Festering Wound

Heaven on Earth

READ: JOHN 14:1-6; PHILIPPIANS 3:20-21; REVELATION 21:1-5 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JOHN%2014%3A1-6%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%203%3A20-21%3B%20REVELATION%2021%3A1-5&version=NIV] Too often, Christians have a vague understanding of heaven as a cloudy, indistinct place where we’ll wear white bathrobes and strum on harps. No wonder so many people don’t want to go there! If we take a good look at what the Bible actually says about heaven, we’ll find that it sounds pretty good. Heaven will ultimately be on earth (Revelation 21:1-5). I remember being so relieved when I first understood this. It’s a familiar, concrete idea I can wrap my mind around. God created the Earth uniquely for habitation, with the intention that people live on it. That objective won’t change, but the earth will be made better—healed from sin and all the brokenness it caused. The Bible tells us the first earth will pass away and be made new—minus the sin, hunger, sickness, death, and war we’re all too accustomed to on the current one. We will have physical bodies (Philippians 3:20-21). Another relief, isn’t it? We’re accustomed to our five senses, to the pressure of air in our lungs and dirt under our feet. God intended us to be physical as well as spiritual beings. When Jesus rose from the dead, he had His physical body that bore scars and could consume food. Since Christ set the pattern we will follow, we can expect physical bodies too. His resurrection secures ours (1 Corinthians 15). God will dwell with us (Revelation 21:3). We were created for fellowship with God such as Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden. Sin broke that relationship, but Jesus conquered sin. One day, His work on the cross will come to full realization, and everyone who has put their trust in Jesus will once again enjoy the presence of the Creator of the universe in this way. Scripture tells us we are sojourners on this present earth, and our true citizenship is in heaven because that’s where Jesus is. We can rejoice knowing that we will dwell with Him and His people forever—and that He will exceed our expectations in every way. • Michelle Isenhoff • How have you imagined heaven, both when you were a kid and more recently? • After reading today’s Bible passages, what questions do you have about heaven? • Jesus is in heaven, and at the same time, He is also with us! What questions do you have about this? (Matthew 28:20; Mark 16:19; 1 Peter 1:8; 3:22) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Regret

READ: PSALM 103:12; ROMANS 3:21-26; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:10; EPHESIANS 2:8-10 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%20103%3A12%3B%20ROMANS%203%3A21-26%3B%202%20CORINTHIANS%207%3A10%3B%20EPHESIANS%202%3A8-10&version=CSB] Regret: everyone experiences it at some point. I recently sold my truck, before I really needed to, at a price that was too low. And, afterward, I was full of regret. I had no plan for what I was going to buy to replace it, which led me to spiral into fearful desperation. I knew I had just made one bad decision. How could I make another major decision—what car to buy and how much to spend? My situation isn’t new or unusual. In Genesis 1–3, the story of the first people, Adam and Eve, is characterized by regret. They sinned against God, rejecting His love and doing what He’d explicitly told them not to do. They were guilty, and, therefore, they experienced the regret of sin. The Bible is littered with similar stories. Consider David’s lust and murder, Esau’s birthright sale, Jonah’s bitterness, Thomas’s unbelief, Peter’s pride, Judas’s betrayal…the list goes on and on. Some of those individuals experienced repentance and healing for their regret; some didn’t. The difference in whether someone found healing or not is simple: grace. We often live under the delusion that personal perfection is a possibility. But over and over, as sinful and guilty people in need of a Savior, we are confronted with our failures and flaws. No amount of education or training will rid us of these qualities. Thankfully, there is hope. Romans 5:20 tells us, “Where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.” That is good news indeed for flawed people. The grace of Christ gives us hope. His sacrificial death took God’s just wrath for our sin. So, the moment we were united to Jesus by faith through His grace, our sins were nailed to the cross and we received Jesus’s perfect righteousness. Our sins are washed away in the flood of Christ’s forgiveness. They are gone forever and have lost their hold on us. No regret can separate us from God’s love. • Mike Hurley • What kinds of regrets have you been carrying? Are they regrets over sins, like hatred, or merely unwise decisions, like selling something before you thought through all the factors? • We’ve all done things we later regretted. Yet God is so merciful to us that even when we mess up, He extends help. This is the hope of the gospel—when we were dead in our sin, helpless to save ourselves, Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave to save us (for more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus [https://unlocked.org/knowjesus/]" page). And even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus, He continues to show us mercy when we mess up. Consider taking some time to talk to Him about any regrets that come to mind. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more. Romans 5:20 (CSB)

