Be Still, Look Up

It’s so good to simply take a few slow, deep breaths.  It can help to still me…

Let (we have a choice) not your heart be troubled (I protect my heart by looking up):  ye believe in God, believe also in me (Jesus).
John 14:1

If I don’t do what Jesus asks me to do, I’ll be tempted to doubt and question Him, to take on care and fear.  If I don’t “look up,” I may experience a hardening of my heart towards God.

God doesn’t ask me to understand everything that happens on earth.  He asks me to trust Him, to look up.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luke 21:28

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding (our understanding is limited and finite while God’s understanding is infinite seeing the whole picture).
Proverbs 3:5

Why “Look up?”  Jesus knew doing so would help us maintain a posture of trusting Him regardless of circumstances.  In other words, “looking up” enables us to “be still,” to not give in to earthly emotions, and fear so that we don’t become full of concern about everything that’s happening around us.  Looking up gives us God’s proper perspective.  Jesus (not day-to-day circumstances) truly is our Prince Of Peace.

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings (bad news):  heart is fixed (his heart is looking up to Jesus), trusting in the LORD (the reward for being obedient to “look up,” to keep focused on Jesus, and His will and care for us).

Let’s be still knowing God is in control and that our redemption is very near.

Today, be still.  Look up. ☺

God bless,

Mark

“Look Up,” Jesus, Our Bridegroom, Tells Us

Hello Everyone,

It was such a blessing to me that I just didn’t want to wait until Heavenly Friday to send this to you.  =)

No pictures in today’s email.  I wanted you to enjoy dreaming about what your new life with Jesus might look like without including any preconceived ideas.  Makes it more fun that way.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Boy, I viewed a really beautiful story yesterday about the bride (us) and the bridegroom (Jesus).  It was based on the Jewish wedding.  I know many of you have heard this type of story about how the Jewish wedding relates to us and Jesus, but it always lifts my spirit and I hope it does the same for you.

In the video, the Jewish bridegroom left his house (just like Jesus left Heaven to come to earth), visited the bride to be and then left her to go build the home he and she would live in.  According to the custom, the bridegroom didn’t return again until he came for his bride.  Also, the home the bridegroom built for his new bride was to be at least as big and nice as her parents’ current home.  While at her home the first time, the two had a sort of communion time (part of the marriage proposal just like when we take communion.  We’re saying “Yes” to Jesus offer of salvation, of becoming His bride) to solidify their promise, the covenant of betrothal.

Once the bridegroom built their new house, and had all of the preparations in place, he would get dressed up, take all his friends and go to his bride to take her to their new home.

While the bridegroom was building their new home, the bride was to be preparing herself with beautiful spices, jewelry and her wedding dress.  She also had people helping her to be ready for when her bridegroom came to take her away to their new home.

She wondered and probably daydreamed about what her new home would be like, and how wonderful it was to be pursued by the bridegroom.  She must have thought about how life would be like with her new husband.  Her thoughts for her current life with her parents probably started to take up less and less of her time and attention as that life was replaced by thoughts, dreams and the importance of her coming new life and wedding day.

It seems only natural that there were days when she felt weary while waiting, while she longed for her betrothed, their new home, and if the wedding day would ever really arrive.  I’m sure the bridegroom made his preparations with her on his mind anxious for the day when the two of them would be together, forever.

According to Jewish tradition, the time between their first meeting, their betrothal, and the day the bridegroom came for her was normally about one year.  Also, according to tradition, the bride really never knew the exact time he would come for her so she remained ready for that day.

Jesus’ first coming, about 2000 years ago, was to betroth His bride.  The entire time He’s been away from her (from earth), He’s been building His bride her eternal home and making all of the arrangements for their wedding day.  Tradition even makes it sound like He’ll have communion with His new bride on their wedding day (Mark 14:25).

