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Suicide is
 
NOT the Answer
 
             
                 
                         
 
Man has been deceived into doing almost anything since Satan first tempted Eve into sinning. Suicide is no different. You and I shall take a look at suicide and see what is the root cause, how it affects those left behind, how you can say no to it, how you can overcome and be healed from it. Hopefully, you’ll be able also to help others to stay away from it.
    I am by no means an authority on the issue. However, I was affected by it in my teenage years, and it took me a really long time to get over it, simply because I really didn’t have anyone to turn to about the matter. Oh, I had parents, a brother and some friends, but they didn’t see it as big an issue as I did. They got over it fairly quickly. I, on the other hand, didn’t. It left me traumatized and shocked, and wondering what went wrong. What could I have done to prevent this? Could I have said this? Or, could I have done that? Then, maybe, this wouldn’t have happened and my friend would be alive today! These are the thoughts that are left behind for those of us who have a caring heart. Others are not quite affected in the very same way as we are! I have often heard that time heals everything, and this is partly true, but not totally true. For some of us, time seemed to have stopped at the moment when we first heard of this tragic event. It is my desire that anyone who is reading this and is having thoughts of suicide to Please Stop and Reconsider your thoughts on the matter! There IS a way out of your desperate situation! Yahshua can heal anyone, anytime, anywhere, and in anyplace! Look to Him and the Father Yahweh for your Healing and Salvation. Please take\ time to read this article and let your healing begin! For those of you who have been through this recently, or in the past, I hope you receive comfort and peace in your minds and hearts through Messiah Yahshua our Saviour, and for you also to be healed from the past, or in the present moment.
 
                         
The Root Cause: Deception
And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die: For Yahweh does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eye’s shall be opened, and you shall be as mighty ones, knowing good and evil. (Gen. 3:4-5)
    Most of us know the story. Eve did eat of the forbidden fruit and gave to Adam also, and he did eat of it. And so sin was conceived. Their eyes indeed were opened, and they knew that they had sinned and were naked before Yahweh.
    The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come, that they might have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
    So we see here that Satan’s main and only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy, to steal our thoughts, our hearts, our minds, and our soul (life). Man has been dying since that very day! Satan was a liar from the beginning, and continues to deceive and lie to this day. That is his sole purpose, to steal man away from Yahweh and His Son.
    And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto Him. (Mark 1:13)
    Most assuredly, if Satan tempted Yahshua for forty days, He will surely tempt you also!
    Then the devil left Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him. (Matt.4:11)
    Yahshua resisted the devil, and then angels came to comfort and console Him. He won the battle over temptation and evil. And afterwards, He was comforted! Be Patient! Wait!
    Submit yourselves therefore to Elohiym. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
    Draw near to Elohiym, and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8a)
    You must resist the devil with all your might while you are in this wilderness area. Put off these deceptive thoughts and pray for endurance to overcome. If you are sincere in your heart, help will arrive!
    There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: But Yahweh is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will with the temptation also, make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Cor. 10:13)
    The problems you are facing MUST begin with you! A man or a woman’s heart that isn’t right with the Creator opens a door to allow Satan to come in to tempt you, cause you problems, create distress in your life, bounce you up and down like a rubber ball until you’re worn out and have nowhere else to turn, or anyone to turn to. This is what Satan does best. Resist him, get on your knees and PRAY to Yahweh the Father and His Son Yahshua theMessiah, and I can assure you that your help WILL ARRIVE very soon!
    Put on the whole armour of Elohiym, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohiym, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11-13)
    If you just pray and wait on Him, stay strong and don’t give up, then help will arrive very soon!!!
 
