Who are your forever friends?

Last week, through tears, I looked at a crowd of women who will be friends forever. I may not see them each week, but I will think of them often on Thursday mornings, knowing they are together for Bible study. As I told them, it isn’t hard to go, it’s just hard to leave.

Life is supposed to move forward with new adventures, new friendships, and new directions from God. We have the opportunity to know a lot of people throughout our lives. Some we call friends and others acquaintances. 

For all of us, there are people who will be friends forever. 

Who are your forever friends?

The last lesson I taught was from Revelation 1 and 22. I love the book of Revelation, and it is the only book of the Bible that promises to bless the people who read it and “take [it] to heart” (Revelation 1:3 NIV). In other words, those who read the Revelation and “keep what is written in it” (v. 3 ESV) will have a blessed life now and eternally. 

Revelation 22 redefines our idea of family. All of us have an earthly family that is precious to us, but we won’t define “family” the same way in heaven. Hopefully, all of our earthly family will be there, but realistically we know that isn’t always true.

Chapter 22 provides a picture of what our lives will be like in heaven and redefines family eternally. The Apostle John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos when Jesus came to him and told him to write these things down and to make them known to the churches. The angel provided this picture of heaven that we, the church, are to think about. Consider the words of Revelation 22:1–5, knowing they will be a blessing to you now and eternally: 

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

I pointed out these things to my class last week: 

  • The river of life flows from the “throne” of God and of the Lamb. The triune God, the Holy Trinity, is the source of everything in heaven. There is one throne, one Godhead, One to worship.
  • The tree of life lives and thrives on both sides of the river and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will always be wars and divisions on earth. There will be none in heaven.
  • Nothing is accursed in heaven. God cursed the land after the Fall and now there are plants like thorns and thistles. We live with storms, droughts, floods, and earthquakes. Our planet is not perfect and never will be. Heaven will be perfect because nothing eternal is “accursed.”
  • Everyone in heaven will see the face of God. We will see the One we worship and dwell in his Presence. Every moment will be peace, contentment, health, joy, and love.
  • His “name” will be written on our foreheads. His name, his character, will “mark” every person in heaven. We will be given that “new name” and we will all know we are forever the family of God.

The friends we will have forever are the friends we will call our family in heaven. We will have all of eternity to spend time with them, laugh with them, enjoy their stories, and share eternal joys with one another. Our earthly lives are the way we meet those people now who, someday, we will enjoy in heaven. 

An earthly goal with eternal rewards

Jesus taught us how to live on earth so that our eternal life would be rich with reward. His life was our example to follow. Jesus gave his followers an important commandment. Jesus said: 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:12–15). 

God provided us our example, his own Son, so we can live our lives on earth with eternal goals. We can look at the life of Christ and know the life that God wants for us as well. When we study the words of Christ, we can’t ignore that God’s children are called to lay down their lives for friends too. In fact, we are commanded to live with that goal. 

Each day we share the same earthly goal Christ had when he walked on this earth. Jesus came to help people know God and live eternally in heaven. 

Love one another, as Jesus loved us

What is the best way to be like Christ and fulfill his commands? 

We need to pray to be filled with the love of God so that we have his love for others. “Greater love” has no one until they are filled with the love of God. 

We know what Jesus would do, and those thoughts provide his perspective for the people around us. Jesus didn’t call us “servants;” he called us friends. Jesus said, “I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father.” 

We know our goal in this life is to help people become our forever friends. Those people will not just be our friends in heaven; they will also be our family. 

Whom do you love here on earth that needs to become your forever friend in heaven? 

We have a higher goal than simply enjoying people’s friendships on earth. If we truly love them, we will want them to belong to our family, forever. 

Take a moment and pray by name for those friends who still need salvation in Christ. Jesus will “make known” to you your next steps. He wants those people to be your forever friends too.

The Giver: a Christian perspective

I’m not sure why I missed seeing the movie, The Giver, but I will try to see it soon. I remember seeing the trailer in the theater and thinking I needed to see it. Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges and Katie Holmes seemed like a promising cast, and I remembered that one or both of my sons had read the novel when they were in school.

Recently, I was in a bookstore looking for another book when I saw The Giver, by Lois Lowry, on the same table. I picked up a copy and decided to purchase it. I read The Giver on a recent flight and barely noticed the four hours pass. If you have been reading my blog posts for a while, or if you know me, you know that I love a great book. A great book should be entertaining, but it should also cause a person to think.  Lois Lowry won the Newberry Award for The Giver because she wrote a great book.

