Life This Side of Heaven

When it comes to end of the world, and the day of our Lord’s return, the signs of His coming are unmistakable.  And they sound terrifying.  Nevertheless, as you listen to our Savior, you’ll notice that instead of panic He encouraged the disciples to take note – and prepare. They're actually quite useful.

What is pure?  It won’t be long before snow begins to fall.  One of the great activities among children, and even adults, is to try and catch a snowflake on your tongue.  After all, what could be purer than fresh, falling snow?  You might be surprised by the answer. In Christ ... it's you!

Have you ever marveled over that faithful person who sits next to you at church? That's something for which you and I can really kick up our heels.  In fact, as Paul goes on to say, “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord.”  And here’s why.

That rumbling in your stomach?  That’s actually pretty handy.  So is that parched tongue.  Hunger and thirst are actually useful.  And so is our hunger and thirst for God's righteousness. They're the rumbling and groaning acknowledgement that apart from God’s righteousness you and I would perish.  They lead us to look to God for rescue.  And God doesn’t disappoint.

Imitators and imposters. An impersonator is usually someone who pretends to be some one to bring joy to others An imposter, on the other hand, is someone who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others. And there are plenty of both. When John says that we're children of God it's not a role we play. It's who we are!

Today you and I get to ask Paul about righteousness!  And more precisely, "Where did you get that?" On the surface, this may not seem like a very difficult question, but as Paul points out, the answer isn’t always obvious.

Not a paper crown, or a crown of ashes, but a crown of righteousness awaits all who long for our Savior's appearing. Paul looked forward to it. And through faith, so can you and I!

When Paul describes Scripture it’s useful to recognize how remarkable it is to have God’s Word and what it enables us to discover. In the first place, it’s not like any other book that’s come before it or after. As He points out, it's "God-breathed." What does that mean?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the earth’s gravity disappeared for say … a minute.  It might surprise you to know that there are those who have set out to answer that question. Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Lord withdrew His love, care and blessings? Then you'll want to hear what the apostle Paul says about it.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!  You may be thinking to yourself, "Well, that's nice for our Canadian listeners, but what about the rest of us around the world? Actually today, this very day, turns out to be a great one for all of us to give thanks.  And here's why!