Suicide is becoming an ever increasing problem inthe face of despair, hopelessness and lack of purpose or worth in our society.
I recently read a prayer request about a serviceman who returned from his tour of duty overseas.
Even returning home, being among family and friends, this man sunk lower and lower into mysterious despondency, and eventually took his own life.
I dedicate this poem in memorial to all the souls, that, for whatever reason took their lives and ended their time prematurely on this Earth. Further, and even more fervently, I dedicate it to those who are thinking about suicide, and I would implore you through this poem, and the remaining article to resist this desperate action, and choose life instead!
Lamentations Of A Young Death
~o*o~
Sorrow furrows a smooth brow,
Eyes of anguish shed hot wax tears.
Despair crushes a fluttering heart,
Regrets untold throughout the years.
A drug, a gun, a plummeting fall,
Answer the Reaper's beckoning call.
A young life is now snuffed out:
Ere eternity is known about.
A souls unleashed from fleshy chambers,
Its fate to meet in cryptic dangers.
A spirit not wedded to the Lamb,
To face flames forever with the damned.
How loved he would have been, and cherished!
So unwilling is He to see dear souls perish.
Fashioned to be crowned with glory and joy,
Yet misery had stalked him, and destroyed.
Life, a vapor, even years of ninety,
pales before brilliant eternity.
Waste not a moment to seek the Lord of life:
Waste not a moment to seek the Lord of life:
To live with Him forever- free from strife.
written by James Fire, 1983
"Hello, James?"
"Hey, bro! How's it going?"
"............"
"Hello? Are you there?"
"Yeah, I guess. Don't wanna be but yeah..."
"What do you mean? What's wrong?"
"James, I just wanna say thank you. Thank you for being my friend."
"Well, of course, I'm always..."
"No, let me finish!"
"...OK...?"
"You've always been there for me, you've always done your best to help me out. I appreciate you. I love you for it... its just...(his voice is thick with emotion and my heart starts racing)...
"I, uh... I just can't do this any more!"
"What? Do what?"
"Go on living. I can't James (he starts to sob)."
"Look, you're obviously very upset. You need to be with someone. I'm coming over."
"No, you're not. I already made up my mind. You can't help with this."
"Let's just talk about this, OK!? Whatever is wrong, we'll talk, we'll pray. We can see this through."
"I'm going to see this through, James. I am... just not the way you think."
"No, don't go that way, this is NOT the answer! Now just..."
"Goodbye, James. Just remember I love you."
"No, don't! Please! Just let me..."
The sound of a gun shot thunders through the phone, into my ear, down to the depths of my soul and freezes my blood.
Through rasping sobs I scream out his name, over and over again.
But there is nothing but dead silence on the other end.
Dead.
Silence.
The above never really happened; not to me anyway. I pray to GOD it never will, even though suicide among teens is up 300%. More than 200% for adults.
If you are EVER contemplating suicide, reach out! To a family member, to a friend. To a hotline crisis phone number.
Death is tragic under almost any circumstances, but none so tragic as death by suicide.
Don't close the book of your life. Turn the page. As bad as things are, you don't know what's on the next page! Things can turn around.
There are people who love you that will be devastated because of your self-inflicted death, who will agonize over: "I should have seen this coming! I could have been there for them! I should have been there, I know I could have helped! Why didn't they reach out to me! To SOMEONE??!"
Despair is not only crippling, it's deceptive. It feeds the lie, that there is no hope! No answers!
But answers are there for those who will cry out for help. And if there is no one else to hear your cry...
GOD hears. He is the hope of every despairing soul who will turn to Him.
Choose life!
Consider Jesus Christ.
Have the courage to brave tomorrow!
You matter!!!
Please share this message. Please.
I recall this account of a suicide hot line event, where a pastor answered a caller's plea. She was thinking about killing herself, and the pastor agreed that this is what was necessary. He stunned both the caller and the other phone counselors, but before anything else could be said, he quickly continued.
"Just because you need to die, you shouldn't take it out on your body. You're body has nothing to do with your misery and hopelessness. Its just muscle, flesh, bone and blood. No, your real problem is in the mind, and even more so, in your heart."
"You see," the pastor explained, "because of the fact that each and every one of us are sinners, because of the fact we have broken God's Holy Law, and lived our lives the way we see fit, rather than seeking to please our Maker, we have received the wages of sin, which is death. Our bodies will eventually die from whatever cause, but they only die because we are spiritually dead, cut off from the only Spiritual source of life there is: God Himself!
"Our sin has separated us from the LORD, and the results of sin brings about all the misery and hopelessness, despair and ruin that we experience in this fallen world, a planet of people that's entirely alien to awareness, fellowship with and love for God.
