Verse Of The Week (03/24/17)

Verse Of The Week (02/03/17)

La Bellasara Condominiums in Downtown Sarasota, FL
Photo taken January 27, 2017 at 5:04 P.M.

"In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you." (Jn. 14:2)

Weekly Inspiration (04/30/16)

"Bridge To The Other Side"
Burrell Lake Park, Lower Burrell, PA   4.8.16

I took this photograph because I wondered, "What's on the other side?"  I couldn't see what was over there, but could only imagine that things were pleasant across the river.

Heaven?  What is it like?  I can't say with certainty, but I figure things are pleasant there.  After all, Jesus is there!  (Read Revelation chapters 21 & 22.)

In the picture, you get from one side to the other by the red bridge.  For you to get to heaven, you must cross via the crimson bridge.  Nothing except the blood sacrifice of Jesus will get you to heaven.  Jesus is the (only) Way (Jn. 14:6).

Verse Of The Week (04/29/16)

Verse Of the Week (11/20/15)

mansion in Ocean City, MD  9.24.30

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; 

if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go 

to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2)

Heaven Will Be Spectacular!

 

 

The Olympic Cauldron At The Opening Ceremony

If you think this was spectacular, can you imagine heaven? I'm going there! How about you? Do you know for sure?



The Mt. Washington Hotel

Mt. Washington Hotel, Route 302, Bretton Woods, NH   8.21.13

It was one of those sights where I just had to stop.  What a shot!  This is the Mt. Washington Hotel.  It's the best in the area.  It looks elegant, doesn't it?  I wonder what it's like to stay there?  (Hey, it's free to dream.)

This is representative of the best man can do.  It's elegant and scenic, that's for sure.  I don't, however, see any gold.  Dream with me for a minute.  I wonder what the best is that Jesus can do?  What a place He's preparing for us who serve Him!  Get excited about Heaven!

"In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." (Jn. 14:2-3)

Remember Jerusalem (Psa. 137:5-6)

Only one thing can dominate your speech, thought, decisions, and pursuits all of the time.  There might be a host of things battling for number two priority.  What's number one?
For the Christian, it should be (after worship, yes) heaven and the New Jerusalem.  People used to complain, "All that Christians talk about is heaven."  And...?  What's wrong with that?  What's wrong with a Christian's being dominated by hope, good news, and Paradise?  Read the description of New Jerusalem (Rev. ch. 21-22).  Why would you want to downplay this?  Why be hush and shush about it?  (Unless you're uncertain about your entrance.) 

Jesus said He is preparing a place for you.  He will come again to take you to that wonderful place (Jn. 14:1-3).  Today could be the day!

Big Prize Missed by Two Points

Family Feud.  July 6, 2011.  Playing for $20,000.  Question:  Name a holiday that occurs in the fall.  Answer:  Christmas.  Survey says:  zero.  Final score:  198.  The contestant missed $20,000 by 2 points.  Two points!  If only he remembered Christmas is in winter.  At least the family gets to play again tomorrow. 

Heaven.  The only question that matters:  Why should I let you in?  Answer:  "I'm a good person."  Survey says:  zero.  Total score:  Not enough.  The contestant missed heaven completely.  Not even close.  There's no coming back to play again.  No mulligan.  No do-over.  No reincarnation.  The time to get the right answer to that question is now.

What's the basis for getting into heaven?  Being right with God through Jesus, His Son.  How do you do that?  E-mail Ronedski@yahoo.com.  I'd be glad to share with you.

Traditional Teaching on Heaven and Hell Is "Misguided and Toxic"

Here is a quote from a book I started reading last night. I’m not posting the quote because I agree with it. I’m posting it because it’s controversial.

"A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It's been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus's message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear."
(Bell, Rob. LoveWins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived.  New York, NY: Harper One, 2011. p. viii.)

Heaven and hell are both significant biblical themes, so we’d better be careful before declaring historical, conservative doctrine “misguided and toxic” and subversive.

Disappointment

Gotta feel for Colt McCoy, the star quarterback at the University of Texas. Last night, his Texas Longhorns played against the Alabamson Crimson Tide in the BCS Championship. Several plays into an early offensive set, Colt McCoy took himself out of the game. He knew he'd been hurt. He would not return to the game.

No one debates he's a great player. No one believes he didn't deserve to be in the game. No one questions his toughness. No one thinks he saw it coming or that he wasn't properly conditioned. What you did know, for sure, was his disappointment. All that effort, all that training, all that practice, all that sacrifice -- and he couldn't play in the big game.

Friends, there is a much bigger venue awaiting. It's called heaven. The majority of people believe they're going there. They feel they've prepared themselves. After all, they've been good people. After all, they've done good deeds. They even went to church every Sunday and put money into the plate. Can you imagine the disappointment and shock some people will have when they discover their "game" is over? No admittance into heaven. No enjoying eternity with Jesus. And they never saw it coming.

John 3:16