Saturday, April 23, 2011

Sunday's coming...



Picture the most beautiful place you've ever been, here on Earth, and now imagine that this is a place where there is no more pain, no more death, no more violence, anger, sadness, worry, anxiety, hunger. What awaits you is love, freedom, joy, happiness, fullness, satisfaction, laughter. If you've ever lost a child, that child is there and will run to you, perfect in every way, waiting to love you and reconnect with you. I picture my grandmother in a glorious new body, just like when she was in her youth. I can see her sitting in the most wonderful English garden surrounded by flowers, in full bloom all year round. Who can you picture in heaven waiting for you? The God who created us, who created the world, wants us to return to heaven to be with Him. Death here on Earth isn't the end, it is just the beginning. Life here is the proving grounds, our battlefield, where we are tested and tried through trials and tribulations. God gives us the tools we need to get through to the other side to be with Him forever, but He needs us to turn to Him and accept His help, His love, His guidance, His wisdom, and most of all His Son, Jesus. All He needs from us is love but we have to give it freely, it has to be a choice that we make of our own free will. Do you want your husband or wife or child to love you only because they are forced to do it? Is that love? God wants our love, He can't force it on us and I wouldn't want Him too. He is there waiting for you to turn to Him. It doesn't matter where you are in life, it doesn't matter what you've done or who you love. Nothing can disqualify you for receiving that love and forgiveness, except to reject that love and forgiveness. No one is perfect. No one gets it right all the time. All of us have issues, problems, and things that we think get in the way of God loving us. You need to know right now, that God loves you more than you can imagine just because He created you. He loves you right where you are today and He always has. Our soul yearns for that perfect love and the way we go after that perfect love can be very destructive. Money, beauty, fame, success, health, longevity, clothes, cars...none of those things bring lasting joy to us. We chase after the American Dream, or the dream from where ever you live, but it never satisfies our deepest desires to belong, to be accepted, to be loved, to be cherished. What is your dream? A big house, a car that never breaks down, kids who obey the first time, a partner that responds to your every need, a positive balance in your checking account, taking trips around the world, being loved unconditionally, finding your soul mate? God created us to live in the most perfect place imaginable. It is written on our hearts, that is why we long for it but we never know how to make it happen. We strive in life for the best but it will never, ever satisfy us the way God can. Jesus sacrificed His life for you so that you can go to heaven and live in that perfect place. There isn't anyone here on this planet that can complete you the way Jesus can. He knows exactly what you need and He loves you and He knows your deepest secrets, you know, those secrets that you will never utter to anyone alive. The mercy of God is like this: When you turn to Him and ask for His forgiveness, everything you've ever done wrong is wiped away and all He sees when He looks at you is love.

This is a picture of heaven from the book of Revelation 21:1-5 The New Heaven and The New Earth:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away ever tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

This life isn't all there is. God gives us a hope for the future, for eternity. Our bodies will pass away but our spirits will never die.

Instead of living a life devoted to the things that bring you pain, live a life devoted to the ONE who gave you life and loves you freely.

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