I could hear geese honking above the dense Oregon fog…Immediately, God said, "I'm going to teach you to hear My voice." Little did I know how much I needed Jesus.
I heard a pastor talking about Heaven yesterday. His words made Heaven seem more real than this earthly life. Sometimes you hear people who can make Heaven feel like that.
He talked about how God calls to us and says, “Worship Me. Let go of earth. Come up here with Me. Praise Me and let Heaven and all the saints here with Me right now fill your thoughts as you join in with the Heavenly hosts.”
One day…And, probably sooner than any of us realize, earthly things will be gone from our lives.
Heaven – Think about it. Worship God and go up there where all the Heavenly host is before Him and all that is Heaven is now theirs to enjoy, forevermore
If you’ve asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then all of Heaven is rooting for you…
I got up this morning and fell right on my face. Now I didn’t literally fall on my face, but I did get so spiritually attacked that I fell pretty hard in my spirit. In fact, my heart began to harden to the Lord. Why am I telling you this? Because none of us is perfect and we all need Jesus, His blood, grace, mercy and forgiveness each day. I’m also telling you this because several years ago, it would have taken me months to come back from such a spiritual attack. Today, as soon as the Holy Spirit reminded me to test the spirit behind the lies I was believing, I came out of the attack and my hard heart softened as the Holy Spirit shared His truth with me. It was really wonderful to recover that quickly and I was truly thankful Jesus helped me escape the onslaught.
So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
Isaiah 59:19
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Heaven’s for us, precious people. God’s in control. Keep on believing and trusting God even when you’re spiritually attacked. God will provide the way of escape. Victory is imminent.
Take time to look up today, to think about Heaven and the victory God has for us each day.
Always remember that God’s mercies are new every morning. That’s the kind of Heavenly Father we have.
A new Russian threat was received in Israel on Wednesday, Dec. 26: Any more air strikes and Syria’s SA-5 air defense missiles will be fired deep into Israel – like the one that shook several towns on Tuesday night in the middle of an IAF (Israeli Air Force) attack on Iranian sites in Syria. Israel’s air defense system missed the intruding missile; it exploded harmlessly in an unpopulated part of Mt. Carmel. By issuing this threat, Moscow confirmed that the Syrian missile was aimed deliberately at the Israeli heartland, and was not a stray from the attacks on Israeli aircraft, as some Israeli officials have claimed.
People living in the towns of Hadera, Caesarea, Or Akiva, Zichon Yacov and Binyamina reported that their houses shook under the blast and for many hours the air reeked of gunpowder. A quarter of a million Israeli civilians were affected. That would be a mild foretaste of what is to come if the Russians carry out their threat of payback for any more Israeli air strikes over Syria. And that was a single SA-5 missile. The impact of five or 10 fired by a Syrian battery does not bear thinking of.
One Blogger’s Comment –
“Yes Israel will attack again, and Russia will strike back and Israel will strike harder and Russia will get more angry and strike even harder. The world will try to calm down the situation but the damage will be irreversible. At this point a true test will be there for Trump and his loyalty. Will he stay loyal to the grand puppeteer Putin or will he show loyalty to America’s step child – Israel?”
As I mentioned recently, one top Israeli military leader commented that Israel will probably be involved in a major war in 2019.
The way God’s been faithful to bring the Jews back to life in the land He promised them so many centuries ago, and the war mentioned in chapters 37-39 of the Bible’s Old Testament book of Ezekiel (I included those chapters below for those who have not read them) are signs to the world that He keeps His Word. In the Ezekiel war, God will completely destroy the enemies (Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran…) that attack His people, defenseless Israel.
Take time to look up, to think about Heaven and how close we are to being there based on the end times events that continue to inch closer and closer to being culminated.
God bless,
Mark
Ezekiel Chapters 37-39 New Living Translation (NLT)
A Valley of Dry Bones
37 The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”
“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”
4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”
10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”
Reunion of Israel and Judah
15 Again a message came to me from the Lord: 16 “Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: ‘This represents Judah and its allied tribes.’ Then take another piece and carve these words on it: ‘This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel.’ 17 Now hold them together in your hand as if they were one piece of wood. 18 When your people ask you what your actions mean, 19 say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take Ephraim and the northern tribes and join them to Judah. I will make them one piece of wood in my hand.’
