Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Sept 23, 2006 13:35:00 GMT -5
Our Best Is Yet To Be By Donald Mehl
Consider for a moment these words of the Apostle Paul written to the Corinthians, words that are a beautiful promise from God for all believers.
1 Cor. 2:9
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has promised for those who love Him.”
We have all seen the grandeur of God’s creation. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” We see majestic mountains and rugged valleys, breath-taking sunsets, star-studded night skies and deep blue seas. We also see lush meadows with delicate flowers, graceful birds of the air, green forests and fields of waving grain, just to mention a few.
Also, we have heard a gentle breeze rustling through tree leaves, the roaring of ocean waves, beautiful music, the soft coo of a dove, and the cry of a newborn baby. Again, there are just too many awesome sounds from God’s creation to list here.
God created our temporary home here on earth for us to enjoy. However, in spite of all its magnificence, it’s only a brief preview or snapshot of what is ahead for those who belong to Him. Heaven is beyond our imagination and it’s forever. If we had all the words of our language to use; if we had all the beautiful pictures of nature, the sea, the land and glorious sunsets; if we could speak in a voice never ending, we couldn’t begin to describe how beautiful Heaven will be.
Heaven is a very real place. It’s a place to look forward to, a place to contemplate and to prepare for. It’s a place where we will be more alive than we are today. The Master Creator is there, building a special place in Heaven just for us. In John 14, Jesus gave this promise to us: (V1) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (V2) “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.” (V3) “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.” (V4) “And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (V6) “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” One day soon our mansion will be completed and Jesus will call my name and yours. Are you prepared to meet Him on that day?
Many details about Heaven are not known. However, the Apostle John was called up into the presence of the Lord to witness its splendor and then record his observations in Rev. 21 and 22.
Rev. 21:9-27
(V9) 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.” (V10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, (V11) having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. (V12) Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (V13) three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. (V14) Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (V15) And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. (V16) The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. (V17) Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. (V18) The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. (V19) The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: ... (V21) The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (V22) But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (V23) The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. (V24) And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. (V25) Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). (V26) And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. (V27) But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Rev. 22:1-5
(V1) And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (V2) 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. (V3) And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. (V4) They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. (V5) There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Is Jesus in His Father’s house preparing a place for you? He is only doing that for those who truly belong to Him. If we truly belong to Him, then on the day He calls our name, we will be on our knees before Him and will see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords face to face. The glorious picture John painted for us in those scriptures will suddenly be paled by comparison during the very moment we meet the Master. I know that when I see Him, I will know Him by His shining, smiling face and by the scars in His nail pierced hands. The sounds of the heavenly choir praising Him and singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” will be truly awesome. What we will see, hear and experience is all so overwhelming that our human minds simply cannot comprehend it. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”. What a great day that will be!
During retirement, my prayer is that I might serve the Lord by sharing the Gospel through my writing. As the Lord leads, my work will inform, challenge and encourage. I also enjoy Biblical theme woodcarving, Bible studies and Christian music. Watch, pray and keep looking up!
Donald Mehl
Article Source: www.faithwriters.com
Consider for a moment these words of the Apostle Paul written to the Corinthians, words that are a beautiful promise from God for all believers.
1 Cor. 2:9
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has promised for those who love Him.”
We have all seen the grandeur of God’s creation. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” We see majestic mountains and rugged valleys, breath-taking sunsets, star-studded night skies and deep blue seas. We also see lush meadows with delicate flowers, graceful birds of the air, green forests and fields of waving grain, just to mention a few.
Also, we have heard a gentle breeze rustling through tree leaves, the roaring of ocean waves, beautiful music, the soft coo of a dove, and the cry of a newborn baby. Again, there are just too many awesome sounds from God’s creation to list here.
God created our temporary home here on earth for us to enjoy. However, in spite of all its magnificence, it’s only a brief preview or snapshot of what is ahead for those who belong to Him. Heaven is beyond our imagination and it’s forever. If we had all the words of our language to use; if we had all the beautiful pictures of nature, the sea, the land and glorious sunsets; if we could speak in a voice never ending, we couldn’t begin to describe how beautiful Heaven will be.
Heaven is a very real place. It’s a place to look forward to, a place to contemplate and to prepare for. It’s a place where we will be more alive than we are today. The Master Creator is there, building a special place in Heaven just for us. In John 14, Jesus gave this promise to us: (V1) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (V2) “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.” (V3) “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.” (V4) “And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (V6) “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” One day soon our mansion will be completed and Jesus will call my name and yours. Are you prepared to meet Him on that day?
Many details about Heaven are not known. However, the Apostle John was called up into the presence of the Lord to witness its splendor and then record his observations in Rev. 21 and 22.
Rev. 21:9-27
(V9) 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.” (V10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, (V11) having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. (V12) Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (V13) three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. (V14) Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (V15) And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. (V16) The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. (V17) Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. (V18) The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. (V19) The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: ... (V21) The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (V22) But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (V23) The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. (V24) And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. (V25) Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). (V26) And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. (V27) But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Rev. 22:1-5
(V1) And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (V2) 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. (V3) And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. (V4) They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. (V5) There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Is Jesus in His Father’s house preparing a place for you? He is only doing that for those who truly belong to Him. If we truly belong to Him, then on the day He calls our name, we will be on our knees before Him and will see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords face to face. The glorious picture John painted for us in those scriptures will suddenly be paled by comparison during the very moment we meet the Master. I know that when I see Him, I will know Him by His shining, smiling face and by the scars in His nail pierced hands. The sounds of the heavenly choir praising Him and singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” will be truly awesome. What we will see, hear and experience is all so overwhelming that our human minds simply cannot comprehend it. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”. What a great day that will be!
During retirement, my prayer is that I might serve the Lord by sharing the Gospel through my writing. As the Lord leads, my work will inform, challenge and encourage. I also enjoy Biblical theme woodcarving, Bible studies and Christian music. Watch, pray and keep looking up!
Donald Mehl
Article Source: www.faithwriters.com