   
STATISTICS: Facts at a Glance
Fatal Suicidal Behaviour
In 2004, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death for all ages. Suicides accounted for 1.4% of all deaths in the U.S. (CDC 2005)
    In 2005, more than 32,000 suicides occurred in the U.S. This is the equivalent of 89 suicides per day, one suicide every 16 minutes or 11.05 suicides per 100,000 population. (CDC 2005)
    The National Violent Death Reporting System examined toxicology tests of those who committed suicide in 13 states: 33.3% tested positive for alcohol; 16.4% for opiates; 9.4% for cocaine; 7.7% for marijuana; and 3.9% for amphetamines. (Karch et al. 2006)

National Suicide Thoughts and Behaviour

Among young adult ages 15-24 years old, there is 1 suicide for every 100- 200 attempts. Among adults ages 65 years and older, there is 1 suicide for every 4 attempts. (Goldsmith et al. 2002)
    In 2005, 16.9% of U.S. high school students reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey. More than 8% of students reported that they had actually attempted suicide one or more times during the same period. (Eaton et al. 2006)

Gender Disparities
Males take their own lives at nearly four times the rate of females and represent 78.8% of all U.S. suicides. During their lifetime, women attempt suicide about 2-3 times as often as men. (Krug et al. 2002)
    Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death for males and the 16th leading cause for females. Among males, adults ages 75 years and older have the highest rate of suicide (rate 37.4% per 100,000 population). Among females, those in their 40s and 50s have the highest rate of suicide (rate 8.0% per 100,000 population).
    Firearms are the most commonly used method among males (56.8%). Poisoning is the most common method of suicide for females (37.8%). (CDC 2005)

Racial and Ethnic Disparities
Among American Indians/Alaskan Natives ages 15-34 years old, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death. Suicide rates among American Indian/ Alaskan Native adolescents and young adults ages 15-34 (21.4% per 100,000) are 1.9 times higher than the national average for that age group (11.5% per 100,000). (CDC 2005)
    Hispanic female high school students in grades 9-12 reported a higher percentage of suicide attempts (14.9%) than their White, non-Hispanic (9.3%) or Black, non-Hispanic (9.8%) counterparts. (Eaton et al. 2006)
    For more information go to Google and type in CDC/Gov/Suicide and then click on Suicide Prevention, NCIPCCDC.
 
   
How it Affects Those Left Behind
Despair! Hopelessness! Worthlessness! Low Self- Esteem! Does any of these sound familiar to you? You are not alone if they do! I went through the very same things myself. I rolled around in selfpity, and felt like the world owed me something for the pain and suffering I had been through, all the while drinking way too much on the weekends, week after week, month after month, year after year. I would stop every now and then, pull myself up and say: Why am I doing this to myself. This is crazy, acting this way over and over again. Get yourself together man! And so the cycle continued. I would do alright for a while and pray, go to church, study my Bible for a while. And I would indeed get better and be blessed from above, but when I reverted back to my old ways, the problems started all over again.
    If this is your situation, there is hope. Don’t give up. Keep trying. And Pray to Yahweh, the Father, and Yahshua Messiah for you to be able to overcome, and to save you from whatever situation you are in. Remember, be patient and wait for Him to help you! Patience, waiting on Him to help you, and NOT giving up is the KEY!
    Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. Look you not upon the wine when it is red, when it gives its color in the cup, when it moves itself aright. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.Your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverted things. (Proverbs 23:29-33)
    Now we can clearly see from the above verses, that if we continue in such things for long periods of time, the problems and the sin are only going to get worse, not better, whether it’s a drug problem, alcohol problem, fornication problem, suicide problem, prostitution problem, adultery problem, financial problem. No matter what the problem is, Problems are Problems! You have to deal with them. They are not going to go away on their own. You must stand up and fight and hold on a little while longer. At least long enough to start noticing changes in your life!
    My change started to come when I made a commitment in 1998 to study my Bible every morning before I went to work. I made time to go to bed an hour earlier each night so that I could study the Bible in the morning the first thing after getting up. Did I fall after that? Yes, at times I did! But I would pick myself up, dust myself off, pray, and then start right back over again. And, after a while, it started getting easier, and I enjoyed and looked forward to morning study time, and still do to this day!
    The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His Praise endures forever. (Psalm 111:10)
    The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
    Many years before 1998, I studied the Bible off and on many times after my friend’s suicide. I was even baptized in 1981, 5 whole years later. But the problems still lingered. Why? Because I was too busy being selfish and trying to forget the problem of suicide with heavy drinking, all the while remembering? … Duh, can you see what Satan was trying to do here? Why, Satan was trying to keep me confused! That’s his style. Did I have wisdom then? No. Did I have knowledge? No. Did I have understanding and instruction? No! Why not? I was reading His word. Wasn’t that enough? Not really. Why again? Because I wasn’t Keeping His Commandments. I had a form of religion, but was denying His Power! I didn’t know it at the time, but now see that I wasn’t willing at that time to give up drinking, being the selfish person that I was then!
    Trust in Yahweh with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
    Suicide will leave scars on the memories of your loved ones for a long time, as well as your friends, you associates, and many other you wouldn’t even think cared about you at all. But, they do. Acknowledge Him today and He will direct YOU! Don’t fall into the same trap that I did. Seek His help NOW! Suicide leaves all kinds of scars: spiritual, emotional, physical and financial, as well as many others. My prayer is for all those affected by it to be healed, to be an overcomer, to be able to stand and say, I made it with Yahweh’s help, may your healing begin today! The aftermath victims left behind in the wake of a suicide are like a sea of prisoners trapped in their own little world, not knowing sometimes how to deal with the lingering questions that produce no answers; the divorces caused by blaming one another over whose fault is was; parents left without children, children left without parents; sisters without brothers, brothers without sisters; and the list goes on and on… I had sought to write more on the after-affects, but I found it to be simply overwhelming and seemingly without end. Please think of these things before you act upon one of the biggest lies Satan ever put into the heart of man!!! Please remember also that suicide sometimes also causes another suicide, that person simply not being able to deal with it at the moment. Do you want this on your conscience?
    There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof (are) the ways of death. (Proverbs 16:25)
    And lastly in the words of our Saviour Yahshua,
    These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
 
