Category Archives: Heaven and Hell

Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Salvation

The Bread That Satisfies Forever (John 6:26-40)

What are you hungry for—earthly comfort or eternal life?

Key Verse:
“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’” —John 6:35 (NASB)

Background Context:
After feeding the five thousand, Yeshua withdrew from the crowd. Yet they followed Him across the sea, eager not for His message but for another meal. When they find Him, He challenges their motives and redirects their focus from temporary provisions to eternal truth. He reveals that He is the true bread from heaven—sent not just to satisfy stomachs but to offer eternal life.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

John 6:26-40

Words to the People

      26Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31“Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’”32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33“For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

      35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36“But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Reflection on John 6:26–40:
The crowd wanted more miracles, more bread, more signs. They referenced the manna from heaven that sustained their ancestors, but they missed the point. Manna perished. The people who ate it still died. Yeshua was offering something far greater—Himself, the bread of life that endures forever.

He tells them not to labor for perishable food, but for that which leads to eternal life. They ask, “What must we do?” His answer is stunning in its simplicity and depth: “Believe in Him whom He has sent.” This isn’t a passive belief, but a surrendering trust, a faith that draws near and never lets go.

In this passage, Yeshua unveils the will of the Father: that none who come to the Son will be cast out. That all who behold and believe in the Son will have eternal life. He offers not only sustenance for today, but the promise of resurrection on the last day.

We must ask ourselves: Are we following Jesus because we think He will make life easier? Or are we coming to Him because He alone offers eternal life? Like the crowd, we may be tempted to seek signs, comfort, or provision, but He calls us to something deeper—complete trust in who He is and what He came to do.

Application:
Evaluate your spiritual hunger. Are you more focused on what God can do for you in this life, or are you pursuing Him for the sake of knowing Him and receiving eternal life? Come to Him daily, not just for provision, but for communion and nourishment that never fades.

Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for sending Yeshua, the true bread of life. Forgive me for the times I have pursued You only for what I wanted, not for who You are. Teach me to trust You, to hunger for Your truth, and to rest in the promise of eternal life. Help me live today with eternity in view. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Devotions by John, Heaven and Hell, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Salvation, Share the Good News

The Building Is On Fire, We Must Warn Others!

Imagine for a moment that you are working in or visiting a large building complex with many people. Everyone is going about doing every day tasks, completely unaware that a fire rages within the building complex. Some see the smoke and recognize the coming peril. They try to warn others, but many do not want to hear it. They are busy. They do not believe the building is on fire. They mock and discourage those who are trying to warn everyone. They ignore even the fire alarm, assuming it is a drill, malfunction, or prank.

You are a fool. We don’t believe you.

You are just trying to ruin our day and make our life difficult.

The God I believe in would not allow fires in buildings with people.

If it is on fire, leave yourself then. Quit bothering us.

A few listen, heed the warning and consider the danger… eyes opened to the smoke they begin to try to save others or just run out of the building themselves.

The first reaction many of us have is that this is silly. It would never happen. Of course people would heed the warning. But there is a much greater danger for all of those who do not yet accept the truth of Jesus Christ as God… an eternity of suffering in Hell for rejecting Jesus Christ. Many who serve Jesus Christ are and have been for centuries trying to warn others about the impending danger. We are mocked, persecuted, and sometimes killed for our effort. We are seldom welcomed with open arms and thanked for bringing the good news of the gospel… of salvation through Jesus Christ. Sometimes it is even the church itself that is persecuting those who bring the true message of the gospel to the people. There are countless examples including the religious leaders of Israel and the Catholic church over many centuries.

The message of Christ is at once very simple such that a child can understand it, and yet very difficult in that we must change to move away from our sinful ways of doing things our way and turn toward Jesus and doing things God’s way. (Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.)

No matter the suffering or risk to ourselves as followers of Jesus, He wants us to tell everyone about the truth of the gospel! We know this because of how Jesus lived out His earthly ministry and how His disciples lived and died to share the gospel after Jesus had returned to Heaven. Jesus made a point of highlighting this, not as a request, but as a command, to His disciples and the command is still in effect for all true followers of Jesus Christ today.

Mark 16:15 15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Many have become complacent about the urgency of sharing the gospel.

Christ has not returned yet in judgment, perhaps He never will.

