Monday, June 29, 2020

Followers


1 Thessalonians 2:1-12


Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica for a short time before they were driven out by persecution. After making their way from Thessalonica to Corinth, Paul and Silas wrote a letter to the Church in Thessalonica to encourage them. The message starts with an expression of thankfulness for the testimony of the Thessalonian believers. Reports of the work of God that occurred in Thessalonica had spread wherever Paul and Silas traveled.


The Apostle Paul makes special mention of the fact that the Thessalonians became imitators, or followers, of Paul and Silas. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, he says,

And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit... (I Thessalonians 1:6 NKJV)


Paul was especially thankful for this evidence of the work of God in the lives of the Thessalonians. 


We call the process of learning to walk as a Christian “discipleship.” Discipleship involves learning to imitate Christ. Learning to imitate Christ starts with following the examples of those who follow Christ. Today we are considering 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. This passage is about the process of learning to follow, in other words, discipleship. 


Discipleship, or learning, is essential to the Christian life. Another name for Christian is Christ-follower. In the gospels, those that followed Christ were called disciples. Jesus singled out twelve of His disciples and called them Apostles. These twelve were entrusted with passing on the teachings of Jesus through the process of discipleship. This process has continued down to the present day. Therefore, we are still called Christians or Christ-followers. Our mission as a church is to make disciples.


Who we learn from and what we learn are crucial. It is essential that we follow sound teachers and teaching. If we follow the wrong leader, we will end up in the wrong place. If we learn the wrong things, we will end up confused, confounded, and deceived. 


In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers what and who they imitated and reassures them that they have not been deceived or tricked. 


In today’s world, it is as important as it was back then for us to be careful of who and what we are imitating. Today, in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, we are going to see the marks of a good leader or teacher.


The first mark that Paul and Silas modeled is sincerity. 


In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2, Paul writes that the Thessalonians themselves knew that Paul and Silas’ coming to them was not in vain. Vain means empty. Vain can have two meanings in this context. One meaning is that the teaching produced no results. The other is that the teaching had no value or purpose. While the first meaning is undoubtedly true concerning Paul and Silas’ ministry; from what follows, we can see that Paul means the second. Their teaching had purpose. The results produced were not useless or meaningless, but rather the results produced were of eternal value. Paul says their coming to the Thessalonians was not in vain and he begins speaking of the purpose and character of the ministry that he and Silas did in Thessalonica.


One of the first things that can be said about empty or vain ministry is that it lacks sincerity. When a ministry lacks sincerity, it produces vain or meaningless results. A lack of sincerity can also be called hypocrisy and people hate hypocrisy. We even hate hypocrisy when we see it in ourselves.


The sincerity of Paul and Silas’ ministry is first seen in their willingness to suffer for the cause. This is the first proof that Paul points to in telling the Thessalonian believers that their ministry was not in vain. He says, “You yourselves know...” They saw Paul and his companions mistreated and slandered for their faithful proclamation of the truth, and they heard the news and saw the evidence of their mistreatment in Philippi. This demonstration of sincerity is why the saying came into existence: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” 


Paul explains this sincerity by saying:

For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. (I Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV)


Having the certainty that what one is teaching is true, being confident one is not working from hidden motives, and knowing that one is not lying are what sincerity is.


Sincerity is the first mark of gospel ministry we must find before we follow. The next mark we need to look for is devotion. What are we and our teachers devoted to?


The Apostle shifts to talking about their devotion to God when he says:

But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. (I Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV)


Their devotion began with the conviction that they were called, or as Paul says, “approved” by God to be entrusted with the gospel. This truth has far-reaching implications for the life and practice of the servant of the Lord.


Paul’s calling was unique. Jesus met Paul on the road between Jerusalem and Damascus. At the time, Paul was a violent persecutor of the Church. Jesus told Paul that he would serve Jesus. This call was unmistakable.


Even though you and I will not meet Jesus on the Damascus road, our calling is just as sure. If you are a believer in Christ, you have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. The gospel is what we believe and confess. If one does not have the gospel, that person is not saved. There is only one name given by which we must be saved. My calling is different from your calling. Each person’s calling and gifting is unique. Some people are gifted in ministering to children. Others are gifted with construction and buildings. Devotion to God shows itself in devotion or faithfulness to the calling that He gives.


Since God gives the calling, it follows that one must work to please God, not men. Working to please men is idolatry and pride. It is devotion to one’s self and not to God. Devotion to God is to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and strength and to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. Loving someone does not necessarily mean pleasing them. When it comes to a choice, devotion calls on us to please God, not men.


This is basic Christianity. If we are to follow Jesus, we must live to please His Father.


The Apostle Paul’s devotion also showed itself when he said:

For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness— God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. (I Thessalonians 2:5-6 NKJV)


Covetousness, glory-seeking, and making demands will always signal that a person is devoted to his or her self and not to God.


Devotion grows out of sincerity. Conviction without hypocrisy leads to service without reservation.


This leads us to another mark we must look for before we follow.


Before I name this third mark, I want to point out a truth about God, our Father, the One to whom we are devoted.


Jesus told us:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 NKJV)


It should shock us to think that someone sincerely devoted to God would not share in His affection for the world God so dearly loves.


The third mark we must look for in those we follow is affection - love.


Look at what Paul says about their affection for the Thessalonians.

But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. (I Thessalonians 2:7-8 NKJV)


In this text, the Apostle expresses great affection, and then he says that he and his companions were pleased to give even their own lives for these people. Just as God was willing to give His own Son, they were willing to give their lives, which they did.


I understand how people can get disillusioned with church. I have been disillusioned with church at times. 


Let me share a story with you. When I was working as a missionary in Japan, I was pastor of a Japanese church. One night I was riding back from an outing with a group of Japanese pastors, and I was asking for advice on helping a couple of people in the church with a couple issues. I made some comment lamenting the fact that churches always seem to have problems. One of the pastors quoted a Proverb to me. I had read it. I had read the Proverbs numerous times. However, I had never really noticed it, but when I heard it in Japanese, it struck me with the force of truth I will always remember. The Proverb is:

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Proverbs 14:4 ESV)


Wherever people gather regularly, there will be messes, but if we stop gathering because of this, we miss out on the harvest, the blessings, and the riches that others bring with them.


Are we willing to impart our lives to our brothers and sisters in Christ?


Every problem is an opportunity to grow and to learn. We are all broken, and broken things can be frustrating. When things do not work as they should, and when things are not done the right way, we tend to get frustrated. What we do with our frustration says a lot about us.


I have a strong tendency to try not to stir things up. Often I do not say things that need to be said. I have been rebuked many times by meditating on Leviticus 19:17. It says:

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. (Leviticus 19:17 ESV)


The Lord is clear. When someone offends us, we are to go to that person and let them know. To not do this is to hate that person and to dismiss them as unworthy of our time. However, there are times when we are on the other side, and we have offended someone. In that case, the Lord is clear. We are to go to the one we have offended and make it right. To not do so is to hate that person and discount their feelings as unimportant.


Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love, and Ephesians 4:29 says:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)


Affection is an essential part of being a Christian. Affection is a mark we must look for in those we follow. Where love is lacking, we must repent.


In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, the Apostle Paul teaches us what to look for in those we follow. To be more like Jesus, we need to exhibit these marks in our lives and find those to follow who show these marks in their lives. These marks are:

  1. Sincerity
  2. Devotion
  3. Affection


How are we measuring up?

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

The Beginning of Being a Christian


1 Thessalonians 1


Thessalonica was the principal city of Macedonia; it was the capital and largest city of the Roman province. Acts 16:6-10 tells us how, when Paul purposed to go into Asia, the Holy Spirit stopped him. Having seen a vision of a man from Macedonia pleading for help, Paul traveled from Troas to Samothrace to Neapolis and then to Philippi. Paul and Silas began their ministry in Macedonia in the city of Philippi and enjoyed success. Because of their success, the Philippian officials put Paul and Silas in prison. God miraculously saved them from prison, converting the Philippian jailor and his family in the process. From Philippi, Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, finally stopping in Thessalonica. Acts 17:1-9 gives the account of their short ministry in Thessalonica. Although their stay was short, they visited the synagogue and were persuasive enough to be joined by a great multitude of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading Jewish women.


Paul and Silas’ success in ministry caused envy among the unbelieving Jews. So, these unbelievers stirred up a riot, and Paul and Silas were sneaked out of the city by night for their safety.