After I finished reading the book, I did a little research. Spark Notes described Lowry’s inspiration to write her novel:

“She was inspired to write The Giver—which won the 1994 Newbery medal—after visiting her elderly father in a nursing home. He had lost most of his long-term memory, and it occurred to Lowry that without memory there is no longer any pain. She imagined a society where the past was deliberately forgotten, which would allow the inhabitants to live in a kind of peaceful ignorance. The flaws inherent in such a society, she realized, would show the value of individual and community memory: although a loss of memory might mean a loss of pain, it also means a loss of lasting human relationships and connections with the past.”

The Giver is not a Christian novel, but if I were doing a review, I would be able to point out what a Christian should learn from the story.  When I finished reading the novel, I couldn’t help but compare the colorless, or boring, society that allowed individuals to live in “peaceful ignorance” to the untrue perception many non-Christians have of those who live in faith.

Christianity is often described as a “crutch” or a way some people choose to avoid dealing with the realities of life and death. Non-Christians often believe a life of faith to be rigid, routine and restricted—often colorless or boring. I can see how someone could read The Giver and believe it was a condemnation of religion while another might read it and believe it to be supportive of faith. I can see others read it and believe it has nothing to do with faith at all.

In the introduction to the latest edition of the novel, Lois Lowry describes some of the comments she has received from people over the years. She said a Trappist monk had written to say he considered the book a sacred text. Another man had escaped a cult that he had been raised in and his psychiatrist recommended he read The Giver. One mother read the book because it had been assigned to her child at school. She wrote to tell Lowry that she was clearly a disturbed person and she hoped the author would get some help.

I liked what Lowry had to say about the multitude of comments she had received over the years. She wrote, “A book, to me, is almost sacrosanct; such an individual and private thing. The reader brings his or her own history and beliefs and concerns, and reads in solitude, creating each scene from his own imagination as he does. There is no fellow ticket-holder in the next seat.” I would agree with her words as they apply to every book except the greatest book in history, the Bible.

The Holy Bible had a holy Author, with a perfect purpose. Billions of people have read its pages and been able to come to the same, important conclusions. We read the Bible with our imaginations, but the words we read were not imagined. Scripture was creative, but each truth was created. The Bible was not written to describe a “peace filled life of ignorant bliss.” The Bible was written to guide people to the peace filled life that will certainly exist for all eternity. We don’t live with full understanding. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul writes, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We live with hope because we live with God’s promise of eternity.

The Giver ends with the main character escaping the created utopia because he discovered that even though the real world had suffering and pain, it was better than a world with no joy.  Joy, as the novel teaches, cannot exist without the understanding of pain and suffering.  Success in The Giver is described as choosing to live in the real, yet fallen world. Success in the Bible is described as choosing to live in the fallen world for the sake of heaven.

The Giver is a great book that makes a person think. It is written for young people, but it was meaningful to me, a “not-so-young person.” I love a great book, but I respect and do my best to govern my life by the only perfect book. Paul taught his young protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Giver is a great novel but the real “Giver” is the One whose breath created your Bible. Enjoy the novel, but live by God’s Word.

This blog post was originally published on November 18, 2014.

At the perfect time, Jesus will return

We drove past an old cemetery in Mineral Wells, Texas, that was marked with a historic seal. That seal means some of the headstones probably date back to the Civil War or earlier. I’m fascinated by the history and all the stories represented by the headstones. In many ways, cemeteries tell the stories of life on earth. 

A new thought occurred to me as we drove past that cemetery: there are no cemeteries in heaven. 

Last week, I taught a verse from Romans that has returned to my thinking several times since. I realized that it needed to be my words for the blog post this week. 

The verse is from Romans 5, and I prefer the wording in the NIV version that says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). God picked the perfect time to send Jesus to this world so that he could live and then die for the ungodly.  

Jesus was born the first time, at a perfect time, and he came for the sake of the ungodly. When Jesus returns, it will be a perfect time as well, but the next time Jesus steps into this world, he will come for the godly.  

The perfect time

Many articles relate to the phrase “at a perfect time,” and many quote verses from the prophets. Jesus picked the perfect time in history to be born in a Bethlehem stable. He began fulfilling Old Testament prophecy with his first moments on earth. But there are also a lot of practical, earthly reasons that made it a “perfect” time. 

Rome was the world power of the day, and the world was unified under one government, as it had never been before. The phrase “all roads lead to Rome” explains one of the most important reasons for Christ’s timing. For the first time in history, people, soldiers, and ideas traveled, and everyone’s worldview grew as a result. Not only were roads built for travel, but the shipping industry was also vastly improved and ports had opened up to vessels from all over the known world. 

