation from GOD (which is Hell). Myrna IS IN HEAVEN -- literally, truly, IN REALITY -- at THIS very moment, because the immortal SOUL that she IS, after separating from her lifeless, mortal body at 5:35 am Sunday -- immediately, instantly, in the blink of an eye -- was carried by our LORD to His Kingdom of UNapproachable LIGHT and INfinite LOVE and UNimaginable GLORY. Myrna's REAL self -- her SOUL -- is with GOD in Heaven. Myrna is NOT JUST resting in peace -- she IS IN PERFECT BLISS, breathing Divine atmosphere, IN the very Presence of her LORD, her Savior, her GOD! Myrna WAS like a sheep gone astray... but NOW and forEVERmore, she is CHRIST JESUS' very own beloved -- a forEVERmore blessed child of GOD, a forEVERmore citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven! ALL is WELL indeed with Myrna's SOUL! HalleluJAH! \o/

(May ALL who've been enriched by Myrna's gracious presence in their lives also have like-assurance that "ALL is WELL with my SOUL" so that when we stand before GOD, we can be confident that those who belong to CHRIST are clothed in HIS perfect Righteousness -- and that 'there is NOW NO CONDEMNATION to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS' -- Romans 8:1.)

(Video montage (by Jeremy Sazon) -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE0ugDNsm8Q&feature=youtu.be)

WHAT IS SIN -- And GOD's Remedy to His WRATH against SIN?

The LOVE of GOD for ALL sinners (you and me alike) has been revealed -- through the DEATH of CHRIST JESUS on Calvary's CROSS.

BUT the WRATH of GOD for SIN (yours and mine alike) has ALSO been revealed -- at Calvary's CROSS when the sinS of SINful men were JUDGED through the DEATH of The GOD-Man, Who was Himself the sinLESS, blameLESS, spotLESS Lamb of GOD -- the ONE and the ONLY Perfect SACRIFICE for SIN and sinS, the ONE and the ONLY infinitely qualified SUBSTITUTE Who offered HIS OWN BLOOD as the FULL atoning Payment for the SINs of men, for those who would BELIEVE INto Him, for those who would trust ONLY in JESUS' fully accomplished Work of SALVATION -- not trusting in their OWN SELF-glorifying "righteous" works to save themselves from HELL, not trusting in their OWN "good" works, which are but 'FILTHY rags' in the sight of The THRICE-Holy GOD, Creator of the entire Universe (the realms of the visible and the INvisible).

WHAT IS SIN? WHAT is that word "SIN" that has almost been obliterated by man's efforts to excuse his sinS? The TRUE meaning of SIN has been toned down, watered down, dumbed down by philosophers, psychologists and postmodern thinkers by REdefining SINs as BUT mistakes in life, or socially UNacceptable, politically INcorrect actions -- due to one's character defects, inherited tendencies from one's genetic makeup, MISbehaviors caused by childhood traumas.

BUT WHAT IS SIN to The THRICE-Holy GOD Who created ALL things, great and small, visible and INvisible -- Who gives LIFE to ALL of HIS Creation (you and i included)? WHAT is that SIN that caused The GOD of LOVE to send His ONLY Begotten SON to DIE on The CROSS for that SIN which He ABOMINATES, and the resulting sinS which He HATES?

IT IS WRITTEN -- 'GOD’s WRATH is revealed from Heaven against ALL UNgodliness and UNrighteousness of people who by their UNrighteousness suppress the TRUTH' (Romans 1:18). GOD's HOLY Scriptures UNequivocally, UNambiguously, UNapologetically define SIN as BEing UNgodly and DOing UNrighteously. SIN is the breaking of GOD's Law -- The TEN Commandments, His HOLY Rules for living out LIFE-101.

The REAL essence of SIN is UNGODLINESS -- an UNgodly RELATIONSHIP with GOD -- a wrongful attitude or mindset against GOD, a heart set in rebellion against GOD. "UNGODLINESS means a REFUSAL in ANY shape or form to live ENTIRELY and ONLY to GOD's Glory and to the Praise of His HOLY Name. ANY failure to do that or ANY lack of desire to do that is SIN" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones). UNGODLINESS is the transgression of GOD's First Commandment -- 'You shall have NO OTHER gods before Me' -- the SIN of enthroning in one's heart ANY created person (SELF, spouse, child; Mary, Buddha, Muhammed; rich-and-famous shaker-mover/head-of-state, celebrity/politician/philosopher -- dead or alive) OR thing (money, sex, food/drugs, nationality, man-made religions/philosophies, etc).

