There is No Night There (Revisited)

I am revisiting this here today because the man that a dear friend was planning to marry passed away suddenly of a heart attack a few days before Christmas.  That morning he was here and then he was there in the land of fadeless day, walking with the King of Glory.  My brother also went on to be with the Lord last July 17th.

There is No Night There 

I received some sad news today. My brother who has been battling breast cancer for over 2 years has taken a turn for the worse. My father passed away in the early 90's and I spoke at his funeral about what heaven is like according to God's word. It comes to mind now and although I didn't keep a copy of what I said, I remember clearly the description according to Revelation 21 and 22.

Revelation 21:1-7 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying or pain; for the first things have passed away.'

And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' And He said, 'Write, for these words are faithful and true.'

And He said to me, 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.'"

Revelation 22:1-7 "And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

And there shall no longer be any night and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true'; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place.

'And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.'"

And the words to an old hymn, "There is No Night There," by John R. Clements c. 1899 are comforting:

In the land of fadeless day
Lies the city foursquare;
It shall never pass away,
And there is no night there.
Refrain
God shall wipe away all tears,
There's no death, no pain, nor fears,
And they count not time by years,
For there is no night there.

All the gates of pearl are made,
In the city foursquare;
All the streets with gold are laid,
And there is no night there.

All the gates shall never close
To the city foursquare;
There life's crystal river flows,
And there is no night there.

There they need no sunshine bright,
In that city foursquare;
For the Lamb is all the light,
And there is no night there.

"If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3

Dear Lord, Thank you that when I don't know what to say, Your word will say it for me.

Originally posted April 14, 2010.

Image courtesy of Photobucket.com.

In a Perfect World

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 (NIV)

In a perfect world, there would be no death, no sorrow, no suffering. A perfect world would be full of loving, kind, selfless people, people who were redeemed, purified, justified, sanctified, transformed. In this world, no one would be afraid of the dark; there would be no need for night for this world would be filled only with light. There would be no need for hiding anything. Everything would be out in the open.

The citizens of this world would have imperishable bodies, bodies that would never know disease, disaster, tragedy, or decay. The streets of this perfect world would not be paved with good intentions, they would be paved in the purest of gold. And the river which flows through this world would never carry toxins, would never flood its bank, and would only bring life to all those who would drink of it.

The leader of this world would never have a hidden agenda, ulterior motives, or secret meetings. He would always be Trustworthy, Faithful, and True. His only concern would be for the well being of His subjects and every need of every person would always be met. There would be no hunger nor want, no conflict nor war, no taking of another's life at any time, for any reason. There would be no danger, nor peril, nor calamity, nor strife. This world in all its perfection would be filled with goodness and mercy, grace and peace, honesty, integrity, justice, and prudence.

A perfect world would have no addiction of any kind. There would be no self-righteousness, self-promoting, self-aggrandizing, self-deprecating, self-serving, self-sufficiency, or selfishness of any kind. People in this world would give instead of take, serve instead of demanding service.

The desire for power would be replaced by the desire for peace. The desire for money, or material things would be replaced with the desire for righteousness. In this world, there would be no jealousy, no covetousness, no greed. Every citizen would have an equally beautiful mansion filled with equally abundant joy.

This world will glisten with cleanliness and gleam with precious jewels of unimaginable beauty. There will be no refuse, no litter, no loitering, no laziness, no listlessness, no loss. There will be no thievery, no violence, no viciousness, no vindictiveness, only contentment, satisfaction, stability, generosity, and goodness. All of the occupants of this perfect world will have patience, gentleness, self-control, and love. No one ever experiences condemnation, judgment, separation, or rejection. They will all be embraced, loved, comforted, protected. They will only know peace not pain, beauty not ugliness, joy not suffering.

Amen, Come Lord Jesus!

"And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it. And in the daytime (for there shall be no night there) its gates shall never be closed." Revelation 21:23-25 (NASB)

"And that's it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it's good or evil." Ecclesiates 12:14 (The Message)

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 (KJV)

"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." Hebrews 12:22-26 (ESV)

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2 (KJV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galations 5:22-23 (NIV)

"He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God." Revelation 19:13 (NIV)

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.' And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' And He said, 'Write, for these words are faithful and true.'" Revelation 21:3-5 (NASB)

"Just Think! Heaven is Better Than This!"

