“Heaven Rewards”

1 Peter 1:3-4

Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose

again from the dead.  For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for

His children.  It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond

the reach of change and decay.  And God, in His mighty power, will

 protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting Him.  (NLT)

     From the moment sin entered into our world, life has become an everyday struggle just trying to stay alive, leaving little time for anything else, because there are just too many unplanned difficulties and hardships that seem to take the joy out of living.  Disasters are always lurking around every corner, whether they are natural disasters, manmade disasters, or self-inflicted disasters.  And every day we face the realities of sickness and death; two realities that are common in this world and no one is spared.  Life is hard and difficult for most, and yet, we do whatever it takes to hang on just one more day.  I have often wondered what it is about this difficult life filled with so much misery, that makes most people want to hang on to it.  The world is not a friendly place.  It does its best to beat us down and take what little joy we can find. 

     There are a couple of main reasons why people cling to this life.  The first being that God designed into the very fiber of who we are, the desire to live forever and enjoy it.  The second, being a bit bleaker, is it's our fallen human nature to fear the unknown—that this life may be the only life we have--or even worse, will we suffer the final consequences for our bad behavior? 

     The Lord masterfully created life on earth and it was good.  But because of one bad angel and one man’s disobedience, all of creation paid the price.  And so it is that sin and death are now an imminent part of living in this world that cries out for justice—cries that the Lord has heard and answered.  For when our Savior returns to the earth the second time, He will get rid of the bad and make all things new.  He has promised to create a new Heaven and earth as it was intended to be—perfect in every way; void of pain and sorrow and the stench of death. When you truly believe in God’s eternal plan for you, my friend, you will long to be with Jesus and will no longer live in fear of death, because you will know that all your hardships and struggles, your pain and sorrow, and all our fears and failures will not have been in vain. 

                                       A Whisper of Hope 

Remember My child…that you live in a fallen world where nothing is as it was created to be.  Much frustration and failure will result from your seeking perfection in this life.  There is nothing perfect about this world but Me.  This is why your closeness to Me not only satisfies the deep eternal yearnings you have, but it will also fill your troubled life with joy and peace.  

1 Peter 1:13

Look forward to the special blessings that will   

come to you at the return of Jesus Christ.  (NLT)

                        Take delight in the LORD, 

       and He will give you your heart’s desires.

                               (Psalm 37:4)