What We Won't Need In Heaven

What we won't need in heaven

Because we won't get dirty, there will be no need for towels, wash cloths or soap of any kind, nor will we need machines to wash our cloths.

Because we won't get sick, there will be no need of medicines, nor will we need vitamins to help us stay healthy.

Because we will not get tired, we won't need beds, because we won't need beds there will be no need for sheets,  because we won't get cold there will be no need for blankets,  heavy coats, boots or hats.

Because our vision will be perfect there will be no need for eye glass or eye doctors.

Because there will be no darkness, there will be no need for lamps, candles or flashlights.

 Because our minds will be in perfect working order, there will be no need for scratch pads to help us remember or calendars to keep appointments.

There will be no need for appointments because there will be no need for doctors or repair  men. Sometimes I wonder how much time we have spent in the offices of the healing profession because of illness or even just fear of illness.  Or, how much time we spend waiting for cars to be fixed, along with every other machine we use.

Because there will be no rain, we will have no need of umbrellas or rain coats.

Because there will be no snow, there will be no need of snow shovels or plows.

Because nothing will break, there will be no need of all the tools we use now to maintain a working environment or the glues that bond things.

Because the bugs behave themselves we will have no need of sprays to protect the fruit trees or vegetables.

Because tigers, bears, dogs, cats and all other animals won't bite or harm us there will be no need for guns or fences to protect ourselves.

Because the day will not be too hot and there is no night, we will live in a perfect environment, without worry, fear or hardship.  There will be no need to prepare for the winter cold or the summer heat.  

Because our nose will never get a cold or allergy, we will not need tissue, no need of Bandaides or antibiotics for injuries. 

Because our skin and bodies are perfect we will have no need for cosmetics or hair treatments. 

I know this list could be much longer, it seems to me that most of what we use today will not be needed in heaven.  

I don't know about you, but I rejoice when I ponder the gravity of our inheritance, the immensity of the blessing that awaits us.  

How many hours and much money, seem wasted on things just to survive and stay healthy. I am grateful that God has proved for us in this stage of our existence, however I do look forward to the day when it will be all over.  

This life for the believer seems like dung compared to where we are going.  Even so, the Lord gives us joy in our hearts, knowing that this earth, for the believer, is a testing time, to strengthen and grow us spiritually. We do not respond to it the way a non-believer does.  

It is our spiritual "gym" or "health club", we work out every day, when we fail we get up again to experience the next day of testing.  Our work out manual is the Bible!  It tells us where we have progressed and where we have failed and are in need of more exercise.  

It is the Holy Spirit Who sustains and teaches us.  

Galatians 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

1 Corinthians 6:19 
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,"

Isaiah 11:2 
"The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."

More is Caught Than Taught

"More is caught than taught."

We can tell our children the right things and still violate our own instruction to them, through our actions.

If a child hears the right things, but sees opposite actions, they will ignore what we say and do what they see us doing.

When we tell a child he shouldn't talk too much, then we had better be sure we are not "talking too much", through dominating conversations.

When we tell a child he should share, and then get upset when our spouse wants a piece of our candy, we are teaching by example, not to share.

When we tell our children to obey the Bible, while ignoring many of the principles written in it, then we are teaching our children to ignore the bible or cherry pick what we like.

When we tell our children they should respect us while we  show disrespect and dishonor to their grandparents, then we teach our children to disrespect and dishonor us.

When we tell our children not to be prideful and then treat others with contempt through favoritism, we are teaching snobbery to our children, that they need only show love and honor to those they like.

When we teach our children to serve others by making them serve us, but they never see us serving others, then we have taught them not to serve, and to make others serve them.

To punish a child for snappishness toward their siblings and then practice snappishness toward others ourselves, we have just taught our children to manipulate others through snappishness in conversation.

It is vitally important that our speech match our attitudes and actions.  Children will always take the easy road and the road most traveled, that which is familiar to them in daily living circumstances. 

