SPOILER ALERT! Heaven is Going to Be So Awesome!

John 16:33 - I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

In the world, we do have trouble. A lot of it.

But Jesus said some things so that we have His peace. The Lord gave us some tremendous resources to get us through a hard world. The first one we looked at was “People to Count On”.

Secondly, Jesus has given us THE PROSPECT OF THINGS TO COME.

John 14:2-3 - In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

 
I love the book of Ecclesiastes. Here is the short version: life is hard, life is empty, life is meaningless, life is short, life isn’t fair. But that’s only an earth-side view of life, only looking at what is “under the sun”. When the Lord is brought into the equation, life has meaning. Deep, rich meaning. But without the Lord, life is a tragedy, then you die.

Some people, might I suggest most people in the world, live as if this is all there is. Life under the sun, here and now. This is it. Nothing to look forward to. We live a hard life, then we die. Pointless. Just do whatever the heck you want while you are here, just try to be happy whatever the cost, because our existence is a joke, life is meaningless.

So here is some good news: Jesus Christ gives us the prospect of things to come! This is not the end, in fact, this life is just the beginning! We have the privilege of being the beneficiary of the Lord’s redemptive grace now, but being in His presence for eternity.

If I asked you if I could bite your arm, you wouldn’t go for it. That hurts, right? But if I told you if you let me bite your arm, I would give you a brand new car, you would roll your sleeve up and shove your arm in my mouth. It still hurts, but what changed the attitude...? The knowledge that something bigand great comes afterwards. Amazing how much less painful things can seem if we have the big picture in mind.

Eyes to the sky. Life can be hard, but Jesus promised the best is yet to come. He is preparing your place right now. And He is going to escort you there someday.

We have peace, knowing the day will come when all pain, heartache, disappointment, and hurt will forever be a thing of the past.

p.s. - is not going to bite you

God’s Provision to Get Us Through a Hard World

You’ve been there. I have. I wish I could tell you we won’t be there again, but before today ends, before the week ends, before the month ends, eventually we find ourselves back there. That place where we wonder how am I going to get through this?

Maybe you are facing an illness. Worse yet, maybe your child is. Maybe it is a financial struggle. Perhaps it is a prodigal child. Or it could be the loss of your job. It may be a loved one is very close to passing away. How am I going to make it through this?

Last blog, we had a reality check: we are fallen people (but in Christ redeemed!) living in a world under a curse, surrounded by other sinful people, and Satan himself is called the god of this world (until Christ returns to take it back).

I wish it were different, but the sad reality is that we live in a world where bad news, tragedy, heartache, and pain are the norm… we should expect these things. Jesus even promised in John 16:33: In the world you will have tribulation.

Bad news, just deal with it right? Wrong.

Jesus ALSO said, right before the previous statement: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

So peace is found in Him. But what are these things He spoke to the disciples (and us) that deliver this peace? Apparently, Jesus said some things specifically for the purpose of showing us how we have peace in Him. So what are they?

Jesus made this statement at the end John 16, an extended teaching that began in John 13. Starting there, we find in this portion of Scripture at least five different things God is providing to get us through a hard world.

The first one is

PEOPLE TO COUNT ON.

John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

God has given us each other. That’s great news.

I don’t know about you, but I can easily recognize and readily acknowledge the impact my brothers in the Lord have on me. When I am discouraged, they encourage. When I am down, they pick me up. When I am overwhelmed, they come alongside and help. And I try to do the same for them.

Not just trying to be a buddy, but loving each other. And not just loving each other, but loving as Jesus has loved us.Selflessly, fully, perfectly. And when the world see us loving each other that way, their response will be, “Those people must be true followers of Jesus.”

It’s sad when I hear people make comments like, “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.” That’s not only a statement from immaturity, but it’s a statement of someone who is missing out. Missing the blessing of peace that comes from knowing: yes, life is hard; yes, bad news is around every corner; yes, we live in a world of suffering…but we are not alone. We are in a team…no, a family, who loves us with the love of Christ.

So when life gets hard, we can say, “Bring it. Check out the people who got my back. God Himself provided them. So... bring it.”

Thank you, God, for your provision of people to count on. May I be one to them, too. 

p.s. - learning to love like Jesus loved

Not-So-Great Expectations

A couple summers ago, Erin brought home one of those Whamm-O brand inflatable pools. The front of the box depicted the pool, a very realistic painting of the alleged contents of the box. And on this box’s depiction, there were a dozen or so pre-adolescent kids merry-making in the summer heat in this pool. Flying down the slide, playing basketball in the pool, firing huge blasts of water from the water cannons… When I saw the box, I thought I would invite over every kid in the neighborhood for a pool party!

