heaven

  • hope

    Here's a interesting quote from Greg Koukl: (relevant to many current news stories)

    "The great 20th century atheistic philosopher Bertrand Russell wondered how anyone could talk of God when kneeling at the bed of a dying child.  His challenge has powerful rhetorical force.  How can anyone cling to the hope of a benevolent, powerful sovereign in the face of such tragedy?

    "Then Christian philospher William Lane Craig offered this response: 'What is the atheist Bertrand Russell going to say when kneeling at the bed of a dying child? "Too bad"? "Tough luck"? "That's the way it goes"?' No happy ending? No silver lining? Nothing but devastating, senseless evil?

    "They cannot speak of the patience and mercy of God.  They cannot mention the future perfection that awaits all who trust in Christ.  They cannot offer the comfort that a redemptive God is working to cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  They have no "good news" of hope for a broken world."  

     

    In contrast, those of us who know Jesus Christ do have hope....  He is both powerful enough to bring a complete restoration of the world (Revelation 21:3-4), and sympathetic to us during this intermediate period ("Jesus wept." John 11:35).

    Revelation 21:3-4 "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

     

  • foundation

    Interesting article about an veteran army psychologist who, after many years of counseling others through the stress and shock of wartime horrors, couldn't handle the stress in his own life any more.  http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130316/DA52C2OG1.html

    One phrase stood out to me as I was reading about his life - "He used irreverence as a balm."  

    And it didn't work.

     

    By contrast, Psalm 37 relates the thoughts of David, the Israelite warrior king of 3000 years ago, who took the opposite approach.  When he saw evil plots and atrocities, David reminded himself that the wicked seem to be winning for a short time, but God is real and will bring just judgement / retribution / restitution at the end of time, which is really the Beginning of the true life, the Kingdom of God.

    How to handle hearing about daily events of random horror and oppression?   Don't use the "balm of irreverence."  Instead,

     

    1 Do not fret because of those who are evil     or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither,     like green plants they will soon die away.  

    3 Trust in the Lord and do good;     dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord,     and he will give you the desires of your heart.  

    5 Commit your way to the Lord;     trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,     your vindication like the noonday sun.  

    7 Be still before the Lord     and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,     when they carry out their wicked schemes.  

    8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;     do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,     but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.  

    10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;     though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land     and enjoy peace and prosperity.  

    12 The wicked plot against the righteous     and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,     for he knows their day is coming.  

    14 The wicked draw the sword     and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,     to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,     and their bows will be broken.  

    16 Better the little that the righteous have     than the wealth of many wicked; 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,     but the Lord upholds the righteous.  

    18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,     and their inheritance will endure forever. 19 In times of disaster they will not wither;     in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.  

    20 But the wicked will perish:     Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,     they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.  

    21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,     but the righteous give generously; 22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,     but those he curses will be destroyed.  

    23 The Lord makes firm the steps     of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,     for the Lord upholds him with his hand.  

    25 I was young and now I am old,     yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken     or their children begging bread. 26 They are always generous and lend freely;     their children will be a blessing.  

    27 Turn from evil and do good;     then you will dwell in the land forever. 28 For the Lord loves the just     and will not forsake his faithful ones.

    Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;     the offspring of the wicked will perish. 29 The righteous will inherit the land     and dwell in it forever.  

    30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,     and their tongues speak what is just. 31 The law of their God is in their hearts;     their feet do not slip.  

    32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,     intent on putting them to death; 33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked     or let them be condemned when brought to trial.  

    34 Hope in the Lord     and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land;     when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.  

    35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man     flourishing like a luxuriant native tree, 36 but he soon passed away and was no more;     though I looked for him, he could not be found.  

    37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;     a future awaits those who seek peace. 38 But all sinners will be destroyed;     there will be no future for the wicked.  

    39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;     he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;     he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,     because they take refuge in him.

     

  • quick thought on "goodbye"

    When saying goodbye to friends, I am finding that the emotional load is not directly tied to the goodbye itself, at least for me.  As follows:

    Each of my friends either believes in Jesus Christ (as described in the Bible), or does not believe in Him.  Those who believe, I will absolutely see again, in much better circumstances, in heaven, whether or not I ever see them again here on this broken Earth... and we will spend eternity together with each other and with God in extreme joy.  So there is not much sorrow now...  it's only a temporary goodbye... a 'see you again soon.'

    For those of my friends who do not believe in Jesus, in many cases (if they persist in their unbelief for the rest of their lives), this is GOODBYE, forever.  Of course, in some cases I will see them again here on Earth a few more times, in visits, etc.  But those fellowship times are also temporary.  Those who refuse to believe in Jesus, God's perfect way of salvation, are choosing for themselves an eternity in despair, darkness, pain, and sorrow.  Ultimately, if they would really prefer that to humbling themselves before God and asking for salvation, it's their choice...  But oh, how I wish that they would turn before it is too late.

    Revelation 20  11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

    Revelation 21  Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'

(I use 'tags' and 'categories' almost interchangeably... see below)

Recent Comments