The Heaven in Heaven
“And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and He measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breath and the height of it are equal.” - Rev 21:16 “And they shall see His face; & His name shall be in their foreheads.” - Rev 22:4 “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me” - John 14:1 The Bible states that the New Jerusalem will be 1,500 miles squared. That distance can be compared to the distance from the city of Boston, Massachusetts, to Miami, Florida. It is that long, it is that wide, and it is that high. John 14 states that many mansions adorn the golden streets of heaven and that the redeemed will someday make our home there. Praise the Lord! But that is not “The Heaven in Heaven”. The Bible states that in heaven that there are no tears, no pain, no death, no sorrow, no graves, and no sin. There won’t be a need for tears, or heartache, or prayer, because all things caused by sin, sorrow and suffering will not be present. Praise the Lord! But that is not the “The Heaven in Heaven”. The Bible states that all the redeemed from Adam until the coming of our Lord will inhabit that place. That they will eat of the tree with 12 manner of fruits. and rejoice as they go in and out of that city. Our loved ones, those who have accepted Jesus, those who have gone on before us, in whom we dearly miss - we shall be with them eternally. Praise the Lord! But that is not “The Heaven in Heaven”. All the wonderful things above are true and shall come to pass. But wonderful as they are they do not tell us what “The Heaven in Heaven” is. Revelation 22:4 states, “And they shall see HIS face”. Heaven itself can wait, the streets of gold can wait, the wiping away of tears, the absence of suffering, of heartache, of pain, can wait; The seeing of saints of long ago, family, friends, all can wait – I want to see Jesus. The songwriters wrote, “Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face. There to sing forever of His saving grace.”…”Face to face with Christ, my Savior. Face to face, what will it be? When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me." Think how we love him! We have never seen His face or touched His hands - but we shall. Praise Him! It will be worth it all, When we see Jesus Life’s trials will seem so small, When we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, All sorrow will erase; So bravely run the race, Till we see Christ. Don’t become to attached to the fragile things of this world, nor be moved by the circumstance and troubles around us. Remember we are more than conquerors thru Him that loves us and either way - we shall soon see Him. Pastor Rudy
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Our Labor Of Love
“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love…” - 1 Thes 1:2-3 Paul praised the Thessalonica Church for their work of faith that was fully revealed in their labor of love. Though heavily persecuted and experiencing great hardships they chose to make an earthly and heavenly difference in the lives of those around them. All that were within their earthly reach vividly experienced their vibrant faith and labor of Love. Paul stated that in every place they went their faith unto God was evidenced. They chose to make a difference. Many times our lives have been deeply touched because someone chose to make a difference, to care enough to softly say, “I love you”. Someone gave a caring look, a beautiful smile, an encouraging word or the presenting of a gift of love and our day became brighter. When this labor of love continues into the spiritual realm, people are eternally touched and changed for the glory of God. All of us desperately need to give and receive a fresh consistent labor of love. To experience heartfelt love that transcends pride, anger, and bashfulness and extends to everyone we come into contact with. A sincere love that earnestly points those around us to the God we serve. That lifts them above the cares of the world and places them in the gracious arms of God. A labor of love that relentlessly drives the hurt, suffering, and pain from them, while passionately pursuing their soul for God. We, just as the Thessalonica Church, can make a difference! We can, if we care enough. If the souls of men are important enough to lay aside our differences, our excuses, our laziness. If we by faith in our wonderful God will initiate and continue our work of faith and labor of love, He has promised to bless and strengthen it. We can make a difference here and in eternity and one day hear our Savior say, “I remember without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love…” “Therefore, my beloved breathern, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” – Pastor Rudy How to always “Know the Will of God”
The Bible in several places mentions the “Will of God” and by careful study, it is clearly evident that God has a will or direction for every imaginable situation that arises in our lives. For some situations, the Will of God is easily known, for instance, we know it is the will of God that all men everywhere should be saved. (Romans 10:14) Yet, because the Bible is written to all men of all ages, God’s will, in some situations, cannot be clearly discerned by scripture. Thankfully, God has not left His children bereft of answers-He has given several verses which will help in knowing His will and by diligent prayer and careful study a person can truly completely know the will of God. A sincere mindset toward the following will help: - Obey what you already know to be God’s Will. Many people seem to want to know what God’s plan is for their lives, but they overlook the fact that 98% of His will is already delineated carefully through His Word. God is very clear about many, many aspects of His will. For instance, it is clearly His plan that we abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3) or that all come to know Him in Salvation. (Romans 10:14) If we do not obey the things that God has shown us clearly to be His will, why would we think He would reveal any further information regarding His plan for our lives? Obedience is an important first step. - Sincerely, honestly, pray for God to reveal His will for this particular situation. Without this type of prayer, we will be led by our own conscience, which may or may not be the will of God. - Seek biblical advise from godly counselors. If you don’t currently have 3-4 godly mentors, then I would highly recommend that you seek them out right away. Understand that you are basically a composite of the five people you spend the most time with. So, then, it is vital that you choose those five people well. If you choose to surround yourself with godly counselors, they will be instrumental in helping you discern God’s plan for your life. But if you surround yourself with people who are far from God, your hope of finding His best for your life will be greatly diminished. Proverbs 11:14 "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." The church is designed to help you greatly with this. I would encourage you to be in church every single time the doors are opened. The more you involve yourself with a community of believers, the greater your chances will be of finding godly men and women who can help you discern God’s will. - Answer the following questions as you meditate upon the scriptures.