Would the early Christians have been able to leave Jerusalem for other cities without those roads, ships, and the protection they offered? 

The Greek language was the universal language of the day. Every city had people who knew Greek and could serve as teachers and translators. Would the news of Christ have spread throughout the region if everyone had needed to learn Hebrew to understand it? 

And, most importantly, God’s people were truly looking for their Messiah, knowing the prophets had promised God would send him to restore and save them from the hardships of this world. 

So, on that spring morning in Bethlehem, Jesus was born. Paul described the first coming of Christ saying, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5). 

Jesus entered the world at the perfect moment in history so that all people could be redeemed by his sacrifice and become God’s adopted children. And the adopted children of God were promised a new home.

His return will be perfectly timed

I was reviewing the book of Romans for my Bible class, getting ready for our last weeks of the study. I taught a significant verse from each chapter, which is why I was reminded of the verse about the perfect timing of Christ’s birth. One thought led to the next, and I began to wonder what the perfect timing of Christ’s return would look like. 

I’ve heard discussions about the end times, but those discussions end with the certainty that none of us will predict that time and all of us will be surprised. The point of the end-times discussions should be that we are living aware, expectant, and ready. Jesus’ parables teach us those truths.  

The apostles thought Jesus would return in their lifetimes. There have been many times in church history that would have indicated his return was imminent. Yet the church remains in the world, still looking. 

Consider all those things that indicated a “perfect time” the first time Jesus came to earth. Then consider all that has happened in recent years as a result of the internet.

  • The whole world is open for travel at the push of a button.
  • There is one language, or a program that enables a computer to translate.
  • The movement of ideas and information can travel anywhere a smartphone can go.

We began our internet ministry years ago and later realized that, for the first time in human history, Christ’s words from the Mount of Olives were able to be fulfilled. Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). 

It is interesting, even exciting, to realize the perfect time for Christ’s return could be soon. It could also be a thousand years more. That said, predicting Christ’s second coming is not the point of this blog post. 

The next time Jesus returns, it will be for the godly.

Who are the godly?

Most Christians don’t think of themselves as godly, but we are. We belong to God, and through Christ’s sacrifice we have been made godly.  

We could all pick up paper and a pen and create a long list of ungodly decisions we have made . . . just last week! But, that isn’t the way Scripture defines who is godly. 

It’s important that we hold the biblical viewpoint that says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). 

Godly people are those who belong to God through faith in Jesus. We will never act completely godly until we are completely God’s, in heaven. Until then, we can glimpse our potential through his Holy Spirit.  

Jesus is coming again

There are a lot of reasons to believe this would be a perfect time for Jesus to return. There is every reason to live like it could be tomorrow. Jesus would tell us to share the gospel until time is perfected by his return, or when we are perfected in heaven.

I hope those thoughts will linger in our minds this week. 

This might be that perfect week and we want to be ready.  

Work and rest: God meant both for joy

If King Solomon wondered about something, we should too! 

If you have been reading my blog posts for a while, you know I am a big fan of King Solomon. I’m not unaware of his weaknesses; I am just a huge fan of his wisdom. 

King Solomon asked, “What gain has the worker from his toil?” (Ecclesiastes 3:9). Solomon wrote those words at the end of his life. Most people who have studied his life would probably wonder why he, of all people, would write those words! One article estimates that King Solomon would have a net worth today of $2.2 trillion!

Again, why would he write “What gain has the worker from his toil?”

BUSY WITH BUSINESS 

King Solomon answers his own question by saying, “I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with” (v. 10). 

The best way to understand King Solomon’s words is to interpret them for the era in which he lived. I’ve often said, “I was born at the right time.” I earn a living with my computer. I fill my refrigerator by making a trip to the grocery store. If it gets dark, I flip a switch. If the clothes are dirty, I push a few buttons. If I want a cup of coffee, I reach for a coffee pod. I could keep going, but you understand my point. 

God’s children have always been busy, but we aren’t as busy today as we think we are! After the fall, God told Adam, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Adam and Eve had enjoyed the garden because, bluntly, they had it so good. Don’t you know there were days after the fall when they turned to God and said, “It was just one bite, Lord!” 

One of the results of the fall is that we will always be busy. Even with all the luxuries today, that is still true. Solomon said, “I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.” We will always be busy with business. 

Was that God’s judgment—or his provision? 

GOD’S PLANS ARE BEAUTIFUL 

Solomon’s next statement in Ecclesiastes is one of my favorites. He wrote, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). 

All of us spend our lives working until we find we can’t work any longer. We get tired and we get tired of our work. Then we often miss the work, along with other things, when we get older. We are funny creatures, and God is good to put up with us! 

