Focusing on the Next Life Encourages Us in this Life

Ryan Weingartner

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

God promises that suffering in this life will bear fruit in this life as well as the life to come. We can be encouraged by this because we know that whatever we endure is nothing in comparison to the glory to be revealed in the next life. If we fix our eyes on the unseen realities to come, we can bear up under the sufferings this world has to offer.

Paul's Last Will

Dennis McCallum

2 Timothy 4:6-11

Paul knows that this might very well be his last message to Timothy before his execution. He reminds Timothy of our certainty of the afterlife where we will receive the crown of righteousness that the Lord will give to us on the day of His return. Knowing that there is an afterlife where we will receive rewards, how does that affect your outlook?

Messiah's Glorious Kingdom

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 72

While King Solomon is praying for his own ability to reign properly, he is also alluding to the ultimate reign of Messiah. King Messiah's reign will be marked by God-given moral integrity and wisdom. It will bring unparalleled peace and prosperity. It will be world-wide and everlasting. It will fulfill God's promise to Abraham that all nations will be blessed through him.

A Different Way to Live

Scott Risley

1 Peter 1:10-22

Sometimes Christians try to stand out and be different from the world but they end up being weird. Since one becomes a new creation upon salvation, Christians should be different in a good way. because we live during a unique era, we are headed for a unique destination, our God is totally unique and we have been given a unique identifier: love. God is love. What impression will we leave?

God as Our Shepherd and Host

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 23:1-6

In Psalm 23 David describes God as being both his shepherd and his host. As his shepherd, David says God provides for all his needs, including restoration, guidance, and protection. As his host, God provides refreshment and encouragement in trouble, pursues him with His love, and gives the sure promise of eternal life with Him if we give ourselves to a relationship with Him through Jesus.

Two Ways to Live

Chris Hearty

Philippians 3:17-21

Paul offers that there are two ways to live. One way is the earthly mindset that invests in temporal things that are destined to perish, that is enslaved to desires, and ends in ruin. The other way to live is accept the gift of salvation that is in Jesus. This enables one to have an eternal mindset that leads to investment in things that last forever. The eternal perspective leads to the realization of unparalleled freedom in Christ, no longer to be enslaved to worthless things. This leads to the glory that comes from God who transforms us.

Jesus and John

Ben Foust

Revelation 1

When John meets the risen Jesus in Revelation Chapter One, he falls face-down like a dead man. Jesus's appearance was so brilliantly different from the man he knew during Jesus' earthly ministry that John was awe-struck. Can this be the same man? Is Jesus the gentle lamb who is relational and approachable? Or is he the fearsome lion of Judah who will judge the earth? Is he immanent or transcendent? The answer is he is both! He is both king and friend which qualifies him to be our savior.

Five Surprising Features of Heaven

James Rochford

Philippians 3:20-21

Heaven will undoubtedly have many surprising features when we arrive there, but here are five of which you may not be aware. God does not discard the earth and make a new one. He renews the one we are living on now to an unfallen state. We will have resurrected bodies of glory like Jesus demonstrated before he ascended to heaven after his crucifixion. We will have reconciled relationships with our fellow citizens of heaven. There will be no more guilt, embarrassment, awkwardness or discord of any kind. There will be people of every race in heaven but there will unity and harmony between the different races. There will be rewards and recognition in heaven. There we will receive praise we hunger for deep in our soul.

God's Eternal Kingdom Part 3

Gary DeLashmutt

Revelation 22:12

In God's eternal kingdom, Jesus rewards His followers for their faithful service. God motivates us to live faithfully for Him by promising us rewards when this life is over. We will get the satisfaction of seeing the full significance of our service to Him. Things we did that we thought were insignificant or unsuccessful will be praised by God because they had significant ripple effects that we could not see. We will have the joy of being praised by God for our service.