SIN is the breaking of ANY of GOD's TEN COMMANDMENTS -- by thought/motive or actual deed -- 'You must not have ANY OTHER god BUT Me. You must not make for yourself an IDOL of ANY kind or an IMAGE of ANYthing in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must NOT MISUSE the Name of The LORD your GOD. Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. HONOR your father and mother. You must NOT MURDER. You must NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. You must NOT STEAL. You must NOT TESTIFY FALSELY against your neighbor. You must NOT COVET (NOT LUST AFTER) your neighbor’s house, or your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or ANYthing else that belongs to your neighbor.' (see Exodus 20:3-17)

As summed up by The LORD JESUS, the first and greatest Commandment is -- ‘You shall LOVE The LORD your GOD with ALL your Heart, with ALL your Soul, with ALL your Strength, and with ALL your mind.' And just as important is -- 'You shall LOVE your NEIGHBOR AS yourself. The ENTIRE Law and ALL the demands of the Prophets are based on these TWO Commandments' (see Matthew 22:37-40). SIN is the breaking of the first and greatest Commandment -- of not loving GOD with ALL of one's BEing. It is having a WRONG relationship with GOD. SIN is BEing UNgodly -- not BEing in a RIGHT relationship with GOD.

NO ONE in the ENTIRE human race (dead or alive) has EVER obeyed PERFECTLY the first and greatest Commandment -- ‘You shall LOVE The LORD your GOD with ALL your Heart, with ALL your Soul, with ALL your Strength, and with ALL your mind' -- except the Man JESUS. NO man who has EVER lived (past or present) has obeyed PERFECTLY the second and equally important Commandment -- 'You must LOVE your NEIGHBOR AS you LOVE yourSELF' -- except the Man JESUS.

NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS because NO ONE IS GODLY. We who are GOD's creatures were made in His HOLY image so that we may GLORIFY Him. BUT we ALL have FALLEN short of glorifying HIM. 'As the Scriptures say, “NO ONE IS RIGHTeous—NOT EVEN ONE! NO ONE IS TRULY WISE; NO ONE IS SEEKING GOD. ALL HAVE TURNED AWAY; ALL HAVE BECOME USELESS. NO ONE DOES GOOD, NOT A SINGLE ONE. Their TALK is FOUL, like the STENCH from an open grave. Their TONGUES are FILLED WITH LIES. Snake VENOM drips from their LIPS. Their MOUTHS are FULL of CURSING and BITTERNESS. They RUSH to COMMIT MURDER. DESTRUCTION and MISERY ALWAYS FOLLOW them. They DON'T KNOW where to find PEACE. They have NO FEAR of GOD at all.”' (Romans 3:10-18) 

'ALL HAVE SINNED and FALL  SHORT of The GLORY of GOD!' (Romans 3:23) ALL have committed countless sinS of UNrighteousness as the CONSEQUENCE of the SIN of BEing UNgodly. NO ONE can be TRULY righteous without GOD. GODliness and RIGHTeousness are INseparable. INward GODliness is always commanded FIRST -- TRUE RIGHTeousness is then the OUTcome of BEing rightly related to GOD. ("UNGODLINESS" by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/romans-1-18/ungodliness/)

WHAT, then, is GOD's Remedy to man's SIN-nature (UNgodliness) and his resulting sinS (UNrighteousness)? GOD Himself is THE Remedy. GOD The SON, Who was sent of GOD The FATHER, came down from His heavenly Kingdom to this darkened world, to RECONCILE sinners back to personal fellowship with GOD. We are ALL sinners by nature -- under the WRATH of GOD, without any hope of escaping HELL...

BUT GOD -- PRAISE Him, The FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST -- Who is Himself LOVE Incarnate IN CHRIST, brought TRUTH and GRACE IN the very Person of Messiah JESUS, Whom GOD SENT to DELIVER us SIN-natured SIN-doers from SIN, SELF, Satan, SEPARATION (from GOD, eternally) and SUFFERING (from EVERlasting HELL). PRAISE GOD, The FATHER, for HIS Plan of SALVATION -- the GREATEST Good News EVER delivered to SINful humankind. HalleluJAH! ("The GOSPEL of GOD" by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/romans-1-1/the-gospel-of-god-2/)

