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Day 19 | SET YOUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE

SET YOUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE

Colossians 3:1-2
“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Have you ever moved? (I suppose we all have.) Were you looking forward to that move? If you were, you probably started thinking about moving in your mind to the new place even before you got there. You might have started by figuring out what furniture and things to bring with you to the new place, what to give away, what to sell at a garage sale, and what to dump. You might have begun thinking about where you were going to put things and so on.

For example, if you lived somewhere HOT and knew you were going to move to Alaska, wouldn’t THINKING about Alaska help you clean your closet and pick up some more appropriate clothes as a way of getting ready? The point is, most people start THINKING about their move BEFORE they actually move.

I can just see the Apostle Paul doing the same thing with the church at Colossae.  They were born again and headed (eventually) for heaven, so why not start thinking about it?

Consider the new Christians Paul was addressing. They have been living without Jesus, then they heard the Good News, responded, became Born Again, and now are learning to live a Christ-centered life. Thus, they are starting to DO these verses. Paul tells them to set their HEARTS and MINDS on things above – on heaven – where God lives and where, eventually, they will ALL live too.
 
We must do the same!

Prayer, LORD, I do know that heaven is in my future. Help me to think about it more and rejoice! Amen.

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Day 18 | THE NARROW GATE

THE NARROW GATE

Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

We are living in an egalitarian era, when the popular belief is that all people are fundamentally equal in worth and moral status, should have the same rights, privileges, and opportunities, and hold equal spiritual worth or human dignity… regardless of earthly labels or beliefs.

Then we come to this statement by Jesus Christ, which seems to outright refute the current “belief-du-jour” that ALL ways to God work equally well.

Jesus made it clear: the gate to DESTRUCTION (aka hell) is wide. The gate to heaven – though open to all – is narrow.

Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6). That sounds pretty narrow and specific to me!

The Good News is that the offer is OPEN to everyone, everywhere!

The problem is that the “world” doesn’t like narrowness. The “world” wants to tell God how to set the rules. The reality is… God is God. He created it all, including the heavens and the earth, and HE – and He alone – makes the rules.

Ponder HIS love for YOU – and for all people everywhere – and for His sending His Son to pay the price for us so that WE could choose to be with Him in heaven forever.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for Your plan.  It is MORE than fair because YOU paid the FULL PRICE for all our sins on the cross.  Amen.

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Day 17 | WILL WE BE HAPPY IN HEAVEN?

WILL WE BE HAPPY IN HEAVEN?

Isaiah 25:8–9
“…he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.  In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’”

Happiness is ONE common characteristic that ALL people share. We want to be happy.  So, will we be in heaven?

Isaiah the prophet – some 700+ years before the coming of Jesus to earth as a man – answered this with a resounding YES. “Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Consider… even then, God led His prophets to see that a salvation was coming and that salvation would “wipe away the tears from all faces.”

Sometimes, folks think this talk about heaven was all about the “New Testament” whereas it’s been God’s plan since Genesis 3.

In this passage from Isaiah, besides “wiping away,” the Lord will also “remove DISGRACE from all the earth.” Have you ever sinned in a way that brought you personal pain and perhaps even disgrace in the eyes of others? Wouldn’t it be delightful to have that NOT be a problem in heaven? And wouldn’t that alone bring you happiness?!

Try to imagine a place (heaven) where our SINS are not brought up or remembered. 1 John 1:9 – God’s promise to us, and a verse I call the “Christian’s bar of soap” – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.” One BIG reason we’ll be happy in heaven!

Prayer: LORD, thank YOU for your amazing plan, in place throughout the ages.  I so look forward to heaven!  Amen.

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Day 16 | WILL THERE BE GENDER IN HEAVEN?

WILL THERE BE GENDER IN HEAVEN?

Genesis 1:27-28, 31
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them … Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”

There is some friendly church debate about whether we will have gender in heaven after our resurrection.

I lean into the Biblical truth that God created humanity male and female in His image and that He said, “It was very good.”

Further, we read in Revelation 22:3 – “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.”

Gender has caused major issues (and sin) throughout history, even though we originally read that Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed and, for a period of time, experienced no sin.

In the NEW EARTH, we will have a NEW Eden where gender has been renewed.