Sometimes, the things of earth can consume our attention.  We can be tempted to grow weary, and bogged down, to forget about our coming wedding day.  But, yesterday’s video about the Jewish betrothal and wedding ceremony, that day when the bridegroom’s men blew trumpets and came for his bride reminded me again to keep looking up.  Our redemption is truly drawing near.  Our betrothed (Jesus) is at the door, He’s coming for us.  We’ll soon be His in our new home beyond the skies, forever.  Our past life will fade away, there with Him, there will be no more tears, and we will begin “forever.”  We’ll finally be where we belong with Him in our new home, and we’ll finally feel like we’re home with the One our hearts have longed for, our beloved Jesus.

Someday soon, in the twinkling of an eye, all of our dreams will have come true…

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree:  As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.  So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, right at the door.  Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.…
Matthew 24:32-34

God bless each of you,

Mark

Reminding Us All To Keep “Looking Up!”

Hello Saints in Jesus’ Name, Our Prince Of Peace,  The Name That Is Above Every Other Name –

First, I want to keep reminding you to bless each other.  The Bible says God is involved in our blessings when we bless each other and put His mighty name on each other.  Things happen in the spiritual realm as we bless each other.

The Lord bless you and keep you,

The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace,

And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is above every other name.  Amen.

I want to encourage you like the Lord asks us to do in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 regarding the end times events we’re seeing all around us today.

Wow, I’m telling you, this is no time to get down about the world’s conditions – what God said would happen is happening.  Don’t let yourself be consumed by what’s going on in the natural realm, but focus your attention on God’s supernatural realm – keep casting all your cares on Him for He careth for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Keep looking up to Heaven.  Keep letting go of this earth.  Let the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of God’s glory and grace.  Our redemption is drawing near.  Do you believe that?  You should.  Your emotional well-being depends on it, on believing God’s Word, and by looking up.

Finally, rather than letting others drag your attention and emotions back to the things of earth, help lift their eyes (their attention and emotions) to Heaven by telling them to look up just like Jesus commands us to do in Luke chapter 21.   This is how we keep letting the peace of God rule in our hearts…

God’s on His throne, folks, and His plans for the universe are being carried out.  Praise God!

Let’s live like we’re already in Heaven.  Doing so will lift us up, and others as well.

We’re about to have all tears wiped away, forever.  Oh, thanks be to God!  Hallelujah to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Kadosh kadosh kadosh
Kadosh kadosh kadosh
Adonai Elohim tz’va’ot
Adonai Elohim tz’va’ot

Holy holy holy
Holy holy holy
O Lord our God Lord of hosts
O Lord our God Lord of hosts

Asher hayah
V’hoveh v’yavo
Asher hayah
V’hoveh v’yavo

Who was and Who is
And Who is to come
Who was and Who is
And Who is to come

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

God bless,

Mark

Look Up!

Image result for looking up to God images

There are so many opportunities to look up.  (Psalm 34:19)

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19

Here’s a neat thought.  All of you know how Jesus says to look up when you see these things coming on the earth in Matthew chapter 24 , right?  Well, you can always look up when you’re facing some sort of test, trial, or whatever.  Feeling down, discouraged, in pain, fearful…whatever?  Look up.  Put on some Christian music, thank and praise God, read Psalm 91 out loud, take those despairing thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ by doing anything like the above that lifts your spirit in the Lord.  =)

Boy, God is SO GOOD!  I had a really bad migraine headache yesterday.  The blessing is that I hadn’t had one in about 5 months.  The other blessing is that I woke up this morning feeling really bad.  Feeling bad always makes me seek Jesus and His delivering love.  As a result of feeling bad, I put on my favorite Christian song and the Holy Spirit began talking to me.  His words started to encourage my spirit.  I just love it when He’s faithful like that.  We serve such a loving God.

Feeling run over?  Well, do whatever it takes to encourage yourself in the Lord, to look up.  That’s what David, in the Bible, did.

The battle is the Lord’s, precious people.  He just asks us to stand and watch the salvation of the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

God bless you all as we begin another week with faithful Jesus in our hearts and at our sides,

The Lord bless you, and keep you:

The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you:

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

And I put the Name of The God of the children of Israel upon you, and I bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is above every other name.
Numbers 6:24-27 (Edits Mine)

Nothing like the dwelling place of the MOST HIGH.  =)

Mark