Nothing But Life

Nothing But Life

Revelation 22: The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² and flowing down the middle of the city's street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. ³ Nothing that is under God's curse will be found in the city.

 

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Driving down the road, I ran over a skunk carcass. For miles I could smell the horrible powerful stench of the dead animal. I ran through a puddle, yet the smell still lingered.

 

• I wished that I had not experienced the dead skunk.
• I wished I had not run over something that was dead and decaying.
• I would have preferred for all things that were alive to remain alive.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, was shown three things that provided life. One river and two trees were described as things that provided life. He also mentioned that the leaves would be used to heal the nations. Any sickness or disease that was under GOD’s curse would be healed by the things that provided life.

 

My Observations:

• GOD made us with life in mind.
• Eternal life will contain no sickness, no disease and no death.
• GOD’s eternal curse will not apply to those who love the LORD.

 

When GOD heals eternally, it will be done for good! I mean, there will be no more crying over a lost loved one, no more pain that keeps people awake and no more disease that causes bodies to malfunction. Why? Because JESUS paid it all.

 

JESUS was took on our curse. CHRIST redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” HE was hung on a cross and gave us eternal life. I am grateful to receive living water that will make me never thirst again.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer mention’s GOD’s curse?
• Have you ever gotten sick or hurt or experienced some sort of pain?
• Will you accept JESUS as your Savior so you can have everlasting life today?

What’s Not Seen

What’s Not Seen

Revelation 21: ²² I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. ²³ The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God shines on it, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The peoples of the world will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their wealth into it. ²⁵ The gates of the city will stand open all day; they will never be closed, because there will be no night there. ²⁶ The greatness and the wealth of the nations will be brought into the city. ²⁷ But nothing that is impure will enter the city, nor anyone who does shameful things or tells lies. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of the living will enter the city.

 

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When I got to the new office, I asked where the printer was. “We only have a couple of printers” was the reply. I questioned “why?” The reply was, “Because we don’t use paper very much anymore.”

 

• There was no more use for a printer.
• Things were different, so the printer was no longer needed.
• There was another way in place that freed everyone up.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, noticed a few things missing from the new city. He noticed there was no temple, sun or moon. He then was given an explanation of why these things were missing.

 

My Observations:

• GOD’s glory is bright enough to shine pure light.
• There will one day be no need for artificial light because JESUS will be our true light.
• No impurities that you and I have will be able to enter the city so GOD will change us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness so we can live with HIM eternally.

 

Wealth will be different. I mean, the current structure of money will not be needed in heaven. So what will wealth look like? I believe GOD will help you and me use our special gifts in ways we cannot imagine. Whatever our gifts produce, we will bring it into the city.

 

We will no longer have to worry about darkness, extension cords or batteries. There will be no more misinterpretation of what GOD is saying to us, because HE will be present to provide us with HIS light. I am glad religions, temples and lights will be done away with so we can simply be with GOD.

 

Challenge

• What observations did the writer present?
• Have you ever wondered if the tension over religion will ever stop?
• Have you pondered about GOD’s glorious light and wondered about HIS eternal love for you?

Building Materials

 Building Materials

Revelation 21: ¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. ¹⁹ The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chalcedony, the eleventh turquoise, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each gate was made from a single pearl. The street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.

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After following the instructions, I finally finished putting together the furniture. I had to force the shelves to align, but finally got everything to fit. I accidentally spilled some water on an exposed end and the wood began to swell in one spot.

• The furniture was made of particle board which could not withstand water.
• The machining of the furniture was not done well, so I had to force things together.
• The furniture was flimsy and broke easily when it was moved.

John, the disciple JESUS loved, was given the list of materials the city’s foundation was made of. Each foundation stone was a “precious” stone that was probably rarely seen, even in the new earth. The city and streets were made of pure gold as clear as glass. The wall was another precious stone and the gates were made from a single pearl.

My Observations:

• GOD wants us to have something special.
• GOD can create rare things that are precious.
• GOD made you and me and there is no one like us.

Precious things cannot be found everywhere. I mean, when something is rare, it is not only hard to find, it is impossible to replicate. GOD used precious stones for the city that HE made for HIS precious people.

No one is exactly alike. GOD spent time thinking about the building materials of your entire existence. Nothing was a mistake. HE made you and me and was delighted. Your very existence pleases GOD immensely! I am glad GOD thinks of you and me in a precious way!

Challenge

• Why does the writer give this detail?
• Have you ever seen precious stones or something valuable?
• Can you believe that GOD values you as precious to HIM and was excited when HE made you?

Precision

Precision

Revelation 21: ¹⁵ The angel who spoke to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶ The city was perfectly square, as wide as it was long. The angel measured the city with his measuring stick: it was fifteen hundred miles long and was as wide and as high as it was long. ¹⁷ The angel also measured the wall, and it was 216 feet high, according to the standard unit of measure which he was using.

 

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Building a clubhouse, we scavenged scrap nails and wood for the project. We grabbed hammers and handsaws from the garage, and began building our tower. With no measurements, we created a two story clubhouse that was about five feet tall!

 

• Our monstrosity had a window and a door.
• Only two people could fit inside at a time.
• Nails protruded out so we were easily wounded or our clothes were torn.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw the angel who measured the great city. The angel had a measuring stick forged with gold to probable keep its precision. The city was nothing like any human could ever conceive. It was long and wide and tall. The precision of the immense city was impeccable.

 

My Observations:

• GOD is very precise.
• GOD is not as random as we want HIM to be.
• GOD has our lives planned out to the second and knows every hair on our head.