But then, God understands because he made it to be this way for a good reason. After God judged Adam and Eve, he caused us to work, to age, and to need rest. He had a good reason. Solomon’s wisdom provides a perfect perspective on the nature of our lives. This whole process of life is God making everything beautiful in its time. 

I’m going to try to remember that as I age. QVC was selling a potion that makes you look ten years younger and I told Jim, “If that comes in vats, I’m buying it.” What does aging have to do with this verse? 

God caused it, God made it, and God made it beautiful. 

Because, at the same time, God also “put eternity into man’s heart.” God planned our lives so that, as we age, we can rest from our busyness with business and more often consider the things of eternity. 

IT’S ABOUT JOY 

King Solomon wrote, “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man” (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13). 

God made us to work and made us to be busy with the things of life. Our work is what earns us the ability to enjoy things we have worked for. I would love to hand some of our political leaders the wisdom of Solomon. The most important thing we can do for the self-esteem and for the souls of our citizens is enable them to work. Everyone deserves the chance to know the joy God wants them to have. It was his gift, and we should be careful to help people receive that. 

WHAT GOD DOES ENDURES FOREVER 

I love my work. I’ve just finished writing the Bible study for next year from the book of Romans. Many have asked if I plan to continue to do the video format. The answer is yes. Stay tuned and we will tell you how to download the study later this summer. I will also teach in person and continue to write this blog post, among other things.  

I love working with and teaching God’s word. I’ve spent some time during the past year listening to historical sermons from people like Charles Spurgeon. His messages are amazing! I’ve discovered a website that makes old sermons downloadable. (My podcast of choice!) 

King Solomon said, “I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14–15). The sermons I’ve been reading and listening to are just as remarkable today as they were when they were preached to congregations. 

“Whatever God does endures forever.” 

RESTORATION IS WORTHY WORK AS WELL 

As you might have read, I’m a big fan of home restoration shows. I love watching older, out-of-date homes become cleaned up and ready for a new family. That said, I also love that the people who lived in the home before it was all fixed up still called it home.

I’ve often told Jim that I cringe sometimes when the young people complain about the old carpet, parquet floors, and clamshell sinks. (That was a hint about my décor!) But, I’ve also learned that brass fixtures are coming back in style. If we live in this house for another decade, we could become officially “retro” instead of just “old!” 

But, keeping up a home is a lot like keeping up our lives. Everything needs restoration once in a while. 

I love my work and am grateful for this job. I stand in full agreement with King Solomon. My work gives me joy because my subject is God’s eternal word. But, my business is busy. That has been especially true this past year. Our ministry didn’t slow down during 2020. In fact, it grew a lot!  

That is a huge blessing, and we are grateful to all of you who have helped that happen. But, last year Jim and I celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary with a takeout steak dinner in Styrofoam boxes! (I did light a candle, but that was about all I could do to fancy up our COVID anniversary.) 

Now, we are fully vaccinated and, for the first time in a long time, we are packing our bags! It’s time for our much-delayed anniversary trip. I’m leaving my computer behind, and I’m headed for sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. Because restoring our souls is worthy work as well! 

The Brand Manager for janetdenison.org, Trace Kennedy, will be writing this blog post for me for the next couple of weeks. I will be soaking up warm air and sandy beaches and reaping the joy of hard work and God’s blessings in our lives. I’ll come back to my parquet floors and clamshell sinks, and they will look good to me because I’m home. 

I hope all of you are planning that first, post-COVID break as well. We all need the restoration that God can provide. Thank you Trace for helping me to travel with joy. 

And to all my readers, I’ll be back to work in a couple of weeks. Until then, “Aloha!” 

Yep . . . sunsets, beaches, fresh pineapple, and joy! (At least we made it before we hit our forty-first anniversary!) 

Blessings to all of you . . .

It’s time to trust God more than before

I know some people have an easier time trusting than others. I tend to be a skeptic, and it takes me a while to trust a person completely. I like almost everyone, but trust is something I tend to give carefully. 

As I watch the evening news and read articles on trends, choices, and all things “popular,” I have needed to double down on my choice to trust God for the future. 

I really don’t trust those who are in control right now so I have to remind myself of what I know is true. 

Ultimately, God controls all the final outcomes.

A WORD FOR THE FRONTLINE FAITHFUL 

The well-known “armor of God” passage is from the sixth chapter of Ephesians. Paul taught God’s people that living a faithful life would require them to be tough, wearing God’s armor for the battle. Paul’s churches were established during a period of history that was openly hostile toward the gospel. The Jewish people thought of Christianity as blasphemy. The Roman government thought of the church as another danger to their culture. 

