Rapture? Millennium? New Earth? What Will Life Be Like?
Recently it’s occurred to me that we spend a lot of time learning about how to live an effective Christian life now… but we pay little attention to what life will be like once this life on earth is through.
So much of our walk with the Lord is built on hope! The hope of heaven, the hope of our inheritance, the hope of living in Christ’s presence. But we spend little time learning about what it is that we are specifically hoping for. That’s concerning. How can our sons and daughters live in the expectation and hope of eternity with God when we spend so little time teaching about it?
We talk about the millennium, but we have little understanding of what we will do. What will our purpose be?
We understand that God will make a new heaven and a new earth and we will live eternally with Him as our Sovereign Lord and King. Yet, if you ask any believer, I guarantee, there would be more questions than answers and most only have a vague idea, at best, of what our life will be like at that point.
It’s no wonder we hear young people say “I do want the Lord to return, but I want Him to wait until… (insert marriage, children, career, travel, etc.) Our sons and daughters lack the longing for being present with Christ because they don’t have a clear picture of HOW it will be better than what they know right now. They’re only told it will be.
If I’m honest, when I was young, I didn’t know much about life beyond that which I knew and experienced to that point. When I thought of heaven, I pictured masses of people, wearing white, standing around in a nondescript cavernous space, singing hymns to the Lord. I mean, don’t get me wrong, who doesn't love a good hymn sing? But for eternity? It just didn’t hold the massive appeal that my parents and older believers said it should. And no one took the time to teach about it. Oh, there was teaching on the Tribulation, for sure, but when we got to Revelation 21 and 22, it was a quick fly-over with few references to the other places in Scripture that described God’s promises. For an extroverted, visual learner, it was a colorless, bland outlook. I struggled with guilt because it was supposed to be what I longed for, yet I didn’t know much about it and it didn’t seem overly exciting.
As I lived my life, I found joy and pleasure in spending a day at the barn and riding a horse through the woods. I communed with the Lord in nature, enjoyed seeing, hearing, feeling all of the wonder of creation while riding and being one with a horse. There was something in that experience that I felt and couldn’t put into words. I enjoyed walking through the woods, exploring, listening to the sounds of the birds and talking to the Lord about my hopes, my burdens, and listening to Him. I loved spending time with friends, especially those who shared my values and convictions, those moments when iron sharpened iron and our friendships were deepened in conversations about the Lord. Could it be that God would give me experiences and pleasures like this in His presence? What was it about eternity that I could really look forward to?
What was it about eternity that I could really look forward to?
Why would God give us a lifetime of doing things we enjoy here, seeing beauty, knowing love, feeling joy and pain, heartache and bliss, only to have an eternity of monotony? He wouldn’t and He won’t!
Oh, dear friend, that’s not what He has planned at all!! This life is a foretaste!! It’s a shadow of what is to come!
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
If we have good things here, IMAGINE the good we will enjoy in His presence?!
If we have good things here, IMAGINE the good we will enjoy in His presence?! God gives us continual ‘hints’ of what we will enjoy…are we paying attention?
““For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.”” Isaiah 65:17-18
Jesus said, “I will go to prepare a place for you.” Jn 12:2 When we invite someone to come and stay, we don’t just welcome them in the door and leave them standing in the entry. No, we bring them in, make them feel welcome, we give them a comfortable place to rest and we entertain them. We have a meal, conversation, and share our lives with them. Jesus is preparing a place for us, just for us! He’s getting ready to welcome us into His home- which will be our home, prepared just for us.
That heavenly banquet…
Will we enjoy food in Heaven? Absolutely!! Our Shepherd will dine with us in the most fabulous feast of perfect foods, delicacies from every culture and land- created by Him for our pleasure!
““I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;”” Mt 8:11
Imagine sitting with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob while we enjoy a banquet! Leaning over to ask the Apostle Paul a question, gathering around Jonah to hear what it was really like in the belly of the fish, listening to Daniel recount his hours in the lion’s den, hearing Jesus tell us that He loved us so much He willingly went to the cross to bear our sin- and He would again and again, but once was sufficient for all. Imagine walking hand in hand with Jesus in the fields and meadows of heaven, feeling that nail scar touching our own palm and knowing that if it had not been for His love for us, that scar would be our own and our destiny so different.
