Promise for Today - An Eternal Perspective

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. 

Psalm 23:6 (NLT)

To God, your yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows are all connected. It’s as if he says to every Christian, “I’ve got this great life planned for you. Goodness and mercy have been with you all along—and will continue to follow you through your whole life. But that’s not all of it! I’ve got something wonderful planned at the end!”

David explains how God connects yesterday and today with tomorrow when he says, “I will live in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6 NLT). David is reminding believers of how it all ends: We’re going to heaven!

With God, it just keeps getting better and better.

Paul says it like this: “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT).

How long is forever going to last? Right - Forever!

One day your body will die, but you won’t. Your body will end, but that’s not going to be the end of you. You’re going to live forever in one of two places—heaven or hell. You were made to last forever; the only question is where your forever will be.

Why are Christians confident about the future? The Bible says, “We are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. . . . Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6, 8 NLT).

You’re going to die someday. And if you’ve accepted Christ, you’re going to heaven. You’ll be released from pain, sorrow, suffering, depression, and fear. God will remove all your sorrows, “and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4 NLT).

As a follower of Christ, you can trust this truth: The best is yet to come!

Talk It Over

What things in your life will last forever?

How does an eternal perspective change everyday aspects of life like goals, plans, schedules, and relationships?

Is your confidence in your future with God evident in the way you live your life? Why or why not?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

          Praying the words of Laura Bailey, Help us to live with eternity in mind. Be with us as we focus on the eternal, shifting our perspective from temporary things that distract us from living a life for Your glory alone. Forgive us when we sin against You, and be with us as we pursue holiness.

We love You, Lord; we are undeserving of Your grace and mercy but thankful that You freely grant us both. We ask that You strengthen and help us as we share the Gospel in a broken world. Guide our conversations, and direct our paths to those who need to experience the eternal hope of salvation. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Promise for Today - The Certainty of Forever

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 

1 John 5:13 (NLT)

You probably have a picture that comes to mind when you think about what hell must be like. Your image likely has some red and black tones in it, a lot of fire, and maybe the devil looming over everything.

Hell is described in the Bible as a place of torment. Matthew 13:42 says it is a “blazing furnace, where the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain” (NCV). That description sounds terrible, but do you know what the worst part of hell is? Hell is total separation from God, which means hell is the exact opposite of everything God is.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (NIV). The opposite of love is fear. Living without love means you’re scared to death all the time. God is love, so there is no love in hell. God is light, so hell is complete darkness. God is good, so there is absolutely nothing good in hell. God is life, so that means hell is eternal death. God is gracious, so that means there’s no grace in hell.

Just think what eternity would be like without the joy of knowing God and being loved by him—an eternity without any joy at all.

It would be terrible—unthinkable, really. But that is the reality for anyone who does not choose to love and follow Jesus in this life. The Bible says, “If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God—lost forever!” (1 Corinthians 16:22 NCV).

If you go through your entire life saying, “I don’t want God in my life,” then that means you will also spend eternity without God. Whatever you choose on earth is your forever choice.

But there is good news! There is a way for you to be absolutely certain you’re going to heaven and not hell. The Bible tells you how to settle your destiny: “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13 NLT).

You don’t have to guess or wonder about something that is inevitable and could happen at any moment. You can know for certain today that when you die, you will spend eternity in God’s presence. Don’t put it off any longer.  Settle your future today.

Talk It Over

Why do you think so many people put off deciding something so important when they know death could come at any moment?

What would you say to someone who thinks they have been good enough to get into heaven?

How do you live differently because you are certain about where you will spend eternity?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

           Open our eyes to see Your Truth. Open our hearts to receive it. Open our minds to understand the importance of how we live to be certain of spending eternity with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Forever Family

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named...

Ephesians 3:14-15 NKJV

We talk about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We talk about being the Body of Christ. We talk about having our Christian brothers and sisters... But do we fully understand that we are family? A family defined by God and not man? 

His love is forever. His grace is, too. His mercies are new every morning. Our every provision is from Him. He made a way where there was no way for us to be forgiven for everything we've ever done or will do. There is no outside force that can keep us from receiving what is rightfully ours through Jesus Christ. 

People will pay big bucks to trace their bloodline, often in search of some sort of bragging rights. We need to meditate on the Bloodline that flows from Calvary to Heaven. And give God thanks and praise that it's ours for being a member of His eternal family - our forever family.

Psalm 103 reminds us of some of the things God the Father has bestowed on His children;

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction,  Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Prayer:

Father, 

         Open our eyes to see You for who You are - a good, GOOD Father. Open our hearts to receive the Truth of Your character and Your Word. Forgive us for indicting You based on our earthly experience. Holy Spirit, lead us into all Truth and open our understanding so that we may fulfill our familial role with the same love and mercy that You have. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Pure Promises

The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.
Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.