Sound familiar? 

I’m in my early sixties, and I don’t remember a time in my life when God’s armor was more important. It is increasingly difficult to openly believe the Bible in our current culture and express Christian beliefs about values, marriage, the sanctity of life, and many other important standards. 

Those of us in ministry are stepping into deeper waters right now. It didn’t use to be difficult to live as a Christian and be popular, or at least feel respected. It helps to remember that “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). 

I consider most of my readers to be “frontline Christians.” You are interested in God’s word, applied to our culture today—or you would read something else. I’m not called to teach “Christian-lite” or soften God’s truth. 

I am called to stay behind God’s Spirit and never forget that it isn’t people I need to fight; it is the same “spiritual forces of evil” that Paul had to fight too. So, to all those on the frontlines of faith, I encourage you to work hard at discerning our real enemy. If we recognize the battle is spiritual, we will fight with the spiritual weapons Paul called our armor (Ephesians 6:10–20). 

WHY IS IT EASIER TO TRUST THE CHARIOTS AND HORSES? 

King David had a lot in common with the Apostle Paul. David lived during a volatile time for God’s people as well. He wrote Psalm 20 as a message from God, to be sung before a battle. The King wanted God’s people to remember that their victory depended on God’s blessings, not on their strength. 

I wish God’s people would sing Psalm 20 for our battles today. I wish we would trust our battles to God as we move forward to fight. It doesn’t matter if we think we are winning. It matters that God is able to win through our efforts. Psalm 20 is a good reminder of that. 

My favorite verse in the Psalm says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). I’ve thought a lot about that verse in recent days. 

A good friend made the point that America was going to have four years of Republican, then four years of Democrat. The wisdom at the end of those eight years should be that Christians have no business trusting either political party to make things right spiritually. 

We have had a chariot and a horse. (I’ll allow your politics to decide who is which.) As God’s children, we aren’t allowed to trust in either. But it sure is easier to focus on the powers we can see rather than what is unseen. 

We can never forget who is named in Scripture as the ruler of this world. Satan is celebrating some cultural victories these days. That should have always been expected. Our goal is to make certain he has no victories in our personal lives. In my opinion, Satan is having a heyday in the lives of God’s people right now. 

My words and attitudes haven’t always honored God. I’ve allowed fear and anger to control my choices and opinions at times instead of God’s word. I’ve momentarily trusted in a few chariots and horses for my future happiness. Meanwhile . . . I knew what God wanted. 

MAY THE HEARERS BECOME DOERS 

I wonder what King David would write to us as preparation for the days ahead? 

I wonder what advice the Apostle Paul would teach the church today? 

I wonder what wisdom Jesus would give today’s disciples for future needs? 

I wonder, but I don’t. 

We already have everything we need to know in the perfection of God’s holy Bible. The problem isn’t knowing God’s wisdom; it’s doing it. 

I love the book of James and have taught it many times. James, like Jude, was a half-brother of Jesus. James told his church and all of us today, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:19–22). 

If the only spiritual lesson you consume, trust, and live by is the truth James wrote above, you would live a strong, valuable, effective witness for God in this world. We should read and memorize those words before we open our mouths, make decisions, and step out of our doors. 

Living by those words would change everything. 

THE DISCIPLES THOUGHT THEY HAD LOST 

When Jesus was arrested, tried, and hung on the cross, the disciples were terrified of the days ahead. I’m sure many, if not most, thought they had aligned their lives with Someone who had let them down. They just didn’t know what God was about to do. 

Neither do we. 

We aren’t to trust what we can see. We are to trust the One we know, just not yet face-to-face. We don’t know what chariots and horses will look like in the days ahead. But we do know this: The final Easter is coming. We don’t know how many Easters will pass before that one, but what if April 4, 2021, is the last one? 

I don’t think we have lost. I know we have won. I just know there are still battles ahead. And, I know there are joys, victories, hardships, and everything else that life this side of heaven brings. 

But, my last Easter here will mean the next resurrection day is the only one left. Jesus rose again, and so will everyone who has trusted in his name. So, let’s trust God with more of our lives than ever before. 

Most of the world trusts the chariots and horses. Let’s face it: we would like to trust some of them too. But, King David would remind us that God’s people are to trust in the name of the Lord our God. 

Paul wrote in Romans 10, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (v. 13). 

Does anything else seem more important to you today? 

If so, pray . . . until it isn’t.

A Hushed “Hosanna”

Have our hosannas been hushed?

Monday’s news headlined Tiger Woods and Game of Thrones, and the reporters had words of praise for both.

