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Out Of Order
Something is terribly wrong. Things are out of order. The world is in chaos. But not for long!
As I wrote in a previous blog, I am thoroughly enjoying the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. It has completely changed my perspective on eternity and the future state of the believers. I have come to a greater revelation that this future state is however, not only for believers. Well, let me rephrase that, it's not only for humans that believe. But a closer look at the Word of God teaches that it is all of creation that fell when sin entered the world, not just humans.
Everything is completely out of order. Nothing is as it should be. Life for not only us, but also for the animals, the plant life, the atmosphere, the galaxies, even the entire universe, since the fall of man, can be likened to fitting a square peg into a round hole. While it can be done, it often just takes too much effort and never feels quite right.
Often when we think of "creation" our thoughts are immediately drawn to thoughts of people. While God is most definitely the creator of people, He is also the creator of all things. Everything. Things we can see and things we cannot see. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
All of creation cries out with an invisible cry, longing to be returned to the state in which they were designed to dwell. You can see this in the sad eyes of a puppy dog, or the squinted gaze of a cat perched in a window, longing for that which once was. You hear in the loud cracks of thunder that rumble the earth or fierce waves of the sea as they crash violently against a barrier wall. You can also see it by the fact that entire species of plants become extinct, extreme changes in weather patterns, or perhaps as a fallen star shoots across the sky. Everything is completely out of order.
Paul speaks in detail of this:
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)it.
You see, people, or believer's, are not the only ones that are groaning. Nor are we the only thing that is going to be redeemed. All of creation is. Notice these passages say "the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children ". It also says, "creation has been groaning......And we believers also groan" We are not the only ones suffering as a result of the curse. All of creation is. But not for long!
Here's the Good News! 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.
and......
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Thank you Jesus!
The redemptive work of Christ goes way, way beyond the salvation of our souls. It extends to the renewal of all things. We shall live and move and breath on a brand new earth. And even greater than that is the fact that the new heaven itself will come and join itself with us and we shall live forever in the very presence of God.
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
So my friends, take heart. You may have been starting to feel as though life has passed you by. Maybe physically or emotionally you are growing weary and you feel like your best opportunities are behind you. Perhaps dreams you once knew have crumbled, you marriage has fallen apart, or you have lost all hope.
I encourage you today to set your sights on eternity. Life on this current earth is but for a moment. While this world we live in can be filled with evil, deceit, and decay, the earth itself and all of creation was never intended to be that way. The great news is that we get to enjoy forever the wonderful experience of a brand new life on a brand new earth in brand new bodies and in the very presence of a God that will never ever change. Isn't that awesome news?
It get's greater later!
That's all I can share for today and besides this blog is growing too long already. The heart cannot absorb what the attention span can cannot endure. Let me leave you with the following quote which I borrowed from Randy's book:
I once scorned ev'ry fearful thought of death,
When it was but the end of pulse and breath,
But now my eyes have seen that past the pain
There is a world that's waiting to be claimed.
Earthmaker, Holy, let me now depart,
For living's such a temporary art.
And dying is but getting dressed for God,
Our graves are merely doorways cut in sod.
-Calvin Miller
I love you brothers and sisters,
Michael |
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| To add a comment to "Out Of Order" |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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LOL, yes it's a long one. BTW, this sentence appears to be in need of correction. "The heart cannot absorb what the attention span can endure." SHOULD read "The heart cannot absorb what the attention span cannot endure." Right? Nevertheless, VERY powerful message! Yep, many of us know this already, but how much have we really thought about it?? Today I am, thanks to you, bro! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Correction made. Thanks.
Many of us do know these things Mike, but I am afraid that many of us do not. I love to think on the fact that we will have physical bodies, and live in a physical realm, the new earth, along with plants and animals, and planets, galaxies, and so much more that we have yet been able to discover. It boggles the restricted mind.
Thanks for the comment and for correcting my grammatical error. BTW, I have a proposal going out this afternoon, would you happen to have time to proof-read it for me? :) |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| Michael, I would gladly do so, IF I had time. If you need me to look at it by tomorrow, zing it on over to me. If today though, I simply won't have time. :-( |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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I really have no proposal going out today Mike. I was merely complimenting your reading and comprehensive skills!
I will make the following proposal however, and this is for all people on MyChurch.......Let's Worship! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| This blog really isn't that long. I use larger text than most and there is a lot of white space too. |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| Proposal accepted on Worship time - I'm there!! Great blog! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| Great blog Michael, I have been reading John Beveres Driven by Eternity and can relate to this Physical heaven and body! Wow man my wheelchair will be gone and I will live for EVER drinking from the tree of life!! love Stu! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Amen Carol......His praises shall continuously be on my lips!