Note also the examples of Jesus.  He retained his male gender AFTER His resurrection.  Moses and Elijah were still male when they appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration.
 
Augustine – one of the earliest theologians – rightly saw the eternal state (afterlife) as the RENEWAL of God’s work, not its elimination. (After all, God Himself created gender and said, “it was very good.”) Gender was part of creation, so Augustine saw it as renewed and transformed into what it was “in the beginning” before sin.   Gender is, in part, how we relate to one another. In Paradise, Lazarus was still Lazarus.

Revelation 22:3 says, “there shall be no more curse.” But gender was never a part of the curse.  

Prayer: Thank You again, Lord, for creation and for how we can look forward to ALL that beauty and sinlessness in heaven. Amen.

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Day 15 |  IN HEAVEN… CAN WE EAT?

IN HEAVEN… CAN WE EAT?

Luke 24:41-43
“But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.”

Just as our earthly bodies are well-suited to earth, our resurrected bodies will be perfectly suited to heaven for all eternity.  We will NOT be disembodied spirits (like “ghosts”) floating around heaven.  It’s interesting how much of our thinking about heaven has been shaped by movies, cartoons, and the media.  For instance, if you have ever read or watched “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, you might think those who have passed will return looking like Jacob Marley in his suffering ghost form.  (Total fiction!)

We will likely enjoy FOOD, as Jesus Himself ate after His resurrection, though not because of a physical NEED for food.

Continuing the “what age will we be” issue… some think 30 or 33, approximations of the age when Jesus was resurrected. But then there’s Moses, who was still full of energy at 120 (Deuteronomy 34:7) – “His eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” Then there’s Methusaleh, who lived to 969? Maybe he’ll look like he did at 450!

The point is that God will transform our lowly bodies into His idea of a resurrected body, and that sounds amazing to me!

In 1 John 3:2, we read “ Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Prayer: LORD, I am looking forward to my new resurrected body! Thank You! Amen.

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Day 14 | WHAT WILL WE LOOK LIKE IN HEAVEN?

WHAT WILL WE LOOK LIKE IN HEAVEN?

1 Corinthians 15:53
“The perishable must put on the imperishable.”

Most who study the Bible’s teaching on heaven believe we WILL have a BODY in heaven (as opposed to being a disembodied spirit floating around), and that body will be the resurrected, healthy version of the body we have now.  Our bodies will be “heavenly” (1 Corinthians 15:40), “imperishable” (v53), “glorified” (v43), “spiritual” (v44), “immortal” (v53), and bearing Christ’s image (v49).  So we’ll be SIMILAR to our bodies now, but MUCH will change (and they’ll be MUCH better)!

1 Corinthians 15:43 says: “It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.”

“Dishonor” refers to the fact that our current bodies CAN be damaged. (How’s yours?) They can decay and eventually die. Theologians would say this is because they ALL bear the mark of SIN (Genesis 3). Sometimes they are damaged by OUR sin; sometimes by the sins of others. But all grow old and eventually pass away. This deterioration is the DIRECT result of mankind’s mark of SIN, which we have been inheriting since the Garden of Eden. (I know, that seems a stretch, but it’s TRUE.)

But God is able to RAISE UP all His children to eternal life and give them COMPLETE, whole bodies without damage or the ravages of time.

So, although the Bible does not tell us EXACTLY what we’ll look like, given the above, we can make some theologically educated guesses.

Let me ask, when did you look your very best so far in your life? If you’re young, you may not have reached that point yet. However, if you’re over 30, you can probably think of a time when you looked… well… better. Heaven will fix you all up!

Prayer: LORD, thank You for the promises of heaven. I look forward to becoming the one You want me to be.  Amen.

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Day  13| WHERE IS HEAVEN?

WHERE IS HEAVEN?

2 Corinthians 12:2-4
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

The Apostle Paul describes himself in this section – though in the third person – and he talks about how he visited the third heaven.

The first heaven is the sky (or “firmament” per Genesis 1) that we know, where birds, planes, and clouds fly or float.

The second heaven is what we might call “outer space,” where the stars, planets, and galaxies exist from Earth's point of view.

The 3rd heaven – the location of which is not revealed – is the dwelling place of God. Jesus promised His followers a place there. In John 14:2-3, Jesus is speaking: “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. 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.”

Try to imagine WHERE this is.
 
