How Far Is Heaven?

He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways; and their soul delights in their abominations, so will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them. Isaiah 66:3-4

If I invited you over to my house one day, and several people all tried to offer you conflicting directions for how to get there, what would you do? Chances are pretty good that you would try to ask me, and if none of the other directions agreed with mine then you would ignore them, right?

Of course that's what you would do; it just makes so much sense. Why is it, then, that people believe in so many supposed ways to Heaven that do not agree with God's directions? Let me tell you one of the most common ways people think will get them to Heaven, but will actually get them to Hell-their own works. If you believe that your own works can get you to Heaven then you got a bad set of directions.

Here are some bad directions-thinking that going to church gets you to Heaven, think-

ing that giving to the poor or going on mission trips gets you to Heaven, thinking that living up to a bunch of rules, even God's rules, can get you to Heaven. All of these are good actions to have in our lives, but none of them will get us to Heaven.

That was God's message to Israel in our verses for today, You're making plenty of religious sacrifices, but it's worse than worthless because you aren't paying attention when I speak to you.

God is after our hearts so that we do not just learn some rules and then check out. No, He wants us to keep following Him with our whole hearts, so that He can speak to us out of His Word and continue His work in our lives, to continue leading us all the way through Jesus Christ to Heaven.

Do you want the real directions to Heaven? Believe in Jesus; He's the only way. Then, having believed, keep your ears open; God still has some things to say to you.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I do believe in You as the only way to Heaven! I choose to trust in You alone! Please help me, lead me, and guide me as I continue following You all the way to Heaven!

Amen

Welcome to Corinth

Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. Act 16:6-7

How's your life going? Are you where you planned you would be five years ago? Have you made plans or dreams for your future that just aren't coming about?

Paul had a similar experience at least once as he traveled the world preaching the gospel.

He kept trying to go to Asia, but the Holy Spirit wouldn't let him.

It might be that the roadblocks you are facing right now are from the Holy Spirit. Or they might not be from the Holy Spirit, but how do you know?

Knowing what the Holy Spirit is or isn't doing in your life begins with being submitted to His will. Is Jesus Lord of your life or isn't He? Can He do whatever He desires in you? Can He direct your steps wherever He desires you to go? Will you do whatever He calls you to do? Because if He is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all.

If Jesus is not Lord of your life, then perhaps the Holy Spirit is trying to get your attention with the circumstances you face. He has answers for everything you need, but we have to be willing to change. If something isn't working, then we need to do something different, which means change. And the Holy Spirit can help us make those changes.

But what if you have followed the Lord as the true Lord of your life, yet you are still facing a roadblock? If this is you then there are two possibilities. First, Jesus is Lord of your life, but He did not tell you to make the plans you have made. This was Paul's situation. He made plans to go to Asia, but those weren't God's plans, so God changed Paul's plans.

However, if Jesus is Lord of your life and you have followed His leading to where you are, yet you are still facing a roadblock, then stand firm. Keep pressing on. If God has directed you to where you are then He will open the doors and empower you to walk on His path for your life.

Measure your life. Are you where God wants you to be? If no, then submit to the Lord and get there. If yes, then stay there and keep pressing on. No matter what, follow Jesus wherever He leads you to go.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I want You to fully be Lord of my life! I submit to You and ask that You would speak to me Your plans for my life. Then give me wisdom to follow You and to always be where You want me to be, doing what You want me to do.

Amen

The Lasting Change Redemption Brings

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Hebrews 12:22

What places are on your must see list? Hawaii? The Bahamas? Europe? The Great Wall of China? Whatever you have on your list, let me add one more-Mount Zion.

But I'll give you some advice-you don't just want to visit there; you want to live thereforever. Why? I'll give you seven reasons.

First, you get Heaven. It doesn't get much better than that, does it? Right out of the gate, Mount Zion is associated with the home and city of the Living God. And catch this, you get a home not just in Heaven, but right in the Father's house. You get a home in God's home!

Second, you get an innumerable company of angels. Do you know what is implied in the word company? It means a party of angels, a festal gathering. In other words, when you get to Heaven, the band will play, the confetti will fly, and everyone will celebrate you.

