Advent Series ~ Day 20 ~ HEAVEN

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared
for those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9b

25 Days of God Given Gifts

I often tell my Sunday School children, . . . can you just imagine what heaven is going to be like? If God made the earth and all it's beauty in 6 days, Heaven is going to be beyond anything we can imagine. Just like today's verse tells us. 

Doesn't it seem as if these birds are flying straight from heaven to tell us good news. Straight from God ~ that heaven is real and a place so wonderful it defies description? Where streets are made of gold, music more beautiful then anything we've ever heard, all sadness wiped away, no more tears or pain, a perfect body, where everything in our minds will be made clear, we will understand. A place of perfect peace. A place where there is no night and no need of the sun, as God is the light. I take comfort in knowing that some of my family members are already there, and I will join them someday. 

Author C.S. Lewis had this to say about heaven: 

Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story no one on earth has ever read, which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. 

Here are just some of the facts about heaven found in Revelation chapter 21. I'd encourage you to read it for yourself.

• The foundation of Heaven is made of 12 different layers of precious stones
• The names of the 12 disciples are written on each layer of the foundation
• There are 12 gates, each consists of one huge pearl
• Each of those 12 gates have the name of one of the tribes of Israel
• The streets are of pure gold

When I look at my own wedding band which consists of gold, diamonds, and a sapphire, I can't help but reflect how it pales in comparison to the jewels in heaven. I would imagine the layers of heaven are precious stones in their purest form. We literally have no idea how magnificent it will be. 

If you'd like to read a previous post I wrote about heaven, you can find it here:
Eternal Destination

 

 PREVIOUS ADVENT DEVOTION LINKS HERE

Day 1 ~ ABUNDANT LIFE

Day 2 ~ COMFORT

Day 3 ~ DELIVERANCE

Day 4 ~ STRENGTH

Day 5 ~ GRACE

Day 6 ~ WISDOM

Day 7 ~ PRAYER

Day 8 ~ SALVATION

Day 9 ~ PEACE

Day 10 ~ LOVE

Day 11 ~ REST

Day 12 ~ HOPE

Day 13 ~ BIBLE
Day 14 ~ FAITH
Day 15 ~ JOY
Day 16 ~ REFUGE
Day 17 ~ PROVIDER
Day 18 ~ MERCY
Day 19 ~ BLESSINGS

Two FREE printables that go with this series. You can find download links here:

http://bit.ly/FREEadventgraphics

These images are free for personal use, ministry use, or for gifting. Not to be sold. If you share the images on your blog, a link back would be appreciated. Please do not copy my entire posts to your blog. Thank you. 

I will be posting this until Christmas here on my blog. You can follow this series your favorite way. 

Links are below:

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Billy Graham - A Great Man of Faith

Thinking of Billy Graham these past few days since he passed and was ushered into the presence of God. I have more to share about this great man of faith, but for today, I'll share a verse from Revelation in the graphic above, and this quote from him:

“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”  ~ Billy Graham 1918 - 2018

You can read more about him and the memorial events here on his website:
https://memorial.billygraham.org/

Have a blessed day dear ones.

~ Abby ~ 

25 Days God Given Gifts ~ Day 24 ETERNAL LIFE

Day 24 ~ Unwrapping the Gift of:
ETERNAL LIFE

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. 
 John 3:16

ETERNAL LIFE ~ Living forever and ever. As my grandson would say "to infinity and beyond". 

Webster's Dictionary defines ETERNAL as:
having infinite duration
characterized by abiding fellowship with God
continued without intermission - perpetual
existing at all times - timeless


Eternal life is available to any who believe in Jesus as their Savior, just as the verse says. It is free for the taking, there is nothing one can do to earn it. 

My dear aunt passed away this week and I know without a doubt she is with her Lord in Heaven. She is also reunited with ones she held very dear in her lifetime. How do I know this? Because she expressed to me that she believed in Jesus and knew when she died, she'd be in heaven with Him.

She was blind later on in years, and on this very day her vision is clearer than she ever thought possible. Blind hymn-writer Fanny Crosby said: When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior! 

One of Fanny's later hymns as she aged, gives us a glimpse into her thoughts as she came closer to stepping into Eternal Life. This is titled My Savior First of All, here is the first verse and chorus.

When my lifework is ended and I cross the swelling tide,

When the bright and glorious morning I shall see, 

I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,

And His smile will be the first to welcome me.

I shall know Him, I shall know Him,

And redeemed by His side I shall stand! 

I shall know Him, I shall know Him

By the print of the nails in His hand.

Dear ones, don't miss out... tomorrow is not promised for any of us. If you should die tonight or tomorrow, do you know where you'll spend eternity? You don't have to "clean up" to come to Jesus, He asks for you to come as you are. 

There's a poem by Christina Rossetti, which I've heard to music:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him; give my heart.

You can find a couple different places on my blog if you want to read more, just click on the links below:

ETERNAL DESTINATION

HEAVEN

25 Days God Given Gifts ~ Day 20 HEAVEN

Day 20 ~ Unwrapping the gift of:

HEAVEN

"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,
 and what no human mind has conceived”
- the things God has prepared
for those who love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9b

I have been doing this Advent series with my Sunday School children. They take turns hanging them on the tree and we read the scripture. When we put "Heaven" on the tree I told them... can you just imagine what it's going to be like? If God made the earth and all it's beauty in 6 days, Heaven is going to be beyond anything we can imagine.  Just like today's verse tells us.

Doesn't it seem as if these birds are flying straight from heaven to tell us good news. Straight from God ~ that heaven is real and a place so wonderful it defies description. Where streets are made of gold, music more beautiful then anything we've ever heard, all sadness wiped away, no more tears or pain, a perfect body, where everything in our minds will be made clear, we will understand. A place of perfect peace. A place where there is no night and no need of the sun, as God is the light. I take comfort in knowing that some of my family members are already there, and I will join them someday.

I tell my grandchildren when I get to heaven, I will run like the wind in my perfect body with perfect knees. 

Author C.S. Lewis had this to say about heaven:
Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story no one on earth has ever read, which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.  

Here are just some of the facts about heaven found in Revelation chapter 21. I'd encourage you to read it for yourself.

• The foundation of Heaven is 12 different layers of precious stones
• The names of the 12 disciples are written on each layer of the foundation
• There are 12 gates, each consists of one huge pearl
• Each of those 12 gates have the name of one of the tribes of Israel
• The streets are of pure gold

When I look at my own wedding band which consists of gold, diamonds, and a sapphire, I can't help but reflect how it pales in comparison to the jewels in heaven. I would imagine the layers of precious stones are in their purest form. The gold mentioned in heaven is so pure it's translucent. We literally have no idea how magnificent it will be.

If you'd like to read a previous post I wrote about heaven, you can find it here: Eternal Destination

You can find this whole series to date, here:

25 Days of God Given Gifts

Thank you for all your comments, emails, likes and shares. I'm so happy you've been encouraged by this series. 

25 Days of God Given Gifts - Day 20

Day 20 HEAVEN

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” - the things God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9b

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by clicking on the links below:

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