Alpha Centauri is the nearest star system to Earth and is approximately 4.37 light-years away, or about 25 TRILLION miles from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second). For perspective, going around Earth in a plane would be about a 25,000-mile trip.
 
Prayer: LORD, I can only imagine where YOUR heaven is. I’m really glad that through Christ I know I’ll be there one day, and it sounds magnificent! Amen.

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Day 12 | THE COMFORT OF CHRIST’S COMING

THE COMFORT OF CHRIST’S COMING
(the Rapture)

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

All Believers LONG for Jesus to return, and He promised He would.   The more wicked the world becomes, the more we LOOK FORWARD to His coming again.

The word “rapture” is not found in English Bibles but appears in the Latin Vulgate as the translation of the Greek word “harpazo” – meaning to snatch away. Though not universally agreed upon by all Christians, those with a “premillennial” Biblical view see this as the time when Jesus comes to take away those who have died in the faith (their spirits are in heaven, but their bodies are in the ground) as well as those who are born-again but still alive on the earth. The “Second Coming” is another event in the end-times timetable described in Revelation and is part of the “premillennial” viewpoint.

Prayer: LORD, whether I fully understand the end times timetable or not, I have put my trust and hope in YOU, and I look forward to eternity in heaven with You. Amen.

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Day 11  | THANKFUL FOR HEAVEN AND TODAY TOO

THANKFUL FOR HEAVEN AND TODAY TOO

Romans 8:31-32
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Do you know any truly generous people who just seem to give and give and are happy to do so? They do exist, though MOST people tend to be way more self-centered. Isn’t it FUN to be around someone who is a true giver?

So, I thought of this verse today, given our emphasis on HEAVEN, even though it’s not specifically about heaven.  But it is important because it also speaks to God’s Character and His GENEROSITY toward His children, not just in heaven but here now too.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave…” (John 3:16)

Consider the creation of the world. Think of all the trees, plants, and animals God provided for Adam and Eve to enjoy (and to name). Imagine the BEAUTY of the garden back then. Even now, there is much beauty in the world, including mountains, lakes, oceans, the sky, and the stars at night. You see, GOD is a lavish Giver.

Now, imagine the New Heaven and New Earth that are coming.  No sin, no decay, nothing wrong… just the “Garden of Eden - Part 2.”

God is LOVE.  And so, He has provided MORE for us than just heaven in the future, which has got to be fantastic!  He has provided for us here and now too.

What can you find around where you live that is relatively unspoiled and gives you a sense of God’s amazing creative abilities? A snow-capped mountain? The night sky on a clear evening? Look around.

Prayer; LORD, thank You in advance for the heaven that’s coming … but I don’t want to forget to thank You for today’s blessings, too. Amen.

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Day 10 | SEEING GOD: OUR GOAL

SEEING GOD: OUR GOAL

Job 19:25-27
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

The book of Job is considered by Bible scholars to be the OLDEST book in the Bible, written even before Moses wrote Genesis.  And even then, SEEING GOD was desired by Job.

Ponder Job and the human tragedies that fell upon him. (If you’re not familiar with the story, do a quick read of Job 1:13-22 and 2:7-10… Wow!)

For most of the book, we are told about Job and his three friends, who – in their own imperfect way – were trying to HELP Job get through ALL that he was going through. (I often refer to what his friends did as the “ministry of being there.”) They cared about Job and initially just sat with him in his suffering, which probably helped him. His wife had given Job her solution: “Curse God and die” … which was NOT great advice!

Fortunately, Job begins to come around, as we see in today's verses. He starts to focus on his Redeemer, Almighty God.

As Jonathan Edwards wrote: “Seeing that HE is an all-sufficient being, it follows that HE is a full, overflowing, and inexhaustible fountain of love.”
 
I can also imagine (if I try hard) that in the midst of Job’s sorrows, hurts, and anguish, focusing on God, his Redeemer, brought comfort and some joy to an otherwise devastating situation.

Prayer; LORD, help me to focus more on you, even in the little situations that happen in my life. Amen.

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Day 09 | DWELLING IN GOD’S HOUSE

DWELLING IN GOD’S HOUSE

Psalm 27:4
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”  (NKJV)

David was called by God – “a man after My own heart.” Yes, he messed up BIG TIME (and he paid a BIG price for those sins); but at the end of the day, his focus was ultimately on the LORD, and he longed to be there with Him and see Him.

John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  The WORD was God in the flesh, aka Jesus the Son of God.

David longed to be with God in God’s house.

Jesus reminded Philip: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), and we also note Jesus saying: “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).

Yesterday I discussed how Moses wanted to see God’s face but was prevented from doing so because he would have died if he had!

Thankfully, in heaven we’ll be able to see Jesus in His glorified body, face to face, without harm.  What a great thing to look forward to!  (Pause for 15 seconds and try to ponder that!)

Jesus also taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).

We certainly don’t know EVERYTHING about what heaven will be like, but we can anticipate – with a high degree of confidence (based on God’s Word) – that we WILL be able to DWELL in God’s house and see God face to face.

Prayer: LORD, although I have never seen You with my human eyes, I know You exist and believe in You. Looking forward to heaven and SEEING You. Amen.

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Day 08 | LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING GOD

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING GOD

Psalm 42:1-2
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”

Revelation 22:4
“They shall see His face…”

Hopefully, this series will help you GROW your longing for heaven and to see Jesus face to face.  I know that’s not what the average Christian thinks about, but then… YOU are not average or you wouldn’t be reading these devotionals!

Our phones are amazing technological tools that put the world “at our fingertips” 24/7.  Feeling bored?  Click on something on your phone.  Wondering how to get somewhere?  Ask Siri. Want to hear a particular song?  Easy… open your music app.

The Psalmist here, though – perhaps 3500 years ago – has something to teach us.

He parallels, in song, the picture of a thirsty deer LONGING for water with us and our souls being thirsty for the living God. Ultimately, we should all – at some level – be looking forward to seeing the Lord face to face in the afterlife… in heaven.

I can’t help thinking about Moses, that amazing man of God who spent 40 days with God on the mountain (Wouldn’t you LOVE to know what they talked about?). Finally, Moses asked – as anyone probably would – “Can I see your face, Lord?” But God knew the fatal consequences for Moses if He did, so He told Moses “no.” But with a caveat: “I’ll let you see my GLORY, my ‘afterglow’ after I pass by.“

The Scriptures teach that “Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.”  (Hebrews 12: 14)

But thankfully, because of what Jesus did on earth – being born, living a sinless life, being crucified, and then rising from the dead – we can obtain eternal life and holiness.

Prayer: THANK You Lord, I want to SEE Your face.  Amen.

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Day 07  | THINKING MORE ABOUT HEAVEN

THINKING MORE ABOUT HEAVEN

Colossians 3:1-2
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Some church folks think we should focus our attention on Jesus and not on heaven.  I understand the sincerity, but it misses an important point.

Today’s Scripture teaches that we ARE to set our minds on heaven because… we LOVE Jesus, heaven is where He is NOW, and thus to long for heaven is to long to be where Jesus our Lord and Savior is.

CS Lewis said: “It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”

Hebrews 11:16 – “But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

That’s WHY God’s people should LONG for heaven.

It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of this life – I think to a greater degree than it was during Jesus’ day – what with all the electronic options we have today for entertainment, communication and so on. BUT, we who are BORN AGAIN, should spend MORE time – not less – thinking about heaven.

CS Lewis again, said it well:  “It you read history you will find that the  Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who though the most of the next … Aim for heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in.’ Aim at earth and you will get neither.”

Prayer: LORD, I am sooooo thankful that heaven is ahead for me.  Please help me to THINK about it at least a little, every day. Amen.

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Day 06 | WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN DIES?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN DIES?

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

When Christians die, their spirits will immediately go to be with the LORD.   “Absent from the body … present with the Lord” (verse 8).

Although for most of eternity we will be in the New Heaven and New Earth, most theologians agree that there is a “Present Heaven” we will enter until the Lord comes again in the Rapture.

Dr. Randy Alcorn writes it this way: “When a Christian dies, he enters what theologians call the ‘intermediate state,’ a transitional period between life on Earth and the future resurrection to life on the New Earth. Usually, when we talk about ‘Heaven,’ we mean the place Christians go when they die. When we tell our children, ‘Grandma’s now in Heaven,’ we’re referring to what I prefer to call the present Heaven.”

