Tag: heaven

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Bad News, Good News

Daily Reading

Romans 4-7

Daily Thought

You could attempt to not sin. Benjamin Franklin tried, and recorded the effort in his autobiography, “I conceiv’d the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other.” He made a chart of virtues: Temperence, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, Humility. He recorded his success (and failure): Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and “was supris’d to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined.”

A good way to become aware of our sins is to try not to. 

The Apostle Paul became aware and cried out in despair, “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19). Our sin is not merely personal, but ultimate, against God our Creator, who made us in his image to be holy, and thus, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), eternal separation from God. In trying to be good, Paul discovered he cannot be good enough for heaven, but he is certainly bad enough for hell. “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). When we become aware of our sin, we become aware of our need, not for a system, but a Savior. Then we begin asking the right question, not can I be good enough, but who is good enough?

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” ~Romans 7:25

It is an oft-asked question, do you want the good news first or the bad? We need the bad news first, “for the wages of sin is death,” for the good to sink in, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The bad news of sin prepared Paul for the good news of a Savior.

Daily Prayer

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. We worship You, adore You, praise You. But how, then, do we approach You? For we are not holy. Far from it.

By the blood of Jesus Christ, who bore our sins, we are made righteous with his righteousness. I may approach You, O God, with confidence, through a holiness not of my own, but through my Savior, my Lord, my God, my friend, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Daily Question

Are you good enough for heaven? Are you bad enough for hell? Why or why not?

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Imagine

Daily Reading

John 16-18

Daily Thought

Jesus stirred up conflict, but in him the world would find peace, and he told us so, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). 

On Christmas Eve 1914, in the midst of World War I, silence replaced gunfire between the Germans and the British. Then singing sprang from the German side; a Christmas Carol, Stille Nacht (Silent Night). A placard was raised above a trench, “YOU NO FIGHT, WE NO FIGHT.” The British responded, “MERRY CHRISTMAS.” Soldiers emerged, cautious at first, then joyfully. Gifts were exchanged, chocolate cake and wine, photos of families. A soccer game erupted (British 3, Germans 2). And peace. It was Christmas, after all. 

It didn’t last. The generals did not like it. It was war, after all. But for a day there was “peace on earth, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33

John, the Beatle, not the writer of this Gospel, invites one to “Imagine there’s no heaven.” Sorry, John, “all the people living life in peace” will only happen when heaven happens. Why in this world would I Imagine otherwise?

Daily Prayer

God of peace, I look forward to the day the world is brought into order, when the lion lays with the lamb, when there are no enemies, no war, no hatred, no tears. No death.

Your Son brought Your Kingdom near. Embrace me with the peace You bring to my life.I know my future and have nothing to fear because my eternity rests in You.

Amen

Daily Question

What brings you the most peace?

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Heaven Has a Dress Code

Daily Reading

Matthew 22-23

Daily Thought

Jesus described God’s kingdom as a wedding feast, and the celebration promises to be spectacular, “my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” (Matthew 22:4). Everyone is invited, but many do not accept the invitation–“they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business” (Matthew 22:5). Perhaps it was the dress code. Yes, heaven has a dress code. “Friend,” the king asked, “how did you get in here without a wedding garment?” (Matthew 23:12). 

There is an attitude in those who “make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues” (Matthew 23:5-6). They dress for success and exalt themselves, but Jesus exposes their woefulness with the harshest of words, “you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence; you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones; you serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell” (Matthew 23:25, 27, 33). That is quite a rampage over clothes.

Jesus is exposing what the clothes are covering, their hearts. “They do all their deeds to be seen by others” (Matthew 23:5); but seen by God, “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isaiah 64:6), like filthy rags. You do not wear filthy rags to God’s party, thus, the dress code, the need for our wedding garment. Oh, but there is good news, the clothing is free, bought by the groom and offered to you, “he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). Just accept the invitation to the wedding.

Daily Prayer

Holy God, remove from my heart all that stains who I am. Clean me from the inside-out. Dying for my sins, Your Son made me new again, then clothed me in his righteousness. I wear these clothes with pride, not because they make make me look good (which they do), but because they show off Your glory.