   
Another Problem
Where do the dead go when they die? This question has plagued many in the aftermath of a suicide. Let’s look in Yahweh’s Word for some answers! This is what His Word says about the state of the dead.
    These things said He; and after that He said unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Master, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Yahshua spoke of his death; but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in sleep. Then said Yahshua unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. (John 11:11-14)
    In a truthful way, the disciples were partly right, partly wrong. Yahshua teaches them in the very next verse.
    And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent that you may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. (John 11:15)
    Being dead is like being asleep! Yahshua had no problem with this. Man does not have an immortal soul, but is right now asleep in the grave after death, awaiting a resurrection. Man must seek after immortality; it is not something man has now. There is only one who has immortality!
    Now unto The King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise Elohiym, be honour and glory for ever and ever. (1st Timothy 1:17)
    For in death there is no remembrance of you: In the grave who shall give you thanks? (Psa 6:5)
    His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish, Psa 146:4.
    For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, Eccl 9:5.
 
   
Ascension
And there is only One who has risen from the dead to enter into Heaven and is at the right hand of the Father Yahweh. Listen to Our Saviour’s own words,
    And no man has ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, the Son of man which is in Heaven. (John 3:13)
    Peter also confirms it 50 days later at Pentecost (Acts 2:1), after Yahshua’s Resurrection, that man has not ascended into Heaven.
    For David is not ascended into the heavens; but he said himself, Yahweh said unto My Master (Yahshua), Sit you on my right hand, Until I make your enemies your footstool, Acts 2:34-35.
    One More Time Please! In the words of Yahshua again,
    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Where I go, you cannot come; so now, I say to you, John 13:33.
    Isn’t this very clear!!!
    What does this have to do with death and sleep you may say? Well, everything. When a body is exhumed from the grave, it is decayed, the body starts decaying right after death. Whose body is the only one that has never seen decay?
    Because you will not leave my soul in the grave, neither will you suffer Your Holy One to see corruption. (corruption is decay here!) (Acts 2:27)
    He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Messiah, that his soul was not left in the grave, neither did his flesh see decay. (Acts 2:31 NIV)
    A body can’t decay in 3 days.
 