The Apostle Paul talked about the “third Heaven,” where he himself went, as I discussed a couple of days ago.

I would also invite you to ponder that we are MORE than just a body. God created mankind in a body in Genesis 1, and then, in Genesis 2, He breathed into him (into US), making us also a spirit. Thus, when the body dies, the SPIRIT (or soul) lives on and – immediately upon death – goes to be with the Lord… where He is. Scripture teaches us that He – God – is in the “Third Heaven.”

Prayer: LORD, knowing there is life beyond this life is inspiring and uplifting. Thank You for Your wonderful plan!  Amen.

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Day 05 | THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN

CLOTHING IN HEAVEN
 
2 Corinthians 5:1-5
“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

It seems natural that we all wish to be clothed.  My dog doesn’t care, but since the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, all we humans want to be.  If your neighbor’s house was on fire and they came to your house seeking protection and had no clothes on, would you get them some clothes to wear? Sure, anyone would.

Most theologians believe that God will provide temporary bodies for us in heaven as we await the resurrection of our glorified, permanent bodies, which we’ll receive at the resurrection.
 
In Luke 16, Jesus gives a story about Lazarus and the rich man.   In that story, they can see each other, though Lazarus was in Paradise and the rich man in Hades.   Thus, we have a teaching by Jesus of recognizability in heaven, even if we’re in borrowed clothes.

We’ll recognize one another in heaven, but most importantly, you will be recognized by God and by God’s Son.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for Your marvelous plan for eternity for us, Your children. Amen.

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Day 04 | WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
 
Luke 23:43
“Jesus said, ‘Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’”

Nearly everyone has lost loved ones, and that’s a difficult part of life.

So, where does a person go when they die? Is that all there is?

As Jesus told the thief on the cross in today’s verse, “You will be with me in Paradise.”

It’s helpful to read this verse in context to understand the full story of WHO this person was and what he did that led Jesus to say – from the cross – what He said.

On the day Jesus was crucified, two others were also being crucified at the same time… two criminals.

Luke 23:39-43 – “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’  And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’”

Notice what he said and, therefore, what he believed: “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

That criminal BELIEVED in Jesus, the Messiah. He did nothing else. No good works. No attending church. No baptism. All he did was BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so, when the criminal died, his spirit immediately went to PARADISE, a temporary heaven awaiting the coming of the NEW Heaven and NEW earth.

When we die, our spirits go there too.

Prayer: LORD, Thank You for the marvelous plan You have for us who believe in You. Amen.  

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Day 03 | PAUL AND THE THIRD HEAVEN

PAUL AND THE THIRD HEAVEN

2 Corinthians 12:2-4
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.”

Paul is talking about himself here and is referring to a supernatural experience in which God brought him into His very presence in the highest heaven where He dwells.  He was allowed to see and learn things that God wanted him to know.

1 Kings 8:30 – “And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.”
 
Isaiah 66:1 – “Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool;’”

To explain the heavens… The first “heaven” is considered to be where birds and airplanes fly, the second “heaven” is considered to be where the planets and stars reside, and the Third Heaven is where God resides.

Paul describes his experience with humility and mystery, questioning whether it was an in-body experience… and says he heard what was beyond human words, an experience that parallels Stephen’s vision (Acts 7) and John’s revelation (Revelation 4).
 
It’s noteworthy, too, that Paul never presented this experience as something believers should pursue.  And yet, this experience – and that of Stephen’s and of John’s – gives us a glimpse and a hope that “the best is yet to come.”

Prayer: LORD, though You have provided us with much beauty in this life, we are truly looking forward to what You have prepared for us with YOU forever. Amen.

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Day 02 | WHY THINK ABOUT HEAVEN?

WHY THINK ABOUT HEAVEN?

Colossians 3:1-2
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” (NLT)

There are LOTS of things we can think about in every 24-hour day. The news, our family and friends, our jobs, our country, the world, the future … and on and on. In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul tells us to “Set your sights on the realities of Heaven.”  
 
CS Lewis summarized it well: “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in.’ Aim at earth and you will get neither.”  
 
Certainly, life as we know it is a mixed bag. Sunrises and sunsets are still beautiful, as are the mountains, the lakes, the oceans, and flowers and trees. But there’s also much sadness and anxiety in the world. Much hatred, worry, discouragement, fear, doubt, accusations, murders, kidnapping, and the list goes on.

