Heaven

An Address in Heaven?

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Most who know the song “I Rather Have Jesus” associate it with George Beverly Shea. In fact though he did write the popular melody, the words were composed by Rhea Miller in 1922. George Beverly Shea’s mother copied the words and left them by the piano where she was certain her son would find them.

The words from verse two tell us –

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause

I’d rather be true to His dear cause

I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame

I’d rather be true to His holy name!

While everyone has heard of George Beverly Shea, almost no one remembers the woman who not only declared but lived out the line, “I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame!” Rhea Miller lived and died virtually unknown beyond her circlekimg2455 of friends and family.

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20

Some few of us might, like George Beverly Shea, become internationally known, but most of us live in more like Rhea Miller while here on earth. Take this moment to close your eyes and ask yourself: Do you wish have a mansion on earth and yet be forgotten in heaven; or will you choose to live for him in a tiny house on an unknown street and have an address remembered in heaven?

 

We’ll Meet Face to Face

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

We’ll Meet Face to Face

 

Am I learning to be thankful in the way you told me to?

To have that true and faithful heart that trusts the whole day through?

Will I walk with blinders on seeing just my own small world?

Or can I find the grace and strength to bind another’s wounds?

 

When weakness looms I pull the shades and double lock my door

No limping step, no bleeding lip, no bruises cuts or sores

No fever hot, no icy chills, no loss of any kind

Will I accept within my home just sweet and sunny times

kimg0097

Yet in the silence of the night when sleep is sliding by

I awake with faith and doubt engaging in a fight

The Spirit stirs and takes a stand while flesh just moans and sighs

Then in my weakest moment when I feel I can’t keep on

My Savior stoops and picks me up and holds me in His arms

 

Son you see these troubles come

While we are in this world

There is a Battle in your soul

To turn you from the goal

But set your eyes upon the prize

That pearl of greatest price

Is waiting for you in my hands

When we meet face to face

 

From wings to heaven’s window

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Isaiah 40:31

img_4551When God renews our strength He first gives us wings. Wings like eagles can soar far above our weakness and rest on the breathe of the wind. Even eagles do come to rest, and when we find our feet back on the ground God often fires off the starting gun for our race.

As a teen I ran on our track team. Thanks to a patient coach he allowed even slower runners like me to stay on the team if we came for the practices and finished our races. Though I never knew what it was to win a race, I learned a lot about running through the finish line.

I remember that on the first days of practice some of us would stumble near the end of the second mile, but we each found a way to make it to the end. That is when the temptation was overwhelming to throw ourselves down on the ground in exhaustion. But that seemingly well deserved rest was never allowed by our coach. He would be right there pressing us on saying. “Don’t stop yet guys! Walk it off! Walk it off!”

Tonight if you have run your heart out and feel that you have crossed some finish line, remember Isaiah’s message. You will not only ride with eagle’s wings and run without growing weary, but you will also walk and not faint. If weariness calls tonight to simply cast yourself down to the ground and say that you are through, hear the voice of Jesus my friend, “Don’t stop yet! Walk it off! Walk it off! p1020421There is still so much more more to come!”

He calls us in that moment to come up by His side to look out through heaven’s window and to see His horizon that stretches  far beyond our own finish line!