Perfect Gifts: Heaven

I have a priceless inheritance because of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:5, 11, 14 God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.

11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.

14 The Spirit is God's guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify Him.

1 Peter 1:4 and we have a priceless inheritance, an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

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God was very pleased to adopt me into his family and he would love for you to be a part of his family as well. Did you know that God loves adoptions? All of his family has been adopted even though none of us deserved the honor, it is just part of his perfect kindness and love for mankind.

I am not talking about an adoption that is tainted with favoritism, to God an adopted child has the same rights as a natural born child, we all have the same rights that his own Son has. Because of Jesus we have an inheritance that is beyond equal anywhere else. 

Jesus has been preparing my inheritance for a long time now and he is using building materials that make our construction supplies look like junk. What we have in store when we leave this earth is beyond our imagination.

This world and it's pleasures that we strive to obtain and love to hold onto are going away. As good as we may have it here, all of the goodness of this life is just a peek at the ultimate goodness that we will enjoy in our eternal home.

What's in your future?

Revelation 21:1-4,7 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children.

We usually keep God and man separate, we think of God living in heaven and our place to live is here on earth, but there is a day coming when we will be together again similar to the relationship that mankind had before sin.

We will all have eternal life BUT to spend eternity in heaven with God you must make the decision to accept Jesus and his perfect gift of salvation now!

The Challenge Of The Eternal City

Heaven is my destination for eternity and it is my motivation for this life.

Revelation 22:3-5 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there--no need for lamps or sun--for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

Titus 2:12-14 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

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At the end of the book of Revelation we see the ultimate end of our existence. We don't have to speculate or search Google to find the answer to the demise of humanity and our planet. Because we do know how it will end and we know that we will be answerable to God for this life we need to consider a few things.

First we looked at the idea that we should be excited to celebrate our final victory in Jesus and feel comfort in knowing that Heaven is in our future. We need to be encouraged to live joyfully so that other people will see the incredible hope and comfort that the world desperately needs.

Second we looked at the cause or the purpose of the eternal city and we learned that Heaven isn't supposed to be our great desire because we will get a more comfortable existence with a lot of great perks. My greatest desire should be to know God in a much more personal way.

Today I am looking at the third way that the reality of Heaven should affect our existence today. I should live a very different lifestyle with a new mindset because of wat has been done for me. I love to travel to other countries but it is always a tiny bit of anxiety while you wait to get through immigration. That anxiety is something that you don't need to have when you arrive at the eternal city.

I know that Heaven is a country where I could never get a visa without some serious help from somebody much better than myself. Since I have received such an awesome gift I should show my gratitude instead of acting like this life is all about me.

The king of the eternal city has a best selling book that tells us how to get through immigration and what is expected of the citizens of the eternal city. He wrote this book for our benefit yet there are many that have purchased the book and have never seriously thought about the author and what his intentions were for writing the book.

God's book makes it clear that the people that are looking forward to a better country are supposed to be patriotic representatives of the better country and it's King. These special people should live differently to promote our homeland and it's interest.

Romans 7:21-25 I have discovered this principle of life--that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God's law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

The challenge to live to please the king of our new country should create a tension between the new country and the country of birth. The new creation that I am in Jesus demands my loyalty but the fact that I am still stuck in this fallen world in my old carnal body is a conflict that I must deal with for now.

Titus 3:5-8 He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."

8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Thankfully I do not have to master this conflict alone! Besides the best selling book that the king wrote I also have unbelievable power to live above the standards of this world because he also gave me the Holy Spirit. When I utilize the power found in the Bible and the Holy Spirit's power I can rise up to the challenge and live in victory.

Jesus knows that the citizens of his eternal city that take his instructions seriously will struggle against the culture and it's attitudes. That is why he gives us good news at the end of the book: “My reward is with Me.”

Will you be ready for great gain or will you suffer great loss? (! Corinthians 3:13-17)

The Cause Of The Eternal City

How exciting does being with God for eternity sound to you?

Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there--no need for lamps or sun--for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

Psalms 68:3-4 But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy. 4 Sing praises to God and to His name! Sing loud praises to Him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD--rejoice in His presence!

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There are many reasons to take comfort in knowing that you are going to Heaven when you die. Most of us would list reasons such as seeing a loved one, getting a new body that isn't worn out and everybody's favorite, escaping Hell.

Heaven is going to be amazing. The eternal city won't have a temple, no more night (yet there won't be any lighting from the sun and no light bulbs) no disease or death and no more closed gates to keep our enemies out. Paradise lost has been restored!

But it is wise to see Heaven as more than just our destination. If you are just looking for a better place to live with a prosperous lifestyle then you are missing the point of going to heaven. My desire to go to Heaven should be much more than escaping Hell, enjoying the abundant life or desiring to be rid of the troubles that we have here on earth.

Jesus promised us that the pure in heart will be blessed to see God but how much do we really long to see God? I see how much some of the characters in the Bible desired to see God and be with him and I see a huge difference in my life. The lack of passion for him on my part is embarrassing to admit. (Matthew 5:8, Romans 8:18-30)

Exodus 33:16-18 How will anyone know that You look favorably on me--on me and on Your people--if You don't go with us? For Your presence among us sets Your people and me apart from all other people on the earth."

