Hello Precious Moms!
Sorry I missed getting out the lesson last week. I had a huge writing project that had a deadline so I had to skip writing about Heaven. The project I was working on was all about recovering from a life changing, devastating loss. It caused me to be so thankful for God's faithfulness to me, His gentle care and His loving arms that held me together and His Presence that has never left me. I asked myself, "What was it that helped me to "recover?" I had to admit I haven't recovered! Recovery for me is an ongoing walk of faith with my Jesus. He continues to renew my life daily and gives me peace and joy that is supernatural. He teaches me every day more about Him and this life I am to live out for His glory. But there are practical things that I did, that I worked hard at to survive my life changing, devastating loss. Spending lots of time with God, studying the Word, focusing on Heaven, having an eternal perspective, prayer and worship were foundational for me. I can testify that Jesus does heal the broken hearted, but He didn't just heal me, He gave me what He promised, an abundant life. A life I can honestly say I love living! That statement is coming from a woman who believed the moment her daughter took her last breath she would also. Our God is an amazing God!
I've had you all on my mind and heart and do continually pray for you all. "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
Celebrating Our Relationship with God
"God Himself will be with them and be their God!" Randy Alcorn says, "Every other heavenly pleasure will derive from and be secondary to His presence. God's greatest gift to us is, and always will be, Himself" (Page 172). This will be the best part of our new life on the new earth, we will be enjoying His presence forever! I love focusing on the day when there will be no interruptions and the exhilarating joy I "feel" when I am worshipping in His presence will be sustained into infinity! But oh, how wonderful our Lord is to give us a taste of that joy here and now!
One of the Scriptures that held me together during the toughest times of my journey through grief was Colossians 3:1-4. Randy Alcorn talks about the significance of this passage on page 192. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." I'm already there! I just can't see it or experience it in all it's fullness. I'm hidden with Christ. I would meditate on that Scripture over and over again. I'm in Christ and He is in me. Melissa is in Christ. We were still so very connected - I was just hidden and couldn't see it. It is amazing to think about that "we've already entered Heaven's community" (Page 192).
The amazing truth of the Scriptures is that Heaven is our home already. This should have a profound effect on how we live our lives. Those in heaven call out, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." Do we worship the Lord because He is worthy no matter what our circumstances are? The Bible tells us that they serve the Lord day and night. Also we are "fellow servants" with the angels! (Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:9) That should alter our daily priorities! We should be living our lives in service to The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They gather the prayers of the Saints - that should change your prayer life! The Word tells us that we are going to "rule and reign with Him" so we should be preparing for that! How? The Word of God will always be our guidebook so let's learn it well! "If we see ourselves in Heaven with Christ, we'll be drawn to worship and serve Him here and now, creating ripples in Heaven's waters that will extend outward for all eternity" (Page 193). WOW!! I want to create ripples in Heaven! I can just imagine Jesus telling Melissa, "Hey that ripple was from your Mommy!"
One of the Scriptures that held me together during the toughest times of my journey through grief was Colossians 3:1-4. Randy Alcorn talks about the significance of this passage on page 192. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." I'm already there! I just can't see it or experience it in all it's fullness. I'm hidden with Christ. I would meditate on that Scripture over and over again. I'm in Christ and He is in me. Melissa is in Christ. We were still so very connected - I was just hidden and couldn't see it. It is amazing to think about that "we've already entered Heaven's community" (Page 192).
The amazing truth of the Scriptures is that Heaven is our home already. This should have a profound effect on how we live our lives. Those in heaven call out, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." Do we worship the Lord because He is worthy no matter what our circumstances are? The Bible tells us that they serve the Lord day and night. Also we are "fellow servants" with the angels! (Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:9) That should alter our daily priorities! We should be living our lives in service to The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They gather the prayers of the Saints - that should change your prayer life! The Word tells us that we are going to "rule and reign with Him" so we should be preparing for that! How? The Word of God will always be our guidebook so let's learn it well! "If we see ourselves in Heaven with Christ, we'll be drawn to worship and serve Him here and now, creating ripples in Heaven's waters that will extend outward for all eternity" (Page 193). WOW!! I want to create ripples in Heaven! I can just imagine Jesus telling Melissa, "Hey that ripple was from your Mommy!"
There were a couple of things in the How Will We Worship chapter that I thought were worth mentioning. "Satan is determined to make church boring, and when it is, we assume Heaven will be also. But church can be exciting, and worship exhilarating. That's what it will be in Heaven" (Page 198). This is so important! We are the body of Christ - we come together to worship our Almighty God who is worthy of all praise. This Sunday when you ARE in church think about being "hidden with Christ in the heavenly places"; think about worshipping before the King. Sing with all your heart. If they are singing, "I stand in awe of You," then stand in AWE of Him. Don't be boring in your worship of the One who gave it all for you. I heard a statement from an unbeliever, "If you Christians really believed Jesus was ALIVE and He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords wouldn't your church service be different?" Heaven is going to ROCK THE HOUSE with His praises. Let's start setting an example of worshipping with a Heaven focus.
The last thing I want to mention is our need to grasp that we, together, are the Bride of Christ. We are a part of a great eternal community. "We belong to each other and need each other. We should guard not only our own purity, but each other's. We are our brother's keeper." (Page 201) If you are not a part of a church I encourage you to find one and then belong. Don't just go and come home - get involved in the lives of people. If any of you needs help or encouragement please remember "we belong to each other and need each other" so don't hesitate to ask for help. I pray your focus is clearly on Heaven! Let it change your life!
The last thing I want to mention is our need to grasp that we, together, are the Bride of Christ. We are a part of a great eternal community. "We belong to each other and need each other. We should guard not only our own purity, but each other's. We are our brother's keeper." (Page 201) If you are not a part of a church I encourage you to find one and then belong. Don't just go and come home - get involved in the lives of people. If any of you needs help or encouragement please remember "we belong to each other and need each other" so don't hesitate to ask for help. I pray your focus is clearly on Heaven! Let it change your life!
Seeing the Earth Restored
"If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, lo all things become new" (I Corinthians 5:17). The word for "new creation" in this verse is the same word used in Revelation 21:1 for "New Earth." After salvation we are the same person, yet new. The New Earth will be the same as the Old Earth, yet will be made new. The chapters on the New Earth were exciting - think about the earth without any curse. All of the decay, pollution and effects of sin burned away and the beauty of the earth that God had originally intended for us will be displayed in all it's majesty. God will resurrect us and He will resurrect the earth. We will have new bodies to live on a new restored earth. Our bodies will be a perfected version of our familiar body and the earth will be a perfected version of itself. All of God's promises for Israel Jerusalem
"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away'" (Revelation 21:1-4).
Love you all.