Then I opened the box.

This thing was the ultimate let down. The slide was barely a foot and a half long. The basketball was a little rubber inflatable thing, like what they make floaties out of, and was barely the size of a softball. The water cannons were sad little squirters. You could not have fit 3 Smurfs in the pool, let alone all those kids on the box.

Life is a lot like that sometimes, isn’t it?

We have high hopes, big dreams, great expectations… and we end up disappointed. Life just doesn’t turn out the way we thought it would. I thought I would have a better job…make more money…have a bigger house…have better health…have more kids/no kids/less kids/cooler kids.

We all want comfort, peace, pleasure, and prosperity. The problem is not that we want these. In fact, we were built for these things.

The problem is this: we expect these things from the world. We all have a silly tendency at times to expect that the world is finally going to cash in and give us happiness. Satan’s lie in the Garden of Eden is still his ploy: So we expect good things from the world.

We all have a silly tendency at times to expect that the world is finally going to cash in and give us happiness. Satan’s lie in the Garden of Eden is still his ploy: So we expect good things from the world.

But we have a world system that is manipulated by lies that ensnare us in Satan’s scheme. And that is the way Satan likes it: a world full of deceit and destruction seems to discredit the Creator who has sovereign control. (Tangent: When was the last time you heard Satan blamed for misery? Don’t we usually hear “if God is so good and loving, why is there so much misery in the world…?” Anyways...)

Reality check for us all: we are fallen people (but in Christ redeemed!), living in a world under a curse, surrounded by sinful people, and Satan himself is called the god of this world (until Christ returns to take it back).

So what should we expect from the world? If all this is true, why in the world do we get our hopes up?

Reality check for us all, continued: Jesus gave us some expectations in John 16:33: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Jesus promised that in the world, we will have trouble.

But what are “these things” He said would give us peace in Him? We’ll catch those next time.

For now, let’s examine our expectations. Are we bitter because things aren’t exactly as we think they should be? Or are we starting to get it…? Things will never be perfect here.

Oh sure, we are blessed, have much to be thankful for, and life is good! Yet things are not optimal by any means, and many weeks, there are more hard days than easy days. There is sickness, death, betrayal, disappointment, hurting, abuse, abandonment, and discouragement. And that's on a good day.

But when the LORD returns to restore all things, to make all things new (Revelation 21:5), then our expectations can change!

So in the meantime, we rest on the promises of Christ. 

p.s. - totally would have invited you to that pool party

Why I am Excited About the Elephant Room

I am soooo excited for the Elephant Room!!! I know, I know: some of you are asking, "What is the Elephant Room?"

The Elephant Room is a forum where noted pastors ,with radically different views on theology and methodology in the church can sit down and have bold and open (but in the spirit of love!) conversations. It’s not ecumenical, nor is it a debate, but it is frank discussions on hot topics coming from people on opposite sides of the ministry spectrum!

Round 1 was in March. This is Round 2, and the discussions begin on January 25 from 10:00am - 5:00pm at Pathway Church (239 Braun Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010, www.lifeatpathway.com).

The participants include (to date): TD Jakes, Jack Graham, Steven Furtick, and Crawford Loritts. There are no canned messages. These are the conversations you never thought you would hear! All conversations are moderated byJames MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel and Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church.

There will be 6 discussions at this all day event. Have a topic you want to see brought to the table? Go to the website (it‘s in the last paragraph of this blog) and submit your idea!

So why am I excited? Like you need another reason! But what really pumps me up about this is having these discussions face-to-face. How easy it is to criticize another person’s ministry and beliefs in a blog or from the pulpit! Why not sit down, in person, and not only get clarity, but also stimulate the thinking of everyone listening? Why do we do what we do? Why do we believe what we believe? Am I willing to have these things challenged? The end result is going to be strengthening my own beliefs, thinking outside of my own box, and have greater understanding for those who believe differently, even if I do not agree with them.

For details and to register, go to www.theelephantroom.com . The earlier you sign up, the more inexpensive it is! And lunch is provided on site! So register today. I know I am not going to miss this!

p.s. - There’s not really going to be an actual elephant there, it is only an expression.