Third, you are now the Church of the firstborn that's registered in Heaven. This means that you aren't stuck with the rights of a second, third, fifth, or two-hundredth born child of God. No, you have all the rights, privileges, and inheritance of a firstborn.

Fourth, you get God. No, really. This God who told Moses, No one has seen my face and lived, now receives you without reservation into His presence. There's no appointment necessary; you just get God.

Fifth, you get perfection. Now listen, your body is not eternal. It will fall apart one day. But what's waiting for you in Heaven is complete perfection, all that you were meant to be. And not just you, but all the saints of Old and New Testament will be there completely perfected. Samson, Nehemiah, Daniel, Abraham, Noah, Job, Enoch, and David will all be there!

Sixth, you get Jesus. Yes, don't forget Jesus. He'll be there, too! Oh, for us to hug our Savior, to wrap our arms around His neck, to look into His eyes and to thank Him for all that He has accomplished for us!

Seventh, you get complete forgiveness. You get the blood that speaks better things than the blood of Abel. Abel's blood, if you remember, cried out for vengeance, but Jesus' blood cries out for victory. This forgiveness is not temporary. It's not momentary. It's not symbolic. This forgiveness is real. It is full. It is complete. It is healing. It is cleansing. It is forever.

Will you come to Mount Zion today?

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for offering me such a gift! I receive this from You today and trust in Jesus to save me. Change my life and lead me to Mount Zion!

Amen

Decisions, Decisions

For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all the nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land. Joel 3:1-2

Do you know what time it is? No, I'm not talking about the hour of the day. I'm talking about what time of history we are living in.

The days in which we live are days in which God is bringing the fulfillment of decisions He made thousands of years ago. And these decisions of God, proclaimed by the Old Testament prophets, require us to make some decisions of our own.

Here are five decisions God has made regarding these days in which we live:

First, that there would be a local homecoming where Israel is concerned. This is what our verse today promises, and we have been witnessing this ever since 1948 when a nation that seemed dead after the Holocaust first came back to life.

Second, in light of this homecoming of the Jews from all nations of the earth, there will also be a global change of heart regarding the Jews. It will grow and grow until it encompasses every nation, with all of them blaming the Jews for the problems in the world.

Third, there is going to be some internal strife as the land gets divided. We watch this happening daily on the news as the whole world debates what Israel's borders should be.

Fourth, there will be a devaluation of life. The scripture says, A boy given as payment for a harlot (Joel 3:3). The abortion rate alone, not even counting human trafficking, would prove that life has been devalued in our days like never before.

Fifth, there will be a faith that's been forgotten. Everyone's forgetting Israel as God's chosen people and that land as His land, trying to push a peace treaty with the Palestinians who shoot a hundred rockets a day into Israel. God hasn't forgotten His people, and He promises to return retaliation on any nation that attacks Israel.

Why is all of this important? It's important because it tells us that our time to decide is short. A time is very soon coming when our time is up and our choice is final. We have to decide now whether or not to believe in Jesus. What will you choose today?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for giving us signs so that we can see our time is getting short! I choose to believe in You today. Please forgive me of all my sins, come into my heart, and show me the plans You have for my life!

Amen

Crossing Is Choosing

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Paul pleaded with the Corinthian church. There were some vital things they were missing and he wanted them to know because he knew they really came from God's heart. As with the Corinthians, God wants these for us as well.

First, God wants solidarity between you and Him. He wants you working with Him, not Him working by Himself or you working by yourself. This isn't even working for Him, but it is working with Him. He wants the kind of solidarity to where you have now become soul mates. I really think this is incredible, because He could probably accomplish a lot more by Himself. But He's more interested in developing you in His image than He is in getting things done.

Second, God wants you to be serious about Him. After all, He's called you to a marriage, and I certainly hope that you don't mess around with your marriage. I hope that you take it seriously, that before you get married you seriously consider whether you are ready to commit your entire life to another person. But in life, are you serious with God, or are you still messing around with the world, getting drunk, letting your addictions control you instead of giving them to God?

Third, God wants you to be all about salvation. He says, Now is the day of salvation! Isn't that good news? I mean, seriously, you can look anywhere out there and see people who need salvation. The world is very lost, and it isn't hard to see that reality wreaking havoc in our society. But God says that today is the day of salvation. Today! God can save us all today! But only if we take salvation seriously and partner with God in working with Him.