May I wear boldly your clothes of righteousness every day so that people see Your salvation.

Amen

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The Unseen Battle

Daily Reading

Daniel 10-12

Daily Thought

Kings and kingdoms of earth play king of the hill, Persia and Greece, Syria and Egypt, until one alone stands on top, and that “king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods” (Daniel 11:36). He thinks he won, because he only knows what he knows and supposes that is all there is. And Daniel prays because he knows there is more. 

As Daniel prays, God answers and opens his eyes to see things unseen, “and behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees” (Daniel 10:10). While our kingdoms battle, heaven wars. An unnamed angel explains to Daniel, “I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come” (Daniel 10:20). This angel of heaven unveils the unseen but very real battle against spiritual princes of darkness behind our fleshly kingdoms, “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Daniel engages in the otherworldly battle, as well, when he drops to his knees and prays.

We think we are in charge, except God gives Daniel an amazing play-by-play description of world events. “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come” (Daniel 10:12-14). God knows what will happen ahead of time, because God does as he wills, and we only think we do.

Daily Prayer

Righteous God, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, Who was, Who is, and Who is to come, You are sovereign over all things. How much better I get along each day when I remember this. This is Your world, so I shouldn’t be surprised that life works when I live according to Your ways.

May I confidently live knowing You are on the throne and will be forever, that nothing on earth can touch my eternity in You. May I make choices based on knowing You, reflecting Your character, serving others instead of self, loving truth and promoting righteousness, giving grace and forgiving others, and humbly recognizing that You forgave me first.

Amen

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Cotton Candy

Daily Reading

Isaiah 28-30

Daily Thought

I admit, I like cotton candy. It is one of the childhood delights we keep as adults. It is fun food. Well, maybe not food–I looked up the recipe. The ingredients include 5 cups of granulated sugar, 1-⅓ cups of light corn syrup, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of water, food color paste, flavored oil, and baking spray. It then listed serving size 28g, calories 180, carbohydrates 28g, dietary fiber 0, sugars 28g.

This all added up to the bottom line, “Nutritional Value: Zero.” It said that on the label. You cannot live on cotton candy. You will die if you try to live on cotton candy.

Prophets are not elected or appointed. They do not inherit the role or take it by force. They are assigned by God and their task is to tell the Truth. They speak the Word of the Lord, and for that, they are accountable only to God. This means they do not have to please the people, and often they do not. Isaiah has been speaking to “a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions’” (Isaiah 30:9-10).

Rebellious people want cotton candy. For dinner.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth” (2Timothy 4:3-4). 

We still do, and we are starving to death.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, may I keep my eyes on You, the author of life. Because of my rebellion, You took the cross. You traveled the difficult road, You did not give in to the delightful temptations of Satan, but drank the cup of crucifixion. I have got to quit giving in.

There is this overflowing joy in Your Kingdom, and I long to drink from it, but I keep trading it in for things that are fun but don’t last. Yours is the Name above every Name, but not always the popular Name. No matter, I will at all times pursue the joy of heaven, even during the times it’s not fun on earth.

Amen

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Jars of Clay

Daily Reading

Leviticus 14-15

Daily Thought

The ritual begins with two birds. One is killed and placed in an “an earthenware vessel over fresh water” (Leviticus 14:50), but birds don’t belong in clay bowls, they belong in the heavens. In this we see Jesus, who “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5-7). He belongs in the heavens, yet he became as one of us–a “treasure in jars of clay” (2Corinthians 4:7).  

The other bird is dipped in the blood of the first, then turned loose to fly. In this we see ourself, as we find our “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). When the bird flew into the skies, Israel knew it was made pure and set free. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom” (Revelation 1:5). 

It is in these rituals, these sacrifices, that Israel is being made ready for her Savior.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, eternal God.  You knew how You were going to save me long before I sinned. My sin is terrible, and reminders of it are terrible and bloody, but I need those reminders. I so easily think of my sins as common, and forget that I was not made for sin, but for Your glory.  

Teach me to hate sin and love salvation. Remind me of the death sin brings, if only to make my desire grow for Your goodness and glory and grace. May I set my mind always on things above, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  

Amen