Jesus said: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” (Matthew 5:11-12). I’d like to share a comforting thought. You might not think it’s very comforting at first, but hear me … Continue reading Great is your reward… in heaven
heaven
What rules you?
What rules you? No, seriously. What RULES you? Fear? The pursuit of success? An unquenchable desire to be liked? In Colossians 3:15 Paul writes: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” As “members of one body” (i.e. the church), we should seek peace … Continue reading What rules you?
When you have something good to look forward to
When you have something good to look forward to, it softens the blow of what you’re currently going through. We all know it’s true. If a child doesn’t want to go to school on a Thursday, remind them that the weekend is almost here and it helps. If you’re having a tough week, and if … Continue reading When you have something good to look forward to
Your reward is great
In Jesus’ day, it was assumed that his followers would face trouble and persecution. Although many of us in North America haven’t yet faced overt persecution because of our faith, I truly think we’re headed in that direction. With this in mind, last week we discussed how we should expect to be different, how we should … Continue reading Your reward is great
Getting in the way of God’s way
Here is what Jesus preached in Matthew 4:17: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The “kingdom of heaven” refers not only to life after death, but to the quality of our lives before death. In this sense, the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God” are the same. Maybe it’s obvious, … Continue reading Getting in the way of God’s way
Who says who goes to heaven or hell?
I’ve been talking a lot about heaven and hell. But who goes where? In other words, what makes someone right with God and given a place in heaven, and what makes someone wrong with God and therefore banished from his presence after they die? And who decides these things? I know, I know. These are … Continue reading Who says who goes to heaven or hell?
What Jesus didn’t teach about most
This week I’ve been sharing some thoughts about heaven—that it will be better than anything we can experience in this life, and also that it is a place of INCREDIBLE joy. With that in mind, I also want to debunk a popular misconception: that the main thing Jesus taught about was going to heaven after … Continue reading What Jesus didn’t teach about most
Everything good in life multiplied times God
I’ve been talking about heaven; it will be anything but boring. It will be far better than anything we can experience on this earth. That can give us great hope through whatever we’re dealing with because the best is always yet to come. Here’s something else about heaven. Psalm 16:11 (ESV) says that in God’s … Continue reading Everything good in life multiplied times God
The best is yet to come
People have a tonne of misconceptions about heaven. One is that it’s going to be boring. This sentiment is captured in a Far Side comic where some dude sits on a cloud, bored out of his skull, saying “wish I’d brought a magazine.” But in Philippians 1:23, the apostle Paul says: “My desire is to depart … Continue reading The best is yet to come
Believing what we WANT to be true, verses what actually is
A 2007 Gallup poll revealed that 81% of people believe in heaven, but only 69% believe in hell. That seems strange to me. But it’s also very telling. We like to believe in things we like, but not in things we don’t. The Scottish theologian James Denney did a survey of Jesus’ teaching and found … Continue reading Believing what we WANT to be true, verses what actually is