So, WHY think about heaven? As CS Lewis said, if you want to be a POSITIVE influencer here and now, it helps to “set your sights on the realities of heaven.”  

So, how might you do that in practice?  Well, for one, finish this “40 Days Pondering Heaven” devotional series. And while you doing that, imagine a place called heaven.  Imagine there is no pain, or sorrow, or tears, or hurt, or stress, or anxiety, or worries… but instead, a place of LOVE, JOY, and PEACE.

Prayer: LORD, help me ponder Your heaven, a place FULL of love, joy, peace … and Jesus! Amen.

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40Pondering Heaven
Day 01 | THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN

THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN

Philippians 3:13-14
“I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”  (NLT)

How many places have you lived in throughout your life? Have you ever moved to a different place? Before moving, did you think about your new place, the weather, the placement of the furniture, the neighborhood, and so forth? If you did, you’re NORMAL ☺.

We naturally tend to look ahead when we move to a different location or situation. We have the God-given ability to IMAGINE what it’s going to be like and start “dreaming” about the new location, what we’re taking with us, and many even start arranging the furniture in their minds before even packing to go!

In today’s verses, Paul teaches us about his SINGULAR focus on heaven, which was especially important for him given all the suffering he endured throughout his ministry. Looking forward is an amazing HUMAN characteristic that we can choose to do… or not. (Remember… We are the only creatures made in God’s image and thus we have this ability to look forward).

Think again about what Paul said... “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”  

Take a minute now and think about that.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for the place You’ve prepared for me and all Believers in heaven, forever with You. Amen.
 

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of John
Day  40 | JESUS RESTORES PETER

JESUS RESTORES PETER

John 21:15-17
 “After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter replied, ‘you know I love you.’ ‘Then feed my lambs,’ Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter said, ‘you know I love you.’ ‘Then take care of my sheep,’ Jesus said. A third time he asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, ‘Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ’Then feed my sheep.’” (NLT)

Jesus desired to restore Peter (aka Simon, son of John) and show Peter that he was forgiven. Peter had denied Jesus three times… and thus Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” three times.

Two Greek words for “love” are used here.

The first two times, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” He uses the Greek word “agape,” a love with total commitment and devotion.

Peter answers all three times, “Yes Lord, You know that I love (phileo) You.” (A brotherly, close-friend love.)

The third time Jesus asks Peter: “Do you love (phileo) me?” This upsets Peter, but he answers the same, “Yes Lord, you know that I (phileo) love you.”

Peter’s forgiveness and restoration were necessary as Jesus knew what was ahead for Peter and the other disciples.

Note also to what great extent Jesus will go to see someone come into the Kingdom of God and be forgiven and restored as needed.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for your patience with me and all other Believers of all times. Amen.

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of John
Day  39 | JESUS AND THE MIRACULOUS CATCH OF FISH

JESUS AND THE MIRACULOUS CATCH OF FISH

John 21:1-14
“Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.  …  
“Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ ‘We’ll come, too,’ they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
“At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, ‘Fellows, have you caught any fish?’ ‘No,’ they replied. Then he said, ‘Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!’ So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’  …
“When they got (to shore), they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire and some bread.  ‘Now come and have some breakfast!’ Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.”

Jesus has risen from the dead, and for the next 40 days, He appeared to many people. One of those group appearances was to the disciples as they were fishing.

This story is one of a miraculous catch of fish on Jesus’ word to “throw out your nets on the right-hand side.”  Now, these guys are experienced fishermen, have been fishing all night, and probably threw the nets on the right side MANY times that night. Yet, they did it again, and WHAM…  more fish than they could haul in.

Jesus – God in the flesh – controls the fish in the sea and, in this third appearance to the disciples, has some fun with them and shows that He is their Source.

Prayer: LORD, You are my Source too. And thank You for Your prediction of both your death AND resurrection – and then – for making both happen just as You said. The most miraculous event in all of human history. Amen.

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of John
Day  38 | JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES

JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES

More from John 20
“Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, ‘I have seen the Lord!’ Then she gave them his message.
“That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.  Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ he said.  …  ‘As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’ Then he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’ …  Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me.  Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’
“The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.”

