No matter what you may be experiencing in life, no matter what the world looks like, as a believer in Christ you can confidently and boldly proclaim, “The Best is Yet to Come!” While chaos may ensue and things may spiral out of control, as a Christian you can breathe a sigh of relief and rejoice knowing that your heavenly Father has all things in His control and that one day you will be with Him forever…for all eternity!

Imagine forever. It’s difficult to do as we can’t completely comprehend forever. Imagine never being ill again. Imagine never being tempted to sin again. Imagine never suffering again. Imagine receiving a new body…one without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27).

Imagine the day when the trumpet sounds and we meet our Redeemer in the air! What a day that will be…not like any other day or anything we’ve ever experienced before or will ever experience again. And then, we will forever be with the Lord! Forever…amazing!

1 Corinthians 2:9 reminds us of what’s ahead: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

Imagine the beauty of heaven, the freedom, the unconditional love. And, most importantly, the very One who spoke the world into existence…the very One who created your very being and gave you breath will be there. How incredible…how awesome…how miraculous that day will be!

Years ago, God impressed upon my heart to write about this beautiful eternity that awaits all who place their trust in Christ Jesus. I’d like to share the poem He placed on my heart with you. As you read it, imagine all the wonder…all God has in store for YOU for all eternity. Take a moment to think about the time you made the best decision of your life…the moment when you accepted Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. Remember the awe of realizing that Jesus paid your debt in full when He painfully endured the cross, taking on the sins of the whole world, so that you would never be separated by sin and would never experience the loss of being lost forever. Think about His resurrection and all the blessings given because of His unconditional love for you.

I pray this poem serves as an encouragement as you remember and rejoice because the best is yet to come!

At Heaven’s Gate

Wipe these tears to cry no more
For all will cease at Heaven’s door
The pain of life will fade away
The warmth of love will light the way
All will pass at Heaven’s gate.

New life formed while old is gone
Trumpets sound in praise of song
Angelic voices, clouds of white
Beauty beheld, no dark of night
Streets of gold, glorious days
All begin at Heaven’s gate.

The cries of hunger often ignored
Lack of love shown to the poor
Powers of darkness existing before
Will all be shut out at Heaven’s door
The love of the Father cries, “NO MORE!”

For Heaven is a province of peace
A station where the faithful wait to retreat
A place of goodness not experienced before
A point existing through Heaven’s door.

And as I enter…
I’ll walk upon the streets of gold
Listening to stories from prophets of old
Feeling His love in every face
Expressions flowing deep in this holiest place.

I’ll see Him standing with glory great
The life which brought me here by grace
The lamb who died on Calvary’s tree
To set this lowly sinner free.

I’ll run to Him with outstretched arms
Engulfed in His presence, His loving form
His face of love, in awe I’ll stand
My helper through life, my most faithful friend.

I dream of that day hearing angels sing
When I bow in the presence of my Father, The KING!

Isn’t God good!

The Bible gives us a glimpse into God’s wonderful plan when we venture from this life into our new life for all eternity. Be encouraged by these verses as you’re reminded of your wonderful future which is to come.

Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

John 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Revelation 22:1-5 “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Revelation 21:21-27 “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

^“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.”

Hebrews 11:16 “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

John 3:13 “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”

2 Peter 3:13 “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Revelation 21:1-5 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”

The greatest gift the world has ever received is God’s Son. The best decision a person could ever make in this life is to accept God’s precious, perfect, remarkable, life-changing gift with open arms. It is a gift like no other, bringing with it forgiveness, salvation, hope, joy and a beautiful forever future in eternity with the Creator of all. Nothing…nothing this world has to offer will satisfy, will cleanse, will save, will redeem. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse, save, redeem, forgive, and bring both hope and a beautiful eternal future.