Worship is a way of life and will continue to be
But what about work and hobbies? Oh, I believe He will give us joy in working and creating things that bring glory to Him. You see, worship isn’t just going to church on Sunday and singing songs, praying, and learning. Worship is a way of life. Everything you do points to what you value. So if we value Christ, our lives will reflect that in the way we speak, work, play, and rest. It will be reflected in how we interact with others, how we celebrate joy and how we grieve and mourn loss. All of that will be heightened in the presence of Christ- imagine! He will wipe away every tear! Our daily lives will be a living model of worship to the Savior in all that we do, using our gifts, talents, skills, and in our deep fellowship with others who are doing the same!
Then there is His wondrous, glorious creation that awaits us! Imagine, if we enjoy being outdoors now, how much more amazing it will be in the New Earth where there is no corruption of sin, no thorns on roses, no sting in the scorpion or bite from the mosquito?! If nature holds us captive with beauty in a fallen world, how much more will it be in a perfect one?!
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9
Shalom, once again
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord!! Everything will be at ‘Shalom’ once again- in perfect harmony with God and in worship and celebration of Him. There will be no coup attempt from the enemy to overthrow the Lordship of Christ because the enemy will be banished forever. We won’t have competing values, or struggles with temptation. We will live as God intended, a return to Eden of sorts, where we will walk and talk with the Lord in the cool of the day and enjoy the work that He gives us in the perfection of His creation. The tree of life will once more be available to us and oh, the sweetness of that fruit! Life-giving, refreshing, and boundless! Ours to enjoy!
“I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).
“…On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month;” Rev 22:2
There is so much yet that we need to learn. And there is much we need to encourage our sons and daughters with, even today. Are they truly looking forward to eternity with Christ, or is it just what comes next? Do they have an excitement for life in a sinless world? Do they comprehend what God has in store? Let’s have these conversations! Do we know everything? Of course not, but imagine the joy of discovery as we learn together! It might offer a little taste of heaven that we can enjoy here!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters develop an eternal perspective of what is to come, the joy that is set before us when we step into Christ’s presence and the deep purpose and fulfillment that are promised for eternity in an uncorrupted world where God reigns unchallenged and forever.
“Oh, Father, You hold so much in store for us, yet we don’t understand it and we rarely seek to learn more about it. I pray that You would assure (name) that their eternal inheritance is so full of the very best of everything You create, all that You own, all that You can so generously provide that we will be overflowing with joy, gratitude and fullness in Your Presence. Give them tangible reminders of what You have in store. Assure them that they will have purpose. Remind them of the deep and refreshing fellowship they will enjoy with You and with other believers. Show them the wonders of Your creation here and remind them there is so much more they will see and experience. Open their eyes to see wonderful things in Your word (Ps. 119:18) that would affirm Your promises of what awaits us when we meet You face to face. Lord, we await Your return with anticipation, but please help us to learn and understand more of what we are awaiting! Our minds are so limited and this sinful world is all that we know. Holy Spirit, work in us to understand the things of God more clearly so that this world loses its charm and our hearts and minds long for the next. You are more than we can imagine and how amazing is that, because if we could, it would mean you are limited and small. Oh, great God and Father, thank You for being more than we can grasp and for giving us the promises of greater things! I pray that You would move and work in this generation. Turn their eyes to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
If you would like more resources on God’s promises and the hope of Heaven and life beyond the grave, I highly recommend Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven. You can also follow his ministry, Eternal Perspective Ministries. https://www.epm.org/
Pray without ceasing!
Are you praying for a prodigal?
Are you praying for a prodigal or know someone who is? Consider purchasing 40 Days of Prayer for the Prodigal. The book will walk you through heart preparation of confession, surrender and exaltation to the Lord. There are 40 days of prayer on specific topics, supported by Scripture, but you will enjoy a Sabbath refreshment every seventh day to keep your heart and mind focused on God. Don’t miss this solid resource to encourage your heart and empower your prayer life to more effective petition to the Lord.
Lord, Give Them Sight!
Mark 8:22-26 “They [Jesus & the Disciples] came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village. "
Our sons and daughters are living in a time when information is so easily seen, heard, and accessed from almost anywhere. That said, the ease of access does not guarantee accuracy or completeness. We may ‘see’ a lot, but do we discern? Though information is abundant, sadly, wisdom and discernment are not.
The account of the blind man in Mark 8 gives us much to consider and pray about for our sons and daughters. Though his neighbors and fellow citizens brought him to Jesus for healing, it’s uncertain whether they believed in Jesus or just wanted to see a miracle performed. So Jesus intervened and worked in some unusual ways.
Jesus removed the man from the presence of others. He led him away from those who wanted to use him for ‘entertainment’ or to satisfy their own curiosity. An audience was not needed. Jesus protected Him from those who could have taken advantage of or distracted him.