Palm Sunday’s hosannas didn’t make the news, but don’t be discouraged. Maybe our hosannas are more effective when they are delivered quietly and personally, with praise. The shouts of praise on Palm Sunday didn’t change Jerusalem’s culture, and our shouts probably won’t change the culture today.

The word hosanna means “Praise God and his Messiah, we are saved.” The people shouted “hosanna” as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The city was crowded with Jewish pilgrims who had traveled to the temple for Passover. But their shouting was short-lived.

Everyone, including the disciples, hushed their hosanna in fear—or in favor of—popular opinions on Friday.  

How should we share our hosannas today?  

Christians celebrate Palm Sunday, grieve Maundy Thursday, reverence Good Friday, and rejoice on Easter Sunday. Every day of Easter week has hosanna as this theme: “Praise God and his Messiah, we are saved.”

Should we “shout” that message to the world, or quietly offer that truth to someone who will listen?

In your experience, how did you come to know Jesus as your Messiah?

If shouting hosanna on Sunday was an effective plan, Jesus wouldn’t have been crucified on Friday.

The women arrived at the tomb and the body of Jesus was gone. The angel told them not to be alarmed, Jesus was risen. The angel said, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you. And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mark 16:7–8).

The angel didn’t tell the women to run through the streets shouting the truth about Jesus. He said, “Go tell the disciples.” They were the people who were prepared to listen.

If shouting about the resurrection would have been effective, the angel would have instructed the women and the disciples to shout, “Hosanna, praise God and his Messiah, we are saved.”  

God could have filled the streets with his angels shouting praise. Instead, the angel told the women to send the disciples to Galilee and Jesus would meet them there.

Jesus appeared to two of them on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). He appeared to seven of the disciples after they had been fishing, unsuccessfully, all night. Jesus told them to cast their net out and they pulled in a huge catch. He even cooked them breakfast (John 21:1–14). Jesus appeared to the disciples in the upper room and they ate together.  

But, Jesus never told his disciples to run into the streets and shout about his resurrection.

Christians became the message of Easter  

Jesus took his disciples to the Mount of Ascension and told them they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came and they would become his witnesses as a result (Acts 1:8). And those disciples began a movement that changed the world.  

Our witness isn’t in the words we shout. It is in the person we become when we are filled with his Spirit.  

Hosanna is the message  

“Praise God and his Messiah, we are saved.”

Our lives shout our hushed hosanna to people today.  

The apostle Paul described the power of a Spirit-led life this way: He told the believers to live pure lives and love one another. Then Paul wrote, “Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12).

Our hosanna has been hushed—not by the news media, but by the Holy Spirit.

The shouts of Palm Sunday didn’t change the world; Easter did. The truth about Jesus was revealed in the hushed hosannas of those who were filled with and empowered by the Spirit of his resurrected Son. Their lives were changed, and that will always be the truth of Easter.

Who needs to hear your hushed hosanna today?

This is a great week to preach that message with your life and with your love. Let’s allow the Spirit of the resurrected Christ to quietly “shout” our Easter praise.

Hosanna. Praise God and his Messiah, we are saved.

Live blessed: He is coming soon

Jesus is coming—soon.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus said he was coming soon?

It’s been more than two thousand years since Christ appeared to John on the island of Patmos and gave him the book of Revelation.

Toward the end of the revelation, Jesus said, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:6–7).

I included these verses in my teaching last week, with a new thought. Most sermons about this passage are about the ultimate end of our world when Jesus returns for the final time. The book of Revelation teaches us that everything on earth is temporal, with a beginning and an end. We are supposed to live like Jesus could return tomorrow.

But, again, it’s been more than two thousand years.

What did Jesus mean by “soon”?

How should we define soon?

My mom and I spent the weekend driving to northern Arkansas and then back again. I took Mom to her brother’s funeral service. She is the youngest child in her family. She had ten brothers and three sisters. Now, Mom is the only one still living.

I watched the photo montage the funeral home put together and wondered how Grandma and Grandpa were able to raise fourteen children to be such fine human beings. But they did. Now, they are in heaven, except for my mom. She will join them one day, but today, she is without all of them, and my dad too.

The good news: Jesus is coming soon.

A wonderful woman from our church in Midland, Texas, was lying on her deathbed. Her family was gathered around quietly singing a hymn. She had not spoken in several days when she sat up and exclaimed, “Jesus!” and then she was gone.

Jesus had come to bring her home to heaven. It was sooner than the family expected it would be.

And that’s the point. We might not say that two thousand years is an accurate description of “soon,” but how many times have you lost someone you wished could have lived a few more years? Did their death feel like it came too soon?

Jesus is coming soon.

