Heaven Devotionals
Revelation 22:5
July 21, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • Revelation 22:5
There have been many summer nights that we're out enjoying the evening, the kids are running around or riding their bikes, and the sunlight begins to fade. We call to the kids, "It's getting dark. Time to go inside" and it's immediately followed by cries of disappointment! Can you imagine the day we will be in God's presence, and there will never be darkness again! There will be no more disappointment, and there will be no end to the reign of Christ. In this life, we experience lesser examples of "ruling" like as parents calling our kids in at dark. But in Heaven, Christ has chosen US to rule WITH HIM! Our rule here on earth is often marked with disappointment, but as co-rulers with Christ we will experience pure joy in that responsibility. This concept of reigning with Christ forever should motivate us to live for him here and now, and to encourage others to remain faithful to Christ as we await his return. PRAY: Lord Jesus, we await your return and look forward to the day that we will reign with you forever in your light that never fades! We thank you for how good and merciful you are, and we thank you for choosing us to rule for eternity with you! Amen.
Revelation 22:4
July 20, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • Revelation 22:4
In the story of Moses receiving the ten commandments from God, he interacts directly with God, but God tells him "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). But when we enter into Heaven, there is a radical transformation that takes place. We will see God face to face! How can this be? How can we, mere humans, be in the presence of a perfectly holy and righteous God? The transformation is not because of anything we have done, but because God has identified us as His own. By writing His name on us, He has imprinted His character on us to reflect His divine glory and righteousness. In our service and worship to Him, we will see God’s face and our face will reflect that we are HIS! PRAY: Lord God, it is hard for us to imagine now what it will be like to see you face to face. We fall so short of your glory, but in your infinite grace and mercy you have chosen us to be yours! Help us in this life to abide more with Jesus, to walk closer to you, to reflect more of your image while we are still in these imperfect bodies. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Revelation 22:3
July 19, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Revelation 22:3
I just don’t think we can fully grasp how beautiful and powerful and holy and worthy and amazing God is. Our sin distracts us--blurs our vision of Him. But when we literally see Him, Holy Trinity, with sin and curse removed, we are going to completely loose our minds in holy wonder! We are going to see instantly and completely that God is everything, that God is Life, that God is our satisfaction and our joy! We won’t be able to take our eyes off Him! We will have an all-consuming desire to worship and serve Him alone! He will be our obsession! We will need all of eternity to take Him in because the depths of His perfection and love and worthiness will require it. The Wonder of God will immediately consume us and all our earthly questions about what heaven will be like and what we will do there will be swallowed up in one instant when we see Him, worship Him, serve Him, face to face. PRAY: O Lord, I really do see you now “through a glass dimly.” I don’t get as passionate about You as I get about the superbowl or my favorite musician or artist. Forgive me. It’s only because my sin keeps me blind to the reality of all that You really are. But one day Jesus, that is going to change. Please enlarge my heart, even now, to begin to see You as You truly are. Help me to get my life properly and fully surrendered to You, as it will be forever in the new heavens and new earth! Amen.
Revelation 22:2
July 18, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Revelation 22:2
We tend to imagine the beauty and wonder of the New Heavens and New Earth at an individual or personal level. But just as sin brought disaster, not just on individuals, but on the whole world, so the whole world will experience the healing benefits of being finally in the presence of God for eternity. The first couple was banned from touching the tree of life after they sinned so that they would not live physically on earth forever in a fallen state. But all that is reversed in the new Jerusalem. As we have seen nations at war with one another throughout history, so we will see God bring healing and unity to all peoples as we enter into His perfect presence for all eternity. It’s hard to imagine, but it’s all part of the eternal promises of God! PRAY: Lord, sometimes it’s hard to even watch the news because of all the devastation and war around the world. Thank you that one day You will bring an end to all that! The bumper sticker that says, “Imagine world peace” is actually going to happen. Not because we can pull it off Lord, but because You will accomplish this when You restore us and remove sin from the equation. Thank You Jesus! Amen.
