No More Death, Grief, Crying or Pain

No More Death, Grief, Crying or Pain

Revelation 21: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished. ² And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. ³ I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God's home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. ⁴ He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.”

 

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My shirt was missing, so I cried. This was a shirt that I stuffed with other shirts and I carried it around while sucking my thumb. That was the beginning. Over many years, there were circumstances that really made me cry.

 

• I have felt grief.
• I have cried over situations and with people.
• I have seen death and watched how pain  overtook joy.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw an incredible sight. He saw a new heaven and a new earth. He also saw the first heaven, earth and sea disappear. Just as GOD spoke everything into existence, it was all gone in a moment. He saw the Holy City descend from the new heaven. Then he heard a declaration that would never be broken.

 

My Observations:

• GOD will wipe away my tears.
• GOD will give me life forever.
• GOD will protect me from grief, crying or pain.

 

Imagine a world where there is no more scheming, greed, loss, hurt, malice, lying or disturbing thoughts. I cannot imagine, because that is what is in the world today. Each and every day, more pain is shown on the news and devastation abounds all around us. BUT GOD has a remedy.

 

JESUS rose and ascended to heaven. HE said HE had to go to make a place for all who believe in HIM. This new heaven and new earth contains everything that is needed, so there will be no more disappointment because of lack. GOD will be our GOD and we will be HIS people.

 

Challenge

• What exciting thing does the writer point out?
• Have you ever experienced a death of a loved one or grief or crying or pain?
• Can you set your mind on GOD wiping away all your tears because there will be no more death, grief, crying or pain?

Glad For a Reason

Glad For a Reason

James 1: ⁹ Those Christians who are poor must be glad when God lifts them up, ¹⁰ and the rich Christians must be glad when God brings them down. For the rich will pass away like the flower of a wild plant. ¹¹ The sun rises with its blazing heat and burns the plant; its flower falls off, and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way the rich will be destroyed while they go about their business.

 

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When I got my first job out of college, I was glad. I rejoiced because now I could pay for the bills I had accumulated. After a number of  job changes and promotions, I had was not satisfied with the level of wealth.

 

• I felt I needed more and I thought of reasons why.
• I looked at what other people were making and felt I “deserved” more.
• After a while I had no praise for what GOD was doing in my life, only complaints about other people.

 

James addressed wealth status. Some people may have mourned their status because they were too poor to do anything. Others may have flaunted their status because their businesses were flourishing. The stern warning to the rich is they could be destroyed trying to maintain their status.

 

My Observations:

• GOD warns us about becoming too wealthy to hear the needs of other people.
• GOD is the one who raises up people to where HE needs them to be.
• GOD tears people down to keep them away from the dangers of wealth.

 

Balance is the pursuit that is difficult. I mean, being too poor makes me cry out to GOD for rescue. On the other hand, being too rich, blinds me to the needs of others, causing me to dream up ways to keep or grow the amounts “I” have amassed. BUT GOD helps with balance.

 

GOD raises people up from poverty to help them see that HE is the answer. HE also sometimes tears the right people down so he or she will not get too prideful. GOD deserves all the praise and honor for what I have. I gladly say GOD is my provider.

 

Challenge

• What is the balance the writer is trying to get to?
• Have you ever gotten some money and stopped praying to GOD?
• Will you recognize your limits and keep praising HIM whether you have only a little or when you have plenty?

 

Purpose in the Stumble

Daniel 11: ³³ “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. ³⁴ When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. ³⁵ Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

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Pulling up on furniture enabled me to walk as a toddler, but of course I fell only to try again. Riding near grass was my plan anticipating the inevitable fall as I learned how to ride my bike; of course I fell only to try again. Observing others, driving slow and practicing was my plan, but when I had my first accident, I learned to watch my blind spot so I had to try again.

• There have been times in my life when I have fallen down hard.
• There have been times in my life when I have crashed to the ground.
• There have been times in my life when I have stumbled.

Sometimes I felt like staying down. I mean, what is the purpose of getting back up when I could be knocked back down? What’s the purpose of falling down anyway? Can’t I just stay up all the time?

• GOD says to me “I WILL be with you when you fall.”
• GOD says to me “In your weakness MY strength shines bright.”
• GOD says to me “You will have sin, but MY faith is everlasting.”

Stumbling and falling are not meant to crush my spirit. Quite the contrary, GOD wants me to recognize my need for HIM. HE allows me to stumble and fall and tumble down to the ground only to reach HIS mighty hand out to pick me up again and again. After the fall I rise with HIS help, this time a little wiser and stronger.

GOD purifies me and makes me spotless with each fall. HE wants me to get back up and endure the race called life.

• Have you stumbled in life?
• Have you fallen to the point where you do not feel like getting back up?
• Can you see that GOD needs you to get back up so you can reach “that” person HE has appointed to you?
• Will you ask GOD to give you strength today?

Ashamed and Humiliated

Ezekiel 16: ⁶² So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶³ Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.

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Phone call after phone call made the day seem full of energy. I could handle it because my lavish company car had the first “hands free” gadget on the market. As I zipped along, dishing out advice I could feel the power of “my” title. When the title was stripped away along with the car, I felt a loss of self-worth. I was ashamed and humiliated.

• There have been many times I have placed my self-worth in the wrong places.
• There have been many times I have desired to be worth something to the wrong people.
• There have been many times I have casted my pearls before swine in order to feel like something.

Making it to the top made the fall even further. I mean for a while I receive no phone calls and I as the one who sought after advice. Wandering and pleading was new for me, but after a while I got used to the new desert location. I could hear GOD for a change rather than the incessant ringing of my phone.

• GOD said to me “I will establish MY covenant with you.”
• GOD said to me “I will enable you to know that I AM the LORD.”
• GOD said to me “I will make atonement for you and all you have done and you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation.”

Boasting about wealth and title soon disappeared. After a while I found myself speaking again, this time it was for something extremely valuable, namely the LORD. HE restored me to speak on HIS behalf and enable me to talk about HIS SON to those HE sent me. GOD made atonement for my blindness through the death burial and resurrection of the living JESUS. I am indebted to HIM.

• Are you ashamed about where you are?
• Are you demands not being met?
• Can you stop demanding and start confessing to the LORD?
• Will you change your ways and turn your words into GOD’s words?