Jesus raised the value and place of women like no other religion.  Thus, women were the first to the tomb and to know that it was empty and Mary was privileged – by Jesus – to tell the disciples.

Of note is that they (the disciples) were meeting behind closed doors out of fear for their lives.  Thus, when Jesus arrives, he says, “Peace be with you.”  Then, Jesus commissions them – sends them – to minister in His name and tells them to “receive the Holy Spirit.”  Jesus knew that without the Spirit, they would NOT be able to complete the tasks Jesus gave them. “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19)

Then in a verse that looks to the future and sees you and me, He says to “Doubting Thomas” – “You believe because you have seen me.  Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  That’s you and me!

John ends his book with: “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.”

Prayer: LORD, I do believe that YOU are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.  Thank You for giving me the right to become a child of God.  Amen.

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of John
Day  37 | MARY, JESUS, AND THE EMPTY TOMB

MARY, JESUS, AND THE EMPTY TOMB

From John 20
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’
“Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying.  As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb.  and saw two angels. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’
“She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).  (NIV)
“Jesus said to her, ‘Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” (NASB)

Can’t you just FEEL the emotions of this scene?
 
Mary did NOT expect the two-ton stone to be moved or the tomb to be empty.  And yet, after Peter and John confirmed it was empty, we find her at the tomb crying.  She first sees the angels and then Jesus (whom she expected to be dead) and then – with His one word “Mary” – she immediately recognizes His voice, WHO he is, believes it is Him come back from the dead, and hugs him for all she’s worth, just as we would a loved one returned.

Jesus knew her name… and she recognized His voice.  Do you?

Prayer: LORD, thank YOU for your death, burial, and resurrection!  Amen.

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of John
Day  36 | THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS

THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS

John 19:6-7, 15-19
“So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they shouted, saying, ‘Crucify, crucify!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for I find no grounds for charges in His case!’ The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God!’
“So they shouted, ‘Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king except Caesar.’
“So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, carrying His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men with Jesus in between. Now Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written: ‘JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.’”

It is incredible how crazy – even insane – a crowd can become… today or thousands of years ago. In this case, it is God's chosen people – the Jews – and yet, despite all the prophecies about the coming Messiah in the TANAK (our Old Testament), when Jesus arrives – in fulfillment of those prophecies – He is rejected by the Jewish leaders and thus, by the crowds as well. Of course, Jesus knew what was to be from the beginning… that His death was absolutely necessary for us to have blood shed for our sins' payment (forgiveness).

Crucifixion is one of the most painful forms of execution ever. Yet there is a tender moment in this gruesome scene when Jesus looks at his mother Mary and says, "Mother, behold your son." And then to his close friend John says, "Behold your mother." He was entrusting His mother’s welfare and keeping to John, and they both understood that request.

Prayer: LORD, thank YOU for enduring the cross for ALL of us who have and will come to You as Lord and Savior. Amen.

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of John
Day  35 | JESUS’ ARREST, TRIALS AND “WHAT IS TRUTH?”

JESUS’ ARREST, TRIALS AND “WHAT IS TRUTH?”
 
From John 18
“So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up. First they took him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, ‘It’s better that one man should die for the people.’”
“The woman asked Peter, ‘You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?’  ‘No,’ he said, ‘I am not.’”
(Later) “‘You’re not one of his disciples, are you?”  He (Peter) denied it, saying, ‘No, I am not.’ But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?’  Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.”
(Later) “Pilate asked, ‘So you are a king?’  Jesus responded, ‘You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.’
 ‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked.” (NLT)

John 18 begins the story of Jesus being arrested in the Garden, tried (at night, which was illegal in a capital case), Peter denying Jesus three times (as predicted), and then Jesus being asked that pivotal question by Pilate, “What is truth?”

Have you ever been falsely accused? Perhaps not in a capital case, but of something?  Maybe when you were a kid and something got broken when the folks were out but not by you. And yet, perhaps you got blamed and even punished.  How did you feel? Angry? Upset?  Wanting vengeance?  Well, imagine Jesus – as He was in that spot – and yet, this was the purpose for which the Father sent Him to earth.  He knew He was about to be falsely accused, sentenced, and then crucified. And yet, He went through it all… for YOU, and me, and for every other person on planet Earth would has lived or will ever live.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for the price you paid for me. I am ever so grateful.  Amen.