Living One
When Final Isn’t Final
During our lifetime we’ll lose someone to death. Jesus’s disciple, John, saw Jesus die. The scourging. The nails. The cross. The blood. The tomb. It seemed final. But then, John saw Him again! Imagine what it must have been like for him to see Jesus transformed from the cross’s goriness to heaven’s gloriousness. John was overcome. “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the LIVING ONE; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” (Revelation 1:18) Why did John fall like a dead man when he saw his friend in heaven? Jesus is glowing! His eyes are brilliant. His voice tumultuous. He told John to bring us the message that He has the keys of death and Hades. In other words, after your death, you don’t have to be locked in death. God recreates repentant sinners with a glorified body, soul, and spirit capable of living eternally in His presence. How can we not tell everyone we know that a glorious resurrection awaits them if they call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation?
LIVING ONE, brilliantly glorious One, even though we can’t see You, we believe in You. Help us love You more each day so our lives are displays of Your glory that draw others to You.
Praying for our unsaved friends and neighbors is crucial. I designate a column in the Week at A Glance section of Prayers of My Heart to pray for the United States and Unsaved. What do I pray? Check out this short SLIDE SHOW.
When Final Isn’t Final
During our lifetime, we’ll lose someone to death. Jesus’s disciple, John, saw Jesus die. The scourging. The nails. The cross. The blood and water. The tomb. It seemed final. But then, John saw Him again! Imagine what it must have been like for him to see Jesus transformed from the cross’s goriness to heaven’s gloriousness. John was overcome. “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the LIVING ONE; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” (Revelation 1:18) Why did John fall like a dead man when he saw his friend in heaven? Jesus is glowing! His eyes are brilliant. His voice tumultuous. He told John to bring us the message that He has the keys of death and Hades. In other words, after your death you don’t have to be locked in death. God recreates repentant sinners with a glorified body, soul, and spirit capable of living eternally in His presence. How can we not tell everyone we know that a glorious resurrection awaits them if they call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation?
LIVING ONE, brilliantly glorious One, even though we can’t see You, we believe in You. Help us love You more each day so our lives are displays of Your glory; drawing others to You.
Praying for our unsaved friends and neighbors is crucial. I designate a column in the Week at A Glance section of Prayers of My Heart to pray for the United States and Unsaved. What do I pray? Check out this short SLIDE SHOW.
LIVING ONE
Someone with whom you’ve been extremely close has died. You’ve grieved. You’ve “lost” them from being with you on a daily basis. Then, you see them! But, they’re glowing! Their eyes are brilliant. It’s absolutely overwhelming and gloriously terrifying at the same time. You collapse in shock. That’s a minuscule version of what happened to John when He saw Jesus in His gloriously brilliant kingdom of heaven. Read the whole account in Revelation 1. Bottom line. Jesus had a message: “I’m not dead.”
LIVING ONE, I can’t wait to see You! What a glorious day that will be!
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