"So what you need to do, is not kill your body, but kill your sinful self. Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and if you will receive His substitution for your death and declare Him as LORD of your life, you will find your old self crucified with Christ, and discover new life in Jesus Christ!
"God so desires to give you His Love and Peace, Joy and Hope; He longs to have a love relationship with you, and be your very own heavenly Father, Who will one day bring you into His loving arms in Heaven. He has accomplished the means for this through His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ!"
The young lady was rapt in her attention, grunting agreement in between the pastor's pauses, and when he finally gave her the opportunity to receive Jesus as her Lord, the pastor could hear her quietly sobbing.
Moments later she was not only saved from her despair and suicidal thoughts, she was saved for all eternity in Jesus Christ!
Now let me share a few verses with you:
JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
You are a member of this world, a fellow human being on this planet-therefore you are also supremely loved by God, because the above verse states that God so loved the world (and all people residing on it) that He gave us a precious gift-His very own Beloved Son! That's how much God loves YOU!
ROMANS 3:23-24
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Because of the fact that we all have sinned, none of us can approach God on our own. We need a go-between, a mediator who can meet us both half way. That's the LORD Jesus. He is God the Son and being sinless has approach to God the Father, and He is also perfect Man, and can stand in our stead, and take our sins upon Himself, which He did as the Lamb of God. He redeemed (purchased back) us by His own blood!
ROMANS 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus got nailed for us all, on that Cross, and took death for every person's sins ever committed in the past, present and future. He then replaced that curse of death with eternal life, dwelling in every one who believes in Him, receives His sacrifice and declares Him LORD of their life.
GAL. 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
We Christians are in a very real, spiritual sense, crucified with Christ, and dead to our sinful nature (see ROM 6:11) and alive in Jesus to have a living powerful relationship with God as full and rich as that relationship Jesus Himself shares with the Father!
But it all starts with the first step-
Repentance: we must acknowledge our sin before God, admit our guilt, and then turn around and away from our old life of rebellion against the LORD and His Holy Law, and turn without any reservation to the Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ, for only He can save us from our sin!
1 JOHN 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:10
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
PHILIPPIANS 3:19-20
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Jesus is our righteous substitute before God, we no longer have to feel obligated to 'live a good life so you can go to heaven some day'! The Truth is, we never could live such a life . . . not on our own any way: yet with Jesus living in and through us, we are able, by His Spirit living in us! Its like a glove, powerless to do anything at all, but with a hand inside, it can do anything that the hand can do!
The more we die to ourselves, the more alive we become to God, and knowing God is the secret to eternal life, love, joy and all the rest!
May I encourage any who might read this: if you are in the black night of the soul and see no way out but suicide, please, please, please consider what you have read here.
Consider Jesus! He loves you!
CHECK OUT THROUGH The BLACK YouTube Channel with Tom Dunn and Chad Taylor on this sensitive subject. Chad unexpectedly woke up one winter morning only to hear a gun shot, and then with trepidation went through the house to find the source, only to discover to his dismay, his wife who ended her life, leaving him and their children behind.
For more to read, access these articles:
To understand the value GOD the FATHER would see you in the Person of Christ, read this: The PRICE of BLOOD.
For an in-depth study of the Gospel and why it's important, see this first in a series of articles: The SIMPLE But SERIOUS GOSPEL.
Please feel free to contact me at the email address provided: KNYHTF1RE@gmail.com
GOD is on your side, and wants you for Himself, to love forever!
update: as of Dec. 25th 2009
Please watch this short video, a song by Shawn McDonald entitled "Take Hold".
This young man's music for the LORD blessed me with incredible richness; his love, devotion and yearning for all that is JESUS is evident in every song. If you haven't heard any of his music yet, check this out (and others on youtube) and buy a CD or two of his.
agape, grace and peace,
brother James Fire
To understand the value GOD the FATHER would see you in the Person of Christ, read this: The PRICE of BLOOD.
For an in-depth study of the Gospel and why it's important, see this first in a series of articles: The SIMPLE But SERIOUS GOSPEL.
Please feel free to contact me at the email address provided: KNYHTF1RE@gmail.com
GOD is on your side, and wants you for Himself, to love forever!
update: as of Dec. 25th 2009
Please watch this short video, a song by Shawn McDonald entitled "Take Hold".
This young man's music for the LORD blessed me with incredible richness; his love, devotion and yearning for all that is JESUS is evident in every song. If you haven't heard any of his music yet, check this out (and others on youtube) and buy a CD or two of his.
agape, grace and peace,
brother James Fire
