Death Is Only A Part Of Life

DEATH IS ONLY
A PART OF LIFE

by HELEN STEINER RICE



WE ENTER THIS WORLD
FROM THE GREAT UNKOWN,
AND GOD GIVES EACH SPIRIT
A FORM OF ITS OWN
AND ENDOWS THIS FORM
WITH A HEART AND A SOUL
TO SPUR MAN ON TO HIS ULTIMATE GOAL.
FOR ALL MEN ARE BORN
TO RETURN AS THEY CAME,
AND BIRTH AND DEATH
ARE IN ESSENCE THE SAME,
AND MAN IS BORN
TO DIE AND ARISE,
FOR BEYOND THIS WORLD
IN BEAUTY THERE LIES
THE PURPOSE OF DEATH,
WHICH IS BUT TO GAIN
LIFE EVERLASTING
IN GODS GREAT DOMAIN.
AND NO ONE NEEDS MAKE
THIS JOURNEY ALONE,
FOR GOD HAS PROMISED TO TAKE
CARE OF HIS OWN.





HOW BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO DWELL
IN THY HOUSE! THEY ARE EVER PRAISING THEE.
HOW BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE STRENGTH IS
IN THEE; IN WHOSE HEART ARE THE HIGHWAYS TO ZION!



PSALM 84:4-5
NAS



THEY EAT THE RICH FOOD IN YOUR HOUSE, AND YOU
LET THEM DRINK FROM YOUR RIVER OF PLEASURE.
YOU ARE THE GIVER OF LIFE. YOUR LIGHT LETS US
ENJOY LIFE.



PSALM 36:8-9
NCV



YOU WHO HAVE MADE ME SEE MANY TROUBLES
AND CALAMITIES WILL REVIVE ME AGAIN;
FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH YOU WILL BRING
ME UP AGAIN. YOU WILL INCREASE MY HONOR,
AND COMFORT ME, ONCE AGAIN.



PSALM 71:20-21
NRSV



THERE WILL BE AN ABUNDANCE
OF GRAIN IN THE EARTH,
ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS;
ITS FRUIT SHALL WAVE LIKE LEBANON;
AND THOSE OF THE CITY SHALL FLOURISH
LIKE THE GRASS OF THE EARTH.



PSALM 72:16
NKJV



PRAISE BE TO THE LORD,
FOR HE SHOWED HIS WONDERFUL LOVE TO ME
WHEN I WAS IN A BESIEGED CITY.



PSALM 31:21
NIV



THE LORD LOVES JUSTICE,
AND HE WILL NOT ABANDON
HIS GODLY ONES.
THEY WILL BE KEPT SAFE FOREVER,
BUT THE DESCENDANTS OF WICKED
PEOPLE WILL BE CUT OFF.



PSALM 37:28
GOD'S WORD



I WILL LIE DOWN IN PEACE AND SLEEP,
FOR YOU ALONE, O LORD, WILL KEEP ME SAFE.



PSALM 4:8
NLT



DO NOT, O LORD,
WITHHOLD YOUR MERCY FROM ME;
LET YOUR STEADFAST LOVE
AND YOUR FAITHFULNESS
KEEP ME SAFE FOREVER.



PSALM 40:11
NRSV

Adversity Can Distress Us Or Bless Us

ADVERSITY CAN
DISTRESS US OR BLESS US

by HELEN STEINER RICE



IF WE OBSERVE THE MIRACLES THAT HAPPEN EVERY DAY,
WE CANNOT HELP BUT BE CONVINCED THAT IN HIS WONDROUS WAY
GOD MAKES WHAT SEEMED UNBEARABLE AND PAINFUL AND DISTRESSING
EASILY ACCEPTABLE WHEN WE VIEW IT AS A BLESSING.



OFFER THANKS WHEN YOU WALK IN SUNSHINE AND RAIN OR
EXPERIENCE BOTH PLEASURE AND PAIN.
H.S.R.





IN YOU, O LORD, I PUT MY TRUST;
LET ME NEVER BE ASHAMED;
DELIVER ME IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.