Maybe all will go to Heaven because God loves us.

Yet Peter highlights to us even thousands of years ago the flaw in that thinking. God is patient. His timing is not our timing. But, the end will come and will come suddenly. Those who are not prepared will end up in Hell for eternity due to their rejection of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:9-11 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Consider from a slightly different perspective as well. Although the end of the age has not come and Jesus has not returned in judgment as yet, countless generations of people have died and most of them did not know when they would die ahead of time. We must be prepared in accepting and submitting to Christ wholeheartedly before our time on this earth ends either by our death or by Jesus’ return.

Our Lord commands us to tell as many as we can about the salvation He offers through faith, by grace. He does not ask us to do so “if convenient”. He commands us to go to all the world… decidedly loving and sacrificial, but certainly not convenient.

If we picture ourselves back in the opening story… in a building complex that was on fire. Would we just leave quietly? Would we not tell others? How much more so should we be urgently proclaiming the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ when the eternal salvation or damnation of people’s souls are at stake!

Study God’s word daily. Pray humbly before God daily. Ask Him to prepare you and prepare people to hear the message when you share it. Pray as Peter and John did that God would give you the boldness to proclaim the gospel in all situations to all audiences everywhere around the world.

Acts 4:23-31

23When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,

25who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?

      26‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

27“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. 29“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Fear / Reverence for God, Heaven and Hell, Help / Serve Others, Interceding for Others, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News

To Live Is Christ And To Die Is Gain

Paul set an incredible example for us to consider and follow. His faith was such that even facing death, he was not afraid. He was absolutely confident in life after death with and through Yeshua. He knew that when he would die, he would be with his Lord and Savior and this is good. He also knew that to live still allowed him to help others to know and follow Yeshua.

Philippians 1:21-30

To Live Is Christ

     21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

      27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Paul was facing execution and suffering. He was not contemplating suicide. That is important to note for some who may take this message out of context. Murder, even of one’s self is wrong.

Join me in praying for the body of Christ, believers everywhere, that they would truly be strong in faith and know that they will go to the Lord after they die. Pray also for others who do not know Yeshua but think they do… that they would not fool themselves and grow complacent simply because they use His name and go to church. Pray that they would truly come to know Yeshua in a genuine relationship based on repentance and forgiveness and love.

Pray for the body of Christ also that they would conduct themselves worthy of the gospel of Christ as Paul encouraged the church at Philippi… standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, not alarmed by those who oppose Yeshua. Pray that the Spirit would help believers in suffering to stand firm, as Christ did.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Heaven and Hell, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Learning To Pray Effectively, Murder, Obeying God, Pride, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Wickedness / Evil

O Lord, Hear My Plea for Justice. Listen To My Cry For Help.

Psalm 17 contains a faithful and heartfelt prayer from David. David had enemies that were stronger than him, but turned to God and relied on Him for protection. David was certainly willing to fight his enemies and demonstrated this on many occasions in his life, but he relied heavily on God.

Also, note that David did not walk his own way and then ask God to save him. He declares his innocence of wrongdoing. He has followed God’s commands, focused on not sinning in what he says, stayed on God’s path, and kept from cruel and evil people. He has not wavered from following God.

Psalm 17

1 O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
    Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
    for it comes from honest lips.
2 Declare me innocent,
    for you see those who do right.

3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
    You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong.
    I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4 I have followed your commands,
    which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
5 My steps have stayed on your path;
    I have not wavered from following you.

6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
    Bend down and listen as I pray.
7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
    By your mighty power you rescue
    those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8 Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.[a]
    Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
    from murderous enemies who surround me.
10 They are without pity.
    Listen to their boasting!
11 They track me down and surround me,
    watching for the chance to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart—
    like young lions hiding in ambush.

13 Arise, O Lord!
    Stand against them, and bring them to their knees!
    Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
14 By the power of your hand, O Lord,
    destroy those who look to this world for their reward.
But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones.
    May their children have plenty,
    leaving an inheritance for their descendants.
15 Because I am righteous, I will see you.
    When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.

David’s prayer is as relevant today as it was when he first prayed it. There is much wickedness and evil throughout the world today, as in days long ago. The face of wickedness and evil may change, but the true enemy remains Satan and the failure of people to recognize and submit to the one, true God.