17 The LORD replied to Moses, "I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name." 18 Moses responded, "Then show me Your glorious presence."

God has promised Moses that he would be with him and take his people to an awesome land full of many wonderful things but that isn't what Moses longs for the most. Moses used to live in the household of the richest man around but he already gave up all of that stuff. Moses wasn't looking for the abundant life here on earth.

All of this stuff excites most of us more than spending time in God's presence and knowing him intimately. It is so wrong that the idea of spending eternity with God doesn't excite me as much as it should.

We don't really appreciate what we have! In our sin filled minds we cannot love him, worship him or desire to be with him as much as we should. This song by Natalie Grant comes to mind and helps me question my motivation for desiring Heaven:

More Than Anything - Natalie Grant
Help me want the Healer more than the healing Help me want the Savior more than the saving Help me want the Giver more than the giving Help me want you Jesus more than anything

If I desire the things that Jesus can do for me more than I desire to know him then something is wrong with my desires. Jesus doesn't want to be accepted because of all of the things that he can do for me.

There are a lot of perks that come with going to Heaven but being with God and enjoying his presence for eternity should be our ultimate goal and our greatest satisfaction. It is absurd that we don't react to this awesome news and desire God more than we do.

My desires need to be checked regularly. It is too easy to begin to lose my first love and become more passionate for the things of this world. None of those other things are going to satisfy my deepest longings.

Lord help me to long for and keep my focus on you!

The Comfort Of The Eternal City

There is no greater comfort than knowing that Heaven is in your future.

Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there--no need for lamps or sun--for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

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The book of Revelation is such an encouragement for God's children, that may be a very surprising statement to you, very few people look at the book from that point of view but God's children really should. It is the greatest story ever told that should affect our lives for today and for eternity.

Instead we get too busy analyzing the culture that we live in and the characters that can be found in the news stories from around the world and we attempt to make our times be the end times. We study everything in the book and try to make a literal interpretation of it all that is based on current world events so that we can figure out God's timetable.

We fail to acknowledge that the writer was severely hindered in trying to describe things that are too great to communicate to humans so that they can comprehend and we forget that God didn't allow John to write down everything. (Revelation 10:4)

God didn’t give us the book of Revelation so that we could analyze our culture, so that we could pinpoint social and political analyses of current events. He wrote it so that we might catch the spirit of the coming of Jesus Christ and live in the light of it.

-John MacArthur

How can we think that we are so well informed that we can piece all of this together and figure out the details of Jesus return?

Satan likes us for us to look at the negative aspects of the book of Revelation, he will use anything to get us down, even the best news that God has ever revealed can be used against us.

Reasons to see this book as a source of comfort and encouragement:

✔ Revelation gives us an awesome view of Jesus that you don't get to see very often in scripture. Seeing the glorified Savior as he is today should give me great hope. ✔ Revelation shows me that God is on the throne and Jesus is at his side. The picture of God on the throne throughout the book of Revelation should be reassuring to us as we witness the chaos of this world around us everyday. (Revelation 4:2-10, 5:1-13, 6:16) ✔ I get to witness the final defeat of Satan, God's kingdom comes and the prayers of the saints throughout the ages has been answered. Jesus assures us three times in the last chapter of Revelation that he is coming back to take us to this glorious scene. (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20)

Satan loves for God's children to be deceived into worrying about future events and focusing on bad news. The bad news that you see in today's world will only get worse, don't fret about it, today's bad news is a part of God's timetable.

I need to celebrate the eternal city and my victory in Jesus! I need to be encouraged to live joyfully and let my light shine so that other people will see the incredible hope and comfort that the world cannot explain apart from Jesus.

RELATED ARTICLES

How Can I Find Comfort When An Unsaved Loved One Has Died? (gotquestions.org)
Billy Graham's Final Answer (billygraham.org)

Crowns

There are crowns in my future instead of the punishment that I deserve.

Revelation 2:10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.

Revelation 4:4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.

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It would be a shame to reach the end of our time here on earth and realize that we didn't do very much that had eternal value. It is sad that few people are interested in knowing how to live for things that have eternal significance that will earn us an eternal reward.

It may sound strange to you that God's children are supposed to be working, don't be confused by this work, we aren't working to become his child, we are working because we are his child. Our work is not to achieve acceptance into Heaven but rather our work is because we are so grateful for Jesus work on the cross to give us what we could never attain on our own.

We have heard of the judgment seat of Christ but that really isn't a good translation for what is going to happen there. The children of God have already been accepted and their sins have been covered so this judgement is really an assessment of how many rewards you have gained or lost. We have no reason to fear what will happen when we meet Jesus. (John 3:18; 5:24; 6:37; 17:23 / Romans 4:7-8; 5:1; 8:1 / 1 Corinthians 1:30, 11:32)

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have--Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials--gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

On top of the incredible privilege of eternity in the presence of God we also have the potential to earn crowns if we do not waste our life on worthless things. What a shame to build on the foundation of Jesus with building materials that are so cheap, easy to get and even easier to burn.

