This world is not our home! My mind echoes those words almost weekly as the daily news reports that seem to get worse and worse cross my eyes or just in the way I see people treating each other in stores, restaurants, and/or on the roads. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states God has “set eternity in the human heart.” I long to be with Jesus, but as Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “there is a time for everything” and that time for me is yet to come.
Melinda is HOME
Today marks the 730th day since Melinda left us to be with Jesus. I do not mourn her death as much as I rejoice, knowing she is no longer in pain and is with Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:8 assures me she is at HOME with the LORD. It would be pure selfishness on my part to want her to be here with me instead of being with Jesus. Until the day Jesus calls me home, I will continue to take comfort in knowing that Melinda, as well as her father Bill Pitt, and all the other brothers and sisters, are in the arms of Jesus.
I would be lying if I were to say that there are never any days that I feel as Paul may have felt when in Philippians 1:23-24 (NLT) he said, “I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. I must acknowledge that God has blessed me in many ways over the past two years. He has given me numerous reasons that I need to be here and not with Him. I hope to write more about those reasons if the Holy Spirit wishes me to and inspires me.
In the meantime, I ask that if you are a brother or sister in Christ, rejoice daily, knowing that those that have gone before us are with our Savior and that the time is coming when our Saviour will be calling us home. I was reminded of this last night as Megan and I listened to Anne Wilson sing No Place Like Home at the Casting Crowns – The Healer Tour concert at the Bell County Expo Center.
Are you longing to go HOME, as this world is not our HOME?
When Adam sinned, I believe a little something God put inside us was activated (Ecclesiastes 3:11). It is that little something that lets each of us know there is a God, that this is not the way things are supposed to be, and the longing in our heart is to go HOME. You may wonder how I can be confident that we have a home in Heaven. That is easy. God spoke to me, and he will speak to you too if you open your heart, pick up his word (BIBLE), and listen to the spirit.
God tells us he prepared us for Heaven.
God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 5:5 (NLT)
For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (NLT)
So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Ephesians 1:6-7 (NLT)
God tells us how to walk by faith to be with him in Heaven.
For we live by believing and not by seeing.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT)
Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away. Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives. We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do. I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority. I’m not trying to frighten you by my letters. For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away. Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant! We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. We are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim authority over you, as if we had never visited you. For we were the first to travel all the way to Corinth with the Good News of Christ. Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended. Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory. As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.
2 Corinthians 10 (NLT)
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-9 (NLT)
You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!
Galatians 5:7-9 (NLT)
The Last Days
In 2 Timothy 3-5 we are told, “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
I believe that we are living in the last days, and Jesus’s return is imminent. It is why I pray for those that do not know Jesus. I pray that if you do not know Jesus, you will find him before it is too late.
DO YOU KNOW THE GOSPEL (Good News)?
God created us to be with Him. (Genesis 1-2)
Our sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3)
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4 – Malachi 4)
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John)
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts – Revelation)
