September 15th 2024
Are Your Priorities For This Lifetime In Line With What Jesus Taught His Disciples?
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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.
The only reference to the word temporary in the NIV Bible translation is contained in this verse. Yet, the meaning of this statement is very important as it describes the nature of this earth and that because of sin this world is a temporary place where God placed human beings to live. Jesus created this universe with the earth being reserved for mankind to inhabit, and it was first meant to be a permanent place for us to live forever, but sin entered it and then it was destined for destruction, whenever God deems its time has come.
A new earth is going to be created to replace the current earth, and it will become the final living place for all the immortal souls that have received salvation. Peter wrote about the final destruction of the current universe and the current earth. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3:9-13). Hopefully, you are looking forward to the “home of righteousness” on this new earth.
Here is the account of what was revealed to John about this new earth after the old universe was destroyed. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." (Revelation 21:1-5).
The phrase “and there was no longer any sea” has always interested me, and there are some theologians that do not believe these means there will not be an ocean on the new earth! If you have an educated opinion about this, please send me some information about it. It may appear in some later VOW!? Remember, when the current earth was created there was only one land mass before sin and the Flood broke up Pangea into the current seven continents and islands we have on the current earth!
Enough writing about the current earth and the new earth being prophesied to replace it in the end times. Today if we plan to have our immortal soul being transported into the new world, we need to put our mortal hope in our deliverance through our faith in Jesus Christ to deliver our immortal soul to this new world. We do not have the advantage of living with Jesus when He walked this earth as the Son of Man and the Son of God! Peter wrote about Jesus so we could study our Bible and come to know Jesus and work on becoming more Christ-like every day. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9). Have you set the most important goal to obtain in this cursed world of believing Jesus is who He said he was?
Remember, Jesus has promised He is preparing a room for you, if you are one of His followers in this cursed world. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3). I believe the room He is preparing for you is in the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven into the new world described in Revelation. Being sure your room has been prepared is the most important goal to accomplish in this lifetime!
Are your priorities for this lifetime in line with what Jesus taught His disciples? Jesus asked His disciples and us, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). So, working to gain a good standard of life is really a sensible thing to do. However, if you spend so much time working to amass even more then you need in this life, and thus, you do not allow enough time to worship God/Jesus, your immortal soul may not end up in heaven when you die! Remember, when you die all your possessions will stay behind, as you can take nothing from this earth with you to wherever your immortal soul goes!
I believe we must be attending a church of our choice and attending a worship service for us to really be able to worship Jesus Christ. I believe this is true even if the earthly church you attend is not being run based on God’s Word! This is unfortunately true of many churches today, as the sinners running it have been confused by worldly beliefs that have caused them to include worldly human ideas replacing the guidance given by God through His Word supplied for us through our Bible. Jesus knew about such problems, which is why He left the Holy Spirit behind in this cursed world to supply His followers with guidance and to help us believe and retain the absolute truth of God’s Word!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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.
The only reference to the word temporary in the NIV Bible translation is contained in this verse. Yet, the meaning of this statement is very important as it describes the nature of this earth and that because of sin this world is a temporary place where God placed human beings to live. Jesus created this universe with the earth being reserved for mankind to inhabit, and it was first meant to be a permanent place for us to live forever, but sin entered it and then it was destined for destruction, whenever God deems its time has come.
A new earth is going to be created to replace the current earth, and it will become the final living place for all the immortal souls that have received salvation. Peter wrote about the final destruction of the current universe and the current earth. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3:9-13). Hopefully, you are looking forward to the “home of righteousness” on this new earth.
Here is the account of what was revealed to John about this new earth after the old universe was destroyed. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." (Revelation 21:1-5).
The phrase “and there was no longer any sea” has always interested me, and there are some theologians that do not believe these means there will not be an ocean on the new earth! If you have an educated opinion about this, please send me some information about it. It may appear in some later VOW!? Remember, when the current earth was created there was only one land mass before sin and the Flood broke up Pangea into the current seven continents and islands we have on the current earth!
Enough writing about the current earth and the new earth being prophesied to replace it in the end times. Today if we plan to have our immortal soul being transported into the new world, we need to put our mortal hope in our deliverance through our faith in Jesus Christ to deliver our immortal soul to this new world. We do not have the advantage of living with Jesus when He walked this earth as the Son of Man and the Son of God! Peter wrote about Jesus so we could study our Bible and come to know Jesus and work on becoming more Christ-like every day. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9). Have you set the most important goal to obtain in this cursed world of believing Jesus is who He said he was?
Remember, Jesus has promised He is preparing a room for you, if you are one of His followers in this cursed world. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3). I believe the room He is preparing for you is in the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven into the new world described in Revelation. Being sure your room has been prepared is the most important goal to accomplish in this lifetime!
Are your priorities for this lifetime in line with what Jesus taught His disciples? Jesus asked His disciples and us, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). So, working to gain a good standard of life is really a sensible thing to do. However, if you spend so much time working to amass even more then you need in this life, and thus, you do not allow enough time to worship God/Jesus, your immortal soul may not end up in heaven when you die! Remember, when you die all your possessions will stay behind, as you can take nothing from this earth with you to wherever your immortal soul goes!
I believe we must be attending a church of our choice and attending a worship service for us to really be able to worship Jesus Christ. I believe this is true even if the earthly church you attend is not being run based on God’s Word! This is unfortunately true of many churches today, as the sinners running it have been confused by worldly beliefs that have caused them to include worldly human ideas replacing the guidance given by God through His Word supplied for us through our Bible. Jesus knew about such problems, which is why He left the Holy Spirit behind in this cursed world to supply His followers with guidance and to help us believe and retain the absolute truth of God’s Word!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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