We need to build with gold, silver and jewels by doing the right things and by doing them with the right motives and attitudes. This is a real "paying it forward" that will last for eternity.

Five Crowns For God's Faithful And Obedient People:

The Imperishable Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, 1 Peter 1:3-5) A garland or wreath that would soon fade away was the crown that was given to the winner of the early Olympic style games. It is amazing that so much extreme work went into receiving a crown that would last a short while. The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7-8) God the Father's free gift unto his children, promised to everyone who loves the Lord and eagerly waits for His return. The Crown of Rejoicing (Luke 15:7, Philippians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 3:9) Also known as the soul winners' crown. Will you meet people in Heaven that are there partially because of your influence? The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4, Romans 8:18) The shepherd's crown that is reserved for those that take care of the flock. Those of us that heed Jesus' words to Peter to feed his sheep will be rewarded. The Crown of Life (James 1:12 / Revelation 2:10) This crown is for all believers, but it is especially dear to those who endure sufferings, who bravely follow Jesus to the point of death.

God's people have always been promised rewards for obedience, his guarantee of blessings can be seen throughout the Bible and while Jesus was here he repeated the promise. (Deuteronomy 28:1–14, Mark 10:29–31)

Man made crowns are used to focus our attention on the one wearing the crown but in Heaven our crowns will draw attention to the giver of the crowns and bring him greater glory. Instead of pride or envy when we see somebody with a greater crown there will only be great joy and amazement that God's son would personally reach out and give us our reward.

Can you imagine how amazing a crown must be that is created with the building materials that they have in Heaven? What will it be like to have that amazing crown given to you by Jesus instead of the eternal punishment that you deserve?

Lord help me to stay focused on the work that you have for me and not be distracted by worthless things so that you will be pleased. It  is amazing that I will receive eternal life with you and on top of that I will also be rewarded for my service to you.

Worship The Creator

We will not worship as we should before we get to Heaven.

Revelation 4:8-11 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the One who always was, who is, and who is still to come." 9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever).

And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, 11 "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased."

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The Revelation of John continues in chapter four with an invitation to step into Heaven. The Book of Revelation started with Jesus as he is today, the glorified Jesus at work among the churches, giving us instructions on how to do church.

John's vision keeps progressing and now the church age is over in chapter four and we can logically conclude that the rapture of the church has occurred. The progression of John's vision is from the Church Age on earth to the throne of God in Heaven. Combine that progression with what we know from other scriptures and you can see that God's children are safely with him when his wrath is poured out on those that are still on earth in chapter six. (1 Corinthians 15:52 / 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

John is called up to Heaven to encourage us of how wonderful our future is. What an amazing sight that John is attempting to describe for us! John's experience is much different from any of the popular accounts of people that claim that they have been to Heaven. Unlike all of those stories everything that John sees in Heaven revolves around the throne of God.

God is on His throne and around the throne are beings that represent God's people, they have been given white robes and they have received their crowns which they will give back to God as they worship him.

God is in control, which is what we should expect from the one that is on the throne of Heaven. Despite the persecution that is going on back on Earth, which John is experiencing, the persecuted Christians should never doubt his power or his wisdom.

We suffer with so much discouragement and worry because we forget that he is on the throne and he is in control despite all of the chaos around us. We should not entertain the idea that evil is going to win.

God is being worshiped, which is what we should expect from the ones that are seeing the one who is on the throne of Heaven. As good as you may think your worship is, it is nothing in comparison, in Heaven God is truly being worshiped fully and correctly.

It is impossible in our current condition, to worship God as he should be worshiped, we will not comprehend the value and worth that should be given to God and worship him properly before we get to Heaven. As long as our old sin nature is a part of who we are then we will be distracted with our thoughts, our pride and our sinfulness.

While we wait for our call to go to Heaven we should learn more about how to worship and practice doing it.

The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things.

And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.

-John Piper

It is clear in scripture that worship is more than just singing a song at church and then going home until next Sunday. Praising God begins with preparing our heart and then honoring God with our lips but it doesn't stop there. We tend to forget that worship continues long after the church music is over. (Psalm 50:14, Isaiah 29:13, Hosea 14:2)

Our worship continues through the preaching of God's Word and through our acts of love that show the value of God by what we are willing to sacrifice to serve others. When I present myself as a living sacrifice to do good for someone else I am declaring the worth of God in my life and I am making God look more glorious to the ones that witness my good deeds. (Matthew 5:16, Romans 12:1, Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:15-16)

Everything that we say and do and the lifestyle that we live should draw others to "come let us adore him."

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Present Your Bodies As a Living Sacrifice (desiringgod.org)

Back To The Garden

I was made to be royal but I was torn from the garden.

Video: Crowder - Back To The Garden

I was born to be royal

I was made to be free

But I was torn from the garden

When that devil lied to me

I was formed from the soil 

I got dirt inside of me 

But I was born to be royal 

I was made for glory

Take me back to the garden 

Take me back and walk with me 

For Your presence I am longing 

Take me back God, take me back!

