Amelia is my favorite granddaughter and I don’t mind telling anyone so. As it happens, she’s also my only granddaughter. She’s the most beautiful, brightest, most gifted, most coordinated sweetheart and she holds her Poppy’s heart in her little hands. She saves our seat each week for worship. Her face lights up when our eyes meet and her smile, with those two precious dimples like her daddy, can light up a room. Her younger brother is my third grandson and he’s my favorite too. So are her cousins, Thomas and Timothy. Lolly hearts expand exponentially with each birth and God’s love is inexhaustible, so there’s always room for family to grow! Every grandparent knows exactly what I mean.
Jesus told stories meant to explain God’s kingdom, His character, and His ways. His parables have been described as earthly stories with heavenly meaning. He likened God’s kingdom to things like a mustard seed, a merchant seeking pearls, hidden treasure, a little yeast mixed into bread dough, and a fishing net. (Matthew 13) He compared the Holy Spirit to wind and new birth to natural birth. (John 3) He painted Himself as both Good Shepherd and the Gate for His sheep, saying, “My sheep know my voice and they follow Me.” (John 10) Jesus used familiar things to teach spiritual Truth. His Word has been preserved through thousands of generations so that you and I may have the benefit of His teaching. “Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 11:15 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.11.15.NIV
I relate to the apostle Paul who wrote, “Having such a deep affection for you, we were delighted to share with you not only God’s good news but also our own lives, because you had become so very dear to us.”
1 Thessalonians 2:8 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1th.2.8.AMP
My primary goal in sitting with the Spirit to compose these twice weekly blog posts is of course to share God’s good news. I am a grateful recipient of His grace and mercy, and since I first believed, He has drawn me closer to Himself by showing up in the everyday moments of my life. He is my comfort in sorrow, my rock and my fortress in trial, my strength in times of joy, and above all, my teacher and guide in all of life’s journey. His Word fills me as I abide in it, and His Spirit opens my eyes continually to His Truth.
As the Psalmist phrased it, “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.”
Psalms 34:8 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/psa.34.8.MSG
Sharing stories of my precious grandchildren is easy, but I am just getting to know them. My years with the Lord stretch back decades but that’s not the best part. I will be with the Lord forever! (I Thessalonians 4:17) Months of preparation go into planning one week’s vacation. Reservations and payment must be made in advance. Travel arrangements are made. Meals are planned and bags packed right up until time for departure. I looked forward to our trip after Christmas for nearly half the year, but now it seems a distant memory. I once heard someone say that the Bible is God’s Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. It tells you that Jesus paid your way in full on the cross and how your first class flight can be secured. You won’t be needing travel insurance because there’s no contingency plan and there’s only one alternate destination.
Jesus said, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.
If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”
John 14:2-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.14.3.NLT
He also said, “And you know the way to where I am going.”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.”
John 14:4, 6 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.14.4-6.NLT
“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?
Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:3-18 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.3.3-18.NIV
Nicodemus knew God’s Word but he had not understood it. Meditating on and memorizing scripture, or hiding God’s Word in my heart, (Psalm 119:105) does much more than keep me from sin. It quickens my ear to His voice. It tenders my heart to love as He loved. It sharpens my mind to think as He thinks, not that His thoughts and ways aren’t higher still, but in Him, I have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:16) And through it, I am being transformed into the likeness of Christ. (Romans 12:2, II Corinthians 3:18)
If you’re planning an extended trip, especially outside the country, there are extra provisions to be made. You may need to obtain a passport or visa, learn a new language, exchange currency, and familiarize yourself with the area. Eternity is more than the trip of a lifetime, and as for extended stay, there’s only a one way ticket. Doesn’t it make sense to approach your departure prepared?
“Concerning that day and exact hour, no one knows when it will arrive, not even the angels of heaven —only the Father knows.
For it will be like it was in the days of Noah when the Son of Man appears.
Before the flood, people lived their lives eating, drinking, marrying, and having children.
They didn’t realize the end was near until Noah entered the ark, and then suddenly, the flood came and took them all away in judgment.
It will happen the same way when the Son of Man appears.
This is why you must stay alert: because no one knows the day your Lord will come.
So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.””
Matthew 24:36-39, 42, 44 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/mat.24.36-44.TPT
““At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived.
The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.25.1-13.NIV
“Once we carried the likeness of the man of dust, but now let us carry the likeness of the man of heaven.
Now, I tell you this, my brothers and sisters, flesh and blood are not able to inherit God’s kingdom realm, and neither will that which is decaying be able to inherit what is incorruptible.
Listen, and I will tell you a divine mystery: not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed.
It will happen in an instant —in the twinkling of his eye.
For when the last trumpet is sounded, the dead will come back to life.
We will be indestructible and we will be transformed.
For we will discard our mortal “clothes” and slip into a body that is imperishable.
What is mortal now will be exchanged for immortality.
And when that which is mortal puts on immortality, and what now decays is exchanged for what will never decay, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says: Death is swallowed up by a triumphant victory!
So death, tell me, where is your victory?
Tell me death, where is your sting?
It is sin that gives death its sting and the law that gives sin its power.
But we thank God for giving us the victory as conquerors through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
So now, beloved ones, stand firm, stable, and enduring.
Live your lives with an unshakable confidence.
We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.”
1 Corinthians 15:49-58 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/1co.15.50-58.TPT
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 NIV
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