I want you to be in heaven with me.

Just as Paul tells the Israelites in Romans 9, I want you to be in heaven with me.  Everything else in this life is trivial compared to this absolute, final outcome.  “Location, location, location” is an old adage concerning real estate. That principle is even more crucial for our eternal existence.  Clearly, nothing in this life matters more than the question, "Where will you spend eternity?"

Beyond our finite mind and understanding, we will live forever.  God created each of us as an eternal being.  Just as described in Genesis, these fleshly bodies have received the breath of God and become living souls that will live forever.  Yes, our physical bodies will fall to the earth and die, but our inner man, the real person we are, has an eternal existence.   

Unfortunately, even though everyone knows that our years on the earth are limited and will end in death, many people allow themselves to be so distracted with wealth, comfort and convenience, that they fail to consider and prepare for the eternity that lies ahead.  Nothing could be more foolish.  Vanity of vanity, says the preacher in Ecclesiastes, all is vanity.  He is so right.  

At one point a man asked Jesus to intervene so his brother would share the inheritance. (Luke 12:13)   Jesus answered that one’s life does not consist in the abundance of what he possesses, and then Jesus follows with the parable of the rich man building more barns and neglecting his soul.  Jesus calls him a fool who is rich in earthly goods and not rich toward God.  A wise man builds his house upon the rock.  The rock is Jesus Christ and what is revealed in His Word how to be right with God and be saved for a life of joy with Him forever.  

None of us even comes close to deserving to be right with God forever, which is, of course, the reason God sent His Son to pay what we really deserved so we could have His life and right relationship with the Father.  The question isn't why would God send people to hell, the question is why would anyone reject the perfect love of God who died for our sins so we could live in joy forever.  

Therefore, above anything else you think or do, make sure that you have accepted that Jesus Christ has paid the price for you and that because of such great love, you willingly submit to Him as the Lord, or master of your life.  Read this truth in Romans 10:8-10.  It really is as simple as believing that Jesus rose from the dead (meaning every one of your sins are paid for) and being willing to declare with your lips that Jesus is Lord of your life.  Jesus stated in Matthew 10:32 that He would confess each one before the Father who has been unashamed to confess Him (Jesus) before men.  

Lay down every other excuse or persuasion of human thinking, and come as little child trusting Jesus to forgive you and make you completely new.  He is faithful and promises you will be with Him (and me) in heaven forever.   

  

Reason to Give Thanks

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High according to Psalm 92:1.  This verse also reminds us that when Jesus answered the Pharisees that there was only one who was good, and that was God.  Therefore, it is true that giving thanks is not only a good thing but a "God" thing.

Verse 2 contains some simple reminders of how to do it: to declare your lovingkindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night.  Start your day with an awareness that God's mercy is fresh every morning, and establish this truth for the day by declaring it over your day. Then as you retire for the night, let your closing thoughts and words be giving thanks for His faithfulness in taking care of you in all the events of the day.  

It is both true and humbling to remember what 1 Corinthians 4:7 asks, "what do you have that you did not receive?"  Take time to acknowledge and reflect with a thankful heart all God has given. 

Secondly, Thanksgiving causes us to look forward to all God has for us in the future: 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."  (1 Corinthians 2:9)  We clearly are the most blessed on the earth, as Psalm 21:6 states, and have every reason to be grateful for His gracious gift of Himself!  

Keep Sowing Seeds

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you, according to Luke 6:38.  Clearly, God is so pleased that we choose to care about others rather than just ourselves that He abundantly responds in kind.    

The principle of God, which Galatians 6:7 introduces by reminding us that God is not mocked, is that what a man sows he will surely reap.  This same concept is declared in 1 Peter 3:9 where the Holy Spirit states that we are called to bless that we might receive the blessing.  We don't just do it for the return blessing, but as sure as God is, He does reward our smallest and biggest effort, from giving a glass of water to little one to laying our life down for others.

The obvious problem with giving is that often the people we seek to bless may take advantage of us, or worse yet, turn on us.  So, it is important to remember that we give to God by blessing others, and we do it in obedience to Him.  Then it doesn't matter whether the ones we help appreciate our work or not, God knows our heart and every detail of what we do.  Therefore, Galatians 6:9 reminds us to not be weary in well doing for in due time we shall surely reap.  The central issue is do we trust that God is faithful to His promise.   

The nature of God is love which gives.  Because God is a giver, and is so good, His life in us motivates and empowers us to give: to give thanks to Him always, to give our resources to others in need, and to be ready to bless every person that He directs.  Give and it will be given.  In all this, we simply cannot outgive God, He will surely honor those who honor Him by giving.  Keep sowing seeds and trust God to produce the harvest.  

Thankfully Overcome

 God is the master at reminding us of foundational values through events and seasons.  Just as October challenged us to stand in the authority Jesus has given over the powers of darkness, November is designed to bring us back to acknowledging God's eternal goodness, not just in what we now have, but also in His awesome future for us to dwell in His presence and glory forever.  What God has planned certainly is beyond description and our finite understanding, but nevertheless, true and worthy of rejoicing in His revealed plan and letting it motivate our godly choices.    

Scripture reveals that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before Him.  Surely HIs joy was seeing you and I receive what He was doing to pay for our sins and become children of God to be with Him forever.  Likewise, in Revelation 2 and 3, God sent messages to the various churches with awesome encouragements of "joy" set before those who overcome. 