Take me down to the river 

Down to Eden's crystal streams 

Where every sin can be forgiven 

Holy Ghost come set me free

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Gardens have a special place in history, in the beginning life began in a beautiful garden and that's where the first battle with sin took place. The first Adam failed in a garden but later the second Adam stepped into a garden that was marred by sin to prepare for the battle that would change the world.

When you see the awesome start to human history back in the Garden of Eden you can't keep yourself from longing to go back there. To experience a sinless existence is an awesome thought but to also be in God's presence for eternity is definitely beyond comprehension.

Eagerly Waiting

Romans 8:23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us. 1 Corinthians 1:7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. 2 Timothy 4:8 And now the prize awaits me--the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing. Titus 2:13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. Hebrews 9:28 so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.

I can't wait to get to the garden where there will not be any sin, crying, sadness or death. The river flowing through this garden will flow forever and the tree of life will produce everlasting fruit and best of all the glory of God will be fully revealed to us there!

Jesus Calling

This is a call that you do not want to miss.

Revelation 4:1-2 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this." 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it.

Revelation 6:15-17 Then everyone--the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person--all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?"

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We all get calls everyday that we do not want, we screen our calls, we use caller ID and even use call blocking, but there is one call that we will certainly not want to miss. The day is coming when the Lord of the church will call us home.

That trumpet like voice called John up to visit Heaven for a short time so that he could share the glorious experience with us. Jesus gives us this look into Heaven to encourage us as we continue to live in this sinful world.

The first time John saw his Savior he was in the midst of the churches mercifully letting them know how to please him. Thankfully we have seven church profiles in the Book of Revelation that are still relevant to us today if we are interested in doing church correctly.

Jesus called John up to Heaven for information but the next time he calls it will be for all of us to go for transformation. John only had a brief visit so that he could share with us what eternity is going to be like.

Sorry Sarah Young but your books "Jesus Calling" are not about Jesus calling anybody. The Bible has made it clear that Jesus next call will be his last and the call will be to the entire church.

The Next Time Jesus Calls

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

The Bible lets us know that Jesus will call the church out of this world before justice is served to those that remain. The Bible's teaching on the rapture should give us peace and comfort, Jesus doesn't want his children to have troubled hearts. (John 14:1-3 / 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Titus 2:13)

Revelation chapter six is the beginning of the wrath of God being unleashed on the earth, the events that are to follow are unsettling but this isn't going to be our fate. Thankfully in Revelation chapter four we are out of here.

John 14:1-3 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. 2 There is more than enough room in My Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.

Suddenly this world and the burden of sin that is on us all will be gone and we will see Jesus face to face! One moment you are trapped in this world with the heartache and brokenness of sin all around and then the next moment that burden is lifted forever as we are suddenly in God's presence!

I need to live like I really believe that I am leaving, my choices and my actions should be influenced by these facts, I need to be motivated to serve him and be purified so that he can use me for his glory.

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I Shall See Him Face To Face

O the joy when I shall wake within the presence of the King!

Video: "See Him Face To Face" Bellevue Baptist Church

Some day the silver cord will break, 

 And I no more as now shall sing; 

But, O the joy when I shall wake 

Within the presence of the King! 

And I shall see Him face to face, 

And tell the story, saved by grace,

And I shall see Him face to face, 

 And tell the story, saved by grace. 

Some day my earthly house will fall, 

I cannot tell how soon ’twill be, 

But this I know—my All in all 

Has now a place with Him for me. 

Or some day when my Lord will come, 

And called to meet Him 

I’ll be blest, He then will say to me,

“Well done,” And I shall enter into rest. 

Some day, till then I’ll watch and wait, 

My lamp all trimmed and burning bright, 

That when my Savior I will greet, 

My faith will then be changed to sight.

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What an amazing thought that someday we will fall asleep here and wake up in a whole new place in the presence of the King!

1 John 3:2-3 Dear friends, we are already God's children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure.

If we ever really get this glorious concept in our heads we certainly could not live in defeat and worry any longer.

The Sweet Sound Of Heaven

Music is a small taste of heaven that we get to preview down here.

Revelation 5:9-14 And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For You were slaughtered, and Your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 And You have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth."

11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered--to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."

13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever." 14 And the four living beings said, "Amen!"

And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

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One of the greatest gifts that God has given to us is music, it is beauty that you can hear, there is a style for everyone to enjoy. Music is just a small taste of heaven that we get to preview down here. The sound of music is a delight that you will only get to hear for eternity if you are prepared to spend eternity in heaven.

The only sound that hell knows is noise, the evil noise of hell can be heard all around us. The sounds of evil come from the satanic forces in our world and are heard everyday, there are screams, crying, cursing and gun shots, that should disturb us. There isn't anything pleasant about it and there isn't any harmony to the sounds of evil.

