The things of this world are passing but for those who believe we know this is not the end but the beginning of eternal life. A life with God in heaven.
Eternal Life – Episode 137
Recently I noticed a friend of mine who has produced a Bible study about Heaven. Apparently she has been working on it for some time. But it is so perfect for today. She wrote a book called, “Heaven: How to Experience Heaven On Earth,” which is a part of a Trilogy. She goes on to explain that when we have those wonderful soul-lifting moments that it is an example of heaven on earth. In reverse when we crash and burn and have those heartwrenching issues that happen from time to time. That is hell on earth.
How much more I’d long for heaven! For that eternal life that God promises. The promises in the Bible are amazing and give us such hope. Yet, appearances deceive us. Often we make judgments based upon appearances based upon our own preconceived notions.
Obviously we do not see as God sees! Even the blind man in the gospel ends up seeing Jesus more clearly than even those who could already see. His ability to see becomes a process just as his ability to see Jesus for who He really is and in this way his faith grew. First, he knows the Name of Jesus, then he sees him as a prophet then he sees him as God then the “Son of Man.” Meanwhile, the learned at that time, the Pharisees’ sight became more and more shallow and they were the ones who were teaching people about eternal life!
We can choose to live in darkness or light. Christ is the light of the world. He assures us of eternal life because of His death (for our sins) and resurrection. He brings us life. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:) Read that chapter, your eyes will be open there are so many things that happen.
- Jesus is alerted by Martha and Mary that their brother was ill. “So the sisters sent word to him, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Wow! The one you love. Jesus loves us all and here we are given an example of his love. He also said, “For the glory of God, that the Son may be glorified through it.” So he was setting giving us a forewarning that there would be a miracle.
- Jesus then tells his disciples that he wants to go to Lazarus. The disciples warned him about going back, and then the Lord spoke about the light (Scripture read on air.) Again the symbolism – he sees the light of the world, but if one walks in the dark – there is no light in him. We must walk in the light and ask the Lord to show us that light.
- When Jesus arrived he found his friend had died. Martha complained to the Lord that if he had been there, her brother would not have died. “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live… (Read on air.) Do we believe that? Do we believe in Jesus and have the hope of everlasting life?
- Jesus wept. His friend died and he wept. Some were empathetic with Christ and the others were critical. Just like us today we have an opinion – we know how we would do things and are critical of those that don’t agree with us. This is exactly what the Pharisees did – and Mary and Martha were familiar with Ezekiel’s prophecy “I will open our graves and have you rise from them – Ez: 37:12
- The fact that Jesus did signs and wonders was terrifying because of what? Their job? Their land and their nation? In the Bible, we read: So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. (Read on air.) So from that day on they planned to kill him.— This is ridiculous to us, right? But to these supposed righteous men it made sense. They were fearful and fear makes people do things that are so horrible.
Even though for those who believe that we have eternal life it still is difficult not to worry to be stressed and to think that we must do all of these things to be righteous. People will know we are Christians by our fruits but our good deeds alone will not get us to heaven. God knows our hearts, and just because you claim you know God does not earn you heaven. In fact, we can’t earn heaven it is a gift given by faith. And that, my friends, should cause us to rejoice.
Let’s pray!
Dear Lord, we know you have the gift of eternal life for each of us who believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the savior and that he died for us to set us free. Dear Lord help us to believe give us the gift of faith, fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we can live lives that are pleasing that we can be filled with your love so that we can pour that love into others. I praise you and I thank you for every good thing. Please Lord hears the prayers of those I pray for now… and I pray this in Jesus, Name. Amen.
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