After stopping in Athens, Paul made his way to Corinth from which he wrote 1 Thessalonians. Of Paul’s letters that we have in the New Testament, 1 Thessalonians is one of the first ones written. He wrote the letter around 50 or 51 A.D.


Paul commends them for their testimony and the reports that were spreading about the faith of the Thessalonians, but the primary purpose of the letter was to establish them in the faith. Because of the short time he had with them, he wanted to make sure that they had a firm grasp on the basics.


The basics are essential in any endeavor. The basics provide the framework, the context, and the reasons for our decisions. As a book about the basics of our faith, 1 Thessalonians provides context, meaning, and purpose for our existence and work as the Church.


There is a famous story about Coach Vince Lombardi and the 1961 Green Bay Packers football team. The story goes that on the first day of training camp, Coach Lombardi stood before the three dozen professional football players, and holding up a football said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Then he proceeded to teach about football as if the men knew nothing about football. This focus on basics led to great success for the team.


Thessalonians is our “This is a football.”


A firm grip on the basics is just as crucial for the Church today as it was in 51 A.D. The Church in Thessalonica suffered persecution. They broke with the culture around them and turned from idols to serve the living and true God. We must understand. Thessalonica was the chief city in what is now Greece and was within sight of Mt. Olympus, the home of the Greek gods. We see the power of their turning from idols to serve the living and true God in what Paul says. He says that in Macedonia, Achaia, and in every place, Paul and Silas did not have to say anything because people were telling them of what was happening in Thessalonica. Not only were the Thessalonian believers persecuted, but they were also living philosophically and morally contrary to everyone around them. These circumstances made it all the more necessary for them to stand firm on the basics. Today the world around us opposes and resists everything to do with the basics. As long as the Church does not say anything about the truth, confront sin, talk about the need for repentance or preach salvation through Jesus Christ alone, then the world is content to let us live with our delusions. However, if we say nothing about any of these things, are we even a church?


In chapter 1 of 1 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul expresses his great gratitude for the Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 says:

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. (I Thessalonians 1:2-4 NKJV)


Paul and his co-workers are thankful for the Thessalonians’ faith, love, patience and hope. They based their gratitude on their knowledge of the Thessalonians’ election by God. The remainder of the chapter explains how they knew that God chose the Thessalonians.


First, they knew God chose the Thessalonians because the gospel came to them with power and in the Holy Spirit. 


1 Thessalonians 1:5 says:

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. (I Thessalonians 1:5 NKJV)


I like how Ellicott interprets this verse when he says:

If God had not set His heart upon you, we never could have been as successful among you as we were.


The Thessalonians’ response to the gospel was the first evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit at work. We always look for a human explanation. Some speculate that those who turned to Christ from among the God-fearing Gentiles were fed up with and disillusioned with the many so-called gods of the Greeks. Some also think that their hearts were prepared for the gospel by their association with the synagogue since Acts 17:2 tells us that Paul spent three Sabbaths there.


The Holy Spirit probably used these factors in some of the lives touched by the Gospel in Thessalonica. However, salvation is a very personal thing. There is no way of accounting for the drawing of the heart to God that takes place when a person accepts Christ. The circumstances and background of each person are different. However, the drawing of the heart is the same. Jesus said:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44 NKJV)


There is a drawing that takes place that is not explained by natural factors. Of course, if a person wants to explain it away, he or she will be able to find a way to explain this drawing by natural means. This is the first trick the devil plays on any new believer. He tells the new believer, “Oh, what you experienced was not real.” And then he will invent an explanation. It does not matter what the explanation is as long as he can get the person to doubt what has happened. The reason the devil starts here is that the drawing of the heart is the first evidence that God is calling a person.


However, this drawing is not the only evidence. Paul says the gospel came to them not only in word. The drawing is so important that the devil mimics it. For example, one of the significant components of proselytizing for the Mormons is the experience of a “burning” in the chest or heart. The word, or Λόγος (Logos), is essential. We must not abandon reason. We know that what we believe is true because of historical evidence, the evidence of life, and how our faith fits with reality.


Paul brought the word, the Λόγος, and the fact that the people received it was evidence of the working and power of the Holy Spirit. The truth of 1 Corinthians 2:14 applies to this initial step in salvation. 

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)


Paul explains this inability to receive the truth more in 2 Corinthians 4:4 when he says that the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving.


