"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I...saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband....And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21)
Is there any greater promise, any greater comfort for the downcast, outcast, suffering? As you look around you, you may see people more "prosperous," or "healthier," or "accepted." But to the lost, these words are just illusive. You will not find anyone more prosperous, healthy and accepted than those of us in whom Jesus Christ lives and reigns. The promises of our text are beyond description, but insure our prosperity, health, and acceptance, "in the Beloved."
You may be surprised (or not) at what I heard in institutions of "higher learning," aka, institutions of higher ignorance, concerning our text and other portions of Scripture which speak of the future, heaven, the coming judgment. In the case of the Book of Revelation, John was just hallucinating. He was old, alone, about to die. What do you expect from such a person, a person whose religion was a hoax, so he had to come up with something, anything to help the deceived go on perpetrating the myth. (!!!) These same lies of the Enemy attack "the faithful" and weakened them, but only when they are attempting to grasp and understand these, "exceeding great and precious promises," in their own minds, their own understanding.
Live in the Holy Spirit in your spirit. Accept what you can understand, but accept also the things of God which we cannot understand, grasp. Embrace the Words of God today. The promise of our text is indeed awaiting us. Things will get better. This is not primarily "positive thinking"; it's positive believing, receiving, accepting. Whatever we face today, or in the total of our lives is small in comparison with the great realities spoken to us in our text. "But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit...." This 1 Corinthians 2 passage goes on to tell us that the revelation of what Jesus has for us is from His Spirit to our spirits. "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny]." (Amplified Bible)
The Eternal Things of Jesus Christ are, "beyond man's scrutiny." Accept it. And as you accepted/received Jesus by faith, so receive His Words by faith. There is just no other way, "to be happy in Jesus, but to trust...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that all You tell me is far beyond me, far beyond my ability to understand, comprehend. But I receive all anew today with thanksgiving and praise. Amen.
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Two articles on the Blog: jhs58.blogspot.com
1. Hilary's not-so-hidden agenda
2. "How Germany Funds Jew-Hate"
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
