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Today is brought to you by the letter L

“Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me. 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 and IF I go and prepare a place for you I WILL come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you will be also.” John 14:1-3

This is an amazing promise/assurance that I learned way back in Junior Sabbath School when I was a kid. Mrs Olson was our leader and she challenged us to learn quite a few key sections of Scripture, including this one (with little “incentives” if we did!) And I still remember it. I heard someone quote it just this weekend as I worshipped virtually in several locations. This is the promise that Jesus IS coming again and WILL put and end to all the junk that has infested this world because of sin.

It also reminds me of a verse in Acts 1 when Jesus actually went back to heaven after His physical presence on this earth was ended. He had lived, died and come back to life to complete the requirements of God so He could be both loving and just. Having completed EVERYTHING necessary for salvation He returned to His Father. While He was rising up from the Mount of Olives and His disciples were possibly straining for one last glimpse of Him, an angel appeared and said, “You men of Galilee, why are you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven WILL so come as you have seen Him go into heaven.” There’s another promise! Did He “go up into heaven?” The disciples had first-hand physical evidence and would have had to say, “yes.” Then IF He went… He WILL come back.” THAT’S the promise.

And the promise is just a sure in my “L” promise for today, The operative word is “IF.” Jesus spoke this verse to His disciples BEFORE he went through that first Easter weekend. It was a promise contingent on the fact that “IF” He goes, then He WILL come back. Well, Acts 1:11 says He DID “go” so now I feel at liberty to change the preposition “IF” to “BECAUSE!” . “I go to prepare a place for you and BECAUSE I have gone to prepare a place for you I WILL come again…”

“I DID go… and I WILL come back.” THAT it my anchor point, my focal point, my exclamation point!! He WILL be back!! And that provides all the hope I need to keep my priorities straight and my hope sure.

Have a great day knowing that this world is NOT all there is,

Pastor Rich

“Living Hope” by Phil Wickam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f2FXxDVO6w

Quote for the day: "Our LORD never requires the same conditions for discipleship that He requires for salvation." Oswald Chambers

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