Sunday, July 3, 2011

Heaven on Earth

I was preparing a sermon and ended it with "Jesus gift is for now, not someday. Will you accept it?" And I don't know where that came from. I'm going to say God's spirit, living in me, because my brain did not think that up. On my own I would've preached Jesus' gift and I wouldn't have thought of the gift being for today. I would've thought of it for someday, when our physical bodies die. Isn't that the prize - eternal life (after this one) that we're all seeking? The good life, the best life, is for later, when our physical bodies return to the dust.

Mom and I have been talking alot about heaven on earth. She got to be in the presence of Jesus some years ago and He told her she'd see heaven on earth. Can you imagine? She said she has held onto that for many years. What a promise! And if it's from Jesus, you can take it to the bank. It's good as gold and that which He has promised will come to pass. Psalm 100:5

I did a google search of what heaven on earth is and the results were pretty scary. Lots of new age, some political musing, lots of everything except a Christian perspective which indicates to me that the enemy has successfully robbed us of this precious gift.

Unity? Us in Him, Him in the Father, All of us in one another. Heaven on earth. Amen

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Hope Chest Revelations

I am at mom's for the "official" opening of The Hope Chest and so much has become clear in the last couple days. This is definitely not a bookstore the way we understand bookstores because we're not selling anything. It's also not a library because we're not lending anything. It's a gift that we believe God wants to give this community to demonstrate His amazing love to them. He extended the invitation, He inspired the ideas, we just agreed to be the helpers and what a privilege! You know, He is the God of the Universe, who spoke all this into existence. He could've spoke this place and this place could've appeared instantaneously complete. Instead, He allowed us to be a part of it, allowed us to create in it, and gave us an awesome gift. The books are plentiful, the space and mom's yard is beautiful, and we are ministered to as well as we get to minister. I'm sure if you asked mom, she'd share the same sentiment. Partnering with God to create this has been as much gift to us as it has been for the community. And for two years she got to enjoy the little slice of heaven on the back of the house, almost entirely to herself.