20 “Then hold out the pieces of wood you have inscribed, so the people can see them. 21 And give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered. 22 I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms. 23 They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.
24 “My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees. 25 They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever. 26 And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever. 27 I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the Lord, who makes Israel holy.”
A Message for Gog
38 This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. 3 Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! 4 I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army—your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. 6 Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north, and many others.
7 “Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. 8 A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. 9 You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.
10 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme. 11 You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence! 12 I will go to those formerly desolate cities that are now filled with people who have returned from exile in many nations. I will capture vast amounts of plunder, for the people are rich with livestock and other possessions now. They think the whole world revolves around them!’ 13 But Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish will ask, ‘Do you really think the armies you have gathered can rob them of silver and gold? Do you think you can drive away their livestock and seize their goods and carry off plunder?’
14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: When my people are living in peace in their land, then you will rouse yourself. 15 You will come from your homeland in the distant north with your vast cavalry and your mighty army, 16 and you will attack my people Israel, covering their land like a cloud. At that time in the distant future, I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you, Gog. Then all the nations will know that I am the Lord.
17 “This is what the Sovereign Lord asks: Are you the one I was talking
about long ago, when I announced through Israel’s prophets that in the
future I would bring you against my people? 18 But this is what the
Sovereign Lord says: When Gog invades the land of Israel, my fury will
boil over! 19 In my jealousy and blazing anger, I promise a mighty
shaking in the land of Israel on that day. 20 All living things—the fish
in the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, the small
animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people on earth—will
quake in terror at my presence. Mountains will be thrown down; cliffs
will crumble; walls will fall to the earth. 21 I will summon the sword
against you on all the hills of Israel, says the Sovereign Lord. Your
men will turn their swords against each other. 22 I will punish you and
your armies with disease and bloodshed; I will send torrential rain,
hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur! 23 In this way, I will show my
greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations
of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
The Slaughter of Gog’s Hordes
39 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am your enemy, O Gog, ruler of the nations of Meshech and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north. 3 I will knock the bow from your left hand and the arrows from your right hand, and I will leave you helpless. 4 You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains. I will feed you to the vultures and wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open fields, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign Lord. 6 And I will rain down fire on Magog and on all your allies who live safely on the coasts. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “In this way, I will make known my holy name among my people of Israel. I will not let anyone bring shame on it. And the nations, too, will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 8 That day of judgment will come, says the Sovereign Lord. Everything will happen just as I have declared it.
9 “Then the people in the towns of Israel will go out and pick up your small and large shields, bows and arrows, javelins and spears, and they will use them for fuel. There will be enough to last them seven years! 10 They won’t need to cut wood from the fields or forests, for these weapons will give them all the fuel they need. They will plunder those who planned to plunder them, and they will rob those who planned to rob them, says the Sovereign Lord.
11 “And I will make a vast graveyard for Gog and his hordes in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. It will block the way of those who travel there, and they will change the name of the place to the Valley of Gog’s Hordes. 12 It will take seven months for the people of Israel to bury the bodies and cleanse the land. 13 Everyone in Israel will help, for it will be a glorious victory for Israel when I demonstrate my glory on that day, says the Sovereign Lord.
14 “After seven months, teams of men will be appointed to search the land for skeletons to bury, so the land will be made clean again. 15 Whenever bones are found, a marker will be set up so the burial crews will take them to be buried in the Valley of Gog’s Hordes. 16 (There will be a town there named Hamonah, which means ‘horde.’) And so the land will finally be cleansed.
17 “And now, son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call all the birds and wild animals. Say to them: Gather together for my great sacrificial feast. Come from far and near to the mountains of Israel, and there eat flesh and drink blood! 18 Eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of princes as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all fattened animals from Bashan! 19 Gorge yourselves with flesh until you are glutted; drink blood until you are drunk. This is the sacrificial feast I have prepared for you. 20 Feast at my banquet table—feast on horses and charioteers, on mighty men and all kinds of valiant warriors, says the Sovereign Lord.