   
Body + Breath = Soul
What is a soul ? Or the spirit of man? ……. Let’s look a little deeper!
    The body of man is composed of many elements. All these elements are found in nature, with oxygen comprising the major part of our body. Man’s dustformed body was lifeless until it became animated by the breath of life (spirit) which came from Yahweh.
    And Yahweh Elohiym formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, Gen 2:7.
    For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also, James 2:26.
    In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, until you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken (formed) for dust you are, and unto dust shall you return (Gen. 3:19).
    And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven, and every thing that is in the earth shall die. (Gen 6:17)
And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life
. (Gen. 7:15)
    All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. (Gen.7:22)
    The Spirit of Yahweh has made me, and the breath of The Almighty has given me life. (Job 33:4)
    In the Old Testament, the spirit, in the phrase “spirit of man,” is translated from neshamah or ruwach, meaning wind, vital breath. When someone dies their breath goes back to the Father who gave it. They do not go flying off up to heaven. We will awake when Yahshua shouts at His second coming. We will be asleep until then, if we die before Yahshua’s second coming. We do not have an immortal soul. The reward for strict obedience to His Word is everlasting life, where our bodies are changed to spiritual beings at the resurrection time.
    So man lieth down, and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. Oh that you would hide me in the grave, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die shall He live again? All the days of my appointed time, will I wait until my change come. (Job 14:12-14)
    We know David hasn’t ascended, and Job, as described here, is still waiting (sleeping), as no man has ascended into Heaven save Yahshua, John 3:13. Heaven is not the place where we are going at the Resurrection. We come down to the earth after meeting Yahshua in the air. The dead are unconscious in the grave! The dead know nothing.
    For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, neither have they anymore reward:(with those of us alive now) for the memory of them is forgotten. (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
    They don’t have a memory because they are asleep.
 
   
Burning Hell Fire
I had to explain all of that to say this: “Your friend, spouse, brother or sister, or whomever you know who committed suicide is not now in an ever burning hell.” That is one of Satan’s greatest lies, and it haunted me for years because of false teachings. To think my friend was burning down there in a hell that doesn’t exist!! Man, I was setfree from that bondage when I found these things out! So, if a pastor or friend or anyone else tells you this you can say: “That’s not according to His Word.” You can be set free today from this bondage by calling on Yahweh and His Son Yahshua Messiah and accepting Him as your Saviour.
    There is a Judgment Day, and there is a lake of fire at the end of the 1000 year kingdom reign of Yahshua Messiah, which is to be avoided at all costs. But do they burn forever?
    And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in the lake of fire. (Matt. 10:28)
    Those who at their judgment are cast into the lake of fire will be completely separated from Yahweh.
    But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Yahweh, as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. (Psalm 37:20)
    Consume here is Strongs # 03615 Kalah, meaning to cease to exist.
    To learn more about the Second Resurrection read Y.A.I.Y.'s booklet Understanding Hell Fire: Destiny of The Unsaved?
    For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will Hearken unto you. And you shall seek me, and you shall find me, when you search for me, with ALL you heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
    For Yahweh so loved the world, the he gave His Only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life. (John 3:16)
    He that believes on Him is not condemned, but he that believes not is condemned already; because He has not believed in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of Yahweh (Yahshua). (John 3:18)
    When it comes down to finality, Yahweh is The Final Judge, not man!
 
   
Be Prepared
The world cannot give you the peace in your heart that you need. Man’s heart is inherently evil until restored to Yahweh by accepting Yahshua Messiah as your Saviour. Only through Him and being baptized into His Name can you defeat the forces of evil. His power (Holy Spirit) in you (a token received at immersion) will restore your health, your mind, your body and soul. And it will set you free from the bondage of guilt, sin and pain that Satan caused through someone else’s suicide.
    Psychiatry will help only for a few days or weeks, and will leave you dependent on going back to hear the same old things. There is No salvation there. Neither can self-help groups or books help for very long either, Or AA for that matter. Man cannot fix a “spiritual problem.” Only Yahshua can, along with His Father. Man has been trying to fix his own problems since Cain slew Abel. Where has it gotten him? When I walk past the grave of my friend now, I have peace in my heart that He didn’t understand his action. He is asleep. I also have peace because he had never heard the Word. I know because I knew of his situation, and I also have peace that he will rise in the Second Resurrection and accept Yahshua, because he was under the age of accountability, and because He was that kind of person. Nobody should kill themselves in any situation, let alone because your girlfriend broke up with you. So, for those of you who may have suicidal thoughts, you are not alone, Yahweh knows all. His Son is waiting for you, as well as those affected by suicide… May your healing, peace and salvation begin today!
    Halleluyah!
 
   
               
-Tim Stallings
                   

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