But here's the thing-if there's an acceptable time of salvation, then there's an unacceptable time. In other words, right now God's arms are open wide to receive every sinner who repents and comes to Him, but His arms aren't going to be open forever. A day will come when our chances are gone, the grace is not offered, and judgment has come.

As Paul pleaded with the Corinthians, I plead with you today-do not wait! Receive God now, today, and choose solidarity with Him. Choose to be serious about Him. Choose to be all about His salvation, because this offer will not last forever.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for giving me this offer while there is still time to receive it! I repent for the life I have lived apart from You today, and I invite You to come define my life from this day forward!

Amen

Heartguard

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you...For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 1 Corinthians 5:1,3

Do you know what another word for Tolerance is? Apathy.

Tolerance is the movement that has swept all over the world in the past two generations and is continuing to barge its way into our school systems and strongholds of entertain-

ment, brainwashing our kids and our culture to accept its message-everything is relative. All truth is equal. There are no absolutes. There is no moral standard.

It's a camouflaged way of saying, Get out of my life. I don't want your opinion because I want to do things my own way. It is a shaking of the fist at authority figures and an assertion of acting out our own will without regard or question concerning what is right and wrong.

Tolerance-the idea that somehow I will be okay with you destroying your life by throwing prudent restraint to the wind and doing whatever you please.

Does this put a new face on the tolerance movement for you? I hope so, because the only reason that tolerance, according to its modern definition, got any traction was because of apathy in the body of Christ.

And the body of Christ is really where this issue starts, because that is where judgment needs to begin; that is where we must be calling one another to a higher standard.

We can no longer allow sin in our midst and think it is somehow justifiable or okay. Sin is not okay and we cannot be okay with sin.

If someone among us in the body is sinning, we must confront them and call them to repentance. If they will not repent, then we need to bring them before the authorities of the church and call them together to repent. If they will still not repent, then we have only one choice-deliver them out of our fellowship until they come to their senses.

Like the prodigal son, as they are feeding the pigs, it may be that they come to their senses and realize the good life they had at home. And if this brother or sister comes home, bringing only themselves and leaving the sin with the pigs, then hallelujah! Let's rejoice, because a sibling in Christ has been re-won for Him.

But before any of that can happen, we must lose all tolerance for sin. We must leave no room for apathy. It is time for us to care.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for paying for our sins on the cross! Please help us to stand firm against apathy and not bow our knees to tolerance. Help us, making us bold to confront sin, yet merciful to restore our brothers and sisters back to You.

Amen

All Aboard

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Paul had a plan. He was going to come visit his spiritual children in the Corinthian church. And when he came, there was a certain work he wanted to have already done.

Churches throughout the Roman world were collecting money for the saints and Paul sent very clear notice to the Corinthian church that they were not to be the exception.

Now, I don't know about you, but most people don't like to hear their pastor preach about money. How would they like it, then, if their pastor straight up ordered them to give?

I think most people would say, Dude, hands off my money. It's my money!

Really? If that's your response, then I have to say that your passions and priorities just got exposed. In fact, no matter how you responded, it shows me where your heart really lies. First of all, let's talk about your passions. Is your passion for God greater than your passion for money? Because if it is, then when the Word of God says to give, you immediately say okay. There's no wishy-washy attitude about it, no grumbling or complaining, no griping about how much this whole Christianity and church thing costs you.

Listen-this Christianity and church thing cost Jesus His life, and it had better cost you yours. Your tithes declare who your God is. Your offerings show that your heart is starting to look like God's, generous and full of love so that it's motivated to do something about people in need. If this isn't where your passion is, then I question whether Jesus really is your God; like, maybe money has taken His throne in your life.

Second, what priority does this take in your life? Paul addressed this and said, Set the money aside on the first day of the week. If it isn't set apart, then so often it just gets spent.

Set apart or spent, those are our choices. And while it is about our money, it's about more than that. Is your life set apart, or is it spent? Does God get your first and best, or your last and leftovers?

Where is God in your passions and priorities today?

Prayer Father God,

You have given Your everything for me and I can do no less for You. My money is Yours, and my life is Yours. Please lead me and guide me! Show me how You want me to spend, give, and set apart my money and my life!

Amen