"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near". --Revelation 1:1-3
"And he said to me, " These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book". --Revelation 22:6-7
There is much good to be received from meditating on the promises of God. The Lord has told us in His writings, that for those who read, hear, and keep the words concerning the future of all things will be blessing. The followers of Christ who meditate upon Heaven have the Father's promise of blessing. What does this mean? What is this blessing? I believe the blessing can be different things, but I definitely think that some elements of this blessing are hope, joy, and peace for the here and now.
To state the obvious, we live in a fallen world. The curse has touched and tarnished virtually everything that we see and feel. There are bitter, terrible, nightmarish trials and temptations that rack the souls and bodies of the faithful and the faithless alike. For those who do not cling to Christ for salvation, there is utterly no hope. They will suffer their way through a life plagued with sin, temptation, pain, trial, sadness, questions, no answers, and tears; and then they will die and enter into the wrath of God that will hold them in eternal torment for their rebellion. This is a bleak and painful picture that is difficult to look at. Yet this seems to be the teaching of the Bible.
However... the child of God has a hope, joy, and peace beyond words! Christ has purchased for us an everlasting salvation! Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am". (John 14:2-3)
Yes we will walk through our time on earth and experience much affliction. We will be tempted. We will sin. We will hurt. Yet look at what's on the other side! Set your mind on the things that are on the other side! God will restore all things to Himself. One day we will walk on a New Earth, with restored bodies and we will suffer no more. No longer will we do that which we hated yet kept doing (Romans 7:15-25). Sin, temptation, tears, death, and pain will be abolished from the eternal, pure, radiant Kingdom of our Creator. Thinking thoughts like this will bless us with hope, joy, and peace even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. When we remember, consider, and believe that we have a better and abiding possession and a great reward waiting for us; then our hearts will experience these blessings (Hebrews 10:34-35).
Consider this quote from Steve Lawson: "God's glory will fill and permeate the entire new Heaven, not just one centralized place. Thus, where ever we go in Heaven, we will be in the immediate presence of the full glory of God. Wherever we go, we will enjoy the complete manifestation of God's presence. Throughout all eternity, we will never be separated from direct, unhindered fellowship with God".
Jonathan Edwards said this, "God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean". These thoughts are amazing and definitely worth meditating on! These ideas based out of Scripture are meant to bless the hearts of Christ-followers. Here are three simple thoughts about meditating on Heaven:
1. When we meditate on what God is preparing for us we can be blessed with hope even though there is pain because we know that this pain is not eternal.
"And he said to me, " These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book". --Revelation 22:6-7
There is much good to be received from meditating on the promises of God. The Lord has told us in His writings, that for those who read, hear, and keep the words concerning the future of all things will be blessing. The followers of Christ who meditate upon Heaven have the Father's promise of blessing. What does this mean? What is this blessing? I believe the blessing can be different things, but I definitely think that some elements of this blessing are hope, joy, and peace for the here and now.
To state the obvious, we live in a fallen world. The curse has touched and tarnished virtually everything that we see and feel. There are bitter, terrible, nightmarish trials and temptations that rack the souls and bodies of the faithful and the faithless alike. For those who do not cling to Christ for salvation, there is utterly no hope. They will suffer their way through a life plagued with sin, temptation, pain, trial, sadness, questions, no answers, and tears; and then they will die and enter into the wrath of God that will hold them in eternal torment for their rebellion. This is a bleak and painful picture that is difficult to look at. Yet this seems to be the teaching of the Bible.
However... the child of God has a hope, joy, and peace beyond words! Christ has purchased for us an everlasting salvation! Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am". (John 14:2-3)
Yes we will walk through our time on earth and experience much affliction. We will be tempted. We will sin. We will hurt. Yet look at what's on the other side! Set your mind on the things that are on the other side! God will restore all things to Himself. One day we will walk on a New Earth, with restored bodies and we will suffer no more. No longer will we do that which we hated yet kept doing (Romans 7:15-25). Sin, temptation, tears, death, and pain will be abolished from the eternal, pure, radiant Kingdom of our Creator. Thinking thoughts like this will bless us with hope, joy, and peace even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. When we remember, consider, and believe that we have a better and abiding possession and a great reward waiting for us; then our hearts will experience these blessings (Hebrews 10:34-35).
Consider this quote from Steve Lawson: "God's glory will fill and permeate the entire new Heaven, not just one centralized place. Thus, where ever we go in Heaven, we will be in the immediate presence of the full glory of God. Wherever we go, we will enjoy the complete manifestation of God's presence. Throughout all eternity, we will never be separated from direct, unhindered fellowship with God".
Jonathan Edwards said this, "God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean". These thoughts are amazing and definitely worth meditating on! These ideas based out of Scripture are meant to bless the hearts of Christ-followers. Here are three simple thoughts about meditating on Heaven:
1. When we meditate on what God is preparing for us we can be blessed with hope even though there is pain because we know that this pain is not eternal.
2. When we think about spending eternity with the Christ who loved us and gave Himself for us we can be blessed with peace even though we are being afflicted with temptation because we know that no unclean thing will enter into our future destination: the matchless city of our God.
3. When we set our minds on things above we can be blessed with joy even though we are walking through a difficult trial because we know that He is coming soon.
If we lift our eyes from the difficulties of this world and set them upon the vision of Heaven as shown in the Scriptures, then our perspective on everything begins to align more with our Father's. I believe that we can experience hope, joy, and peace simply from consistently directing our heart's gaze to the Promised land of joyous love and glorious light. May the Lord help us to read, hear, and keep the words in our Bible concerning Heaven that we may receive His blessing and glorify His name.
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