Sometimes those around us don’t truly desire the best for us and Jesus needs to move us away.
Jesus led him by the hand because he could not see. But the man trusted Jesus enough to follow, even though he left everything and everyone behind. He trusted Jesus meant it for good.
We need to be willing to take Jesus’ hand and let Him lead us, even if we can’t see where He’s taking us. Trusting God means leaning into Him and letting Him lead.
Jesus led him away from the crowd, from the noise, to a place where the man could be one on one with Jesus and hear his voice. As a blind man, he likely had very sensitive hearing and being in the midst of the crowd would make it difficult for him to discern Jesus’ voice.
We need to quiet the noise in our life- those things that would drown out the voice of God and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We need Sabbath- a time of rest and listening.
Jesus worked in an unusual way. The villagers wanted Jesus to touch the man and heal him. Stories abounded of that and of Jesus speaking and healing. But Jesus worked differently this time. He spat on the man’s eyes and then laid hands on him. Though it wasn’t the way the man expected to be healed, he trusted.
Too often we ‘plan out’ how God will answer our prayer or solve our dilemma. But He works outside of those things that restrict us. He is not bound by time or space. His power is limitless. His wisdom is infinite. He WILL work. We need to trust Him and His plan. His ways are higher than ours.
Healing wasn’t immediate. Jesus was fully able to heal instantly, the first time. But He chose to make it a longer process. Sight was partially restored, then fully made clear.
Oh how we struggle with patience. We want it NOW. Yet, God has a plan that may involve our waiting. It is for our good and His glory. He is GOD. Why wouldn’t we trust Him? Notice, the blind man never argued, asked questions, pushed back on how and where God was working…he trusted, followed, and believed.
Jesus told the blind man to avoid the village and just go home. Perhaps the man needed time to ponder his encounter with Jesus. He needed to adjust to his new ability to see clearly. He needed to process all that happened without being badgered by questions or arguments. Jesus wanted him to be still and know.
We need to not rush to jump back into the fray but ensure we understand what God did…and is doing, before we share. Do we see clearly? Did we obey? How has this changed us? What does God ask of us now?
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4
We don’t know the name of this once-blind-but-now-seeing man. But he represents many of us. We were all blind, and when God healed us from our sin, our spiritual sight didn’t come into focus immediately. It was a gradual process of learning and growing. If we’re honest, we’re still gaining insight into God’s word each time we read and study.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
This week, let’s pray that our sons and daughters:
Move them away from people who would distract them from Him.
Hear the voice of Christ.
Trust Him to lead them, even if they cannot see where they are going.
Trust the process, even if it doesn’t make sense to our human mind and understanding.
Ponder all that God has done and is doing so that their testimony is strong and sure.
“Lord, your Word is so rich with examples and truth of Your love for us andYour compassion for our frailties. You used an unnamed blind man to show us the beauty of trusting You to lead, to protect, and to heal. I can just imagine meeting this man in heaven and hearing, firsthand, what it was like to be led by You, touched and healed, and pointed in the direction of Home. Lord, I pray that You would work in (name)’s life this week. First, remove any influences that would pull them from You. Whether people or information, in person or online, Lord protect them from anything that would distract them. Lord, open their spiritual ears to hear Your voice. Let them listen carefully and to be still and know. I pray that they would trust You to lead them. Help them to lean into You, even if they’re unsure of the next step, You are good to guide and will protect them from tripping and falling. Give them faith to believe and follow without question. Help them to trust You, even when things don’t seem to be happening, when circumstances continue to be hard, when healing is slow to come. Lord, You are leading, even through those times that are difficult, dark, and seem to be lacking hope. There is always hope in You- You are our anchor! Our hope is not in this world, but in the eternal life promised in Your Presence. Help (name) to focus carefully and steadily on those promises. Give them clear spiritual vision to see that You have a plan and will that is for their good and Your glory. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18. Give them the ability to see the unseen, to fix their eyes on what is promised and to rest in Your guiding hand to lead them safely. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen,”
Prodigal prayer
So often what seems obvious to us as believers is veiled to those who don’t know the Lord. The spiritual truth can be right in front of them, but they cannot, or will not see. They are desperately blind to spiritual things, living in darkness and listening to the voices around them rather than the voice of the Holy Spirit. Let’s pray that God removes the veil and enables them to see and understand their need for a Savior.
“Oh dear Father, my heart is heavy for (name). They are so blinded to spiritual truth. They cannot see, no matter how evident the Truth appears nor how strongly it is presented. Only the Holy Spirit can move their heart. I pray that You would soften their heart and make it tender toward You. Open their ears to hear Your voice and open their eyes to see Your truth. I pray that one day, (name) will say the words of the other young blind man who was healed by Jesus, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25b). Oh, Lord, enable them to see and believe! I trust You, even in the waiting. I know You are working. Please help me to continue waiting with hope. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Big Things are Coming!
It’s a new year and that often inspires us to make a fresh start, set goals, and reset our focus and priorities. But one thing stands unchanged, our need for Jesus, time in His Word and time talking, and listening, to Him. I hope that you’ll come along with us this year to deepen your commitment to pray for your children, your loved ones, and for those who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. There are exciting things happening here at Join the PAC Prayer, including a new book launching this month- 40 Days of Prayer for the Prodigal and a new initiative in praying for prodigals!!
Friends, time is short. Jesus is returning soon. This life that He’s given us here on earth is temporary and we’re not meant to ‘make it our own’ but to use it for His honor and glory! What can we do in the time we have remaining to make His name known? How can we encourage others to live for Him? How can we pray more effectively for the family of believers to represent Him well? My prayer is that God would use this page to encourage and inspire others to live for Christ, to be bold in their testimony, and to raise up Godly young men and women who would go into this world and unashamedly proclaim the name of Jesus in their words and actions. Will you join us to grow in faith, commit to pray, and stand firm in what God has called us to do?
The format is simple, each week I’ll post a devotional and prayer prompt, and this year I’m adding “Prodigal Prayer” - a simple prayer focus that we can pray for anyone who needs to surrender their life to Christ, whether son or daughter, spouse, parent or sibling, or dear friend or loved one. Satan is working hard to deceive, distract, and defeat. But we have the power of Christ! The same power that raised Him from the dead is the power that works in us! (Eph. 1:19-23) Let’s pray like we believe that!
Come along with me this year and Join the PAC. Share the site and encourage others to join in! Let’s pray together! “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
Who Directs Your Steps?
Jeremiah 10:23 “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.”
Look around at the ‘inspirational messaging’ that’s being pushed these days. It often goes something like this: “You can do anything you want to do!”, “Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it!”, “Your only limit is your mind!”.
Ah, these are such inspirational words and it’s likely, on occasion, we’ve encouraged our sons and daughters with some similar things. Yet, when we do, what we’re saying isn’t necessarily Biblical advice. In fact, sometimes it’s quite the opposite. Often, the ‘inspiration and motivation’ are self-focused, not God-focused.
If we are believers, it’s not up to us to determine our steps. God has a plan for our life and we are called to lay down our lives, our dreams, our goals and, instead, seek the Lord and His will for our lives. Proverbs 20:24 says “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?”
Look at Genesis and the story of Joseph. He likely envisioned himself a shepherd for life, settling down and raising his family alongside his many brothers and their children. He didn’t plan on his brothers betraying him and selling him into slavery. He didn’t ‘dream and achieve’ a life of bondage and imprisonment in Egypt. But, oh, he dreamed!! He dreamed exactly what God intended him to and God used those dreams to position Joseph as the second most powerful man in Egypt and, as such, save the nation of Israel. Did it play out how Joseph would have envisioned it? No, not at all. Yet, God did more than Joseph or his family could have asked or imagined - and it brought glory to God.
Then, consider Esther. Nearly every little girl dreams of being a princess, but Esther’s dream came about much differently. She was forced into the King’s harem and in the process, had to hide her identity as a Jewess. Yet, God placed her in the palace ‘for such a time as this’ and used her mightily to save His people. She never could have planned her steps to get herself into the presence of the King- that would have brought death, not life. She never could have had the impact on a Kingdom without God’s hand and protection. There is no way she could have single-handedly saved a nation without God upholding her and providing the strength and wisdom to accomplish His purposes.
Friends, God’s plans far exceed our own. Our limited minds cannot fathom or begin to imagine the vast impact of what He chooses to do with us, in us and through us. That is true for our sons and daughters as well. Let’s be careful that our ‘hopes and dreams’ don’t distract our sons and daughters from God’s intentions for them.
God’s plan for all of us was set in place before the world was even created. If left to our own imagination, our lives would be a feeble attempt at making a difference and being successful...and in no way would resemble the amazing story that God weaves for us! We need to encourage our sons and daughters to seek the Lord, fully, completely, and without ceasing. His plans and goals for them are far better than anything they could imagine and what He calls them to is exactly what He’s created them to do. Their path is already determined, it’s up to them to believe and obey.
Pray today that our sons and daughters would seek the Lord’s will for their life and follow the steps He’s planned for them.
Pray without ceasing.