2026-06-19
Good morning, Dear Ones,
As directed by the Holy Spirit, today’s topic is heaven. We have only what is found in the books of Daniel and Revelation about heaven, which lack details about it. Why has God given us an incomplete picture? Why are our lives on earth so full of challenges? These weighty questions won’t be answered entirely here but they are worth considering. We are left with more questions in addition. Why does God give some people faith and then put that faith to testing? Why should we want to be citizens of heaven, eventually wearing God’s mark? Why does His Kingdom matter so much? 1 COR 2: 9, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” JN 3: 16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
That’s not saying all true believers in Christ want to hear. We want more. But God only gives us the incomplete picture of heaven we find in the Scriptures. Yet, we must think about this issue with greater depth. Our God Who loves us wants us to go to Him for wisdom. That is why He said, in PR 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” We must accept that our God is wholly righteous and loves us with all His heart. 1 JN 1: 5, “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” God has all the qualities He wants us to have. He loves us enough that He sent the Lord Jesus in the quintessential sacrificial act to the cross, so that those who believe could have the opportunity to have eternal life.
Because of the original sin [GN 3: 1-6] which mankind inherited and the sins they themselves commit, we can say that each of us without exception has a sinful nature. Therein the tension between the Divine God and mankind is established. God is telling us, in MT 6: 19-20, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Furthermore, there is COL 3: 2, “Set your minds on things above, not on things on earth.” So, why has God allowed this tension to exist? Why does He allow the evil one to tempt us to sin? I can only write from my faith that God has given us enough free agency to allow us to decide for ourselves if we will give in to that temptation and if we decide to be people of faith in Him. Christ’s words in MT 25: 31-32 give us proof that a separation between serial sinners and those who love Him will happen. “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” God needs to know our intentions and has told us about His. Where the rubber meets the road is how we react to the tests He is allowing, that evil one generates. Our loving God never abrogates His sovereignty in this process.
Our God is always fair, always righteous in His motives, thoughts, and what He allows. That is why He tells us, in 1 COR 10: 13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide you with a way out so that you can endure it.” When Jesus was on earth, He was asked to place His hands on some little children and pray for them. He disciples rebuked Him, and He said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” [MT 19: 13-14].
Little children are not born with sinful habits; they learn them. Their minds are like sponges-ready to soak up bad habits and thoughts or ones that lead them to become faithfully obedient to God. Once a person comes to faith, he receives a very special gift. EPH 1: 13b-14, “…When you believed, you were marked in Him (Christ) when you heard the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.”
PRAYER: O Lord, we come to Your mighty throne as always in utter humility and appealing to You for Your wisdom. We have many questions that You call us to ponder about tests of our faith on earth and what heaven is like. We have faith that all of them will be answered in Your perfect time and way. We pledge You our faith, love, and loyalty. You have told us, in REV 21: 4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Those words give us hope, and for now, we must be satisfied. We offer You praise and thanksgiving that we can look forward to that day, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: Obviously, space limitations forced me to ask you to wait for more of what the Holy Spirit has to say about heaven next week. We will go on looking at the questions posed and all He gives me to write about them. So that will be the subject then. For now, we are told, in EPH 4: 2, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” These wise words are practices to take on for a lifetime. PS 37: 7, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him, do not fret when people succeed in their ways.” We are encouraged to wait for His perfect timing. Blessed be Him!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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