Psalm 12:6-8 NLT

Several truths pierced my heart while reading this psalm. The first is that no matter the lies and deception going on in the world around us, the Lord's promises are pure. They have always been and will always be. God's Word will surround us and protect us and lead us in the way we should go. Psalm 119:105 assures us His Word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path even in this dark world with its seemingly overwhelming obstacles.

The second revelation was how this particular psalm (written sometime around 3,000 years ago) could just as easily have been written about the world's situation today. Lying neighbors, how fast the godly are disappearing, people say or post whatever lies they want to with no repercussions, the wicked strut about like they've earned the right, and evil is praised throughout the land... And yet, in the middle of it all, we are reminded that the Lord's promises are pure. The evil of mankind does not and cannot defile His promises.

Peter reminds us in 1st Peter 1:24-25 of the truth in Isaiah 40:8,  As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. Pure...

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You that Your Word is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Give us a fresh anointing to embrace Your Word, to keep our thoughts and intents pure before You, and to shine Your Light until You return to take us Home with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Forever

Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.

Psalm 112:6b-7

Trust in him at all times, oh people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:8

Today has been a hard day. The granddaughter of a dear friend of mine passed away (due to illness), and an older friend of mine died today, as well. I have cried a lot even though I know without a doubt where both of them will spend eternity. It is beyond sad when we lose loved ones. 

I am also moved to tears for the family members and beloved friends who are left bereft in their loss. We want to comfort them with word and deed, but the truth is there are no words spoken to them that will make it okay. However, words breathed in prayer to God on behalf of those in sorrow will bring both the comfort and the peace that passes understanding. We don't have to know how that works, we just need to trust God at all times that it will. 

We mourn, but not as the world mourns without hope. We trust a God who has promised us eternity with Him. This loss is not forever. 

Jesus is forever. Heaven is forever. This separation is not.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your peace in the midst of the storms of life. Thank You for Your promise of no tears in Heaven. Thank You for the foundation and stability of Your Word that comforts us and holds us above the floodwaters of life. Wrap Your loving presence around us as we weep with those who weep, according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - Promise Forever

He keeps every promise forever.

Psalm 146:6b NLT

I don’t know that I’ve ever read that sentence before in the New Living Translation. I thought I had, but if I did, I must have had blinders on. Talk about piercing my soul… 

Have you ever fully contemplated ‘forever’? Just forever by itself, nothing attached to it. I have a hard time envisioning it. When I was a little girl I fully believed in ‘Happily Ever After.’ That was my version of forever. I just knew someday my prince would come and rescue me and that’s how we would live…forever. I dreamed of it. Hoped for it. Prayed for it…

He keeps every promise forever.

Forever isn't about NOT making any promises just so we can say we never break them. That’s a falsehood.

He keeps every promise forever.

The Truth is that forever is much more than just never-ending time. Forever is commitment. Forever is trust, safety, provision. Forever is making promises AND keeping them. Why? Because God doesn’t just love us - He IS love.

And when the King of all kings comes for us, we will ride away with Him, and we’re going to live Happily Ever After.  Happily Ever After what? This. In John 16:33 (NLT), Jesus says, Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. He promised…

And He keeps every promise forever. Yes, He does…

Prayer:

Father,

We will give thanks to You, Lord, for You are good! According to Your Word, Your faithful love endures forever. You remember us in our weakness. Your faithful love endures forever. You saved us from our enemies. Your faithful love endures forever. You give food to every living thing. Your faithful love endures forever. We will give thanks to the God of heaven. Your faithful love endures forever. Help us to understand Your forever love. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Forever

He keeps every promise forever.
Psalm 146:6b NLT

I don’t know that I’ve ever read that sentence before in the New Living Translation of the Bible. I thought I had, but if I did, I must have had blinders on. Talk about piercing my soul…

Have you ever fully contemplated ‘forever’? Just forever by itself, nothing attached to it. I’ve had a hard time envisioning it. When I was a little girl I fully believed in ‘Happily Ever After.’ That was my version of forever. I just knew someday my prince would come and rescue me and that’s how we would live…forever. I dreamed about it. Hoped for it. Prayed for it…

He keeps every promise forever.
Forever is not about NOT making any promises in order to be able to say we never break promises. That’s a falsehood.

He keeps every promise forever.
The Truth is that forever is much more than just never-ending time. Forever is commitment. Forever is trust, safety, provision.

Forever is making promises AND keeping them.

Why? Because God doesn’t just love us - He IS love.

And when the King of all kings comes for us, we will ride away with Him, and we’re going to live Happily Ever After. Happily Ever After what? This. In John 16:33 (NLT), Jesus says, Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. 

He promised… And He keeps every promise forever. Yes, He does…

Prayer:

Father,
              We will give thanks to You, Lord, for You are good!
According to Your Word, Your faithful love endures forever.
You remember us in our weakness. Your faithful love endures forever.
You saved us from our enemies. Your faithful love endures forever.
You give food to every living thing. Your faithful love endures forever.
We will give thanks to the God of heaven. Your faithful love endures forever. 

Help us to understand Your forever love. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen