Tag / heaven

by The Monahans

The Narrow Road

Narrow Road 2 Jesus said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13) This is a definitive statement from our Lord and clearly indicates not all roads lead to heaven. Indeed, to have assurance of heaven we need to enter through the “narrow gate”.

So how do you know if you’re on the wide road that leads to destruction or the narrow road that leads to life? It’s actually a pretty easy question to answer. We can start with a broad statement: if you are adhering to any religion or spiritual path (or no religion at all) that is not Biblical Christianity, then you are on the wide road and your destiny is not good. The Bible says, “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)

Easy enough, right? But, you say, “I was raised in a Christian home” or “I’ve been a Christian all my life” or “my parents were Christians” or “I go to church every week”. What then? Is that assurance you have entered through the narrow gate and you’re on the right road? In a word: no! Jesus said, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) So we better dig a little deeper to see if we’re on the narrow road.

Paul instructed us this way: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV) And Jesus went on to say, in Matthew 7:21, “Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” We can know we are on the narrow road, and I believe there are some simple questions we can ask ourselves to help us know.

  • Do I hold the Bible as the highest authority in my life?
  • How often am I opening the Bible and reading and studying it?
  • Do I believe God’s Word is absolute truth?
  • Can I remember a specific time I repented and trusted Jesus?

There are certainly many more questions we could ask ourselves or reflect on, but these would be a good starting point. And please know that the Christian life is not always an easy one. Jesus said “the road is difficult” and in John 16:33 Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” So, especially in these days, if your current path is comfortable, that in itself could be a sign you’re on the wrong road!

Jesus went on to say, in John 16:33, that we should “take heart, because I have overcome the world.” And that is great news for those of us who have entered through the narrow gate. And for those of you who want to enter through the narrow gate, it is not too late! “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” (Romans 10:9-11)

May you find the narrow gate and enter through it, if you haven’t already. God bless.

To learn more, please click here: KnowGod.org

Here at Reign Drops, we’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or drop us an email at: ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com

To stay current on Reign Drops, like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReignDropsBlog/

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
by The Monahans

A House in Heaven

The Other Side 5 Having previously written about the rapture of the church (click here to read that piece) hopefully we can agree that, even though we do not know the exact date or the hour, the signs tell us that time is growing short. Too short to mince words! I am going to speak this time about heaven. Because heaven is where we all want to go, and where I sincerely pray you are going. So I shall not mince words; if you haven’t already, now is the time to get right with God by accepting the free gift of grace through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. As we shall see, it is the only way you will one day dwell in heaven.

And heaven is a place you definitely want to be. How do I know? Well, the Bible tells us much about heaven, and it is all good. Better than good, actually! But rather than try to say this in my own words, I will let God’s Word do the talking. Here are some key points about heaven and the verses that inform us:

There will be no more death:

He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The Lord has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” (Isaiah 25:8-9)

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. (Revelation 21:4)

There will be no more hunger, thirst, or pain:

They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:16-17)

All things will be new:

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 21:5-6)

We will no longer be under the curse of sin:

No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. (Revelation 22:3)

God will be our light and we will see His face:

And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:4-5)

In heaven we will have new bodies:

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. (2 Corinthians 5:1-3)

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

We will be like the angels:

For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)

The normal order of things, as we know it on Earth, will be reversed:

And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then. (Luke 13:29-30)

God has a place in heaven prepared for those who believe:

There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:2-3)

Whether it is through death or rapture, when our lives on Earth end, we are instantly with the Lord:

Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

Heaven is a place we want to think about frequently:

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Finally, there is only one way to get there:

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

The Bible helps us understand what an amazing and incredible place heaven is, and what a wonderful life we will have there. But to get there you will find no shortcuts, no workarounds, no gimmicks. You can’t get there by being a good person, because none of us can be good enough (and I am convinced that deep down inside, we all instinctively know this). We can only get there by repenting of our wrongs and trusting in Jesus Christ. If you haven’t already, won’t you please do this right now, before it is too late?

Here at Reign Drops, we’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or drop us an email at: ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com

To stay current on Reign Drops, like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReignDropsBlog/

Or follow us on Twitter: @ReignDropsBlog

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
by The Monahans

In the Blink of an Eye

Rapture 4  Many people wonder about the rapture. Is it real? When will it happen? Perhaps you’ve heard someone say that the word “rapture” isn’t even in the Bible, so why does it get talked about? Or maybe your pastor hasn’t talked about the rapture at all, and you’re wondering what I am on about here. Well, the rapture of the church is a big deal and it’s probably closer than we think so it seems worth exploring a bit. So the goal of this blog is a cursory discussion on the topic.

In a nutshell, the rapture is when Jesus comes for his church. The Apostle Paul described it this way: “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52) No one knows the exact date or hour this will happen, but it will happen suddenly, in a moment, and it will happen quickly, in the blink of an eye. First the Christians who have died are raised, then we Christians still living are transformed.

As I mentioned, we do not know exactly when this happens, but we are correct to surmise that it occurs just before the seven year tribulation period. We can confidently come to this conclusion when we analyze the Biblical text as a whole and, in so doing, we see a promise that believers will be protected from the “time of testing” as in Revelation 3:10: “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.” Further, verses such as John 14:3 and Thessalonians 4:16-18 clearly do not include judgement as is found in other verses (ie: Matthew 13:34-50 and Revelation 19:11-21) about Christ’s second coming. From this we conclude the rapture is “pre-tribulation”.

But is the word “rapture” even in the Bible? Well, the word “Bible” isn’t even in the Bible, so maybe this question is more of a distraction than a legitimate inquiry. Still, the word we find in Scripture is “harpazō” which is a Greek word meaning “to snatch or catch away”. According to Vine’s expository dictionary this word conveys the idea of force suddenly exercised. It is used in several places, including Acts 8:39 in reference to Philip being “snatched away” by the Spirit of the Lord and in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 in reference to Paul being “caught up” to the third heaven. So we can dispel the argument that “rapture” is not in the Bible, for it is simply our modern word for harpazō.

The Bible tells us that “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16) so because the rapture is clearly mentioned in the Bible we know it is real. Philip was raptured to God in Acts 8:39; the Apostle Paul was raptured to the third heaven, and Christians fortunate enough to be living at the right time will one day be raptured to God without ever experiencing death. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, should find this very exciting! Paul wrote to those on Thessalonica: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

So we should find the coming rapture very encouraging and we can encourage one another by discussing and acknowledging the coming rapture as our blessed hope. Space does not allow me to discuss in great depth the reasons we have to believe the rapture is closer than ever, perhaps even likely in our lifetimes (depending on how old you are now), but one “super sign” happened when Israel became a nation again in 1948. As Jesus shared in Matthew 24:32-34: “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.”

Mark 13:32 tells us “…no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” So we do not set dates or make specific predictions, but when we do see the signs we have every reason to be hopeful, and if you watch closely, you will see the signs!

For further reading on the subject, I’m happy to recommend these resources:

Don Stewart: Educating Our World

Behold Israel

Olive Tree Ministries

Dr. Mark Hitchcock

Let us now eagerly await our blessed hope: “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

Here at Reign Drops, we’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or drop us an email at: ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com

To stay current on Reign Drops, like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReignDropsBlog/

Or follow us on Twitter: @ReignDropsBlog

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
by The Monahans

A Joyous New Year

2019  How many times have you made a steadfast New Year’s resolution, saying to yourself, this time it’s going to stick? Perhaps you even told your friends, made a pact with a family member, or in some other way determined to assure success. Were you trying to quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking, or maybe shop less? Maybe you wanted to spend more time with your spouse, or avoid relationships altogether. Maybe you resolved to drive closer to the speed limit? How many times has your resolution failed mere days or even hours after you made it?

Often at this time of year we find ourselves focused on what we want to change about our lives. We look in the mirror and want to change what we see or we gaze at our bank account balance and focus on changing what we spend our money on. Some of us will devote real time and energy into a new diet plan or exercise routine while others may focus on improving our relationships. Still others may decide now is the time to find a new job or make that big geographical change we’ve been dreaming of. Without a doubt, New Year’s has become the time to look forward and plan for the changes we long to make.

But what if tomorrow never comes? Mathematically speaking, the probably exists that at least some of us reading this right now may not live to see New Year’s 2020 and it is in light of that possibility that I wish to emphatically urge each of you reading this to consider the chance that you will not see tomorrow. Psalm 39:4 states: “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.”

The Bible tells us it is appointed for all to die once, and then face judgment (Hebrews 9:27) but that Jesus Christ was sacrificed to take away our sins (Hebrews 9:28) that we might have eternal life with God in heaven (John 3:16). Whether you believe that or not is irrelevant because “For the Scriptures say, ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.” (Romans 14:11)

Every knee will bow; every tongue will confess. That is the reality facing each of us when we die – whether or not we choose to believe it now. The difference is this: those who believe in Jesus Christ and trust Him for their salvation will be saved. And then there is everyone else. As it is written: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:12).

So with the finite nature of our earthly lives as a back drop, I want to implore each of you to consider the brevity of your mortal life on this planet, to recognize that physical death is not the end, and to challenge you with the task of accepting the free gift of salvation that is available through Jesus Christ, if you haven’t already. For the temptation, when it comes to our relationship with God, is to assume we have another day…or another hour. The fact is, we may not even have another minute. Please, please, reach out to God now, while there is still time.

And know that accepting Jesus Christ as your savior is a New Year’s resolution that will never fail!

Here are some resources that may help you:

NeedGod.com
Church Finder
Lee Strobel
Answers in Genesis

Take the time, do the research, learn for yourself the truth about God. But do it now, for tomorrow could be too late. Of course, we’re always happy to help answer your questions, too. Email us anytime at ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com

God bless.

To stay current on Reign Drops, like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReignDropsBlog/

Or follow us on Twitter: @ReignDropsBlog

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
by The Monahans

STOP!

Stop 2  Whatever you are doing right now, stop! If you were even planning to do something right now, please stop! There is simply one thing you cannot wait any longer to take care of.

So before you head to the gym. Before you have dinner. Or go to work. Or take a walk. Before you head out shopping, or to hang out with your friends, or run that marathon. Before you turn on the news or consider your political choices, or attend your child’s school conference. Before you plan your wedding day or your dream vacation. Before you get your car fixed or visit the doctor. Before you call your mother. Before you do anything else, there is one thing you really need to get done.

Because no matter how healthy you are, whether you are young or old or somewhere in between, you simply do not know what tomorrow holds in store for you. We all know someone who has died unexpectedly. Perhaps in a car accident or heart attack or house fire or some other tragedy. But by whatever means they passed from this life without warning, leaving those who knew them in shock and disbelief. And tomorrow, it could be your turn…or mine.

Most people think they have more time; another year or another decade. But the fact is, we may not even have another hour. Such is the randomness of life in a fallen world.

And one thing you can count on with 100% certainty is that when you die, you will meet God. So before you do even one more thing, please….please….ask yourself if you are ready for that meeting. Most of us know deep down inside we are not perfect. In fact, none of us would ever speak the word’s “I’m perfect” out loud in front of our friends or family or coworkers because we know that it is highly likely they will remind us how imperfect we truly are. So we inherently know the Bible verse that says “all have sinned, all have fallen short” (Romans 3:23) is absolutely true.

And because we see that is true, we also see we have a predicament. Whether tonight, tomorrow, or ten years from now, we have a meeting scheduled with God. And our sin means we are not ready for that meeting. Just think about it. Can you even imagine standing before a Holy God, who created the heavens and the earth, and trying to explain your actions? It was difficult enough explaining them to your spouse, or friend, or parent, or boss, or whomever when you had to ask for forgiveness; how much more difficult will it be when you face the Lord Almighty?

As the Scriptures say about God, “You (God) will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” (Romans 3:4)

But there is a way out of our predicament. That way is Jesus Christ. (The only way!)  Jesus paid the price for our wrongs. He took our punishment for us so the saying, “Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin” (Romans 4:8) is proved true as is the saying: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:12) Jesus wants to save you, he wants you to be cleared. And so do I.

So before you take even one more step, or one more deep breath, please get somewhere by yourself and talk to God. Don’t make excuses or compare yourself to others, just admit to Him those wrongs you know you have committed. Ask Him to forgive you in the name of Jesus. If you do this and you are sincere in your heart, whether you die tomorrow or at the end of a long life, you will never have to fear that meeting with God again. Because your sins are remembered no more. And that, friends, is the greatest freedom you will ever know.

To learn more, please check out: KnowGod.org

Here at Reign Drops, we’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or drop us an email at: ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com

To stay current on Reign Drops, like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReignDropsBlog/

Or follow us on Twitter: @ReignDropsBlog

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.