Revelation 22:1
July 17, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Revelation 22:1
God is life and the source of life! Not just physical life, but life full of meaning and purpose and joy and beauty. We cannot experience this kind of life on our own. We cannot experience it through anything on this earth. We only experience it in our union with God through His Son Jesus Christ! Jeremiah says the root of sin is our leaving God, the well-spring of living water, and looking elsewhere for life. (Jeremiah 2:13). Here is the good news. In the new heavens and new earth, that abundant life from The Father & Son will flow unhindered for all eternity! Sin will no longer be around to block it. PRAY: O God, You are life! And you have purchased new life for us through the death of Jesus. Thank you that we can taste and experience that abundant life now as we abide in Christ. But Lord, our hearts are prone to wander off. Thank you Lord that a day is coming when Your life and love will flow into us unhindered for all eternity. We long for that day! Amen.
Week 9
July 17 - Revelation 22:1 July 18 - Revelation 22:2 July 19 - Revelation 22:3 July 20 - Revelation 22:4 July 21 - Revelation 22:5
1 Thessalonians 4:18
July 14, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • 1 Thessalonians 4:18
The news of being with the Lord forever produces comfort and encouragement! In the context of this verse, Paul is speaking to a group of Christians who are unsure of what happens when you die. These people have lost loved ones, and there is a concern they will become hopeless. But Paul shared with them that there’s no need to fear. For those who have died already, or if we are still here when Jesus returns, there will be great rejoicing being in Jesus’ presence. So as we wait for the Lord’s return, we should encourage one another with the promises of heaven, especially in times of death and grief. PRAY: Lord Jesus, we wait patiently for your return! We long for the day that we will be in your presence. Help us never to forget the hope that we have in you. Help us to spread that hope to others, to encourage them especially in times of loss. Being in your presence forever is far greater than anything we could experience now! Amen.
Revelation 21:4
July 13, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • Revelation 21:4
This life can be a roller coaster of emotions! There are so many joys that we experience in life--nature, family, children, accomplishments. But those same things that bring joy can so often be a source of pain, suffering and mourning--natural disasters, heartbreak, loss, disappointments. When we experience those hard times in life, we look around for a source of hope to provide comfort. If we are searching for hope in this world, we are searching in a place full of imperfection, marred by sin. But our hope is not in the current things of this world. Our hope should not rest in things that will eventually pass away. Our hope should come from God alone. In His presence, there will be no more pain and suffering! PRAY: Father, we look forward to the day that you will wipe away every tear from our eyes! You know our circumstances and struggles here in this life, and you know the plans and purposes you have for all of it! We trust in your plan. Help us to look beyond the things of this life that will pass away, and to look to you alone for our hope! In Jesus' name, Amen.
Revelation 21:3
July 12, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Revelation 21:3
Think about the Biblical history of the actual presence of God in relationship to His people. Early on God would reveal himself specifically to an individual here and there, like Abraham or Moses. With Moses, God’s word would be passed to the masses through this one man. Later God took up residence in the tabernacle and then the temple. But the average Joe couldn’t get close to God’s presence in the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest, only once a year. Then Jesus brought God near through the incarnation. But even then He was only one person and could only be at one place. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, God sent his Holy Spirit to take up residence in a spiritual way in the life of every believer and every church. Make no mistake, this is a huge leap forward and a tremendous blessing. But there is yet one more level of closeness to God still to come. In the new heavens, new earth future we will live in the literal, physical up-close presence of God. We will move from faith to sight! This being with God and God with us thing is huge. It’s living life forever, intimately plugged into the source of life itself. PRAY: Precious Lord, we were created to be with You! But sin, my sin, has caused separation between me and You. Salvation through Your Son Jesus and brought us back together. Together spiritual for now, and together physically later. Lord, I can’t wait for later! Help me to spend us much time and make as much progress drawing near to You in this life so that I’m truly ready for the most important aspect of the next life, being with You! Amen.
Revelation 21:1
July 11, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Revelation 21:1
Revelation 20 ends with the final defeat of Satan (20:7-10) and the final judgement of the unsaved (20:11-15). With the end of all things associated with the old fallen world, namely sin, death and the devil, God now brings down His new, breathtakingly beautiful, wildly productive, sinless, perfect new world for us to occupy in our new, sinless, amazing bodies. All this climaxed by the glorious, up close and personal presence of the Father and the Son. Again, one must ask, why did God reveal so much detail about the future? Because it is so wonderful, so positively beyond our wildest imaginations. So full of sure hope and pure joy that it gives us the power to endure by faith all the sin touched struggles of this life. Thank You Lord Jesus! PRAY: Lord God, You have revealed that there will come a time when this first, fallen earth will pass away. That once all is dealt with that needs to be dealt with, You are literally going to replace this earth, this world, this universe, with a brand new upgraded, sin free forever new world! Help me to more and more find joy in appropriate God pleasing ways on this old earth, as I anxiously await the next, as I anxiously await my Savior Jesus! Amen.