I invite you to pray with me…

God, please stand against the evil around the world and bring them to their knees. Rescue the righteous from the hands of the wicked. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to listen to your guidance for how you want me to make a difference in defeating evil and protecting the righteous. Help me to walk in righteousness. In all things, not my will but your will be done.   Amen.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Eternal, Faith / Trusting God, Heaven and Hell, Love

Temporal and Eternal

We are eternal beings. We are not simply here for a few decades and then gone to some imaginary abyss. Yahweh created us in His image and we have eternity to keep in mind. Though I understand this well academically, I find it hard to keep it in my focus of every day life emotionally. What a concept! “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one be recompensed for [our] deeds in the body, according to what [we] have done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10). There is more to pleasing God than simply acknowledging or even submitting to Jesus. We are to live as if He is Lord of our life and seek to please Him with our lives. He wants true submission, that of actions and attitudes, and not just submission in words.

When we truly become followers and believers of Christ, we no longer seek to obey and please Him out of a sense of duty or necessity (e.g. to avoid hell), but rather out of appreciation and love. We become new creations in Christ and our lives should show it. We are His ambassadors to the lost in this world.

2 Corinthians 5

The Temporal and Eternal

     1For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

      6Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

      11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

      16Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

      20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The only righteousness we can attain is that which is freely offered through the death of Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. As Spirit-filled believers we are to act as ambassadors for the Lord in this life, living for Him rather than ourselves. However, just because we need not (and can not) “earn our way to heaven” through good works, does not mean that we are not held accountable for our life choices. We will all face the judgment seat of Christ when we die.

What a real challenge to live with eternity in mind, focused on the things of God rather than normal every day desires and distractions! I pray for His help for my family and me to pursue this wholeheartedly and encourage you to do the same.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Heaven and Hell, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Hope

The Future Glory

There is much sin and suffering in this world. As we go through our daily walk with Jesus Christ, we have confident hope that we will be released from this suffering when we leave this world to join Jesus for eternity. While we are still here, God has given us the Holy Spirit to help guide and support us through these difficult times.

Romans 8:18-30

18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k] for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[n] among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

What a wonderful God we have that is so vast He created and rules over everything and yet he cares so much for each of us He provides us the help we need to live out our daily lives. Praise God!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Heaven and Hell, Hope, New Heaven and Earth

New Heavens and a New Earth

When God creates the new heavens and the new earth, the former things will not be remembered. It is like this also when God does dramatic things in our lives even today. When He restores a marriage or other relationship,  when He heals from an illness, when He forgives our sin as we accept Him as Savior… it is like a new beginning and the former things fade away. Be glad and rejoice in what He makes and what He does in your life.

Look forward with hope and anticipation for the new heaven and new earth or the restoration you are asking the LORD to bring in your life.

Isaiah 65:17-24

New Heavens and a New Earth

17“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.

      18“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.

      19“I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

      20“No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.

      21“They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

      22“They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.

      23“They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD,
And their descendants with them.

24“It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25“The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Heaven and Hell, Prophecy, Seeking God, Through Prophets

In My Favor I Have Compassion on You

There are a few key points I want to highlight about Isaiah 60.

  • For the glory of the LORD to rise upon you, embrace Him with all your life and not just words. Through believers, He will draw many others to Him. We must live out a life set apart from the world which honors God.
  • Ultimately those who serve Him will receive abundance and grace. Those who reject Him will be utterly ruined.
  • Starting in verse 15, we see a view of the future. Christ returns and is our redeemer. There is no violence. The LORD is our everlasting light. All are righteous. What a glorious hope to look forward to.

Isaiah 60

A Glorified Zion

1“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

      2“For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.

      3“Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

      4“Lift up your eyes round about and see;
They all gather together, they come to you.
Your sons will come from afar,
And your daughters will be carried in the arms.

      5“Then you will see and be radiant,
And your heart will thrill and rejoice;
Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you,
The wealth of the nations will come to you.

      6“A multitude of camels will cover you,
The young camels of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba will come;
They will bring gold and frankincense,
And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.

      7“All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you;
They will go up with acceptance on My altar,
And I shall glorify My glorious house.

      8“Who are these who fly like a cloud
And like the doves to their lattices?