BUT GOD -- PRAISE Him, The SON -- 'The LAMB of GOD, Who takes away the SIN of the world' (John 1:29) -- 'Though HE was GOD -- HE did not think of equality with GOD as something to cling to. Instead, HE GAVE UP HIS DIVINE PRIVILEGES; HE took the HUMBLE position of a SLAVE and was BORN AS a HUMAN BEing. When HE appeared in HUMAN FORM, HE HUMBLED Himself in OBEDIENCE to GOD and DIED a criminal’s DEATH on a CROSS' (Philippians 2:6-8). i PRAISE and THANK my Beloved LORD JESUS for HE has set me FREE! CHRIST Who is Himself 'The WAY and The TRUTH and The LIFE... and The RESURRECTION' (John 14:6, 11:25) -- has PAID IN FULL with His OWN BLOOD Sacrifice -- my REDEMPTION, liberating me from the Power of SIN, the Domination of SELF, the Power of Satan, Eternal SEPARATION from GOD and EVERlasting SUFFERING in HELL. HalleluJAH!

BUT GOD -- PRAISE Him, The Holy SPIRIT -- The Promise of GOD, sent of The FATHER and of The SON to INdwell ALL Believers IN CHRIST -- HE IS the ALL-Mighty Helper, the ALL-Wise Advocate, the ALL-Compassionate Comforter to those who are BORN AGAIN of GOD. Holy is HE -- The SPIRIT of TRUTH Who will GUIDE Believers IN CHRIST by giving discernment and LIGHT to ALL the TRUTH that is GOD's Word. HE will CONVICT the world of SIN, of UNgodliness and UNrighteousness. The SPIRIT of TRUTH will point to JESUS as The CHRIST -- the ONLY WAY to The FATHER, the ONLY WAY to escape the WRATH of GOD against SIN, the ONLY WAY to TRUE PEACE With GOD, to TRUE JOY EVERlasting, and the ONLY TRUE HOPE for an up-close and very personal LOVE-Relationship between a THRICE-Holy GOD and SINful man. 

PRAISE GOD -- The FATHER, The SON, and The Holy SPIRIT -- for His GOOD News of CHRIST JESUS! For SUCH UNdeserved, UNearned Favor -- for SUCH INcomparable, OVERwhelming, Amazing GRACE! For SUCH INdescribable, INcomprehensible SALVATION -- SO FREELY GIFTED at SO INFINITE A COST to GOD! For the REALITY of being made a NEW creation  IN CHRIST -- vitally united with Him forEVERmore. For the SURE HOPE of Heavenly GLORY yet to come! PRAISE The LORD, O my soul! \o/

Dear reader... is The Almighty Sovereign GOD your FATHER in Heaven? Is CHRIST JESUS your LORD, your Almighty Savior? Is the Holy SPIRIT your Almighty ADVOCATE, your Helper and Comforter? Your ETERNAL DESTINY is made REAL in the PRESENT... in the NOW, with HOW you respond to the GOOD News of GOD. So TURN from your SINs and TRUST that GOD sent CHRIST JESUS to take your just punishment for your SIN of UNgodliness and sinS of UNrighteousness. BELIEVE with SAVING Faith IN JESUS' Perfect LIFE, Atoning DEATH on the Cross, Factual RESURRECTION and ASCENSION back to His original GLORY with The FATHER as GOD's ONLY method of saving sinners from Eternal HELL. REPENT and BELIEVE and be SAVED -- for your UNbelief will be the cause of your own ETERNAL Condemnation. Your very soul is at stake -- your ETERNAL soul will stand before GOD on Judgment Day. Will you be JUSTIFIED, deemed worthy and fit to enter into GOD's Heavenly Kingdom, where He rules with HOLY Perfection and Harmony -- with GRACE and LOVE and LIGHT and PEACE and JOY and GOODNESS and GLORY? OR will you be CONDEMNED to EVERlasting SEPARATION from GOD -- separated forEVERmore from His GRACE, His LOVE, His LIGHT, His PEACE, His JOY, His GOODNESS, His GLORY?

'TOday, if you will hear GOD's voice, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTs as in the rebellion.' (Psalm 95:7-8; Hebrews 3:15) RECEIVE GOD's PERFECT and ONLY Remedy for your SIN of UNgodliness and sinS of UNrighteousness -- CHRIST JESUS Himself, 'full of GRACE and TRUTH.' The LORD JESUS Himself IS 'The WAY and The TRUTH and The LIFE. NO ONE comes to The FATHER except through Him' (see John 14:6).