Isaiah 65:18
July 10, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Isaiah 65:17–18
Often Isaiah prophesied and described the first coming of Messiah (Isaiah 53) but he also included prophetic glimpses into the final state of things after the 2nd coming of Christ. For New Testament believers, this description of “new heavens and new earth” and the call to “rejoice forever” is a game changer. As we go through the trials and tribulations of our earthly lives in this fallen world, we are not without hope. We know, based upon the promise of God, that a new and joyous world is coming, that it is ours in Christ Jesus! And this promise gives us God’s strength and perspective to live in His joy now. The future shapes the present. Is this true in your daily walk with God? PRAY: O Lord, life in this world is a battle. Aspects of this world are beautiful: family (sometimes), mountains, fellowship with good friends, serving your kingdom! But it’s also often very hard and even feels hopeless. Death, cancer, broken relationships, evil in the world! But Lord, you have revealed where all this is headed. New Heavens. New Earth. New Jerusalem. Eternal Joy. O Jesus, help me to learn to borrow some of that future joy for today, for my hard days! Amen.
Week 8
July 10 - Isaiah 65:18 July 11 - Revelation 21:1 July 12 - Revelation 21:3 July 13 - Revelation 21:4 July 14 - 1 Thessalonians 4:18
1 Peter 2:11
July 7, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • 1 Peter 2:11
There was a time that I traveled to Spain, and we sat down at a restaurant for lunch one day. Accustomed to American restaurants, we expected the usual "sit, eat and get out" quick turnover. After finishing our meals, we waited for what we thought was far too long for the server to check on us. What we didn't take into consideration was that we were foreigners in a culture that valued a slower pace for meals. What we mistook for bad service was actually our lack of perception. We were acting out of what felt natural within us. In a similar way, we often act out of the sinful desires and earthly temptations that we face in this life. But we forget that we are exiles and foreigners in this land and we need to resist earthly desires that wage war in our soul. It is helpful to be aware and keep a clear perspective to know whether our actions are in line with our heavenly citizenship, or if they are earthly temptations as foreigners. PRAY: Lord Jesus, you know the struggles we face. You came and lived on this earth as a human, and you resisted the temptations of this world. We so often act out of what feels natural to us and we conform to the ways of the world. We lack the strength to win the war within us, but with your power we can overcome the earthly passions of the flesh. We need you, Lord! Amen.
Philippians 3:19
July 6, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • Philippians 3:19
I remember a time I was driving on the highway, and I got off one exit too early. The road I turned onto appeared to travel in the same direction as the highway, so I just continued on that road thinking it was leading the right direction. A few miles down the road, I realized the old county road actually led to a dead end. Sometimes we find ourselves following the wrong path in life, and it ends up in disappointment. Paul issued this warning in his letter to the Philippians, and he clarified for those who ignore their heavenly citizenship, their ways will lead to an eventual dead-end. When we focus solely on this life and submit to an earthly kingdom, we inevitably pursue a path of destruction — a dead end. PRAY: God, I confess that I feel lost at times because I travel down paths that focus more on the earthly kingdom than our heavenly citizenship. Help me to follow your lead and live more like Christ every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Philippians 3:21
July 5, 2023 • Pastor Josh Lewis • Philippians 3:21
When we think about our transformation as Christian’s, there are two distinct transformations taking place—sanctification while we are on Earth, and glorification when we get to Heaven. Here on Earth when we engage in discipleship, it is primarily about transformation and growth to become more like Christ. Glorification is the freedom from the presence of sin, when Christ transforms us into glorious bodies like his own. Until that day, we should strive live our lives in such a way that our holiness matches our heavenly citizenship. PRAY: Lord Jesus, thank you for your wisdom, your perfection, and your promise of our future heavenly bodies. Help us as we live our lives here on Earth to be transformed more into your likeness each day, until that day when we are fully glorified and free from the presence of sin and death! Amen.