We must be sure that our hearts are compliant to the Word, then and only then will our actions be the same as what is coming out of our mouths.

Does Counsel Offend Us, Or Do We Welcome It!

Does Counsel Offend Us, Or Do We Welcome It!

Those who have a fighting spirit, feeling the need to dominate every conversation, never listening to understand what others have to say, are self absorbed and elevated in their own eyes.

Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel."

What Do We Do With A Challenge

What Do We Do With A Challenge

Some of us have been judged as mean spirited or lacking concern about the lost or our fellow believers because we told the truth boldly.  There are those who would accuse us because there is sin in their own lives, they want others to accept their sin through silence. 

1 Thessalonians 2:1-6

"1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain,

2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.

3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—

6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority."

Every believer has the mandate and authority to speak the truth.  The greatest love we can have for anyone is to be open and honest about all things.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit we bring God's love, correction, exhortation and rebuke are a part of that love that most superficial believers want to ignore today. 

Those who fight back bitterly when confronted with truth, do so not because they are not guilty, but because they are guilty.  The hardest thing for a rebellious heart to hear is rebuke.

Titus 1:13 "This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;" 

Ecc. 7:5 "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools."

Proverbs 28:26

"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered."

Prov. 14:3 "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them."

A godly man or woman who seeks the Lord, will not fight back because of correction, but will go to prayer over a challenge.  If the challenge is unjust, then God will show them and they will be able to move on without the need to fight or explain themselves. If the challenge is true, then the godly person will praise God for what has been shown and grow a little more. 

Proverbs 9:9 "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."

James 1:2-5

"2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Keep On Going Brothers and Sisters

From time to time, there would be as sense of discouragement in my heart over what I see on facebook. It would lead me to sense that I should perhaps back off and do other things. 

There are too many believers who need to be reminded of God's glory and purpose. Like me others are yearning for the fellowship of  believers,. who think with the mind of Christ.  As the days grow shorter, there is a need to be about the work of encouraging brothers and sisters, perhaps even more than evangelism.   So far, the Lord has not taken the use of facebook out of my heart. 

I have tried to walk away and the Lord keeps drawing me back.  It is because we are called to teach and preach, we are not called to see results. 

Noah preached 120 years without any results at all before the Lord sent the flood that destroyed the entire world.  No one would listen to Him, but He remained faithful to what God told Him to do.

Noah was mocked....as we are...Noah had no friends and extended family and in-laws were against him.  Sound familiar?  There was no one to encourage him as he pleaded with the people to repent. Some of us have one or two kindred spirits to come alone side, while others have no one at all.

Why would we think it would be different for us than it was for Noah, as we approach these last days before the judgment? 

There is a sense that things are winding down, few people will become born again and many who think they are, will be surprised that they will not gain entrance into heaven. 

God is impressing upon me to pray more for the believers who are persecuted, those who are lonely and unsupported and those who call themselves Christian but have never been born again. 

May those who are given to prayer, please join me in this, as we wait for the trumpet that will call us home.

Mentality Can Be A Prison

Mentality Can Be A Prison

Pretension is hard work, doesn't seem worth it to me, in fact it is a sort of prison for those who live in it.

Faith in Faith is no Faith at All

Faith in faith is no faith at all.

Years ago when I was a new believer, I questioned whether or not I lacked faith because so many people around me were looking for big miracles that were undeniably the working of God.

As I grew in the Lord He showed me that looking for the "big" miracles was actually lack of faith, so many look for this because they need something to see to maintain their faith, their faith is based on what they can see, which is not faith at all, but doubt.

Those who walk by faith need nothing more than knowing Who Christ is and that He will work in their lives as He sees fit. Faith is not faith if it requires sight.

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Often people place their faith in faith rather than in Christ. They believe if they just muster up enough faith then they are spiritual.

God says the opposite, He says to believe, after that we can leave all the rest to Him, knowing that He is in control even when we think we can't see anything happening.