21 “In this way, I will demonstrate my glory to the nations. Everyone will see the punishment I have inflicted on them and the power of my fist when I strike. 22 And from that time on the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23 The nations will then know why Israel was sent away to exile—it was punishment for sin, for they were unfaithful to their God. Therefore, I turned away from them and let their enemies destroy them. 24 I turned my face away and punished them because of their defilement and their sins.
Restoration for God’s People
25 “So now, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will end the captivity of my people; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation! 26 They will accept responsibility for their past shame and unfaithfulness after they come home to live in peace in their own land, with no one to bother them. 27 When I bring them home from the lands of their enemies, I will display my holiness among them for all the nations to see. 28 Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. 29 And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him (Satan) who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28
As we move further into the “End Times” and closer to the time of the “Great Tribulation” the Bible speaks so clearly about, I wanted to send out an article that talks about who goes to Heaven. So many people have their own ideas or are confused about Heaven and how to get there. Based on the Bible, the following article concisely states who will and will not be allowed into Heaven.
The article about Heaven is a little long, but very good.
Take time to think about Heaven today and this weekend. It’s so good for us to spend time thinking about it.
Don’t All Good People Go to Heaven? By Robert Velarde at Focus On The Family
In John 6:38, Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (NIV). Six times in John 6 it is stressed that Jesus came down from heaven, underscoring not only his divine origin, but also that his purpose is to do God’s will. The Greek word translated as “heaven” refers to the dwelling place of God. In Christian theology it is also where the redeemed (Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior) will dwell.
There is a common perception that so long as one leads a generally good life, they will get into heaven. But the question, “Don’t all good people go to heaven?” presupposes a number of points. First, there is usually the assumption that God exists and that He is all loving. Second, there is an assumption that although some “bad” people may need punishment, most people are generally “good” and, as such, are entitled to heaven. Third, there is the view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God’s grace. Fourth, related to the question about heaven is the implicit suggestion that hell, if it exists at all, is really only for a marginal few who are responsible for particularly evil acts. Let’s briefly look at these points.
God Exists and is All Loving
That God exists is an obvious component of the Christian worldview. He not only exists, but is also creator, designer and sustainer of the universe and everything in it. Not only is He ever present, all knowing, and all powerful, God is also all loving. He is a personal being active in His creation, but distinct from it. Those who argue that all good people go to heaven then make the case that a loving God would not turn away good and sincere individuals. Instead, they reason, it’s obvious that He would allow them into heaven.
This position, however, fails to consider the broad spectrum of the nature of God. While we may glean general principles about Him from what He has made (Romans 1:20) such as His existence, power and moral nature, we learn specifics about Him from the Bible—His special revelation. It is here that we learn that God is indeed merciful (Deuteronomy 4:31; Daniel 9:9), but also just (Job 34:12; Psalm 45:6; Isaiah 30:18). He is also completely holy. These aspects of His nature, particularly his justice and holiness, mean that anything even remotely sinful cannot dwell in God’s presence.
Are Most People Good?
The next assumption is that although some “bad” people may need punishment, most are generally “good” and entitled to heaven. The position that views people as generally good and entitled to heaven tends to make the error of viewing human nature as basically good. Biblical evidence as well as experiential evidence show this view to be false. As the Bible explains, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV). Psalm 51:5 comes across even stronger: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
Biblically speaking, most people are not “good.” In fact, when compared to God’s standards of holiness, no one is “good.” To one degree or another, we all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This does not mean that we are always actively engaged in doing evil or participating in depraved acts all the time. But it does mean that in our very nature we are “fallen,” in rebellion against God and incapable of saving ourselves.
Works and Grace
The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God’s grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (NIV). Grace is God’s unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we’ve noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God’s justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God’s grace through Christ.
What if you’re sincere?
What about sincere and good people who are not Christian? Won’t God welcome them into heaven? This assumes that sincerity is enough to correspond to truth, when in reality it is not. As Proverbs 16:25 reads, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Sincerity will only get someone so far, then it must face reality. No matter how sincere someone may be about being able to fly by frantically flapping their arms, their sincerity will not keep them in the air. Besides, if someone is actively believing something that is not true and, as a result, is implicitly if not explicitly rejecting God, it seems odd for God to welcome such a person into heaven. Sincerity, then, is not enough. One also has to believe what is true.
