Category Archives: Heaven

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LISTEN UP


1 THESSALONIANS 5:20

“do not despise prophetic utterances.” 

This verse could be a little confusing for us today. We don’t hear many “prophetic utterances.” But what is Paul really saying here? Well, this might be translated as “don’t despise preaching” or “don’t ignore sound teaching.” It wasn’t so much about “forth-telling” as it was simply speaking God’s truth.

You see back in Thessaloniki some gifts were held in higher esteem than others. For instance, some might think speaking in tongues was superior to preaching. Others might think performing miracles was the top. Paul is simply saying, “Don’t ignore, don’t count as nothing the sharing of God’s truth.

APPLICATION

Children will prefer some things above others. They may prefer game time at church over studying the lesson. They may like the craft time more than singing praises. What we have to do is make sure they understand that nothing is more important than hearing and living God’s Word. 

The other stuff might get the kids to church, but it’s the Word of God that will keep them for a lifetime. I pray you are investing the Word into their lives daily. I hope you are teaching them to not despise these prophetic utterances. They can learn lessons in His truth that will determine their life for decades to come.

How about you? Are you a despiser or a lover of God’s truth which is spoken of in His Word? Let these prophetic utterances transform your life into a vessel carrying an eternal message. Speak His truth to others so that they too can gain a new perspective.

O God, I stand in awe of You and all You have done. Allow me to see each and every situation as one in which I could send forth utterances of Your truth.

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HEAVENLY LIVING


1 THESSALONIANS 5:10

“who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” 

I just cAn’t get over the imagery of Christ’s death. It is His death on the cross that gives us the opportunity for life, life eternal. Paul is assuring the Thessalonians and us that whether they are alive when Christ returns or are asleep (as we saw in chapter 4), we WILL be with Christ for eternity.

There are not many people I can think of I would want to live with here on earth. Living with people requires you to share space. It requires you to communicate with them about household stuff. People you live with now just get in your stuff, don’t they? But eternal living will be different. Why? Because our focus will NOT be on us. It will be on Him. 

APPLICATION

Why not ask your children how they like living in their family. Get ready for some crazy answers. Ask them if they could, who would they add or leave out. Now, this is not a time for scolding or correcting. Just let them answer and tell why. You could learn a lot by their answers. 

After you have heard all their answers, talk about our eternal home. Explain how living here is really just preparation for living there. Getting along with family here is preparing us for eternal living. Encourage them to be more forgiving of that brother or sister whom they may spend eternity with. Model this for them by treating your spouse with the kind of affection you will receive from Jesus in your heavenly home. 

Are you ready for eternal living? If you are a believer, God is trying to get you ready each day down here. He is attempting to mold you into a perfect eternal kingdom citizen. Just think how sweet it would be if we could start living heavenly down here. Heaven on earth is possible if we let Him live in and through us.

Father God, give me the wisdom today to live heavenly. Let me treat my earthly family like I will treat my heavenly family. Give me Your eyes today to see them as You see them.

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