Come Home

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Have you ever despaired of life itself? There was a point in my life when I was in despair, but for all the wrong reasons. It was when I had reached the end of my life in this world apart from or separating myself from God.
I had exhausted all of my desires, wants, and even lust's for what I thought he world had to offer, receiving only the despair of that life.
But God is always about his business accomplishing His Will. God always has a plan for those who serve Him.
When we come to a similar place as Paul describes here. It is a signal or sign to bring us to God. Whether as for me, to come home to my Father in Heaven, or to seek God for answers and direction, the right thing to do is go to God. It might be answering the call of God to come to Him for the salvation of your soul.
The best action to take is to come to God, seeking God in prayer. Jesus has opened the door for the world to come to Him and find rest for our weary souls and become his born again child through His Son Jesus the Christ, escaping the wrath of God coming to all who reject Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other way to God, but through Jesus the Saviour of all mankind.
Rise from the dead and come home to God before it's too late.

The Elder

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. ESV #Bible

To an elder, or an elderly man, all those younger are children to him, whether in the church or the family.
For an elder in the church his love for the congregation are his children in the Lord, he watches over them as his own.
The elder naturally loves his flock or congregation. It comes easily to him because he is residing in Christ's Love with the desire to serve the body of believers.
The elder naturally wants to protect his children from evil, or any sort of harm. Helping to raise them up in the fullness of the Gospel and the Love of Jesus the Christ.
Idols are anyone or thing that would distract or block you from direct axcess to God.
It's like the sun, when something comes between you and the sun, you find yourself in the shade or darkness.
Keeping yourselves in the light of God's Love is to stay away from anything that would draw you into a place of darkness, or what would come between you and God.  Causing ignorance of God and the longer you stay the more ignorant you become about God and his Love. Then your hunger for God is replaced with what your human nature desires. Then sin reigns as God over your life. So keep yourselves from idols.