The response of the Thessalonians to the gospel message was evidence that God had chosen them, but it was not the only evidence. There was much more, and Paul continues to talk about this evidence in chapter 1. 


The other evidence of their conversion was the fact that their lives were changed. Paul knew God chose them because their lives were changed.


1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 says:

And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. (I Thessalonians 1:6-7 NKJV)


First, they became followers of the Lord, then they suffered persecution, and they suffered the persecution with joy. This was such a huge change that Paul says that the word of God went forth in every place. People were telling Paul and his companions about the amazing things that had happened in Thessalonica. He said, “...so that we do not need to say anything.”


In James 2, James tells us that faith without works is dead. This change that took place in the Thessalonians is what James meant. 1 Thessalonians 1:8 says, “...your faith toward God has gone out.” The fact that we are saved by faith and not by works does not mean that faith does not change our lives. When someone believes, we expect a change of life. A good statement of this truth is the NLT’s interpretation of James 2:14.

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but dont show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? (James 2:14 NLT)


Change is necessary evidence, but it is not just any change. An unsaved person can turn their life around and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. However, there is certain content that comes along with the change that indicates God’s choosing. We see the exact content of this change in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10.

For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (I Thessalonians 1:9-10 NKJV)


We see the essential elements of the change that was evident when the Thessalonians accepted Christ. These were as follows.

  1. They turned to God from idols.
  2. They served God.
  3. They expected Jesus to return.
  4. They believed in the resurrection, which would also include His death and burial as precursors.
  5. They expected Jesus to deliver them from the wrath to come.


It is important to note that wherever Paul went, people were telling him that these were the things that the Thessalonians believed.


The choosing of God, the imitation of God, and the confession of faith are the absolute basics of being a Christian. These are the “this is a football” truths that we must understand and live out if we are to call ourselves Christian.


In today’s world, “evangelical” tends to represent a block of voters and political views, and “Christian” tends to be a religious affiliation. God save us if this is all we are because political views and religious affiliation are not essential to our faith. We are first and foremost followers of Christ. Now, if our love for and relationship with Jesus does not inform our politics or our religious affiliation, I would question if we know Jesus. However, these things are secondary to knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is first.


The question for us today is not where we stand on the social issues of the day. The question for us today is, “Does the world tell others about us that we:

‘…turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come?’”

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Heaven and Earth


Revelation 21:1-7



We have spent the last few weeks talking about “What Happens Next.”


We have seen that Jesus, the Apostles and the Scriptures teach that there is life after death.  At some point in the future, we will receive new bodies and we will all stand before the Judge. 


While Jesus walked among us, He showed us how the Father wants us to live. The Apostle Paul says, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (I Corinthians 11:1 NKJV) These instructions to imitate Christ by following the example of Paul are one of several places that the Scriptures tell us to follow Jesus’ example. 


Life is often likened to a journey. I want to present a different idea today. I want to show how life is like a mission. The Bible uses metaphors such as a farmer, a soldier and a race. Then in 2 Corinthians 5:20 it says:

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (II Corinthians 5:20 NKJV)


This verse says we are Ambassadors for Christ. As Ambassadors, we have a mission, a charge to keep. Any ambassador is given a job by his or her sending country. An ambassador is on a mission. An ambassador is by definition a foreigner living in a foreign land. We are ambassadors for Christ. The metaphor of a journey is helpful. However, an ambassador is what we are. It is not a metaphor. It is a fact.


As ambassadors, our citizenship and our home are not in this world. As the Apostle Paul was describing his goals in life, he said:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.... (Philippians 3:20 NKJV)


All believers, both those from Old Testament times and those from New Testament times, are citizens of heaven. Hebrews 11 tells us the following about the men and women of faith from of old:

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. (Hebrews 11:16 NKJV)


It is this city that God has prepared for them, for us, that I want to talk about today.


Prior to taking up residence in that city, our bodies will have to be renewed. This is why the full statement of the passage just quoted from the Apostle Paul is:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV)


The Lord Jesus will transform our bodies. Our bodies will be conformed to His glorious body to make us fit for our residence in the city that God has prepared for us. We talked about this new body when we considered the resurrection. When Jesus returns, those of us who are alive will be transformed and those who have gone before will be resurrected, and so, we will all have new bodies.