PSALM 31:1
NKJV



FOR THE LORD GOD IS A SUN AND SHIELD;
HE BESTOWS FAVOR AND HONOR.
NO GOOD THING DOES THE LORD WITHHOLD
FROM THOSE WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY.



PSALM 84:11
NRSV



PROVE ME, O LORD, AND TRY ME;
TEST MY HEART AND MIND.
FOR YOUR STEADFAST LOVE
IS BEFORE MY EYES,
AND I WALK IN FAITHFULNESS TO YOU.



PSALM 26:2-3
NRSV



SEARCH FOR THE LORD AND HIS STRENGTH.
ALWAYS SEEK HIS PRESENCE.



PSALM 105:4
GOD'S WORD



YOUR FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES
THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS;
YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.



PSALM 119:90
NIV



I CRY OUT TO GOD MOST HIGH,
TO THE GOD WHO DOES EVERYTHING FOR ME.
HE SENDS HELP FROM HEAVEN
AND SAVES ME.
HE PUNISHES THOSE WHO CHASE ME.
GOD SENDS ME HIS LOVE AND TRUTH.



PSALM 57:2-3
NCV



THE RIGHTEOUS CRY AND THE LORD HEARS,
AND DELIVERS THEM OUT OF ALL THEIR TROUBLES.
THE LORD IS NEAR TO THE BROKENHEARTED,
AND SAVES THOSE WHO ARE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT.



PSALM 34:17-18
NAS

A Thankful Heart

A THANKFUL HEART

by HELEN STEINER RICE



TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED,
FOR WHENEVER YOU DO
THE JOY OF ENJOYING IS LESSENED FOR YOU
FOR WE ROB OUR OWN LIVES
MUCH MORE THAN WE KNOW
WHEN WE FAIL TO RESPOND
OR IN ANY WAY SHOW
OUR THANKS FOR THE BLESSINGS
THAT DAILY ARE OURS,
THE WARMTH OF THE SUN,
THE FRAGRANCE OF FLOWERS,
THE BEAUTY OF TWILIGHT,
THE FRESHNESS OF DAWN,
THE COOLNESS OF DEW
ON A GREEN VELVET LAWN,
THE KIND LITTLE DEEDS
SO THOUGHTFULLY DONE,
THE FAVORS OF FRIENDS
AND THE LOVE THAT SOMEONE
UNSELFISHLY GIVES US IN MYRIAD WAYS,
EXPECTING NO PAYMENT AND
NO WORDS OF PRAISE,
OH, GREAT IS OUR LOSS WHEN
WE NO LONGER FIND
A THANKFUL RESPONSE
TO THINGS OF THIS KIND,
FOR THE JOY OF ENJOYING
AND THE FULLNESS OF LIVING
ARE FOUND IN THE HEART THAT IS
FILLED WITH THANKSGIVING.





FOR A DAY IN OUR COURTS IS BETTER THAN A
THOUSAND OUTSIDE.
I WOULD RATHER STAND AT THE
THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE OF MY GOD,
THAN DWELL IN THE TENTS OF WICKEDNESS.



PSALM 84:10
NAS



HE WHO DWELLS IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOST HIGH
WILL REST IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY.



PSALM 91:1
NIV



THE LORD IS YOUR KEEPER;
THE LORD IS YOUR SHADE AT YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THE SUN SHALL NOT STRIKE YOU BY DAY,
NOR THE MOON BY NIGHT.



PSALM 121:5-6
NRSV



THE DAY IS THINE,
THE NIGHT ALSO IS THINE:
THOU HAS PREPARED THE LIGHT AND THE SUN.



PSALM 74:16
KJV



SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART;
TRY ME, AND KNOW MY ANXIETIES.



PSALM 139:23
NKJV



O LORD, YOU HAVE EXAMINED MY HEART AND
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME. YOU KNOW WHEN
I SIT OR STAND. WHEN FAR AWAY YOU KNOW
MY EVERY THOUGHT.



PSALM 139:1-2
TLB



YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.



EXODUS 20:3
NIV