 

We see random events, GOD sees a component to HIS plan. I mean, we may see a hole in a bag of coins. BUT GOD saw a story that a coin would fall in the water, be eaten by a fish and would be used by JESUS to tell a follower to catch a fish and get the coin out to illustrate HIS teaching.

 

GOD is not random. HE is very precise. HE knows the day and the hour of CHRIST’s return. HE numbers hairs, meaning HE cares about the tiniest detail. When HE provides a measurement, it is to demonstrate HIS power. I am glad GOD is precise!

 

Challenge

• Can you fathom the measurements presented by the writer?
• Have you ever seen a large city?
• Can you take a moment to ponder the great new city GOD will provide for those who believe in JESUS today?

Protected All Along

Protected All Along

Revelation 21: ¹² It had a great, high wall with twelve gates and with twelve angels in charge of the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of the people of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on each side: three on the east, three on the south, three on the north, and three on the west. 

 

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When the tornado sirens went off, I was still outside trying to finish a home improvement project. I had worked all week on this project, and I was at the last part when the darkness came rolling in. This memorable sight of the dark olive green clouds was followed by strong wind sounds, like a fast train passing by.

 

• A tornado touched down two blocks from our house.
• I was no match for the storm, nor was the house.
• Our house was not touched by the devastating winds.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, continued describing what he was shown from a high mountain. He saw a wall around a marvelous, new, clean city. The wall had, what was probably, monumental gates on all sides. Imperfect human names were written on the gates.

 

My Observations:

• GOD may have put the gates on the new city to show how HE was protecting us in this life.
• GOD is very methodical in providing you and me with assurance.
• One angel chained up Satan and GOD put twelve in charge of gates to protect you and me.

 

GOD’s protection is there when we cannot see it. I mean, HE protects us from dangers we cannot see each and every day! We take life for granted and pout when we are not getting our way. BUT GOD is fighting battles we are not aware of.

 

HE sees what we are going through and wants to not only provide, but protect. HIS wall of protection is impenetrable. The gates only let in those who belong and keeps out any harm. I am glad GOD protects you and me, even from ourselves!

 

Challenge

• Why is the writer so descriptive of the gates and their placement directions?
• Have you ever thought about how many times GOD has brought you through trials of life?
• Will you take a moment to remember the difficult times GOD has brought you through instead of looking at your current circumstance today?

Clean City

Clean City

Revelation 21: ⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to me and said, “Come, and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ The Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to the top of a very high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down out of heaven from God ¹¹ and shining with the glory of God. The city shone like a precious stone, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

 

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Asleep in the back seat, I woke up because I could tell we were getting close to home. The stench of the landfill was the first indicator that we were getting close. I anticipated the swampy smell of the shipping dock followed by the final chemical smell of the paint factory. I saw garbage on the sides of the road. Yep, I was almost home!

 

• Many cities I have been in were dirty.
• Many cities I visited had graffiti and grunge.
• Many cities I lived in had industrial stuff that belched carcinogens in the air.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, had the SPIRIT take control of him and was carried to a very high mountain. The Holy City was coming down out of heaven from GOD. It was shining with the glory of GOD.

 

My Observations:

• GOD’s glory was so bright, that humans could not look at it.
• The new Holy City will be so clean that no disease can live inside it.
• Brightness will shine from the Holy City like nothing seen before.

 

No more smells. No more rot. No more feeble attempts by humans to create something temporary that misuses GOD’s creation, causing people to be harmed. The plagues were over and a new city was presented. What happened to GOD’s people? You and I become recipients of a brand new city.

 

Remember that new car smell? Or that new house smell? Or new shoe smell? Think of a new city that shines with GOD’s glory. HE cannot wait to provide this gift to those who go through the grunge of life’s difficulties. When life is dirty, I am glad I can focus on a future that is bright and new!

 

Challenge

• Why was the writer taken to a mountain to see the city?
• Have you ever been deeply worried or saddened by circumstances or regretful because of sin?
• Can you imagine a place where you are free to love GOD and HE is right there, wiping away your tears?

Thirsty

Thirsty

Revelation 21: ⁵ Then the one who sits on the throne said, “And now I make all things new!” He also said to me, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.” ⁶ And he said, “It is done! I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end. To anyone who is thirsty I will give the right to drink from the spring of the water of life without paying for it. ⁷ Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children. ⁸ But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols, and all liars—the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

 

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Becoming part of a group was new to me. I was handed a book that showed skills to learn. But then I was told that that I could earn merit badges if I could prove that I learned the skill! I tried it and earned my first merit badge.

 

• I got so excited that I read more of the book.
• I planned out what my next badge would be.
• I spent time learning more and more and then became good at what I learned.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, heard JESUS speak a declaration that could be trusted and was going to happen. JESUS spoke about two kinds of people. One was “thirsty” and the other was not.

 

My Observations:

• My thirst for JESUS would cause me to want to learn more about HIM.
• My thirst for JESUS would make me want to practice what HE said.
• My thirst for JESUS would open my eyes to what HE wants versus trying to get “my” way.

 

Thirsty means really, really wanting something. I mean, when I want something the world has to offer, I may spend time learning it from reading or watching someone. I then take the initiative to put what I learned into practice. JESUS says HIS “words are true and can be trusted.” In other words, it’s going to happen.

 

If I thirst for JESUS, then my learning will be easy and so will putting what I learned into practice. HIS message of love also came with a price, namely free! If anyone is thirsty for JESUS, HE will give him or her life without paying for it. All my sins have been paid for by JESUS. I am eternally grateful!

 

Challenge

• Why was the writer told to write down what was said?
• Have you ever wanted something so much, that you were willing to learn it and do it?
• When JESUS says “It is done!” does that give you confidence?
• Can you become thirsty to learn about JESUS and put HIS words into practice today?