In contrast to all of this noise down here is the sounds that we will enjoy in Heaven. It will be loud from the very beginning, a shout from the archangel and a trumpet call is the next sound that a follower of Jesus wants to hear. We won't have to hear the noise of evil ever again as we enjoy the sweet sound of Heaven for eternity.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17  For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

If you think your neighbors are noisy in this world just wait until you hear how loud eternity is going to be. Heaven and Hell will both be very noisy places to live but the sounds will be much different.

The Apostle John gives us a peek at the glory of God and a listen to the reaction of those that have see his glory. John tells us that he "heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders." The Book of Revelation is filled with songs of praise (Revelation 4:8, 4:11; 5:9-13; 7:12-17; 11:15-18; 12:10-12; 15:3-4; 16:5-7; 18:2-8; 19:2-6)

Four reasons why we worship Jesus:

Because of who He is (Revelation 5:5-7)
He is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah," he is the “Ancient of Days.” and he is also the "Lamb."

Because of where He is (Revelation 5:6)
He is not in the manger, in Jerusalem, on the cross, or in the tomb. He is ascended and exalted in heaven.

Because of what He does (Revelation 5:8-10)
When the Lamb came and took the scroll (Dan 7:13-14), the weeping ended and the praising began.

Because of what He has (Revelation 5:11-14)
All of heaven’s praise came because the Lamb took the scroll from the Father’s hand. God’s great eternal plan would now be fulfilled and creation would be set free from the bondage of sin and death.

- Warren Wiersbe Commentary

The sounds of this world can be so discouraging, the meanness, the brutality and the chaos all around us can wear on us. We need to attend worship at least once a week and listen to worship music everyday so that we can get a little glimpse into the sweet sound that is waiting for us in our eternal home in heaven.

Looking For A Better Country

God's people usually find themselves living in a culture that is hostile to their faith.

 

Hebrews 11:13-16  All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

14  Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.  15  If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.  16  But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

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Do you get upset with the lack of morality in the world around you? Good! It should make you feel uncomfortable. Are you grieved that the world seems to be against what you believe and doesn't care about your morals? Get over it! God's children shouldn't feel too comfortable here in this world and we shouldn't expect the world to live up to our standards.

How do you think Noah felt? I think it is easy to rush through the story about the flood and miss the point of how immoral everybody in the world was with the exception of Noah. I suspect that the world was worse than it is today yet Noah was still living to please God and while he was building the ark he was evangelizing his neighbors. (2 Peter 2:5)

Matthew 5:10-12  God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.  11  "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers.  12  Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

In the Old Testament people like Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, Daniel and his cool furnace friends, Esther and Mordecai all obeyed God and brought him glory. When God exiled his people from the Promised Land because they didn't obey him there was usually somebody that lived in opposition to the culture, somebody that didn't deserve to be exiled, somebody that had to live with the consequences of the sin of the rest of the nation. Those people didn't whine about the way the people around them lived and why they passed laws that did not honor God.

The New Testament gives us examples like John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and ultimately Jesus. The world hated the man that was the ultimate example of love and so they will also hate us as well. The gospel message was spread across the world because faithful men were willing to endure persecution. (John 15:18-21, 2 Timothy 3:12)

God's people have seldom ever lived in a culture that welcomed them in and had great respect for what they believed. We can get mad about the decline of Godly values in America but we should realize that God's people have never had it so good.

God's people should be easy to spot in a hostile culture but too often we are easy to spot for the wrong reasons. Throughout history we have been the people that have made the news for what we are against and for taking an ugly stand for it. Jesus told us that the world will know us by our love but a lot of people say that they know us by our hate.

Be Still and Wait
Psalms 37:7-9  Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper--it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.

That verse is great advice for us as we live in this world full of evil. Don't worry, don't fret, don't get mad about it! Is it keeping you awake at night? Are you obsessed with watching or reading the news? Are you afraid of the future?

Just be still and wait. What! That's isn't natural! We like to handle things ourselves. We like to help God do what he needs to do. But God tells us to get out of the way, "I am at work here and you don't know what I am up to."

Just be still and wait. In a hostile culture you are forced to rely on God and lean on his strength. We have no human power to lean on, our reliance on people or things gets stripped away when God is all that's left.

Matthew 12:18-21  "Look at My Servant, whom I have chosen. He is My Beloved, who pleases Me. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise His voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally He will cause justice to be victorious. And His name will be the hope of all the world."

Lord help me to follow your example, help me to be still and wait for you and help me to trust in you when the world around me seems to be drifting so far away from the truth found in your word.

Stairway To Heaven

Jesus gives us access to God.

 

John 1:45-51  Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."

46  "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" "Come and see for yourself," Philip replied.

47  As they approached, Jesus said, "Now here is a genuine son of Israel--a man of complete integrity."

48  "How do You know about me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you."

49  Then Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God--the King of Israel!"

50  Jesus asked him, "Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."

51  Then He said, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the One who is the stairway between heaven and earth. "

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We have seen in the first chapter of the book of John a great amount of proof that Jesus is God, the testimony of John the Baptist, the testimony of God when Jesus was baptized, and the testimony of the first disciples should be considered if you are investigating who Jesus is.

