As the wheels locked into place and the plane banked to the right as it climbed through the clouds, the middle-aged man across the isle from me asked the attractive women seated next to him, “So where do you call home, sweetheart?”
Attractive women: “I’m working out of Saskatoon but my home is Heaven.”
Silence.
:-)
I used to have a list of all the references in the Bible describing us as aliens and strangers on earth.
Grrrr - can’t find it. Yet this woman was correct. All of us are just passing through. I’ve been assigned a task to complete during my brief stay on earth and when it’s finished, I’m going home.
Showing posts with label Heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heaven. Show all posts
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Sale Ends Tuesday!
We've all heard warnings like that. "Hurry in," they tell us. "This offer won't last."
In another dimension, just beyond the reach of our senses, another sale is on now.
For those who want to pay full price for their sins (eternity in hell) that opportunity remains open until your last heartbeat.
However, for a limited time only, you and anyone and everyone who wants can experience the sale of a lifetime.
In fact, at absolutely no charge to you, you can have eternity in paradise.
But don’t wait. This Offer Ends Quickly with little or no warning.
In another dimension, just beyond the reach of our senses, another sale is on now.
For those who want to pay full price for their sins (eternity in hell) that opportunity remains open until your last heartbeat.
However, for a limited time only, you and anyone and everyone who wants can experience the sale of a lifetime.
In fact, at absolutely no charge to you, you can have eternity in paradise.
But don’t wait. This Offer Ends Quickly with little or no warning.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Christianity = Reverse Billing
John 3:18, 36 - “Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned ALREADY because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath REMAINS on him.”
So, there you have it. If you don’t want hell, you need to call in and say you don’t want hell. Otherwise, it will be assumed that hell is what you want.
Some conditions apply
p.s. Isn’t that a lot better than the other way around? What, for instance if you were an atheist and you HAD to spend eternity with God if you didn’t call in to cancel that arrangement? And what if you didn’t know that you could cancel, and one day you’re walking down the street and an elephant steps on you and bing bang there you are, surrounded by Christians - forever and ever. No - hell being the default is the best idea.
============
So, there you have it. If you don’t want hell, you need to call in and say you don’t want hell. Otherwise, it will be assumed that hell is what you want.
Some conditions apply
p.s. Isn’t that a lot better than the other way around? What, for instance if you were an atheist and you HAD to spend eternity with God if you didn’t call in to cancel that arrangement? And what if you didn’t know that you could cancel, and one day you’re walking down the street and an elephant steps on you and bing bang there you are, surrounded by Christians - forever and ever. No - hell being the default is the best idea.
============
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Will I be different?
What happens when we die? What happens when it’s time for judgement? Do we retain the character that we had at the moment of death? Are we changed into something better, worse? Think of how many people fully expect to enter heaven as jealous, petty, mean-spirited, abusive, selfish and self obsessed. Think of how many people fully expect to enter heaven as lust-filled, fearful, anxiety ridden, worrying individuals. And these people think that they’d be happy surrounded by, never mind a perfectly Holy God but by those who have a character much like His. How could someone be happy in the ever present reality of God in heaven, when they seldom if ever experience His omnipresence here on earth? How can you know His joy there when you’ve never experienced it here? If we’ve never been enraptured by God’s stupendous Creation here, why would we expect to find that sense of awe in heaven?
It’s been my experience that those who have a low view of God here on earth, also have a low expectation of heaven. They simply cannot conceive of the glory that awaits them. We are so weighted down by the burdens of life, we are so hobbled by the perceived absence of God’s presence in and during our trials that we hardly raise our eyes heavenward to apprehend the wonders of His presence. Many Christians don’t even know that they can have the joy of the Lord in and during their difficulties, during an illness, during a difficult marriage, during a searing loss. Because of that, other than to escape today’s difficulty, for many people who call themselves Christians, there really is no longing to be in the presence of God.