      9“Surely the coastlands will wait for Me;
And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar,
Their silver and their gold with them,
For the name of the LORD your God,
And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.

      10“Foreigners will build up your walls,
And their kings will minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you,
And in My favor I have had compassion on you.

      11“Your gates will be open continually;
They will not be closed day or night,
So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
With their kings led in procession.

      12“For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish,
And the nations will be utterly ruined.

      13“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I shall make the place of My feet glorious.

      14“The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;
And they will call you the city of the LORD,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

      15“Whereas you have been forsaken and hated
With no one passing through,
I will make you an everlasting pride,
A joy from generation to generation.

      16“You will also suck the milk of nations
And suck the breast of kings;
Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

      17“Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
And instead of iron I will bring silver,
And instead of wood, bronze,
And instead of stones, iron.
And I will make peace your administrators
And righteousness your overseers.

      18“Violence will not be heard again in your land,
Nor devastation or destruction within your borders;
But you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.

      19“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;
But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory.

      20“Your sun will no longer set,
Nor will your moon wane;
For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be over.

      21“Then all your people will be righteous;
They will possess the land forever,
The branch of My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.

      22“The smallest one will become a clan,
And the least one a mighty nation.
I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.”

Turn wholeheartedly to the LORD even today. His doors of mercy and grace are always ready to receive you.

Take a few minutes in prayer and reflect on the key themes in today’s scripture. Ask God to show you how you should apply it to your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Heaven and Hell, Hope, Suffering / Adversity

Death, Where Is Thy Sting?

Those who accept Jesus as Lord and follow after Him wholeheartedly may pass away but will go on to be in His presence. At His second coming, we will take on new heavenly bodies, imperishable and immortal. Through Christ and the forgiveness of our sins, death has lost its sting. Praise our Father in heaven!

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

The Mystery of Resurrection

     50Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

      58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Keep your eye focused on the Lord and His work… His ways. Know that your toil is not without purpose and value to Him and to others around you. Be not distracted by the lure of the worldly. It is a trap. Be steadfast and immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord.

Take time in prayer and ask God to help you reflect on this reason for hope in the future for each of us. Let it sink in. Give thanks to God. Stay encouraged through whatever challenges you face. Continue to dedicate your life more and more to walk with the LORD.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles

Resurrection Is Not “Fair”, But Rather It Abounds In Grace

What a marvelous passage of scripture to explore in 1 Corinthians 15, as Paul teaches the Corinthian church about resurrection. I can’t help but appreciate the time he spends on Adam and Christ. Many may feel it is “unfair” that sin entered the human race through one man. They act as if we are not all subject to making the same type of sinful mistake as Adam. But for those who are looking for “fair”, take heed, it is not fair that Christ died and through Him, we all will be made alive through resurrection… but it is glorious and abounding in grace.  It is more than we deserve by a standard of “fair”.  Praise God that He is not “fair” in our eyes.  Everything will be in subjection to Christ, including death itself.

Resurrection is fundamental to the Christian faith. Without the resurrection, we would not have the hope of eternal life with the Father. It should affect our whole worldview in terms of living for the short term of this earthly life or living with eternity in mind… which I admit is hard for me to do in my day-to-day activities.

How interesting for Paul to explore what the heavenly body will be like. People can get distracted by some things which are not of primary importance. Do we need to know what kind of heavenly body we will receive to know we should follow and obey the Father? No. But some can get so distracted they miss the point. Paul highlights the expectation that when it is time, at Christ’s second coming, those that are His will be raised into heavenly bodies. The bodies are different from our earthly bodies and glorious reflecting heaven rather than earth.

1 Corinthians 15:20-49

The Order of Resurrection

     20But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

      29Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? 30Why are we also in danger every hour? 31I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. 33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

      35But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

      42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

Praise the Father that He is not “fair”! Praise Him that we are raised through Christ who was first raised. Praise Him that we can look forward with eternity and heaven in mind and new heavenly bodies once the old ones have gone and Christ returns.

As a side note, when we perish we go to be with the Lord immediately (assuming a true believer and follower of Christ). Scripture indicates we get our heavenly bodies when Christ returns. In the meanwhile I suppose we are with Him in spirit alone and without body. I don’t claim to have it all figured out, but I know the One who does and I choose to follow Him.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.