To be in His presence is everything you could desire, everything you could hope for. This is the apex. This is heaven’s heaven – to be with Christ, to be His bride, to be in perfect communion with Him, to enjoy knowing Him and seeing Him and loving Him and praising Him and communing with Him uninterrupted – forever basking in His smile and bathing in His glory and feasting in His presence…
– Joel Beeke in How Should We Consider Christ in Affliction?
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
God’s Presence Is the Essence of Heaven – Randy Alcorn (EPM)
The best part of Heaven on the New Earth will be enjoying God’s presence. He’ll actually dwell among us (Revelation 21:3-4). Just as the Holy of Holies contained the dazzling presence of God in ancient Israel, so will the New Jerusalem contain his presence. The New Earth’s greatest miracle will be our continual, unimpeded access to the God of everlasting splendor and perpetual delight.
Ten Short Truths about the Shortest Psalm – Barry York (GR)
Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! – Psalm 117
Psalms for Men Who Are Struggling – Scott Slayton (One Degree To Another)
When you read these Psalms and absorb their message, pray them as if they are your own words. Take these complaints, fears, and confessions before the Lord. Pray them, laying your sins, anxieties, and burdens before the Lord. Then, rest in the peace, assurance, strength, and forgiveness that only he can give.
Five Great Benefits from Preaching – Tim Challies
Preaching gives us a hunger for the Word, teaches us how to read, interpret, and apply the Word, and shows us the great benefits that come when we commit ourselves to it.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day hearing the preaching of God’s Word!
Suppose for a moment that you were allowed to enter heaven without holiness. What would you do? What possible enjoyment could you feel there? To which of all the saints would you join yourself, and by whose side would you sit down? Their pleasures are not your pleasures, their tastes not your tastes, their character not your character. How could you possibly be happy, if you had not been holy on earth?
– J.C. Ryle in Holiness
Most men hope to go to heaven when they die; but few, it may be feared, take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven if they got there.– J. C. Ryle
– J. C. Ryle
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Grace Is Not A Thing – Jeremy Treat (TGC)
Consider several misconceptions and enemies of grace.
4 Reasons to Stop Obsessing about Heaven – Mike Wittmer (TGC)
And set your hope on the resurrection!
Does Your Facebook Rant “Honor Everyone?” – Trevin Wax
Think before you post!
God’s Tapestry – Tim Challies
God weaves the good and bad things in your life into a beautiful tapestry.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with your local church celebrating God’s grace!
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Heaven Will Never Be Boring – Dave Radford (DG)
Because God is infinite, he can be infinitely enjoyed. Jesus Christ is not concerned about running out of ways to keep up with your ever-increasing ability to enjoy him. His character is endlessly deep, unsearchable, and inexhaustible. Imagine the scope of the entire universe: trillions of shining stars, burning brighter than the sun; magnificent constellations; billions of spinning galaxies, all magnificent and vast, colorful and mysterious. Yet, they are finite. Brilliant, though they are, they fall utterly short in comparison to the breadth, length, height, and depth of the love of Christ. His love, grace, kindness, wisdom, power, and mercy each stand as never-ending, infinite universes for all your affections to delight in.
All Of Us Need A Friend Like Martin Luther Once In A While – Justin Taylor
All of us need a Martin Luther in our lives now and then—a friend who is not afraid to stand on gospel promises and get in our face with gospel truth when we would rather wallow in self-pity.
Why the Church Needs Intergenerational Friendships – Joseph Rhea (TGC) Intergenerational community is part of God’s vision for the church (see Titus 2). It’s a beautiful one, and friendship is the key. When individual Christians believe it’s worth sacrificing for, our churches will begin reflecting that multigenerational beauty.
5 Reasons to Pray for Other Churches – Eric Bancroft (Ligonier)
When natural disasters take place, churches act lovingly to care for other affected churches. But why must we wait until problems strike and only help in physical ways? I propose that we act now with the greatest resource we have and for the greatest goal: that churches reflect the character of God.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day in fellowship with God’s people of all ages as you gather to worship our great Lord!
In Luke 23:39-43, one of the thieves on the cross joins the soldiers and rulers in mocking Jesus. But the other thief rebukes him. He acknowledges his sin, and expresses faith in Jesus. And Jesus makes him an incredible compassionate promise: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Truly. No doubts, no questions – it is certain. And today. The moment the thief dies, he will be in Paradise with Jesus.
And when we acknowledge our sin and believe in Jesus, he makes that compassionate promise to us. We need not fear death. Yes, death is horrible – just ask Jesus. Yes, death is a result of the Fall. But on the other side of death is Paradise. That word has the idea of a garden, which brings our minds back to Eden, and forward to the new earth which is a new Eden. It speaks of a perfect place of peace and harmony and love. It speaks of a place with no more pain or sickness or death or sin. And we will one day be there with Jesus forever.
And he calls us to share this compassionate promise with others. Others need to hear it. They need to know that judgment is coming for their sins. They need to know that Jesus died to pay for their sins and take them to paradise if they will simply trust in him. How can we keep this to ourselves?
Found this helpful quote on Ray Ortland’s blog that reminds us of the important decision each of us must make:
“Meet me in heaven! Do not go down to hell. There is no coming back again from that abode of misery. Why do you wish to enter the way of death when heaven’s gate is open before you? Do not refuse the free pardon, the full salvation which Jesus grants to all who trust him. Do not hesitate and delay. You have had enough of resolving, come to action. Believe in Jesus now, with full and immediate decision. Take with you words and come unto your Lord this day, even this day. Remember, O soul, it may be now or never with you. Let it be now; it would be horrible that it should be never. Farewell. Again I charge you, meet me in heaven.”
C. H. Spurgeon, All of Grace (London, 1897), page 128.
In the truest sense, then,
Brian J. Mikul 