Now I know that my perception of people is influence by those I see as a counsellor. It’s no accident that those who seek counselling are also those who cling so desperately to their worries. They grab on to anxiety and squeeze it for all its worth, when in reality, it isn’t worth anything. Worry and anxiety totally block out the goodness of God, a God who is in our midst wanting to care for us, because He cares about us.
I used to be in a different business. And while I managed to raise our two oldest kids and come out of it all debt free and with a few extra dollars in the bank, at the beginning, I wasn’t very good at it. I had my own ideas on how to do things and in reality, they weren’t working out so good. One day, a neighbour who had been in the business all of his long life stopped by. And as we were visiting in the yard, he said, “You know Rod. If you want to be good at this business, you have to do the things that others who already ARE good at this business are doing.”
That advice can of course be applied to virtually all areas of our lives.
Most importantly, if I want to be a changed Christian, if I want to be a victorious Christian, if I want to enter heaven with a character like that of Jesus, then I need to do the things that victorious Christians do. I need to think the things that victorious Christians think. I need to imitate those who like Paul, said, “Do the things that I do . . . and the peace of God will guard you heart and your mind.” He is saying, 'Imitate me because I imitate Jesus.' It is then and only then that we will know a peace beyond all understanding. It is then that we will be able to pray with thanksgiving in all circumstances. It is then that we will be able to cast all my anxieties upon the Lord, knowing that He cares about us. God is as present in my today as is my wife or even this computer. This room is filled with His presence. My very being is filled with His love. Nothing in this world can touch me or harm me for all is well with my soul.
Will I be changed? I'm being changed on a daily basis.
“Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”
It’s been my experience that those who have a low view of God here on earth, also have a low expectation of heaven. They simply cannot conceive of the glory that awaits them. We are so weighted down by the burdens of life, we are so hobbled by the perceived absence of God’s presence in and during our trials that we hardly raise our eyes heavenward to apprehend the wonders of His presence. Many Christians don’t even know that they can have the joy of the Lord in and during their difficulties, during an illness, during a difficult marriage, during a searing loss. Because of that, other than to escape today’s difficulty, for many people who call themselves Christians, there really is no longing to be in the presence of God.
Now I know that my perception of people is influence by those I see as a counsellor. It’s no accident that those who seek counselling are also those who cling so desperately to their worries. They grab on to anxiety and squeeze it for all its worth, when in reality, it isn’t worth anything. Worry and anxiety totally block out the goodness of God, a God who is in our midst wanting to care for us, because He cares about us.
I used to be in a different business. And while I managed to raise our two oldest kids and come out of it all debt free and with a few extra dollars in the bank, at the beginning, I wasn’t very good at it. I had my own ideas on how to do things and in reality, they weren’t working out so good. One day, a neighbour who had been in the business all of his long life stopped by. And as we were visiting in the yard, he said, “You know Rod. If you want to be good at this business, you have to do the things that others who already ARE good at this business are doing.”
That advice can of course be applied to virtually all areas of our lives.
Most importantly, if I want to be a changed Christian, if I want to be a victorious Christian, if I want to enter heaven with a character like that of Jesus, then I need to do the things that victorious Christians do. I need to think the things that victorious Christians think. I need to imitate those who like Paul, said, “Do the things that I do . . . and the peace of God will guard you heart and your mind.” He is saying, 'Imitate me because I imitate Jesus.' It is then and only then that we will know a peace beyond all understanding. It is then that we will be able to pray with thanksgiving in all circumstances. It is then that we will be able to cast all my anxieties upon the Lord, knowing that He cares about us. God is as present in my today as is my wife or even this computer. This room is filled with His presence. My very being is filled with His love. Nothing in this world can touch me or harm me for all is well with my soul.
Will I be changed? I'm being changed on a daily basis.
“Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Citizen of Heaven
God’s kingdom is part of my life - right now. I am a citizen of heaven. I am an ambassador of heaven. I am a representative of heaven informing others of opportunities that await them, opportunities so grand that they cannot imagine the possibilities. Must one wait until heaven to get a glimpse of what the kingdom is like? Absolutely not. For those in a right relationship with Jesus, we can experience in the here and now, peace, hope, joy, security and belonging - all despite circumstance and all within the context of the suffering that we experience during our life on earth. We can know what it is like to experience a presence of love so powerful that at times I’m tempted to holler “Stop Father! It’s too wonderful. Let me catch my breath.”