As we saw in the previous post, Andrew couldn't wait to go and tell his brother Simon about Jesus, Philip had the same reaction and went to find Nathanael and invite him to "come and see" Jesus for himself.

As they approached, Jesus gave some information about Nathanael that he couldn't have possibly known, Nathanael was convinced very quickly that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God that they have been waiting for.

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Nathanael was right to call Jesus his king but he didn't realize that his kingdom is not of this world. Jesus told his disciples that they will see greater proof in the days ahead that he is the Son of God. They are going to witness some amazing events in the next three years that will solidify their faith and make them sure of Jesus. Just wait until they see how much he loves them!

Romans 5:1-2 ESV Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Jesus changed everything, his work on the cross gives us access to God, like a ladder connecting earth to heaven, he made it possible for us to come to God. My relationship with God is changed, I don't need to go to a priest and I don't need to offer a sacrifice, I have peace with God for eternity. I get to live each day knowing that I am loved beyond measure and I know that I have access to God. (John 14:2-3, Hebrews 4:16)

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

I have access to the riches of heaven, not only for my eternal future, but as a resource for daily living. I should live each day with strength and confidence that this world doesn't offer. I need to show them Jesus and invite them to "Come and See" for themselves.

Thank you Lord for giving me access to heaven!

Jesus Changed My Destiny

I was on the road to ruin until Jesus paved the way to a new life.

1 Peter 2:22-25  He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.  23  He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 24  He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.

25  Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

Philippians 3:19-20  They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.  20  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.

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The common ground that all of mankind has is the headache of sin, all around the world we are all looking for a way to handle the effects of sin, we are all missing the world as it was before the fall. Man has devised a lot of ways to try and put a bandage on the wounds but none of them change the end result of my sin.

There is only one way to deal with sin successfully, a ransom has to be paid to cancel our debt but who could possibly have enough assets to liquidate so that you could pay it? Fortunately I have someone that loves me that has the resources to pay my debt. 

The heartache and misery of my sin was placed on Jesus, something that he had never felt before, he was the perfect sacrifice because he did not sin, he did not tell a lie or get revenge or fight back, he trusted God when somebody treated him wrong.

I couldn't change my destiny

Psalms 49:6-9  They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.  7  Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.  8  Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough  9  to live forever and never see the grave.

The punishment that I was headed for has been avoided, Jesus put a u-turn sign up, the road to the grave and judgement doesn't have to be my destination. The gods that the world has created cannot change my destiny and so the world wonders around like lost sheep looking to satisfy their appetite for the temporary as they head to destruction.

John 3:16  "For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Thanks to Jesus payment for my sin I am a citizen of heaven and I am on the narrow road that leads me home. I have been redeemed, cleansed and given a new life and now I am under the loving care of the good Shepherd.

Thank you Lord for changing my destiny!

Excuse Me, Coming Through

Just passing through on my way to glory.

1 Peter 2:11-12  Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.  12  Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world.

1 Peter 1:17  And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time as "foreigners in the land."

Philippians 3:20  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.

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Going home is something to look forward to with great excitement. It means that the work day is finished or a vacation is over and you get to relax. As good as going home is here on this planet it isn't anything like the home that we will go to some day in glory.

God's children know that Jesus went back to his home in heaven to prepare the place for us (John 14:2-3, Hebrews 11:16), what a glorious place that must be, as wonderful as our world is, it only took six days to create it so just think how amazing heaven will be after all this time that Jesus has been gone.

The best description of heaven is found in Revelation 21-22. It is a place without suffering, a place that won't have any tears (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17), a place without hospitals where all of the people that live there will have brand new bodies (2 Corinthians 5:1-8) and a place without graveyards or funerals. In heaven there won't be any sin, suffering, sorrow, or pain and we will never do anything to displease God.

Choose which kingdom you love

1 John 2:15-17  Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  16  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  17  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

This world has a lot of beauty and it has a lot of cool toys and good times but none of those things should be our true love. If I love this world and it's pleasures and begin to allow it's pleasures to rule my life instead of God then those worldly desires will start to change my thinking and I will start to look just like the people of this world instead of the people in the new world. The people that are citizens of the land that I am going to behave differently and I should look like them.

The Bible cautions us that the love for the world is in conflict with our love for God, they cannot coexist, it is a contradiction to say that I love the sinful pleasures of this world and that I love God and what he loves.

I need to love like God loves, the only thing that I am to love in this world is people, they are the only thing of this world that I can take to my new home in glory. I need to tell as many people as i can so that they can go to God's eternal home that he has made for me. (John 5:28-29, 2 Peter 3:10)

Thank God For A New Life

My God is eternal and so am I.

1 Peter 1:23-25 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

24 As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass;their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

John 3:16  "For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

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The miracle of life is worth celebrating, everybody likes to see a new born baby, all of the friends and relatives of the family have to go see the baby. It is time to have a party! Life is fragile and so very temporary, that is the reality of our sinful condition, it doesn't take long for the party to end.

