Heaven
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. -Matthew 5:8
When I was a boy, the thought of going to heaven sounded boring. As a young lad, I thought that there is so much more here that I wanted to experience. Places to go. Thrills to embrace. The thought of sitting around for all eternity strumming a harp didn't appeal to me.
I had a very immature perspective of heaven back then. But in the last few years I've closed some of my letters and emails in a unique way:
God is good.
Life is a challenge.
Heaven looks better and better all the time
-Dennis
As I've read the Scriptures, I've realized that heaven looks much better than anything the world offers. I think life is one long process of God weaning us from this world and its pleasures and showing us that what we yearn for isn't here.
Do you long for heaven? On those days when you desire heaven the most, is it because you're exhausted, so you long for heaven's rest? Is it because you're drained by the burden of carrying life's troubles and you long to be free? Is it because you've lost your sense of happiness and you long for a place of lasting peace and joy?
I don't think it's wrong to ache for a place of real sanctuary, a home in heaven where every tear will be wiped away, where "there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" (Revelation 21:4). But the true joy of heaven is not just plain relief. The true joy will be found in seeing our living Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, face to face. As Martyn Lloyd-Jones asked, "To stand in the very presence of God, to gaze and gaze on Thee. . .Is that heaven to us? Is that the thing we want above everything else?"
When you long for heaven, long for Him.
-excerpted from Moments With You by Dennis and Barbara Rainey; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
When I was a boy, the thought of going to heaven sounded boring. As a young lad, I thought that there is so much more here that I wanted to experience. Places to go. Thrills to embrace. The thought of sitting around for all eternity strumming a harp didn't appeal to me.
I had a very immature perspective of heaven back then. But in the last few years I've closed some of my letters and emails in a unique way:
God is good.
Life is a challenge.
Heaven looks better and better all the time
-Dennis
As I've read the Scriptures, I've realized that heaven looks much better than anything the world offers. I think life is one long process of God weaning us from this world and its pleasures and showing us that what we yearn for isn't here.
Do you long for heaven? On those days when you desire heaven the most, is it because you're exhausted, so you long for heaven's rest? Is it because you're drained by the burden of carrying life's troubles and you long to be free? Is it because you've lost your sense of happiness and you long for a place of lasting peace and joy?
I don't think it's wrong to ache for a place of real sanctuary, a home in heaven where every tear will be wiped away, where "there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" (Revelation 21:4). But the true joy of heaven is not just plain relief. The true joy will be found in seeing our living Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, face to face. As Martyn Lloyd-Jones asked, "To stand in the very presence of God, to gaze and gaze on Thee. . .Is that heaven to us? Is that the thing we want above everything else?"
When you long for heaven, long for Him.
-excerpted from Moments With You by Dennis and Barbara Rainey; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
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