Being part of God’s kingdom now entails the knowledge that we are already in an eternal relationship with our Creator. This is not something for which we must wait. His kingdom power supplies all my needs and fulfills all my dreams. For those who are now part of God’s kingdom, satisfaction, excitement, expectation and longing are expanded to their fullest meaning possible. My life, right now is “hidden with Christ in God” “What can mere man do to me.” Because I am a son and an heir with Christ Jesus in spite of all the tragedy that has befallen me, I am more than a conqueror unbowed by the circumstances of life. I have worth and I have value because I am a child of God, a citizen of His kingdom and an heir to His eternal riches. I am blessed beyond my most extravagant dreams. Never did I ever thing that my life would be this good.
Thank you Heavenly Father, King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Being part of God’s kingdom now entails the knowledge that we are already in an eternal relationship with our Creator. This is not something for which we must wait. His kingdom power supplies all my needs and fulfills all my dreams. For those who are now part of God’s kingdom, satisfaction, excitement, expectation and longing are expanded to their fullest meaning possible. My life, right now is “hidden with Christ in God” “What can mere man do to me.” Because I am a son and an heir with Christ Jesus in spite of all the tragedy that has befallen me, I am more than a conqueror unbowed by the circumstances of life. I have worth and I have value because I am a child of God, a citizen of His kingdom and an heir to His eternal riches. I am blessed beyond my most extravagant dreams. Never did I ever thing that my life would be this good.
Thank you Heavenly Father, King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Friday, June 6, 2008
I’ll Trade Heaven For Sex?
Many years ago I was working with a couple people who were very new to Christianity. They were also involved in a type of relationship that they knew to be spoken against in the Bible. This of course was not the only sin that these two people were into but it was the most obvious and the most troublesome for them. We went back and forth about God, His love for us, the whys of His guidelines, His acceptance of who us but not of all our behaviours etc. We talked about what Jesus taught regarding sexuality and they agreed that they would not be able to justify or defend their relationship before Him. Nevertheless, they were not about to quit that part of their friendship.
Their main point seemed to be that our sexual longings can be held in check only at the risk of losing a life worth living. At one point I asked them, “If something happened to my wife through illness or accident whereby she would no longer be able to function sexually, what should I do? Would I be justified to go out and find “sexual fulfilment” with someone else? Doesn’t your understanding of what Jesus taught show that He might very well ask me to forgo that area of my life while I’m in that kind of relationship?”
“Well, yes,” they allowed.
“Well, isn’t that what He is asking you as well?”
Instantly and in unison they loudly whined, “But that’s not fair?”
Understand that these two people came to me because their understanding of the Bible led them to believe that Jesus did not sanction, more than that, He forbade the type of relationship to which they were committed. They were looking for another opinion and I agreed that they had read and interpreted the teachings of Jesus correctly.
Both of these people left the Church. They left their relationship with Jesus. They left, at least according to Jesus, any chance of spending eternity with Him. All for a few years of third-rate relationships here on earth. They decided to trade one thing for another. Both have had several other relationships come and go since that time.
If my counselling practise is any indication, I would have to say that what is perceived to be freedom, in general, and “sexual freedom” specifically is the main reason for people turning their backs on eternity in Paradise. Of course they delude themselves into believing that as long as they’re as good as they can be in other areas of their lives, or at least not as bad as some people, God will look the other way while they thumb their noses at Him in this area.
While sex may be the most common area of rebellion, “trading down” can and does fall into almost any aspect of life. Some do it because they long to be wealthy and can only envision becoming rich through dishonest means. Some turn away from God because they want to leave their spouse and begin living with someone else’s husband or wife. Most people leave behind the chance of salvation under the broad heading of “I’m not going to be accountable to anyone, up to and including my Creator.”