“No one is good – except God alone”
Like the man who approached Jesus and used the word “good,” perhaps without giving it much thought, we too need to be careful how we use and define our terms. As Jesus answered, “No one is good – except God alone” (Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). Do all “good” people go to heaven? Since no one is good as defined by God, the answer is, “No.” Those who enter heaven do so not on the basis of merit, but on the basis of God’s grace as bestowed by Jesus Christ. We can’t work our way to heaven or claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8). Instead, we must humbly submit to God, turn from our wrong behavior, and turn to Christ for salvation.
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)
Will I go to Heaven or Hell when this life is over? The choice is up to each of us…
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his (Jesus) coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:3-7
Yesterday, I heard a pastor talk about how close we are to Jesus’ soon return. He talked about so many Christians growing weary while waiting for Jesus’ return, and mankind has waited so long for Jesus to come back to earth that the pastor was asked why he believes Christ’s return is very near. He replied, “So many Bible prophecies are converging right now and it’s an indication that we are at the threshold of the great tribulation and the second coming of Christ. We’re living in a very unique time where we’re seeing all of these (end times) signs converge and come together for the first time. No longer am I looking for (end times) signs, I’m listening for the sound of the trumpet.”
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Heaven – Be sure to think about it throughout the week. It fills us with so much hope. Look up. For very good reasons, Jesus commands His followers to do so…
In Matthew chapter 24 of the Bible, out of His all-knowing love for us, Jesus tells us to look up. That’s not a recommendation or suggestion. It’s a command. We disobey His command at our own peril.
Whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed by anything, it’s usually because I’ve stopped looking up, looking to and focusing on Jesus and the wonderful, Heavenly future He has in store for me.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
Get your mind off the things of earth and onto Heaven. It will open your soul to the incredible future in store for God’s children. And, this perspective will make today a day full of bright possibilities.
It’s SO WONDERFUL to have the blessed privilege as a child of God to be able to choose Jesus every day. I’m not left to my own thoughts/devices nor the thoughts/devices of anyone else. Jesus is my life. That’s why I live and love to look up to my Jesus. When I look to my Jesus, love lifts me.
Love Lifted Me Christian Hymn by James Rowe and Howard Smith
I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.
Refrain:
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me!
All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling,
In His blessed presence live, ever His praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service, too, to Him belongs.
Refrain:
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me!
Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves;
He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.
I don’t think there’s a more precious moment in a person’s life than when they come to the point where they discover that nothing else but Jesus can help. And, the really wonderful thing is that we can rely on His help every moment of the day from now until eternity. Oh, thank You, Jesus.
Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2a
Look up today. In fact, make looking up your lifestyle. His love will lift you ABOVE every day.
Please take time to think about Heaven today and this weekend. Let love lift you to realms ABOVE.
In order to do His Father’s will on earth, Jesus had to get alone with the Father. It’s how He looked up while He was on earth. We can do the same by looking up to God throughout our days. Looking up gives us the resources and insights we need from our Heavenly Father on a daily basis.
Look up today, and every day. Getting God’s perspective makes all the difference in the world.
Please take to think about Heaven, about your Father.
Well, you know me. I just love pictures depicting Heaven. I’d like to have a whole book of them to look at. Just fills my heart with joy and such anticipation. It’s going to be so fun to see all that God has in store for those who love Him and have accepted Jesus as their Savior.
Take time to think about Heaven this weekend. It’s so much fun to do so. ☺
This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Habakkuk 2:3
“Have you not known? Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint, nor is He weary? His understanding is inscrutable. He gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:28-31
“I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be strong, and may your heart be stout; wait on the Lord.”
Psalm 27:13-14
“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have held me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:23-26
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
This email is a little later today for a purpose. We may be late at times, but God is never late. His timing is perfect in our individual lives and in His timing for end times events. He only asks that we trust and rest in Him and the fact that He knows when all things are in place to bring about His plans for our lives and the universe as a whole.
Remember to look up today and this weekend. Heaven is on the way and God is in perfect control.
‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’
Revelation 2:17
When we were born, our parents gave us our earthly name. Our heavenly Father’s going to give us a new name. I’ve often wondered what name He has for me in heaven. Fun to think about…
While it’s nothing new (See the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth), it’s becoming popular today to tell people they can ask Jesus into their lives and then go on living the way they’ve always lived with no need to repent of any sin they may be living in. But, that’s not what the Bible teaches…
“Not everyone who says to me (Jesus), ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I (Jesus) declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 7:21-23
Many today think there are any number of “heavens” people might go to when they pass. They base this belief on their own feelings and popular notions of the day regarding life after death. Some people believe we merely stop existing following our earthly death. And many individuals don’t believe in a literal hell.
Heaven, or hell? The Bible makes it clear that the choice is up to each individual. After we complete life on earth, we will go to either heaven or hell based on what we did with Jesus while living on earth – We must accept Him as Savior and know Him as Lord (Matthew 7:21-23). How can we know we’ll go to heaven when we die? We must accept Jesus as Savior and do His will while living on the earth.
because, if you (anyone) confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:9-10
Take a relaxing, deeeeeep, Heavenly breath. Really. Go ahead…
We can get so goal-oriented, purpose-driven, busy and consumed with the things of earth.
Please take time to think about Heaven today and this weekend. Let the wonder of it sink deep in your soul. It can refresh you, remind you of what’s important and give you a proper perspective and balance regarding this life.
“God, help us to live as though all tears are wiped away. Lead us in the way everlasting.”
Take a few more relaxing, deeeeeep, Heavenly breaths.
Adam and Eve came into a sinless world. They knew no sin. The world was without sin. Wow. That’s amazing. I often wonder what that would have been like. Absolutely no weight of sin on any part of their being.
The Bible says that Jesus knew no sin. In other words, He never sinned, personally. But, He came into a sinful world and many were offended by Him and rejected Him because they loved the darkness (sin) more than the light (Jesus). It’s incredible to sit and think about living without any of sin’s impact on my life. That will be Heaven, for sure. Wow…
Take time to think about Heaven. It can really relax your spirit. Free from any of sin’s impact. That’s going to be so incredible.
As we see the events of the Middle East consuming more and more of the world’s time and attention, we realize that this world and its ways are quickly passing away…
The Holy Spirit continues to remind me to take my mind off of the things of earth and to concentrate more and more on Heaven. Keep looking up to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:2
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
Matthew 24:42
Keep Heaven on your mind, everyone. I’ve been having more migraines and panic attacks than I’ve had in a really long time and the thing that keeps me thanking and praising God (1 Thessalonians 5:18) is knowing Jesus and that, one day, we’ll be with Him forever. Keep your spiritual chin up and keep looking up to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Yep, I’m a pictures guy. I love books filled with pictures like the one above of God on His Heavenly throne. Fills my heart with such expectancy and joy. Reminds me to look up and that’s always a good thing.
Yesterday, I was thinking about God’s throne in Heaven and had a Holy Spirit realization that I’m going to see that beautiful scene some day. Wow, isn’t that going to be amazing. We’re really going to be there and see it in person. Incredible. I wonder how much Holy Spirit power, love and joy will fill our entire being. Fun to think about it.
Remember, whatever God asks you to go through, all the resources of Heaven are at your disposal as a child of God. I often ask for God’s help. I need to learn do it more cause it’s so neat when I acknowledge Him and sense His Presence with me, guiding me, helping me. Call on Heaven everyday and all the time. It makes life so much better. It really picks you up and makes your day.
I’ve never seen the Eiffel Tower.
I’ve never seen the streets of Rome.
I’ve never seen the world”s seven wonders,
But I’ll see the greatest wonder that day when I go home.
I’m gonna see Jesus, I’m gonna see Jesus.
I’ll see him smile open His arms and walk my way
I’m gonna see Jesus, I’m gonna see Jesus
I’m gonna look into His eyes someday
I may not see that much of riches
I may not see that much of fame
I may not see that much of worldly treasures
And if I never do, I really haven’t missed a thing, cause
I’m gonna see Jesus, I’m gonna see Jesus.
I’ll see him smile open His arms and walk my way
I’m gonna see Jesus, I’m gonna see Jesus
I’m gonna look into His eyes someday
I’m gonna see Jesus, I’m gonna see Jesus.
I’ll see him smile open His arms and walk my way
I’m gonna see Jesus, I’m gonna see Jesus
I’m gonna look into His eyes someday
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Psalm 91:2
