Heaven

Spiritual Dream Home

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison whatever they did there it was his doing.              Genesis 39:21-22 

My wife and I are somewhat addicted to HGTV home remodeling shows. We enjoy watching while either the Property Brothers; Rick and Joanna Gaines or Hillary Farr rip to shreds and then rebuild old worn out houses and make them into someone’s dream home!  Have you ever noticed that construction zones and demolition zones seem very much alike? Maybe that’s because both involve some smashing down and some digging up that are equally painful. Recently we experienced lots of digging up, filling in and then digging up and filling in again of several large pipes under our street. The issues were complex and the rerouting didn’t work the first second or even third time. One night they were smashing and pounding till 11 o’clock. My response to waking up to the racket was to put my jacket on over my pj’s and march indignantly down the street to complain.

traffic red blue sign

Photo by Mabel Amber on Pexels.com

The tired foreman of the job took off his hardhat and politely answered that they couldn’t wait to go home either but they had to finish before they were allowed to quit. Sheepishly I went home realizing that I was not the only one who wished the work was done.  In Joseph’s life he also passed through a construction zone when he was unjustly thrown into prison.  Unlike me, Joseph was patient and continued to listen rather than complain. The heavy construction that God was doing in his life became a season of blessing and growth because Joseph chose to listen.

On those occasions where I have followed Joseph’s example and tuned my ears to listen I have discovered as he did that it is God who is at work digging and pounding and He won’t stop till He has finished! God’s promises are real. He hasn’t abandoned us or forgotten the dream which He sent. In fact the painful circumstances which we are in today are what God is using to build the spiritual dream home which He has prepared for us in eternity!

 

Finding Hope

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:18 KJV

My friend’s voice sounded somewhere between hopeless and amused as he told me about waking up on Mother’s day to find snow on deck. Maybe dragging into this 8th week of shutdown you are also running a bit low on hope. Today Paul reminds us that our greatest hope is in heaven because that is the place God has promised His people. Our great hope on earth begins where Jesus suffered on the cross for our free gift of salvation. But our great hope right here and right now is put to work when we love others in daily practical ways. Together we share a common hope and finding feet to wash may be the best medicine for hopelessness because it gives earthly reality to the heavenly hope we have in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our Hope of Heaven

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

As we are ploughing through this sixth week of Corona related shutdown here in Florida I thought that today it might be a good idea to focus on joy. God has not called us to worry, to live in depression or in fear. He has given us instead a hope that is not only eternal but it is also filled with joy.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 ESV

When I was doing my nursing home ministry up till this shutdown I found that some of the residents’ favorite songs were about heaven They often not only listened but the sang along, smiled and swayed back and forth in their wheel chairs in time to the music. Here are a few of those songs; including When the Roll is called up Yonder; When we All Get to Heaven and Mansion Over the Hilltop.  We know that if we follow Jesus He has promised to lead us home to His Father’s house in Heaven! Have a blessed day everyone!