No matter what you may be experiencing in life, no matter what the world looks like, as a believer in Christ you can confidently and boldly proclaim, “The Best is Yet to Come!” While chaos may ensue and things may spiral out of control, as a Christian you can breathe a sigh of relief and rejoice knowing that your heavenly Father protects you, loves you, guides you, and one day will bring you to be with Him forever…for all eternity!

Never take for granted the fact that God’s love compelled Him to send the most precious gift He had to give…His one and only Son.

Jesus’ sacrifice gave YOU salvation. His decision affected YOUR destiny. His unconditional love laid the foundation for YOUR future.

If you are a believer, Rejoice…. Your future is bright and the best is yet to come!

If you have never made the personal decision to make Jesus your Lord and Savior, He is waiting…arms wide open, to accept you and welcome you into His kingdom. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:9-13 states: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Call on Him today… He’s waiting, with open arms, to welcome you home!

spate.holly@gmail.com

I never thought I would be spending the holiday helping to plan a funeral… a funeral to honor one of the most important people in my life, my uncle. But that’s how the year ended and the new year began. My uncle’s passing was a shock to the system. He meant the world to me. He will always mean the world to me.

You see, my uncle was very kind, fun, giving. He had a true servant’s heart. He was a strong Christian and made it a point to do his best to always be there for everyone. He always gave freely of his time, his finances, his resources, and his love. He could brighten any room he entered and had a way of making everyone feel special. He was always there for me, and I’m forever thankful for the special relationship we’ve always shared.

A loved one’s passing generally has a way of jolting a person into truly contemplating the important things in life. My uncle’s passing did that for me. I have grown up knowing what’s most important in life, but viewing his life in more detail just reaffirms what I’ve known for some time… Life is best lived loving and serving others. Life is best lived being an instrument God can use to plant seeds and touch lives. I have no doubt when my uncle took his last breath on earth and his first step into heaven that he was greeted by Jesus with the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Isn’t that what every Christian, what every daughter and son in Christ, wants to hear?

His passing reminded me of the truth that none of us knows when we will take our final breath in this life. I never would have imagined my uncle would have left this earth so soon. It makes me realize even more how our time here is limited, our opportunities special and not to be wasted. It makes me realize all the more how we need to be about our Father’s business. We are not given a time table when we’re born, but we’re each entrusted with the time God gives to make an impact. We each have been given the same 24 hours in a day, and each needs to decide how we will spend the gift of a day. I’m thankful my uncle spent his time wisely. His example encourages me to spend my time wisely too.

I have peace knowing I will see my uncle again one day. I have peace knowing he is with Jesus and with family members and friends who have gone before. I miss him greatly, but I have peace knowing he’s simply changed addresses, and he’s the happiest he could ever be, and I’ll get to be with him again one day… for all eternity.

Life is truly a gift. Each day is truly a gift. The good seeds we sow now can reap a harvest that will last into all eternity. Our lives are to be lived selflessly… labors of love for those God puts in our paths.

I am so thankful God placed my uncle and me in the same family. I am thankful for his life well lived and the example he set for friends and family to follow. I am thankful God created him and thankful for the lives he touched, the seeds he planted, the love he gave, and the legacy he left.

As Christians, how shall we live our lives? How shall we spend our time?

Matthew 6:19-21 speaks to this: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

If you have never made the decision to accept Christ into your heart and know for sure where you’ll spend eternity, please ask Him into your heart today. He is waiting with open arms to accept you into His kingdom.

John 3:16 shows the deep, unconditional love He has for you: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Asking Jesus into your heart is the BEST decision you will ever make!

I’d like to conclude with a poem by Linda Ellis. I hope it blesses and makes an impression on your heart. And I pray that as you move forward in life, that you will make the most of each day so that one day you will hear the Savior say,

“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

The Dash by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
From the beginning… to the end

He noted that first came the date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
Know what that little line is worth

For it matters not how much we own,
The cars… the house… the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering this special dash
Might only last a little while

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash…
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent YOUR dash?

spate.holly@gmail.com