My youngest came up with this phrase one day while we lived in Southern California. We were driving home and were passing our favorite Dairy Queen, when we decided to stop for a cool treat. After we had ordered our frostys, we got back on the road home (it was a drive thru) all the while licking our delicious cones of silky, creamy, drippy solidified fat. The car was quiet except for the sounds of licking, when my youngest son, who was probably 7 or 8 at the time, piped up and said, "Just think! Heaven is better than this!" Ever since that time, we love to come up with wonderful things in this world, things we are experiencing or things we are admiring, and say, "Just think! Heaven is better than this!"

What are some of your favorite things? Some of my favorites are the sound of the ocean rushing by outside the ship's window, the sweet perfume of a beautiful rose, anything red, the sound of laughter at our dinner table, conversations about the Savior of my soul, conversations with the Savior of my soul, praying with my family, praying with a friend, the smell of something delicious baking in the oven, the colors of the leaves turning in the fall (especially in New England!), the smile on the face of a child, babies blowing raspberries, pristine snow outside my window, the new growth in a garden in the spring, a sweet melody, the sound of a single violin, snow capped mountain peaks, the sound of snow swooshing as you ski down a perfect slope, a rainbow, a double rainbow (I have seen one!), a beautiful painting, puppies with circles around their eyes and spots on their backs. Well just think! Heaven is better than this!

"The heavens declare the glory of God,and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." Psalm 19:1 (NASB)

"And one called out to another and said,'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,The whole earth is full of His glory.'" Isaiah 6:3 (NASB)

We are so limited in our perception of God and the Universe. He created the heavens and the earth to show His glory. But we are limited by our own finiteness. God is infinite and so is his creation. We are still discovering new species of animals and new varieties of plant life every day! It seems as though God's creativity is limitless (because it is!). But sadly, while in this world, we are bound by the confines of our own minds. We tend to understand what we can see, or hear, or smell, or touch, but not what remains unseen. When we enter eternity, we will at last know fully just as we also have been fully known.

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NASB)

"But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,what God has prepared for those who love him'"— 1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV)

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:2-3 (KJV)

As beautiful as this world is, it is not "it". We are not to pin our hopes on this world, but instead we are to focus on the next, remembering that this world will pass away and all that is in it. We should invest in the future, laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20 (NIV)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:3-9

Dear Lord, Thank you that as beautiful as this world can be, it is still nothing compared to what awaits us in heaven. Let us lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven that our hearts may be in the right place and help us to remember where our true citizenship lies. Help us to keep in mind, as we gaze upon the wonder of this world that, "Heaven is better than this!"

What about you? What amazing things in this world inspire you to say, "Just think! Heaven is better than this!"?

There is No Night There

I received some sad news today. My brother who has been battling breast cancer for over 2 years has taken a turn for the worse. My father passed away in the early 90's and I spoke at his funeral about what heaven is like according to God's word. It comes to mind now and although I didn't keep a copy of what I said, I remember clearly the description according to Revelation 21 and 22.

Revelation 21:1-7 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying or pain; for the first things have passed away.'

And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' And He said, 'Write, for these words are faithful and true.'

And He said to me, 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.'"

Revelation 22:1-7 "And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

And there shall no longer be any night and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true'; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place.

'And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.'"

And the words to an old hymn, "There is No Night There," by John R. Clements c. 1899 are comforting:

In the land of fadeless day
Lies the city foursquare;
It shall never pass away,
And there is no night there.
Refrain
God shall wipe away all tears,
There's no death, no pain, nor fears,
And they count not time by years,
For there is no night there.

All the gates of pearl are made,
In the city foursquare;
All the streets with gold are laid,
And there is no night there.

All the gates shall never close
To the city foursquare;
There life's crystal river flows,
And there is no night there.

There they need no sunshine bright,
In that city foursquare;
For the Lamb is all the light,
And there is no night there.

"If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3

Dear Lord, Thank you that when I don't know what to say, Your word will say it for me.