A Promised Way of Escape

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13; 2 THESSALONIANS 3:3; 2 TIMOTHY 1:7; TITUS 2:12-14 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20CORINTHIANS%2010%3A13%3B%202%20THESSALONIANS%203%3A3%3B%202%20TIMOTHY%201%3A7%3B%20TITUS%202%3A12-14&version=NLT] During my senior year, my best friend invited me to her birthday party. Our entire circle of friends showed up, and the day seemed innocent enough. A few hours later, things took an unexpected turn. Out of nowhere, my high school best friend pulled out her parents’ bottle of vodka and asked if anyone wanted to take shots with her. Immediately, I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach as everyone, except me, enthusiastically agreed. I knew this was wrong. She looked to me, waiting on an answer. I felt the pressures to fit in and say, “Yes.” Suddenly, I remembered what my youth pastor had preached earlier that week, that God would show me a way out when I was tempted so that I could endure it and not give in (1 Corinthians 10:13). I knew what I had to do. I said, “No. I have to go home.” While the temptation to fit in was strong, God faithfully gave me a way out. I don’t know what temptations you’re facing, but I do know this: you’re not alone. The temptations and struggles you’re dealing with are no different than what everyone else has experienced. Since the beginning of time, starting with Adam and Eve, we’ve all been tempted. While, yes, there are temptations and struggles, there is great news in our moments of weakness. God is faithful, and His Word promises we will not be tempted more than we can stand. He promises to show us a way out so we can endure. It is sometimes difficult, but once we know Jesus, we can always pray prayers like this: Lord, show me the way of escape You’re providing from this temptation. Thank You for giving me the strength to choose Your way and not sin. Remember, Jesus is with us, and He is faithful to help us resist sin—and to forgive us even when we fall. As we rely on His love, we become willing to choose His way out. • Brandi Prather • In times of temptation, Jesus invites us to come to Him, to be reminded of His goodness, and to better see the way of escape He’s offering. Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about whatever temptations you’ve been facing lately. Why is it that we don’t have to be afraid of being totally honest with Jesus about our temptations and sins? (Psalm 139; Romans 3:23-24; Hebrews 2:18; 4:14-16; 1 John 1:9) • What questions do you have about drinking alcohol? Who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to about these questions? (If you want to dig deeper, read Psalm 104:14-15; Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35; Ecclesiastes 9:7; Isaiah 5:11; Amos 9:14; Luke 7:33-34; John 2:1-11; Romans 13:13; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Timothy 5:23. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4 (NLT)

Busting Out of the Familiar

READ: JOHN 14:26; 20:31; 2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17; HEBREWS 4:12 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JOHN%2014%3A26%3B%2020%3A31%3B%202%20TIMOTHY%203%3A14-17%3B%20HEBREWS%204%3A12&version=WEB] How well do you know the streets around your home? As you drive by, you probably know by heart that there’s a gas station on the right and, up ahead, there’s an old blue van that’s been parked in the same spot since the beginning of time. But have you ever noticed something new on that familiar route? Maybe a neighbor painted their shutters a wild shade of avocado green, a coffee shop just took over that abandoned building, or—Wait! Did I just see a giant flamingo statue in that backyard? If we grew up in church, learning Bible stories and verses week after week, it can be hard to find the motivation to read God’s Word. When we open to a familiar passage, we may think, I already know this story. Why should I read it again? This may be true about other books, but the Bible is different. God’s words are “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). If you’re in Christ, you’re in a living and active relationship with the God who wrote the words. That means you’re a part of the story you’re reading—God’s story of rescuing His people and restoring His creation. The climax of this story is the cross, and everything else revolves around it. All throughout the Bible, God is revealing the gospel (or good news) of Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit, God helps us see new aspects of the gospel every time we read. But, practically, how can we train our eyes to see these? The secret to seeing the new things God is waiting to show you from His Word is to start asking questions. Here are a few to try: “God, will You open up my eyes to understand what Your Word says?” “Is there anything about this passage that doesn’t make sense to me?” “What do these verses say about the big picture of the gospel and what Jesus has done?” As you ask these questions, remember you are never alone. In Christ, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you as you seek to deepen your understanding of God’s Word. • Mandy Desilets • When do you struggle to find the motivation to read the Bible? What do you think is the biggest reason behind that struggle? • When we ask questions, we often end up with more questions. Who is a trusted Christian in your life you could go to with your questions about the Bible as they come up? For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (WEB)

Praying Continually

READ: PSALM 145:19; PHILIPPIANS 4:4-13; 1 JOHN 3:1; 5:14 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%20145%3A19%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%204%3A4-13%3B%201%20JOHN%203%3A1%3B%205%3A14&version=NIV] My sister calls me every day around three o’clock. Sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later. Sometimes a lot later. Could she be shopping? By four o’clock I start to worry. Perhaps she was in a car accident. Maybe she got hurt. I like to know she’s okay—especially since she lives alone. But there are also times when I’m busy and can’t answer the phone. Then she leaves a message. We never have to leave a message with God. Unlike with me and my sister, He already knows all the things going on in our lives, but He wants us to tell Him about them anyway—just like a little child tells their parents about the friend who shared a cookie, or comforted them after another child betrayed them. Sharing draws the parent and child closer together. Sharing can draw us closer to God too. God wants to hear the things that worry us. The things that annoy us. The things that make us sing for joy. We can talk to God any time. Anywhere. In any language. Even in no language at all—just a longing of our hearts. Or a sorrow too deep for words. Sometimes we pray because it’s the time we have allotted. Sometimes we pray because someone asks us to. And sometimes we are down on our knees, pouring out our hearts—and our tears—over circumstances beyond our control. God never tells us to call back later. He never lets our prayers go to voice mail. Not only can we share things with God, we can also ask Him for things. Sometimes we don’t see immediate results from our prayers. Sometimes we never see results. That doesn’t mean God is not at work. He is, after all, God. Whether His answer is yes or no or wait, He is acting out of His unimaginable love for us. How foolish we can be when we choose other activities over communion with the Lord of the universe. • Carol Raj • When you hear the word prayer, how does it make you feel? Peaceful, annoyed, guilty, frustrated, confused, bored, eager, hopeful…? • God wants to be in relationship with us because He loves us—even more than a parent loves their child. He made the way for that relationship through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Once we know Jesus, we are brought close to God. And one of the ways we enjoy our new relationship with God is through talking with Him in prayer. If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 62:8; 139:1-24; Matthew 6:5-13; Romans 8:26-39; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 4:14-16. Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)