A GLIMPSE of HEAVEN

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,

    the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.

I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—

    the feeling of hitting the bottom.

But there’s one other thing I remember,

    and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,

    his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.

They’re created new every morning.

    How great your faithfulness!

I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).

    He’s all I’ve got left.

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,

    to the woman who diligently seeks.

It’s a good thing to quietly hope,

    quietly hope for help from God.

It’s a good thing when you’re young

    to stick it out through the hard times.

When life is heavy and hard to take,

    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:

    Wait for hope to appear.

Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.

    The “worst” is never the worst.

Why? Because the Master won’t ever

    walk out and fail to return.

If he works severely, he also works tenderly.

    His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. – from Lamentations 3 (MSG)

In recent days I have leaned on this passage as a response to a couple of dear friends who are “in a bottom”.

Lucado once remarked that “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” 

And in my opinion that sometimes takes a little “CROSS-LIKE TIME”; a time when we “go through hell” to see heaven more clearly.

Go back and read the account of Stephen’s stoning (Acts 7:54-60ish).  He too while going through a hellish time, a life-ending experience, was granted a glimpse of heaven and that made all the difference. 

GOD didn’t leave Him, rather He showed up in a powerful and inspiring way!

What I am saying today is sometimes we do go through some hellish times on this planet, but as the passage above CLEARLY states and as STEPHEN experienced, GOD’s LOYAL LOVE does not run out, it does not diminish in the face of the disaster. 

Rather HIS LOVE is THE HOPE, the glimpse, the assurance that on the other side of the pain is a purpose, that on the other side of the hurt is healing, that on the other side of the bottom is most assuredly a BLESSING (Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 10:13)

I pray that you aren’t in the same boat as my friends or as a couple of others who learned of cancer this week or who are having to end life support for a loved one or that are facing severe sickness or the challenging journey of a little one’s progress after a difficult start. 

I pray that you are not.

But if you are, remember.

Mercy met you this morning.

God is faithful.

His stockpiles of love are immense.

Face the trouble.

Fix your eyes on heaven.

Don’t run from the challenge!

It won’t and can’t consume you.

Wait for HOPE!

It IS coming.

The Master hasn’t left.

“There is more safety with CHRIST in the TEMPEST than without CHRIST in the CALMEST of waters.” – Alexander Goose

I love you all! 

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE