Monday, September 16, 2013

"Sharing Hope through Scripture"

"The Hope of heaven"
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be  also.
A few thoughts, and a prayer.
  1. The phrase, "let not your hearts be troubled" is also translated, " do not let your hearts be distressed, and agitated" And, "You must not let yourselves be distressed.
  2. Jesus said, "You believe in God, believe also in Me." Also, translated "You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me." And, also, You must hold on to your faith in God and to your faith in me."
  3. Jesus refers to heaven, as His father's house. ( I'm not actually sure what He means by mansions. Perhaps new bodies, or actual dwelling places, i.e homes so to speak. But, whatever it means, Jesus says it is so, and if it were not, He would have to us.
  4. Jesus is currently preparing a place for us.
  5. Jesus is not only preparing a place for us, but, has promised to come again, and to receive us to Himself.
  6. Eventually, where Jesus is, "Heaven" we will also be. Another translation says, "When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am"
Father, these are such precious and comforting words to us. Thank You for giving them to us. Thank You Lord Jesus for coming to earth the first time, and thank You for what You are doing right at this very moment for us, and thank You, that You are coming to get us someday. Thank You, that we will one day always be with you in Your Father's house, heaven.
While we wait for you, living down here on the earth, we pray that we would be so "heavenly minded" that we are of some earthly good. May our hearts and minds be consistently focused on the eternal hope we have of being with you one day. There is not greater hope, then what we have in You.
We love You.
Pastor Bob Grenier