2026-06-26
Good morning, Dear Ones,
The Holy Spirit directs me to write more about heaven. To do that we will again visit the questions posed last week. 1 Why does God leave us with an incomplete picture of heaven? 2 Why does He allow our faith to be tested as it is? 3 Why are some people faithful to Him and some not? 4 Why is having God’s mark of ownership so important? 5 Why does the evil one (Satan) tempt us? 6 What is heaven like?
The only logical answer to the first question is if we know all the details of heaven now, there were no impetus for us to decide if we would be faithful or not. That we can even make this decision is because God has given us enough free agency to make it. He wants to know the true status of our heart attitudes. We are not His puppets on a string! HE 11: 1, “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Deuteronomy 30:19 – “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you, life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life…” – God presents a choice between life and death, blessing and curse, and calls us to choose life.
The second question is part of the mechanics of how God gives us this choice, and He finds out the spiritual condition of our heart attitudes. Even Jesus had to go through tests of His faith. You may remember His three encounters with Satan in the wilderness. The first is a test of physical need. DT 8: 3, “He [God] humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” [also: MT 4: 4]. The second test is a test of God’s power. MT 4: 5-6, “Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.” [also: PS 91: 11-12]. The third test is of world power and glory. MT 4: 8-10, “Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give You,’ he said, ’if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” [Also: DT 6: 13]. And yes, the devil left and the angels took care of Jesus.
If the faith of Christ is tested, it is logical that our faith will be tested. JAS 1:2-4 bears repeating. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.” Satan exploits human hunger and weakness just as he did that of Christ. All of us are tempted by a desire for proof and the allure of power, yet Jesus resisted these temptations by quoting Scriptures, affirming His role as God’s obedient Son. We don’t have to quote the Bible, if we take the time to study and know God’s will. The Holy Spirit will let a believer know when the right and appropriate time is to do that. Our task when tempted is to act on God’s will.
PRAYER: O Lord, we are doing our best to prepare ourselves for an eternal life of sweet fellowship with You in heaven. If we understand the reasons why we are tested, we can have Your perspective. Emotions and circumstances often get in the way of this understanding. That is why we should not only know Your will but act on it. JAS 3: 3-4 give us the example of taming a horse or steering a ship with only a small rudder. JAS 3: 5-8 gives us an important example of taming our tongues. The wisdom of obeying Your will is worth considering, including the consequences of actions taken. We pledge You our loyalty, willingness to learn and follow Your teaching, praise for listening to our prayers and willingness to intercede on our behalf when necessary, and eternal thanks for all You have given us in the Scriptures and blessings bestowed. These words are offered to You in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: It is evident that I can’t impart all the Holy Spirit has given me to share in this week’s devotion. So, I’m commanded from above to discuss the other questions continuing next week. Nowhere in the world are there either humans or angels with God’s amazing qualities. He truly loves us beyond ways humans can. He is eager to bless us and teach us to live with attitudes of gratitude, even though our faith is being tested. Ephesians 5:20 – “Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Blessed be His name!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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