Stu....I am hearing you loud and clear on that one brother. I have all ideas you'll be going for morning jogs with Joni Eareckson Tada, Christopher Reeve and more than likely Jesus himself! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| I want to join in those morning jogs, too! Heaven will be so awesome! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| Wow, this blog just made me breath deeply in and just exhale and just relax a bit. I'm at work and can't say more right now but I will later you know me....;) |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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| cant wait for that one whooo Hooooo, look at me run....run forest run haha LOL |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Randy made another statement in the book and I wanted to share it too. It goes something like this:
"Earth is an in-between world touched by both Heaven and Hell. Earth leads directly into Heaven or into Hell, affording a choice between the two. The best of life on earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worse of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven." |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later
Amen brother!!! |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Hi Cheryl!
Thanks so much for re-quoting that verse. You know why I say that? Because I posted originally from the NLT. But take a look at it in the KJV:
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Notice how the NLT says the glory will be revealed to us and the KJV says in us. That's a huge difference. The power and the glory is already residing on the inside of us. We just don't have full revelation of that yet!
That's awesome! I knew that before of course but wasn't exactly focused on that particular verse of the passage.
I cut my teeth on the NLT because it was easier for me to grasp, however I am beginning to become more of a KJV man every day. Of course each translation can help to bring meaning into the forefront but I have discovered way too many vital words out of place in some of the newer translations.
Anyway, for that's worth, thanks again!
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| October 21, 2008 |
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All I can say is y'all just wait! LOL. Let me say this when people die and come back they say it is indescribable. I just keep my experiences to myself. To try and put it into words makes it cheap. I in fact hate even typing that I was a visitor but the cat is already out of the bag. This is my belief....the Word says all creation groans....I belief everything that has had life in it will live again that is why creation groans...and all I can tell you is this too...I have had patients that have had cataracts removed that say colors are so beautiful to them, they had no idea what they were not seeing....well when you go to Heaven you will have no idea what colors you have never seen until you get there....it is like having eyesight restored...it almost hurts you feel like you have to keep adjusting your eyes and refocusing...but you don't you just look harder...that is the best way to say it...so that is a prelude...and all I'm saying....you have to know me to get any more out of me....LOL
OH, one more thing I will tell you is this, the first thing you feel is the thing you want most. Most adults say love. Not me that was not it. When I was a little girl I went twice, my first time...the thing I felt most and I had NEVER felt this before was hope...I've carried that with me ever since... |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Please Read Roman's 8:18-25 in The amplified Bible.
One Of My All Time Favorite Passages. & Very Powerful. |
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Lori....I cannot wait to read your new blog.....you know the one I'm talking about....all creation eagerly awaits to hear the rest of the story!
That's such a beautiful thing that God allowed you to glimpse into paradise and have planted within you those priceless and oh, so precious seeds of hope. I know how very much your hopes had been deferred as a result of disrupted youth and we know that hope deferred makes the heart sick. It's quite obvious that your heart is far from sick, yet alive and well.
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| October 21, 2008 |
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Hi again Linda:
Powerful. I decided to post them here for all to read!
18[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us! 19For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship]. 20For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it--[yet] with the hope 21That nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God's children. 22We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. 23And not only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the firstfruits of the [Holy] Spirit [a foretaste of the blissful things to come] groan inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies [from sensuality and the grave, which will reveal] our adoption (our manifestation as God's sons). 24For in [this] hope we were saved. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure.
Awesome!
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| October 22, 2008 |
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| The passage that you quoted from Romans 8 is one I have used before. To me, it indicates that all creation is waiting for the return of Christ. I took comfort in it when my cat died, because my preacher told us once in a sermon that animals don't go to heaven. I didn't agree, and this passage seems to indicate that all creation looks forward to the return of Christ, and that includes my cats, and they just might be in heaven when I get there. Great Blog Michael! |
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| October 22, 2008 |
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Thanks Deb - Bless your heart.
I say you gotta read Randy's book. There are just way too many scriptures about living creatures and God's love for animals and His commands for us to be caretakers of them to say that animals won't go to heaven.
Perhaps I can expound on that some once I complete the last couple of chapters. I would be happy to at least give you some of the many verses he cites in explaining that standpoint if you'd like. |
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| October 22, 2008 |
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Michael, when I think in The Heaven” necessarily I think in the hell, the pastor Dennis said something the past weekend that alarmed me each 10 seconds die 30 people and only 5 are going go to Heaven. That is horrible!!!! …but my question is: we are going to do something about that or we are going to ignore these statistics? Victory World Church is doing an amaze drama “Your final destination”... I invite to all to see this stupendous presentation. You have to go my fried, you need to see that drama... I invite to you !!!
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| October 25, 2008 |
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| I can't wait to see Jesus and look upon his face. Just think we will get to sit at his feet in adoration for all eternity. Wow. |
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