For all of us, it will be less than one hundred years from now, fifty years from now, twenty years from now—or sooner. If that makes you feel concerned, look at what Jesus said right after “Behold, I am coming soon.” He said, “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).

What does the Revelation promise to bless?

Are you living a blessed life now?

If you are, the return of Christ is something to anticipate, not fear. The book of Revelation promises blessings to all of us. When last did you find joy in those promised blessings?

Jesus said:

We are blessed by reading the Book.

Jesus said, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

The last book of the Bible is the only book of the Bible that promises blessing to the reader.

And again, Jesus said, “For the time is near.” The book of Revelation is not easy reading. In fact, it is a book to be studied with a good commentary in hand. (I suggest The Expositor’s Bible Commentary.)

When last did you read the book of Revelation?

Jesus promised a blessing to everyone who does.

We are blessed by dying in Christ.

Jesus said, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’” (Revelation 14:13).

Jesus taught us to look at the death of a Christian, especially a Christian who has lived their life in great service to the Lord, as a wonderful reward, a blessing. My dad died with a smile of peace on his face. My uncle, who only recently gave his life to the Lord, died with a smile on his face. The woman in Midland, who sat up on her deathbed and called out to Jesus, was glad to see him.

If we are in Christ, we are blessed when we die!

We should live today, blessed by that assurance.

We are blessed by living “ready.”

Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” (Revelation 16:15).

Simply put, we should be steadfastly faithful all of the time so that we are okay with Jesus returning any time.

Live today like it could be tomorrow.

Christians were blessed at the moment of their salvation.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9).

When faithful Christians pass a mirror, they should see the reflection of a person who is already abundantly blessed! We have been invited to be the honored guest of Jesus at the eternal banquet of heaven. We are invited to the best meal of our entire lives, for every moment of our eternal lives. And with our eternal bodies, we can eat whatever we want! (That last sentence is more my thought than God’s. But, it seems likely.)

Maybe we should “look” at our invitation a little more often. It is printed in gold.

Christians are blessed by keeping our lives clean.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates” (Revelation 22:14).

We are “washed” by the blood of the lamb. That is, the blood that was shed by Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of sin. A Christian has forgiveness. We are blessed every time we confess our sins and receive his mercy and cleansing. Christians will live eternally clean, but we can receive his cleansing today as well.

It’s better to seek forgiveness now and arrive in heaven as “clean” as possible.

Are you blessed and ready?

Jesus is coming soon.

He said it, and for most of us, the day will come sooner than we think it should. That’s the point.

If you speak to an older person, they will almost always say, “Time is flying by!” They are genuinely surprised to look in their mirrors and see an older face looking back. I watched that photo montage and some of those pictures were taken decades ago. My mom and dad were sitting together at a picnic, smiling. She told me it seemed like yesterday.

Jesus is coming soon.

If you are living today with that hope, you are living a blessed life. If there are areas of life that could use some “washing,” then go to the fountain now and get cleaned up.

Heaven is real, and heaven is promised to those who have placed their faith in Jesus. My uncle wished he had made that decision earlier in his life. Who do you know that still needs to choose Christ?

Jesus promised you will be blessed by reading the book of Revelation. Let’s do that this week and obey the prophecy that inspires your soul. If we do, we will see the Lamb and the Spirit use us to give the hope of Christ to others.

Don’t wait.

He is coming soon!

Paper Valentines and God’s Love

Valentines and chocolate hearts are flying off the shelf this week. This is a time when people think about those they love. I wish sharing God’s love with people was as easy as shopping for a card or making a reservation. People need to know that God loves them, but the Christian message of love is often lost to other voices.

I was amazed at the number of Super Bowl ads that encouraged people from many walks of life, many religions and many cultures to make whatever choices felt right to them. That is the message of love that so many in our culture are making popular. The Christian message of love says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). How do we encourage someone to love the Lord when our message stands opposed to what many people choose to believe? That’s an easier answer than it would seem.

People don’t trust every ad on the television, even when those ads promise things we want to believe. One Coca Cola Super Bowl ad featured a message of unity, tolerance and a new understanding of a love relationship but, according to a CBS news report, got a “C” from the Kellogg School of Marketing. A Budweiser ad showed their company working all night to put fresh drinking water in cans for hurricane victims. That ad depicted a love for neighbors in need and scored a “B.” Truth has a way of leaving a strong impression.

Our culture is offering people permission to define love, family and happiness any way they choose. It sounds good but that message is really more of a television ad than a true promise. God’s genuine love is powerful in its eternal nature. God’s word has endured for thousands of years and a cultural opinion will not oppose the truth for long. What does the Bible say about God’s love?