I find that profoundly sad. Reality is, sin makes us stupid. It blinds us to the future. It makes us almost incapable of weighing the consequences of our actions. This is what usually happens when trying to compute whether we should or should not do something in the face of dire warnings. We think:
1) It won’t happen.
2) If it does happen, it won’t happen to me.
3) If it does happen to me it won’t be as bad as they say.
4) If it does happen to me and it’s as bad as they say, there wasn’t anything that I could have done about it anyway.
. We can see examples of this in people who begin or continue to smoke in the face of overwhelming evidence that it’s harmful to us and to those who must live with us.
. We can see examples of this in people who have unprotected sex in an age of skyrocketing rates of STD’s.
. We can see examples of this in our extravagant consumption of non renewable resources.
. We can see examples of this in how we allow, encourage and support the sexualization of our children.
Something that is common in the lives of those who have chosen to dabble in Christianity is that they say, “Lord I love you. I’ll follow you anywhere. I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”
And God says, “Oh really?”
That is when He opens our eyes to the astonishing reality that what we currently long for and count on are more important to us than eternity in Paradise. Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13,14.
The small gate and narrow road symbolise a willingness and a desire to obey Jesus, who said, “The one who loves me is the one who obeys me.”
The choice is placed before us, and as Matthew 7:13 tells us, most people choose this blink of existence on earth over eternity with Jesus.
Are you that foolish? Will you trade eternity in Paradise for relationships that are destined for failure anyway?
Their main point seemed to be that our sexual longings can be held in check only at the risk of losing a life worth living. At one point I asked them, “If something happened to my wife through illness or accident whereby she would no longer be able to function sexually, what should I do? Would I be justified to go out and find “sexual fulfilment” with someone else? Doesn’t your understanding of what Jesus taught show that He might very well ask me to forgo that area of my life while I’m in that kind of relationship?”
“Well, yes,” they allowed.
“Well, isn’t that what He is asking you as well?”
Instantly and in unison they loudly whined, “But that’s not fair?”
Understand that these two people came to me because their understanding of the Bible led them to believe that Jesus did not sanction, more than that, He forbade the type of relationship to which they were committed. They were looking for another opinion and I agreed that they had read and interpreted the teachings of Jesus correctly.
Both of these people left the Church. They left their relationship with Jesus. They left, at least according to Jesus, any chance of spending eternity with Him. All for a few years of third-rate relationships here on earth. They decided to trade one thing for another. Both have had several other relationships come and go since that time.
If my counselling practise is any indication, I would have to say that what is perceived to be freedom, in general, and “sexual freedom” specifically is the main reason for people turning their backs on eternity in Paradise. Of course they delude themselves into believing that as long as they’re as good as they can be in other areas of their lives, or at least not as bad as some people, God will look the other way while they thumb their noses at Him in this area.
While sex may be the most common area of rebellion, “trading down” can and does fall into almost any aspect of life. Some do it because they long to be wealthy and can only envision becoming rich through dishonest means. Some turn away from God because they want to leave their spouse and begin living with someone else’s husband or wife. Most people leave behind the chance of salvation under the broad heading of “I’m not going to be accountable to anyone, up to and including my Creator.”
I find that profoundly sad. Reality is, sin makes us stupid. It blinds us to the future. It makes us almost incapable of weighing the consequences of our actions. This is what usually happens when trying to compute whether we should or should not do something in the face of dire warnings. We think:
1) It won’t happen.
2) If it does happen, it won’t happen to me.
3) If it does happen to me it won’t be as bad as they say.
4) If it does happen to me and it’s as bad as they say, there wasn’t anything that I could have done about it anyway.
. We can see examples of this in people who begin or continue to smoke in the face of overwhelming evidence that it’s harmful to us and to those who must live with us.
. We can see examples of this in people who have unprotected sex in an age of skyrocketing rates of STD’s.
. We can see examples of this in our extravagant consumption of non renewable resources.
. We can see examples of this in how we allow, encourage and support the sexualization of our children.