The good news is that there is new life that will never end. Our time on earth passes so quickly, the Bible often compares our existence to plants in the field, human life is compared to the plants in the field, they look pretty for a season and then they fade away.

Have you had a spiritual birthday?

John 3:5-6,16 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life."

When we are born into God's family we gain this life that never ends, Jesus said, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish" (John 10:28) God loves us so much that he wants to spend eternity with us! If people that are fading away celebrate new life which will also fade away then how much more should we celebrate new life that will last for eternity?

God promises that eternity for me includes:

✔ Eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9)
✔ Eternal prize (1 Corinthians 9:25)
✔ Eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10)
✔ Eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15)
✔ Eternal home (John 14:2-3)

Best of all you can have all of this for free! Thank God, I didn't have to pay for this gift with money, or by being good enough, it is mine through having a relationship with Jesus. (Romans 6:23)

Thank you Lord for giving me a new life that will never fade away. Thanksgiving time is a great time to remember your blessings.

A Dangerous Silence

Four realities the Christ follower must accept.

Proverbs 24:11-12 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

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Did you ever read a part of scripture and think to yourself "where did that come from" or "I didn't know that was in there?" That happened to me this past Sunday morning.

We had a guest speaker at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church,  Tom Eliff, president of the International Mission Board as our guest speaker and this scripture from Proverbs came as a surprise to me.

Here is the outline of his sermon with my notes filled in for each point:

There is a compelling reality you must face

Hell is real and lost people are being led away in mass. We don't like to think about it is a reality that thousands are headed to an eternity of dark, loneliness in agony.

There are critical responsibilities you must accept

We should be on a rescue mission, if we really understand what we have been saved from then how can we be so laid back about telling others.

There are calloused reactions you must avoid

You can't fool God and say that you didn't know about the situation, we should not neglect our responsibility by being indifferent.

There is a certain reckoning you must anticipate

We will be held responsible for the work that we did here for God's kingdom.

The passage in Proverbs sounds like it should be in the New Testament, it reminds me of this passage from Paul that he wrote to the church in Corinth:

2 Corinthians 5:10-11  For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.  Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.

Jesus commissioned us to go tell the world, it's not a suggestion, it's a command and like most commands there is an accountability for our actions. We will be judged on what we did with what we know, it is very clear in this passage in Corinthians that we have a duty to our God and to the people around us. Some of them do not know about the dangers and there are others that have heard about the danger but they have decided to ignore the warning and they need to be told again and again so that maybe they will change their mind.

I need to be true to my mission and be willing to tell others more often than I do about the dangers that are waiting for them.

Help me Lord to be on fire about working for you.

Do You Know The Way?

A series on Jesus final teachings before his betrayal.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

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Do you know how to get to God? How many roads lead to heaven?

All of the popular theories about how to get to heaven tries to run over the "one way" signs in the Bible so that man can decide for himself "which way" works for himself.

Religious people have been deceived into believing that there can be a different way to heaven, the various religions of the world ignore the one way that is the only logical way, the way that has been authenticated through scripture and the prophets. All of the man made theories in the world cannot hold up to the proven truths in God's word. 

Jesus shares three truths about himself in this verse today, he said that he is:

the way

John 8:23-24 Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

Acts 4:12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Jesus made the impossible become possible, he made the only way to heaven, if you think there is another way then you need to look at Jesus next attribute.

the truth

John 8:31-32  Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, "You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings.  32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Jesus embodies all of the truth that we need to know about God, he is God's revelation to us, what more proof do we need of the existence of God and how much he loves us?

Our world is looking for real truth, the kind that isn't fickle, God is the source of all truth. Real truth is full of things that we cannot change, God's truth is reality and anything else that we make up that goes against his truth is a deception. The greatest danger is for us to make a different way to God other than "the way."

the life

John 5:25-26  "And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear My voice--the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.  26  The Father has life in Himself, and He has granted that same life-giving power to His Son.

Jesus is the life giver, at the beginning of creation he was giving life (John 1:2-3) and through his death he gave me life for eternity in his presence.

I am the way, the truth, and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou should pursue; the truth which thou should believe; the life which thou should hope for

- Thomas a Kempis, “Imitation of Christ” 

Jesus claims about himself, if they are true, put him in a totally different league than any other religious leader. All of the other leaders made their own claims about themselves, none of them were authenticated by prophecy, none of them fulfilled a hundred different prophecies just by being born. None of them can say that they have been to heaven and that they are coming back to get their followers, so far their tombs are still full of bones.

Jesus is the only one that was God's son, that left the presence of God to spend thirty-three years on earth, returned to God to prepare a place for us and when it is ready he will come back and take us home.

Thank you Lord for absolute truth in this world that is so full of deception. Thank you for making a place for me in your presence where I will spend eternity.

Don't Despise The Little Ones

If you don't love children then you might have a problem with Jesus.

Matthew 18:1-4, 10  About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" 

2  Jesus called a little child to Him and put the child among them.  3  Then He said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  4  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

10  "Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of My heavenly Father.