- Again-sincerely, honestly, fervently pray about it. God’s word promises that He will answer. There is an additional very important step in “Knowing the Will of God”. Hebrews 10:36 states, “…that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise”. - Once you know God’s will, are you willing to follow it? This is an all-important step, It is our responsibility to humbly follow the will of God once we know it. Be assured, if we are not willing to follow His will-God will never reveal His will. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. always quoted, “Do right though the stars fall.” The Lord is My Helper
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” -Hebrews 13:56 Be content says the scripture to our hearts. There is no need for covetousness or fear since God has said to us, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Thank God the Child of God can joyfully say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man, nor sickness, may do to me.” Perfect Contentment. Joy unspeakable! Peace that passeth all understanding! These are what the Child of God truly has for their companion. David Livingstone, missionary to Africa, was in constant danger and hardship. He endured so many troubles and trials that only a strong faith enabled him to press on. Livingstone said, “I was enabled to go on because I had the word of a perfect gentleman, never known to break a promise, that he would be with me always.” He referred to the promise of our Lord, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Look up weary heart and claim the promise of the Lord, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world.” The Lord is our helper. Praise Him!!! Walk beside me, O, my savior, though the morning’s sparkling dew, Then as daylight grows still brighter, For each task my strength renew: When the evening spreads its shadows, o’er the way that I must go, Still Thy presence close beside me, will to me sweet peace bestow. Walk beside me, O, my savior, through this darkening vale of tears, For if thou art close beside me my faint heart can keep no fears: When at last the morning breaketh In the land of endless day, Still my prayer shall be, dear Savior, Walk beside me all the way - L.P.Lehman, Jr. True contentment and peace comes from accepting Christ, and having faith that in Him you will have everything you need. Christ is sufficient, and his promises are enough. Read and meditate on the following verses that speak to how to find true contentment in Christ: Phi 4:11-13, 1 Tim 6:6-12, 2 Cor 12:9-10, Rom 8:28, Job 36:11, Prov 19:23, Ps 34:10b, Rom 12:2, Pro 30: 7-9, Lu 3:14 May God richly bless you in these uncertain & yet exciting days - Pastor Rudy Worry-Free Living!
"Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:6-7 In this Scripture passage the apostle Paul is earnestly asking us to gather all our fears, struggles, and cares of this life and with thanksgiving, present them to God. Additionally, we are to walk away with a heavenly peace, no matter the circumstance, with thanksgiving within our hearts and minds. Your concerns, your families concerns, your church’s concerns -physical, mental, spiritual – that you face every day- Paul said to give all of them to God thru Christ Jesus Sincerely pray and supplicate with complete thankfulness With your mind and heart rest completely in the peace of God. The aged apostle is simply saying, as a child flees to his fathers arms for peace, safety and strength, so are we to flee to the heavenly Father and lay the burdens of life completely on Him. Then with our hand within His, face those burdens with a newfound peace and unspeakable joy. How? “And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. Phil 4:7 Whose peace shall comfort and sustain me? God’s Who shall keep my heart and mind from worry and heartache? God. Why will God do this for me? Because of the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. You are His child. Run to Him. Confess your worry to Him. Rest, with thankfulness, in the peace and joy that God has already placed within you. Beloved, God knows the battles we face; He understands the fears and worries that attack our mind; Give them, all of them, to Him. Jesus said to “Cast your cares upon me for I care for you” Study Philippians 4:4-8 and think of ways you can apply these verses to your situation today. What should our attitude be during these times of uncertainty? What should we be focused on above all else? Where does our strength and help lie? Praise Him! But the greatest of these is…Love
The greatest commandment… Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. - Matthew 22:37-39 We are told that “love is a many-splendored thing” and that “love makes the world go round” For love we will climb mountains, cross seas, traverse desert sands, and endure untold hardships. The greatest memories of our life include the memories that love alone produced. It is overpowering to remember the time I first realized that God’s love to me did not depend on who I was or what I did - but was unconditional. I remember with joy the realization that the person I loved and would eventually marry, truly loved me and was willing to devote the remainder of her life to proving it. God made us with the innate desire to love and to be loved. This desire came straight from His heart and is no clearer seen than in John 3:16 which states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. The Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 13 exalted love when he indicated that all human accomplishments that are not motivated by love are, firstly and lastly, empty. He concluded in the last verse that only three characters will remain: “faith hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. The distinguishing characteristic that Jesus Christ wanted his followers to have was love. In all situations, in all relationships & at all times, the Christian was to move, speak, and walk from the foundation of love. The greatest need of all, in this time of hardship, is for each of us to realize God's unconditional, unmerited love toward us and to graciously extend this same love to all that are around us. To purposely make a difference in their lives as He has made a difference in ours. The songwriter F.M. Lehman, writing about the love of God stated, “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell…Oh, Love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure-The saints and angels song”. Think about God’s unconditional love to you and let that be a springboard for all other relationships. Take the time this week and meditate upon the “Love of God”. Slowly read these scriptures first. John 3:16, Romans 5:5-8; Think of ways, especially in these times, to place into practice the command to “love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul and mind”. List them and use them Text, call or write a note of encouragement to someone today! Love is like the five loaves and two fishes. It doesn't start to multiply until you give it away. Pastor Rudy |
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