God has always loved you, and he always will. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10 NIV).

God’s love is genuine, and is the love produced in our lives by his Holy Spirit. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (From 1 Corinthians 13:4-14). 

God’s love is a perfect, sacrificial love available to anyone who will choose to receive it. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).

God’s people are called to be living examples of his love. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8-10).

It might seem like the message of God’s love is getting lost in our culture, but it really isn’t. Every time a Christian decides to share that truth with a friend, the message that has been true for thousands of years is taught again. Buy your cards, make your reservations and celebrate Valentine’s Day with those you love. But every day of the year provides opportunities to share the love of God with those who know his eternal truth. For God loved you so much, He gave you his Son.

Happy Valentine’s Day; you are greatly loved.

Seven things you won’t find in heaven.

I shouted for Jim as I ran to the back of the house.

I’ve done a LOT of laundry in my life, and I know when something doesn’t sound right. The washing machine was pumping out the water, but the drain hose had popped out of place.

When Jim reached the utility room, I was lying on top of the washing machine, unsuccessfully poking the drain back down the little hole in the wall, attempting to stop the washing machine and turn off the water all at the same time. Jim and I spent the next hour cleaning up the mess. My kitchen sink faucet needs to be replaced, so I will just add the utility room mess to that list. Life is full of these Lucy and Ricky moments.

That leads me to the first of the seven things you won’t find in heaven:

  1.  There are no repairmen in heaven.
    Nothing will ever break in our heavenly mansions—nothing will ever stop working. We spend a lot of time and effort on earth fixing things that will always break down again someday. What is broken in your life today? It won’t be broken in heaven.
  2. There will be no health care workers in heaven.
    I stayed home this weekend because I was worried I might be coming down with the flu. I had already received my flu shot. After a good day of rest, I woke up feeling much better. We will never see a hospital, a doctor’s office, or a CVS in heaven. Our heads won’t ache, our bones won’t age, and we will never worry about lumps, bumps, or fevers. How much time and effort do you spend trying to stay healthy? That will be free time in heaven.
  3. There will be no banks, bills, or taxes in heaven.
    Everything will be free and free to give. There will never be people who think they don’t have enough—or who think they have too much. What would you do today if you knew you would always have enough to keep and enough to give away?
  4. You will never find a jail, a prison, or a police officer in heaven.
    Safety and justice will be our constant reality. Where would you go or what would you do if you weren’t worried about what might happen? How would you sleep if there weren’t any noises or thoughts that kept you awake?
  5. You will not find a museum in heaven.
    It won’t matter how things used to be. It won’t be important to put valuable antiquities behind glass or art on guarded walls. Everything will be available for everyone to enjoy. The past, the present, and the future will exist at the same time in heaven. How would your life be different if the present moment was the only moment that mattered?
  6. You will never find a celebrity in heaven.
    Everyone will be just as happy to sit with you as they are to sit with Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or the apostle Paul. Think of a Christian you have admired for years. That is how everyone will think about you in heaven.
  7. Finally, because seven is a perfect number, the final thing you won’t see in heaven—Kleenex.
    Yes, you heard it right. Kleenex will not be necessary in heaven because there is no more grief, no more illness, and no more sad stories on the news. How many tissues have you used in your lifetime? How many more are in your future? None will be needed in heaven.

Why should a Christian stop and think about heaven?

Because the apostle Paul wrote, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1–4).

If we take a few minutes to contemplate eternity, how will that change our thoughts and actions today?

Maybe we won’t notice what is broken and focus instead on what will last forever. Maybe we won’t be overly concerned with our physical health and will make our spiritual health a higher priority. Maybe we won’t think about our bank statement as much as our treasure in heaven. Maybe we won’t fret over temporal fears on earth and choose instead to find peace in our eternal promises.

Museums on earth could remind us that nothing stays the same until we reach eternity, where nothing changes. If we think about heaven, we will be less impressed with celebrities and more impressed with the average people around us, including our own reputation.

And now you’re wondering what I could possibly say about Kleenex to conclude this blog post. Here is my thought: What if every time we reach for a Kleenex, we try to set our minds on things that are above?

If you are like me, you would think of eternity a LOT more often. Christ will come and take every Christian home to heaven. After Christ who is our life appears, we will never need to reach for a Kleenex again. Until then, why don’t we use that earthly necessity to remind us of the many things we won’t need in heaven? Maybe all of us will choose heavenly priorities for our earthly lives a little more often.

Life is a road trip to heaven best lived with your destination in mind. Travel lightly—God wants to provide everything you need for your journey, and Jesus will have everything ready when you arrive.