GodsView : Heavenly Hope!

GodsView : Heavenly Hope!: “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 14:2 (NKJV) We...

Heavenly Hope!

“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 14:2 (NKJV)

We don’t have to be stressed out or troubled in our hearts because, as Christians, our destination is eternal life in heaven. No matter what happens, no one can rob us of that great hope.

Maybe you’ve lost your job or your car won’t start. Maybe you have all kinds of problems in your life right now—but you are still going to heaven.

The apostle Paul encouraged the church with these words: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day. These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever! So we do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 TLB).

Jesus promises that there is a real place called heaven, and you have His word on it—the surest word in the entire universe.

Now when Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions,” I don’t believe He was speaking of a celestial Beverly Hills with beautiful, palatial mansions for those who live really godly lives on earth. The Amplified Bible renders this verse: “In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places (or homes).”

Who can begin to imagine what these “homes” or “dwelling places” will be like? All I know is that Jesus Himself—the One who created the universe with all its wonders—has been working on preparing a place for us for more than 2,000 years.

I agree with Paul when he wrote: “No mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord” (2 Corinthians 2:9 TLB).

Jesus has promised us that we will be together with Him in heaven, for eternity, in the place He has prepared for us. And He will keep His word.

GodsView : Slander and Accusation Destroy Others!

GodsView : Slander and Accusation Destroy Others!: Church splits, divisions, gossiping and all kinds of fleshly problems is something we can think is normal in the Church life. Who has not...

Slander and Accusation Destroy Others!

Church splits, divisions, gossiping and all kinds of fleshly problems is something we can think is normal in the Church life. Who has not been involved in a Church were problems existed. Paul the Apostle wrote two long letters to the Church in Corinth over on-going issues of sin in the life of body of Christ there. He was grieved over the division and lack of humility and agreement those brothers and sisters had. He was very much strongly against even a hint of division if it came out in any way of disorder, or tearing down of the body of believers. Some believers laud the clearest model of a Church meeting can be found in 1 Corinthians 14, but it seems this Church had so many problems and everyone it seems was jostling for position and few were submitting to Elders and leadership. As some in the Church wanted to follow their own leaders and way there was slander and gossip that was occurring towards other possibly Overseers. After 2 long letters to this Church there still was not a full resolution and Paul feared that the problems would still be existing. Can it be the same way for us, that years can pass and we can still harbour the same feelings of resentment, selfish ambition, and even slander and gossip can come out of our lives? Slander is a very destructive sin. It speaks usually against those who are in authority in the body of Christ, destroying their reputation and sense of respect to be submitted to. Slander separates friends and even brothers and sisters in the Lord (Proverbs 16:28).

With our mouths and careless words we can destroy another brother and sister (Proverbs 18:21). Many Churches and ministries have been split by malicious rumors, untrue accusations, without speaking to the individuals privately. The sin of slander is also dangerous in that we partake of the very character of the devil. When we follow the Lord and act godliness we are being like God as its his character. The word slanderer, or “malicious talkers” (1 Timothy 3:11) is the greek word diabolos, meaning “false” accuser. This is a title given for the devil (Jude 1:9, Revelation 20:10). When we commit the sin of slander we are doing one of the main practices of the devil. He is known as “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10). This should sober us to realize the severity of the sin of gossip and slander. We are never called by God’s Spirit to criticize and speak evil of others in the Church but to always look how to serve and love each other. Though we might be slow to change like the Corinthian Church may God give us grace to not speak evil of the brethren. To pray for those who fail and are weak, and never spread gossip or give an ear to it ourselves, as Paul recommends to disassociate with a believer who slanders (1 Corinthians 5:11). Lord, forgive me for any gossip and slander I have done over the years, cleanse me of these sins and allow me to build up your body and not tear it down anymore. Amen.

GodsView : God Has a Future for You!!

GodsView : God Has a Future for You!!: When the apostle Paul was imprisoned for proclaiming the gospel, he was no doubt feeling a bit down and discouraged. Perhaps he was w...

God Has a Future for You!!

When the apostle Paul was imprisoned for proclaiming the gospel, he was no doubt feeling a bit down and discouraged. Perhaps he was wondering if he would ever be released. Then Jesus came to him with these words: “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11).
Paul could take comfort that there was a future for him because Jesus said, “You must also bear witness in Rome.” They wouldn’t kill him. He was still to bear witness in Rome. He had a future.
One of my favorite verses about God’s future for each of us is in the book of Jeremiah: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
It is worth noting that these words were given to Israel when they were in captivity in Babylon. They had lost hope. They saw no future, and felt as if God had forgotten about them. But the Lord was saying to them (and us too), “I have not forgotten you, and there is a future!”
Note that God does not say, “I know the thoughts that I have thought toward you.” Rather, He says, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you.”
Now it would be wonderful enough to know that God ever thought of me as an individual. But it is not something God has merely done in the past. It is something He is doing in the present and will continue to do in the future.
Know this: God is thinking about you right now! He is not thinking about you merely as a member of the human race. He is thinking about you as an individual.
Psalm 40:5 says, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be counted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”
Think about that! God Almighty, the One who holds the heavens in the span of His hand, the One who spoke and creation came into being, is thinking about you right now.
Jeremiah 29:11 speaks of a future. Now the word used here for future could be translated “an expected end.” Another translation describes it as “a ground of hope” or “things hoped for.”
There will be an outcome in your life, regardless of what you are going through at present. There will be completion. God will tie up the loose ends. You are still a work in progress. God is still finishing you, so don’t be impatient. Don’t feel it’s over, just because you are not where you want to be yet.
We see only the beginning. God sees “the expected end” and it is good! God still had a future for Paul, just as He does for you.

GodsView : Is the Allah of Islam the God of the Bible?

GodsView : Is the Allah of Islam the God of the Bible?: "No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." ( 1 John 2:23 NIV) Long before ...