Our new bodies will be fit for living in our new home. Jesus spoke of this new home in 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 14:2 NKJV)


Revelation 21 speaks of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. This is the city of our citizenship. This will be our new home. This is the place of many mansions of which the Lord Jesus spoke.  We will speak of this more in a little while, but first we must consider what will happen to the present heaven and earth.


Revelation 20:1 says:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11 NKJV)


This passage is speaking of the final judgment known as the Great White Throne Judgment. We spoke of this coming judgment last week. However, I am returning to this passage this week because as you will notice, the earth and the heaven have fled away from the face of Him who sits on the throne. This is speaking of the destruction of this present earth and heaven. 2 Peter 3 speaks of this destruction of heaven and earth when it says:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (II Peter 3:10 NKJV)


As we can see, the present heavens and earth will be burned up. This is why Revelation 21 begins with:

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1 NKJV)


There will be a new heaven and a new earth. At the final judgment, Death, Hades and those whose names are not in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. However, those whose names are in the Book of Life will dwell in the new heaven and new earth. 2 Peter 3:10 tells us that the present earth will be burned up, but 2 Peter 3:13 tells us:

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:13 NKJV)


The new heavens and new earth are described as a place where righteousness dwells. In Genesis 1:31, God looked at the world He created and said it was very good. This present world is cursed and subject to decay. Romans 8:19-21 tells us that the creation eagerly waits for its deliverance from bondage of decay (corruption). When this happens, the creation will once again be “very good.”


This new, very good creation will not be a mystical place. The Scripture is not using a metaphor here. The new earth will be a physical place, just as the first creation is a physical place. The Bible speaks of us eating and drinking in the world to come. It also speaks of trees and rivers in this new world. We have no reason to think that these are metaphors. These references are meant to convey physical realities of the world to come. 


When sin first entered this present creation, Genesis 3:22 tells us:


Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— (Genesis 3:22 NKJV)


God prevented humans from living forever in a sinful state. He sent the man and the woman out of the garden and stationed an angel to guard the entrance so that no one could eat of the tree of life. However, in describing the New Jerusalem, Revelation 22 says:

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2 NKJV)


In the New Jerusalem, we will have free access to the tree of life. We will live forever. 


It is time we talk a little about the New Jerusalem.


Revelation 21:1speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. Then Revelation 21:2 says:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2 NKJV)


This new Jerusalem is lavishly adorned and decorated so the metaphor is used of a bride ready for her wedding. Revelation 21:9 says:

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:9 NKJV)


The Church is the bride of Christ. But here we find this city described as the bride. This might raise some questions until we see that Revelation 17 starts with almost the same words but in Revelation 17 it is speaking of Babylon, described as the great harlot with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication. Just as the city of Babylon represents the mystery of evil at work in the world, the new Jerusalem represents the work of the Holy Spirit through the Church. Although saying we are being built into a building is a metaphor, this does not mean the city that comes down from heaven is a metaphor. Babylon was an actual city and the new Jerusalem is an actual city.


As the new Jerusalem is set up on earth, a loud voice says, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them....” This alerts us to the significance of the new Jerusalem. God is omnipresent. He is present everywhere. And yet, from time to time, the Scriptures speak of His presence being somewhere or of Him dwelling with His people. Whenever God is said to dwell with someone, His presence is there in a special way to bless. His presence brings blessing. The Father and Son, while being present everywhere, will be present in a special way in the new Jerusalem. This city represents a combining of heaven and earth in a way that we do not see in this present creation. 


Each of us will have a room or a mansion in the new Jerusalem, and we will also be on the new earth and be able to roam around and explore the new creation at will. As the Scripture tells us:

But as it is written: “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.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (I Corinthians 2:9-10 NKJV)


God has prepared wonderful things for us. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard  the things God has prepared. However, it says that God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.


We have the Word of God that tells us of a city — a city for which we eagerly wait and hope. 


In the meantime, we are here as ambassadors. We are here to represent our God and Savior. If we are too concentrated on making this world our home, we will store up our treasures in the wrong place. Since this world is going to be destroyed, we should be concentrating on living godly lives and storing up treasures in heaven. 


On which city is your heart set, Babylon or Jerusalem?

The Fifth Seal, The White Robes Revelation 6:11

Revelation6:11 (NKJV) Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, un...