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Jesus told us that we are to become just like a child in order to inherit a place in eternity with him and yet we spend so much of our time pretending to be so grown up. We want to appear to have it all together and to be self sufficient, we want people to see our strength and we will go to great lengths to hide our weaknesses.

The problem is, Jesus didn't want his followers to be that kind of people, he wanted simple, obedient child like followers that would rely on him and would trust in him to take care of our weakness.  

I need to be willing to do what ever my heavenly father ask of me.

Increase my faith Lord that you will provide the strength and the guidance for anything that you ask me to do.

You might like to read: Commands of Jesus blog series.

Related articles

• What Are We Holding On To? (getmorestrength.org)

Where Is Jesus

Scripture

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Luke 24:9-12  But very early on Sunday morning they took the ointments to the tomb-- 2 and found that the huge stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. 3 So they went in--but the Lord Jesus' body was gone. 4 They stood there puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Luke 24:1-4 (Living)

9 and they rushed back to Jerusalem to tell his eleven disciples--and everyone else--what had happened. 10 (The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and several others.) 11 But the story sounded like a fairy tale to the men--they didn't believe it. 12 However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; and then he went back home again, wondering what had happened.

Luke 24:13-27  That same day, Sunday, two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles out of Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking of Jesus' death, 15 when suddenly Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. 16 But they didn't recognize him, for God kept them from it.

17 "You seem to be in a deep discussion about something," he said. "What are you so concerned about?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 And one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about the terrible things that happened there last week." 19 "What things?" Jesus asked.

"The things that happened to Jesus, the Man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a Prophet who did incredible miracles and was a mighty Teacher, highly regarded by both God and man.20 But the chief priests and our religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to the Roman government to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had thought he was the glorious Messiah and that he had come to rescue Israel.

"And now, besides all this--which happened three days ago--22,23 some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning and came back with an amazing report that his body was missing, and that they had seen some angels there who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus' body was gone, just as the women had said."

25 Then Jesus said to them, "You are such foolish, foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures! 26 Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?"

27 Then Jesus quoted them passage after passage from the writings of the prophets, beginning with the book of Genesis and going right on through the Scriptures, explaining what the passages meant and what they said about him.

Observation

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Where is Jesus? The tomb is empty so the next question has to be where is He? The women at the tomb asked that question. The eleven remaining disciples asked and I say that we must also ask that same question. Where is Jesus?

Jesus encountered two disciples on the road and they were asking the question. They were having a crisis of belief, they knew the law, and the prophets and the Psalms and what they all said about Jesus. They should have known what was going to happen next. God was telling his people for thousands of years what he was up to. But since they missed it Jesus started explaining the scriptures to them he actually proved that the law the prophets and the Psalms were correct so they would know that he had risen just as they had been told.

For forty days Jesus proved his resurrection (Acts 1:1-3) and we must examine these proofs and answer the question for ourselves. If he didn’t rise from that tomb then we have no hope for eternity and all the church stuff we do is completely meaningless. But thank God that he did rise and that he now sits at the right hand of God. (Acts 3:12-15)

Application

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I will praise God daily for His plan! That Jesus would die on the cross for our sins and then rise from the tomb to give me the hope that “I know all will be well with me in death, You will give me back my life and give me wonderful joy in your presence.”

Prayer

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Thank you Lord that you loved me so much that you would suffer and die a cruel death to pay for my sins and allow me access to you.

You Better Like This King

Maybe not this king.

Scripture

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Luke 19:11-27   While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'

14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' 15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

16 "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 17 "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' 18 "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' 19 "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'

20 "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' 22 "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'

24 "Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' 25 "'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' 26 "He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them--bring them here and kill them in front of me.'"

Observation

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No greater or nobler person will walk on this planet and yet he had his enemies, those that rebelled and refused to acknowledge him as king. He was sent away but before he left he gave us gifts and resources to be used for his kingdom and he told us to use these gifts until he returns. Before he left he also gave us the Holy Spirit to give us power to use our gifts (Acts 1:8).

He did go away and he has been crowned king despite the opposition and the fact that some people don’t acknowledge him as king of their lives. The Pharisees didn’t want this man to be their king after all he didn’t think highly of their goodness and "holiness." They wanted a king that wouldn’t make them change their mode of operation, they would say “we are good, why should we change, those bad sinners they are the ones that need to change.”

Well some of those bad sinners did change and they were using their gifts for the kingdom while the king was gone. The king returned and was pleased with their use of the gifts that he gave them, they were interested in the kingdom and helping it to prosper.

The last servant didn’t care about the kingdom he rebelled against the king’s orders to 'Put this money to work, until I come back.' He missed out on the blessings of being fruitful for the kingdom and he suffered the loss of his original gifts. But it gets even worse for this servant because he rejected the king, he is the king’s enemy and the king’s enemies will be killed.

Application

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I have accepted the gift of salvation by acknowledging Jesus as king. I must use my talents and abilities that he has given to me. My focus should be on his kingdom.

Prayer

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Father I pray that you will be pleased with my use of the abilities and resources that you have given me. I will rely on the Holy Spirit for the power to use them.