Something that is common in the lives of those who have chosen to dabble in Christianity is that they say, “Lord I love you. I’ll follow you anywhere. I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”
And God says, “Oh really?”
That is when He opens our eyes to the astonishing reality that what we currently long for and count on are more important to us than eternity in Paradise. Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13,14.
The small gate and narrow road symbolise a willingness and a desire to obey Jesus, who said, “The one who loves me is the one who obeys me.”
The choice is placed before us, and as Matthew 7:13 tells us, most people choose this blink of existence on earth over eternity with Jesus.
Are you that foolish? Will you trade eternity in Paradise for relationships that are destined for failure anyway?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
This is Good News!!!
One day, while Jesus was teaching in the house of a friend, His family came to talk to Him. As usual the crowd was such that late-comers simply couldn’t get in. His mother passed on a message asking Jesus to come out to talk to her. When someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside,” He responded, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers and sisters? All of you and anyone else who obeys the will of our Father God, is part of my family.”
This is Good News!!! Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way.
The wicked sense in the words of Jesus, an insult. The spiritually lost hear in His voice a dismissive tone. Those who themselves are filled with pride, hate and indifference think that Jesus is rejecting His mother and siblings.
In keeping with the character of Jesus, we could accurately picture the scene this way.
Jesus is teaching at someone’s house. The place is packed. Those who haven’t been able to get into the house lean through the open door and windows trying to catch what Jesus is saying. Jesus’ family arrives and, seeing no possibility of getting near to Him, they ask someone to pass on the message that they need to talk to Him.
“Teacher!” someone shouts from the doorway, “Your mother and brothers and sisters are here to talk to you. They want you to come outside.”
Everyone in the room hears the message. Jesus stops what He is saying and rises to His feet. All eyes are on Him as He makes His way out of the room. As He steps over the feet of those sitting on the floor Jesus' teaching takes a new direction, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers and sisters? Jesus stops, turns to the crowd, and in a calm and welcoming tone of voice He says, "All of you and anyone else who obeys the will of our Father God, are part of My family.”
A common theme in Jesus’ teaching is that a spiritual relationship with Him is far more important than any blood relationship that we might have here on earth. Jesus is saying to us, as He said to those gathered around to learn from Him, “The Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God is pressing all about you. The Kingdom of Heaven is another dimension that is just beyond your ability to perceive.” (Some who are reading this will know what I mean when I talk about “thin places” where the palpable presence of God's Kingdom almost breaks through).
Jesus is saying to us, as He said to those gathered around to learn from Him, “When you place your faith in Me, you immediately become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. When you love Me enough to obey Me, it’s proof that you are part of My family. I will personally welcome you by name when you enter into paradise.” Jesus is saying, “As someone who believes that I Am who I claim to be, you are my sister or brother. I Am your protector, your Saviour and Redeemer. We are family. We belong together and we will be together forever and ever. Though for now your soul resides on earth, you’re as good as home and you are safe.”
This is Good News!!!
This is Good News!!! Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way.
The wicked sense in the words of Jesus, an insult. The spiritually lost hear in His voice a dismissive tone. Those who themselves are filled with pride, hate and indifference think that Jesus is rejecting His mother and siblings.
In keeping with the character of Jesus, we could accurately picture the scene this way.
Jesus is teaching at someone’s house. The place is packed. Those who haven’t been able to get into the house lean through the open door and windows trying to catch what Jesus is saying. Jesus’ family arrives and, seeing no possibility of getting near to Him, they ask someone to pass on the message that they need to talk to Him.
“Teacher!” someone shouts from the doorway, “Your mother and brothers and sisters are here to talk to you. They want you to come outside.”
Everyone in the room hears the message. Jesus stops what He is saying and rises to His feet. All eyes are on Him as He makes His way out of the room. As He steps over the feet of those sitting on the floor Jesus' teaching takes a new direction, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers and sisters? Jesus stops, turns to the crowd, and in a calm and welcoming tone of voice He says, "All of you and anyone else who obeys the will of our Father God, are part of My family.”
