A New Heaven and a New Earth

The Apostle Peter wrote that the heavens will be destroyed with a great noise and great heat and everything on this earth will be burned up. That's quite a picture, isn't it?

I wonder if we actually believe it. We talk fearfully of super volcanoes and earthquakes and polar shifts and even asteroids, but what about the one thing that will change everything?

Peter also says this will happen "as a thief in the night" and if we take that literally, and remember Jesus' words "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 23:35) then we have to believe that some day in the not too distant future, there will be a calamity so huge that the earth and everything in it, including humans, will be destroyed.

We can trust God completely through this, because He is waiting for the perfect time to rescue us and take us to our new home. This new home is real. We will see a new sky above us, with new stars and maybe a new sun. We will be on a new planet of sorts, created by God especially for us. (John 14: 2-3)

Will that "planet" be like this one? No, I don't think so. It will hold a form of life that we partake in right now but we understand so little of. God may recover and renew our bodies but we will be much more than we are now because we will be like Him and then we will know what we are. 

John 1 3:2 says,
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Knowing these things, that the earth and everything in it will be destroyed, why do we spend our lives chasing after what the world offers? In a second, "in the twinkling of an eye" (I Corinthians 15:2) it's going to all be gone. Only what is in Christ will remain.

God owns the past

Do you find yourself hung up on things from the past? Are there things that still bother you? Still bring a tear to your eyes? Are there hints of anger or shame that come at you from the past?

Did you know that the past isn't yours any more? When Jesus took your sins, He took your mistakes, your shames, your hurt, your pain. He already took the guilt that bothers you for not doing what you think you should have done as well as for what you did that you shouldn't have done.

The past belongs to God. Don't try to hold it away from Him. Give it up, put it down. Turn loose. It's not yours.

What God Called You to Be

Acts: 19:11-13

Paul was called to a unique ministry. His very presence made people expect miracles and cloths he had touched were taken to those who were sick or had evil spirits and they were healed. How wonderfully God used this man!

We look at this today and some think that because Paul was that way, they can be, too. They want to be like Paul, and indeed God might have called them to heal people and do other miracles through them, but God didn't call anyone but Paul to be Paul.

He called you to be you. What He has for you is right for you.

If you want to be a part of the kingdom of God, then "take up your cross" - accept the role God has given you and don't try to carry someone else's.

Not Just Theory

Many of the things our teachers and preachers have told us have been, for the church in the USA especially, theoretical. We know them in our heads and we quote them and we do believe them... but not for real. We have not been tested so we don't really know.

I was reading the Gospel of John, chapter 12 and came to these verses:

Nevertheless, even among the rulers, many believed on Him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
John 12:42-43, NKJV

In this age, we are drawing near the end of things, if not the world itself, then nations. Critical changes in nations are beginning to happen with godless men and women forcing their way into our cultures and systems.  There seems to be no room for common politeness or good manners as people curse each other, scream and lie and carry on like demons themselves.

I don't have to tell you all of this, but the point is that there will very likely be a time in your life time and possibly very soon now, that you will have to decide. Do you love the praise of men more than the praise of God? For real, I mean.

If you are in a meeting and you know you should speak up but you know that no one will believe you when you speak of God, will you speak anyway? If you're having a fun, comfortable get together with your family but the talk has turned to subjects Christians don't agree with, will you speak up, or keep silent?

Things to think about. The curtains are beginning to come down and we must hold out until the end.

Embrace the life you have.

Embrace the life you have. There is none other.


In Phillipians 4:11 and 12, Paul says:

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

This seems easy to understand with our heads, but not so much with our hearts. Are we truly content with what we have, in whatever state we are? I, for one, have always been discontent in a way. Always striving for something more, something better, something different. How about you?

Embracing the lives we have brings us joy and strength. We are embracing what God has for us. Is there anything better than that?

What God can do

Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened

Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?


Indeed, how do we not understand?

Quoting scripture

Just because someone quotes scripture doesn't mean they are right.

Let me prove that. Read Matthew Chapter 4. Do you see that? The devil quoted scripture to Jesus. The problem was that Jesus knew the scripture better than the devil and gave better than He got.

We need to know and understand the Bible so we're not drawn in with the misuse of it. It happens; sometimes on purpose but sometimes it happens from ignorance. Even preachers will misuse parts of it, but it's up to us to know and discern the truth.