God is a rewarder of those who seek Him and obey Him.  If God does not overlook having a reward for giving a glass of water to a little one, how much more will not miss rewarding choices to obey our Spirit-led promptings and to put down the screaming lusts of the flesh (Romans 8:13).  He promises life and peace to those who obey the Spirit.  

Therefore, in this season of thankfulness, hear the word from Jesus in John 16:33, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  And the accompanying truth from 1 John 5:4-5, which states that all those who are born again overcome the world through our faith. 

We rejoice together in thankfulness for all the goodness we taste now (Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good); and also for the amazing future goodness God has for those who love Him (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. 1 Corinthians 2:9)

The Lord has enabled His children to overcome through His death and resurrection; furthermore, He has given us sufficient reason and anointing to be thankful in every situation.  As He overcame, we now thankfully overcome by His power working in us.  

Touch Nothing Unclean

 Jesus chose you to belong to Him and be a light in the world rather than just live like the world.  It is awesome to realize that before the foundation of the world, (Ephesians 1:4) He chose you and already had a masterful plan for your life.  However, in the midst of this great calling, Jesus makes it clear that "the world" is the opposite of His truth and that you will experience some of the same consequences He faced in coming to the earth. 

 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:18-19)  We need to understand the absolute polar extremes of following Jesus and of living like the world. 

This complete difference between the Kingdom of God and the sin-fallen world causes godly believers to make practical choices.  For the past 30 years I have given a chapel talk to our students entitled, "Don't Drink Dirty Milk," and of course, to make a point I pour dirt into a glass of milk and tempt them to drink it.  The point is that Halloween may seem like fun, and there is candy to be had, but it is foundationally a celebration of Satan: fear, death, demons, evil, anything to arouse the dark side and scare people.  We challenge our kids to choose a godly alternative and avoid the world's way of participating in glorifying the Evil One.

However, the warning from 2 Corinthians 6 is much stronger and more comprehensive than just Halloween. "For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?  And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?  For you are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they shall be My people."  Therefore, "Come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord.  "Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."  "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty.   

Notice how God always has our best interests in mind even in this warning, wanting us to experience His intimate fatherly love rather than the fleeting and deceiving pleasures that the world offers.  God's Word clearly calls each of us to keep ourselves clean from the ways of the world and let the love of the Father fill you and guide all that you watch, think, or participate in.  Even though it may look inviting, touch nothing unclean.  

Despise the Shame

What do you see? 

Jesus, according to Hebrews 12:2, was so focused on completing God's will (even unto death) that he "despised the shame" of all the ridicule, beating, torture and pain of death on the cross.  There is both a principle of life and an example that challenges every Christian.  So, let's look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, to learn this lesson.

Whenever we set our heart to obey God or to do something for the Lord, there will always be obstacles and challenges designed to distract and prevent us from moving forward.  We have to learn to despise the shame, in other words, think nothing of the cost compared to the glory of God that comes from obedience.  

Consider the comments of Paul, who also went through beatings, shipwrecks, false accusations and imprisonment, saying on one hand to count the cost and then on the other hand declaring, "the cost is nothing" compared to the glory of God to be revealed.  The point is that there is always a cost, but we have to keep our focus on the prize and not let the cost deter us from accomplishing the God-given task.  Because our flesh may get discouraged by circumstances and quit, God warns us in Galatians 6:9, "let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." 

Therefore, be encouraged.  God, who is always faithful, will give you both the will and the power to do what He asks. Choose to ignore and think nothing of the effort or abuse that you may have to endure so that you press on to receive the prize.  Faith and patience (same Greek word for endurance) inherit the promises.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and refuse to be side-tracted by the shame or cost.  You will succeed.    

How Big is Your God?

Perception is everything.

In the parable of the talents, the attitude of the one who received the one talent says it all.  "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed."  Because of his perception of the character of his master, he was afraid and hid his talent instead of thankfully using it and being productive with his gift.

A student who blatantly talks during class and ignores the rules is convinced that teachers are against him and always picking on him.  As a result, he refuses to take correction and continues to be his own worst enemy by getting in trouble and causing others around him to resent his interference.  A homeless person feels that his loss of family, home, and job is due to someone else being cruel to him and his "bad luck."  The criminal thinks the system is unfair and wonders why he is being punished when the other guy who did worse got away with it.  In other words, we haven't changed since the days of Adam and Eve, who conveniently found someone else to blame: "It was the fault of the woman that You God gave me."  "It was the serpent who deceived me."  In each of these examples, the perception or mind set of the individual creates an excuse that justifies his wrong choices.  

Scripture points out that our natural mind is darkened, so naturally verses like Romans 12 clearly instruct us to be renewed in our mind so that we are not like the world in our thinking.  How big is your God?  Does He cause you to walk in favor with God and man?  Do you enjoy His fresh mercy every morning and are you able to declare His faithfulness every night?  Do you in your heart know that He is making all things work for good in your life?  All these "renewed" thoughts come from receiving the Word of God with meekness rather than depending on our own thoughts and feelings.  Fallen nature always thinks our way is right. 

Jesus told several people "be it done to you according to your faith."  Therefore, letting the Word of God "dwell in you richly" makes all the difference in the outcome.  Likewise, in John 15:7, Jesus states that our prayer will be answered and we will be fruitful, "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you."  How we perceive God and how we allow the Word of God to be our truth is foundational to having right attitudes and correct actions.  

Simply start each day choosing to let your thoughts and ways be renewed by His revealed truth of who He is and what He has done.  As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  Our perception of God and His goodness will allow us to glorify Him in what we do and to enjoy His glorious provision.