Hello Precious Moms!
"You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy" Psalm 30:11
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WOW! The Lord has taught me that the sorrows of this life can never outweigh the JOY that He has planned for me. This week the Lord overloaded me with the joy of seeing my first daughter give birth to her first daughter. But even this incredible, amazing joy that is beyond what I could have asked for or imagined will not compare to the JOY He has planned for me in Heaven or compares to the joy, pleasure or excitement that my daughter Melissa Lynn is experiencing in Heaven right now. The goodness and joy we experience here on earth is just a glimpse, a little taste of Heaven!
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say on the Lord!" Psalm 27:13-14
God has a glorious, joyful future for you. Hang on dear ones. Wait on the Lord, He will strengthen your heart, He will show you His goodness and joy in this life and in the life to come!
All for Jesus and His Glory,
Janette HenningHEAVEN?
You are the focus of God's heart. Every detail of Heaven is for you! Do you believe that?
Remember in John 14:2-4 Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also. And where I go you know and the way you know." Thomas asked the question: "how can we know the way?"
This week you are studying chapters 1-4 in our Heaven Book. Randy Alcorn gives you a little taste of Heaven; gardens, rivers, mountains, untold adventures, the goal of your desires and the summit of your wishes (pg. 7). He stirs our appetite for Heaven and bids us to use our imagination to picture Heaven using Scripture. Then, just as Thomas asked the question: "how can we know the way?" Randy asks, "Can You know you're going to Heaven?" There is no benefit of studying Heaven if you do not know the answer to that question. It is pointless to talk about "being with Jesus in Heaven, being reunited with family and friends, and enjoying great adventures in Heaven" (pg. 23) if you don't know the way to get there.
The great danger in our society is the belief that Heaven is our default destination. Most people just assume that all roads lead to Heaven. In Chapter 3 we see that Hell, not Heaven is the true default destination for EVERYONE!! It is a disturbing fact that we would all chose not to believe but there is GOOD NEWS! God has intervened and created a fork in the road, a detour that leads straight to Heaven!
Jesus answered Thomas and answers us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through Me." John 14:6 Jesus stands at the fork in the road, He is our detour, no one can travel the road that leads to Heaven without Him. He alone is the way. God leads all of us to that fork in the road. At that fork He convicts us of our sinful nature and shows us our need for a Savior. We come to a place of recognizing God's holiness and seeing that even our good works are filthy rags. We learn that there is no way to enter into God's holy Heaven in our sinful state and we are powerless to do anything about it. Then we see Jesus! He touches us and tells us that He has made a way - He paid the penalty for our sins on the cross - He forgives us and declares us holy and proved He has the authority and power to do that by raising from the dead. He offers us His hand with the free gift of eternal life and access to Heaven, we just have to take it! He promises to give us an abundant life and to lead us safely home! Heaven!
God led me to that fork in the road when I was 7 years old. I took His hand and He has been leading me ever since. When I was 22 I saw Jesus more clearly and was in awe. I committed my life to follow closely after Him, even more than that, I presented to Him all of me to do whatever He willed with my life. Whatever would bring Him the greatest glory - my life was His! My life has been filled with great joy and immense sorrow and I know by experience that God is faithful to keep His promises. He never leaves me or forsakes me. He does heal the broken hearted. He does comfort so I can comfort others. He does give joy in the midst of sorrow and my life is filled with abundance and the sure hope of Heaven. It is a beautiful journey this road I'm on with Jesus. Most of you are on that road with me but if you have not taken Jesus' hand yet - He's reaching out to you now - just take it!
Challenge Exercises & Questions
1. Read 1 John 5:11-13 You can know with certainty that you have eternal life. Who has eternal life?
2. Read Romans 3:23 Why can't everyone go to Heaven? Who has a sin problem?
2. Read Romans 3:23 Why can't everyone go to Heaven? Who has a sin problem?
3. Read Romans 5:8 How does God show you His great love for you? What did Christ do for you? When?
4. Read Romans 6:23 What are the consequences of sin? What is the gift of God?
5. Read Ephesians 2:8-9 Why do "works" (good things we do) have nothing to do with access to Heaven?
6. Read Romans 10:9-13 Explain the simple way of salvation according to this Scripture.
God has made a path, a way for us to know we will be in Heaven. For many of us our questions do not concern our own pathway to Heaven, they concern whether our child, or other loved ones are there. The following Scriptures may help you to know God's heart and give you greater assurance.
Children:
1. Read 2 Samuel 12:18-23 What was David assured of after his infant son died? You can have the same assurance.
2. Read Matthew 19:14 What does Jesus say about little children. Imagine Heaven - what is it filled with?
Know God’s Heart:
Read 2 Peter 3:9 Can you see from this Scripture that God has done everything possible to assure your child or other loved ones get to Heaven?
Throughout Scripture you can see that God delights in saving households - entire families. I always counsel people who are unsure if their loved one accepted Christ's salvation to focus and trust God's faithfulness to them, trust His great mercy and compassion and trust that Jesus showed up at that fork in the road and they took His hand and are safely home!
If any of you need further counsel or Scripture to study please email me. I will do my best to guide you in The Word so you have the full assurance you need.
Email Janette
Email Janette
