These are dark days, but our hope is not in anything in this world. The Bible says in Colossians 3, “If you indeed were raised with Christ, and seek those things which are above where Christ is at the right hand of the Father, and do not seek those things which are on earth….” I want to tell you that according to what the Bible says, things are only going to get rougher. But why is he saying seek those things which are above? Because greater things are still ahead for us, the believers. Can you imagine? We are going to be taken up at the last trumpet with the sound of the archangel, and we are going to be escorted into the throne room. You think that I like anything in this world when I know I’m going to be in the throne room? Hello? You know, I walked in here and I saw a coffee machine. And I’m like, “I’m in heaven.” And then I was reminded, “No you’re not. Heaven will be even better.” Coffee machine. Isn’t that great? Coffee is amazing, but heaven is even more so.
And I also want to remind you that in these last days, the whole world is looking at you. Look, if you behave as anxious, fearful, and confused, if you are into conspiracy theories, if you are an angry person, if you are fighting all day long, if you are hateful, I’m not sure you’re ready. The Bible says He never gave us the spirit of fear. But of what? Of power and love and sound mind. Not of conspiracy theories and not of anger and not of fear. And I’m going to tell you something, you think that COVID is the worst thing you’ve seen. It’s nothing. It’s nothing. It’s almost over. We are going to see more and greater and more terrible things. Not that I’m wishing to see that, but I know where this world goes. And you should too.Imagine one day you received a legitimate notification. It’s not one of the scams that float around today, but a real and proven true notification that you had inherited a large fortune. The notifying entity told you that the process time necessary to transfer the funds to you was going to take three-to-four weeks. Think about how you would view any current financial woes you may have during that time. Let’s say that your personal financial situation was dire, even perilous. Would the notification change how you lived, felt, and thought for the next three-to-four weeks?
Obviously we all wish this scenario would actually happen. But what we need to remember is that in a far more important way than temporal financial freedom, we have received notification from the King of heaven that a pain and problem free existence is in our future. Our feet will walk streets of gold. Our eyes will behold ultimate beauty. Our ears will hear things unimaginable to our finite minds. And, most of all, we will see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords face to face!
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
This notification we have received is not spam. There are no catches or hidden fees. It is a promise from God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) that someday we will see Him as He is. In order for that to happen, we need to remember another promise from the author and finisher of our faith:
John 14:1-3
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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.”
Whether through death or rapture, our future is nothing like our present. When we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This should remind us of another truth:
Psalm 16:11
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Over and over the Bible directs our minds to the future. This practice enables us to face the present without being overwhelmed by temporary circumstances that are unpleasant or painful. Our future is one of fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. It’s not like a vacation you wish wouldn’t end or a place you long to visit someday again. It is our eternal existence through Christ who has promised all this to be true.
Until our future becomes our present and permanent experience, we would do well to heed to words of the Psalmist:
Psalm 121
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.
Our fictitious fortune notification we began with may actually happen for a few people here on this earth, but our promise is much bigger and is true for us as many as received Him. For to them He gave the right to called the sons and daughters of God (Acts 4:12) which makes us welcome in the Father’s house when Jesus comes to receive us unto Himself.
Until then, let’s keep our eyes lifted up and not let circumstances get us down. This life is not all there is and the next one is far better and way longer, and with all that is going on in the world today, it seems possible we are heading to the Father’s house soon!
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,
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