A common theme in Jesus’ teaching is that a spiritual relationship with Him is far more important than any blood relationship that we might have here on earth. Jesus is saying to us, as He said to those gathered around to learn from Him, “The Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God is pressing all about you. The Kingdom of Heaven is another dimension that is just beyond your ability to perceive.” (Some who are reading this will know what I mean when I talk about “thin places” where the palpable presence of God's Kingdom almost breaks through).
Jesus is saying to us, as He said to those gathered around to learn from Him, “When you place your faith in Me, you immediately become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. When you love Me enough to obey Me, it’s proof that you are part of My family. I will personally welcome you by name when you enter into paradise.” Jesus is saying, “As someone who believes that I Am who I claim to be, you are my sister or brother. I Am your protector, your Saviour and Redeemer. We are family. We belong together and we will be together forever and ever. Though for now your soul resides on earth, you’re as good as home and you are safe.”
This is Good News!!!
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Are You Serious?
While I’ve never had a very refined concept of hell, I’ve known enough to be embarrassed for those who have said profoundly stupid things like, "I’d rather be in hell than heaven ‘cause hell is where all the parties will be." Ya right. On the other hand, I’ve usually thought of hell ‘simply’ as a place where people are forever separated from the presence of God for eternity. And the Bible says that is a true statement. However, hell is so much more than that. Jesus taught "If you do not believe that I am who I say that I am, you will die in your sins." He taught that someday very soon, all of those who have refused to acknowledge Jesus as Lord during their life-time on earth will live in:
. The unrelieved absence of Love
. The complete absence of Good
. The total, all pervasive presence of evil
People who have chosen Hell over Heaven will spend eternity in:
. Absolute fear
. Unmitigated hatred
. Total darkness
. Unrelieved sorrow
. Unequivocal alone-ness
. Absolute shame
. Unbounded regret
. Undiluted violence
. Sheer panic
. Unrelenting dissatisfaction
. All encompassing meanness
. Overwhelming stench
. Total betrayal
. There will be no freedom from pain, only total, all consuming, overwhelming pain.
The worst conditions on earth don’t come close.
Hell is for people who have not kept the first and greatest commandment to Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and mind. Hell is for people who loudly proclaim their right to every vile act imaginable.
Right now, even as I write this, millions of souls are suffering a special kind of torment as they are in a hell that they refused to believe in. Their special torment is that they convinced spouses, children, friends, students and other ‘open-minded’ people that hell didn’t exist. And now there is no way to turn back the clock. There is no way to warn their loved-ones about the horrendous consequences of following that error. On the other hand, Jesus himself said, that even the evidence of Him rising from the dead would not be enough to convince most people to stop living as though God and eternity did not exist.
Why is that seen as wrong to warn people about this fact of life?
. The unrelieved absence of Love
. The complete absence of Good
. The total, all pervasive presence of evil
People who have chosen Hell over Heaven will spend eternity in:
. Absolute fear
. Unmitigated hatred
. Total darkness
. Unrelieved sorrow
. Unequivocal alone-ness
. Absolute shame
. Unbounded regret
. Undiluted violence
. Sheer panic
. Unrelenting dissatisfaction
. All encompassing meanness
. Overwhelming stench
. Total betrayal
. There will be no freedom from pain, only total, all consuming, overwhelming pain.
The worst conditions on earth don’t come close.
Hell is for people who have not kept the first and greatest commandment to Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and mind. Hell is for people who loudly proclaim their right to every vile act imaginable.
Right now, even as I write this, millions of souls are suffering a special kind of torment as they are in a hell that they refused to believe in. Their special torment is that they convinced spouses, children, friends, students and other ‘open-minded’ people that hell didn’t exist. And now there is no way to turn back the clock. There is no way to warn their loved-ones about the horrendous consequences of following that error. On the other hand, Jesus himself said, that even the evidence of Him rising from the dead would not be enough to convince most people to stop living as though God and eternity did not exist.
Why is that seen as wrong to warn people about this fact of life?
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