An Eternal Perspective

 

     Looking ahead to heaven is a worthy past-time.  Our true home awaits us. The number of our years will be just a passing glance in lieu of eternity. Our eternal hope gives us a new reality in our lives. Our most pressing purpose becomes serving the One who offers us our eternal home.

     Living in light of eternity leaves us with hope. On our deathbed there is true hope. Stay in the moment-to-moment events of life with the promise of heaven etched in your heart. Jesus has you this very minute. Trust Him with the next minute and all of the moments to follow.

     Live with hope and with no fear. Let the worries slip away. Worries place the burdens of tomorrow on the blessings of today. Focus on hope. Minute by minute, step by step, there is Jesus. And then there is heaven.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

But in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13

Jesus,

You bring hope. Always hope. We eagerly await Your coming. We are looking forward to the new heaven and the new earth. For now, we love and we serve and we trust and we hope.

Amen

Overcomers

 

     The answers to our, “what,” “where,” “when,” and why,” questions may be impossible to answer on our own. Faith and hope replace the questions and help to make sense of our uncertain world.  My anxiety creeps in and out of my life unexpectedly.

     God continues to work with me to overcome it time and time again. It is one of my many weaknesses. I share the truth of it with others and, in turn, others share their stories with me. We all struggle with worry and anxiety throughout our lives. Scriptures familiar to me comfort me during my sleepless nights. How do you cope?

     Without Jesus, there would appear to be no stable foundation for us. Luckily, we have the Savior of the world at our disposal. He is stronger than the one who lies to us, who tempts us, who works to destroy our testimony. Shut him out. The one within us is a mighty force.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they have life and have it to the full.  John 10:10

     We are overcomers. Jesus knows the world is full of trouble. The Holy Spirit gives us power and strength and love to overcome it all.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me, you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Lord,

Give us the heart of overcomers. We crave Your everlasting peace. Protect us today from the worries and anxieties that overtake us. Give us Your heart of peace.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Broken Pieces and All

 

     The trail behind us may be covered with shattered dreams, with broken pieces, with regret. God, through Jesus, can redeem all of it. He takes the broken pieces and makes them into beautiful clay pots. The cracks left in these pots allows the light to shine through our brokenness.  This healing light brings something new and bright and beautiful.

But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:4

     The great potter will mold you into something precious and treasured, unique and beautiful in His sight. You belong to Him.

You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the One who formed it, “You did not make me?” Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing?” Isaiah 29:16

     God formed you and He loves you and He will continue to work things out in your life. Ready to begin again? Ready for a new thing? Listen to these beautiful verses made just for you and for me today as we begin again.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

     Let Him show you the way, broken pieces and all.

Father,

It can be hard to look ahead and trust You to transform all that is behind. But You know us inside and out and You will redeem it; all of it. Show us the new things You are doing. Show us the way.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Letting Go

 

     It’s hard to leave the past behind. In fact, it can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible. Letting a relationship go even when we know it’s the right decision. Letting go of a loved one to death or divorce, being let go from a needed job. Life’s journeys can wear us down and out.

     Can we get to a peace in our relationship with Jesus where trust wins over fear and doubt? Can we believe Jesus works through the drama and anxiety and loss and letting go? Is there a hope and a future no matter the cost?

     Jesus will hold you up. He will comfort your broken heart and move you forward. He will make the memories sweet. He will move you forward and use your loss and your heartache and your fear for His purposes. Your weakness will show His strength. Hold onto the Savior. He works it out. He moves us ahead. He gives us hope for tomorrow.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13

Father,

Moving ahead can be so hard. It is a strain. Give us the ability to trust You above our circumstances until we can see a bright, new future ahead.

Amen

 

Why?

 

     Our precious grandson turns 3 years old today! He is funny, curious, mischievous, precocious, creative, and entertains us endlessly. We are more than blessed to watch Gavin and his baby brother, Grayson, full-time. Gavin’s favorite word, his favorite questions is, “Why?”

     My mom’s birthday is this week as well. I miss her even after almost 34 years without her. I pray I am like her. She was simply the best mom’ compassionate, loving, always giving. The “why” questions in all of our lives don’t have easy answers. Why couldn’t my parents live to see our wedding and meet our girls? I’m sure you have unanswerable questions of your own.

     The “whys” in life can lead us in circles and find us no closer to an answer as we continue to seek. Gavin’s “why” questions go nowhere. “Why do I have to wear gloves?”  “Why do I have to let my brother play with that?” “Why did you push that chair?” At this age, we appreciate the stage he is in. He is learning and curious and only sees life through his feelings at any one moment in time..

     Just like Gavin, our “whys?” are never-ending. We will never figure out the answers to all of our questions. But we do know the One who holds the future in His almighty hands. And the future is good for each of us, all the way to eternity.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

     Keep turning to the God and, Gavin, keep asking the questions. We love you more than words can express. You are our sunshine! Happy 3^rd birthday.

Lord,

We give You thanks for our grandkids today. Bless them and keep them. Make Your face to shine on them and give them Your peace. You know the answers to all of our “whys.” Give us Your peace with the unanswerable questions in life.

Amen

Thal All May Go Well With You

 

     Are your spiritual muscles feeling a little stronger? Are your eyes beginning to glow with that certain light? Is your spiritual heart beating with passion and love? Are you ready to fill up on the living bread and water of Jesus and His word?

      I pray this week you have thought a little more about the value in growing spiritually. I believe that when the Holy Spirit becomes the voice we hear, we can live the abundant life God has in store for us. When life is getting too busy, too stressful, when fear or grief overwhelms, He will guide us through, keeping us in peace. He will also be available to replenish no matter how many times we need to begin again.

     I read a prayer once that went something like this. “God of new beginnings and new mercies, here I am again.” We fall, we stumble, we regress, but His mercies are new every day. And when we turn back again, we start anew and He will do the work when we give it all to Him.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

      I leave you with this prayer written by Jesus’ half-brother, John.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2

 

 

His Living Water of Life

 

Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

     The Bible mirrors our physical health with our spiritual health. We know we are to take care of our bodies with healthy food and exercise. Keeping our spiritual hearts guarded and filled will keep us overflowing with spiritual health.

     In our daily lives, we are told to drink water, to stay hydrated, to keep ahead of the heat. Jesus tells us in John 7, that if we believe in Him rivers of living water will flow from within. Never will we be thirsty again. Jesus and His word are the living bread and water for our lives right now and into eternity.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  Revelation 7:17

     Believing in Jesus quenches our spiritual thirst on earth and someday in eternity, Jesus, Lamb of God, will be our Great Shepherd, wiping every earthly tear from our eye and leading us, again, to the living water.

     What a beautiful picture. This overflow of life, this overflow of love can only be found in Christ and in His word. Have you tasted the living water and bread of life? Once you get a small taste, a hunger and a thirst for more will develop. We all yearn to be deeply satisfied.

     When the well runs dry, or we run away, when we let life get in the way of trust? He is always there with more of the abundant life, offering bread, water and a heart of love from heaven, just for you and me. Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world, but listen to His promise to you and me.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

     This Almighty God, this Good Shepherd, this Lamb of God who sacrificed everything to save us from sin, this word of God come to life, will nourish you with manna from heaven and give you peace.

Dear Father,

How can we thank you for this living bread and water of Christ? Fill us until we overflow with it. I pray each Scripture verse will go into our hearts. Remind us to take care of our spiritual health by spending time with Your Son and His word.

Amen