Revelation 1:18
Take Comfort Knowing Jesus Is Alive in Heaven
Have you ever been startled to see someone you didn’t expect? My husband has startled me and I assure you, I jumped. Considering how we may have been startled by a person we didn’t expect, can you imagine how startling it was for the disciple John to unexpectedly see Jesus in heaven? John was on the island of Patmos when he was suddenly taken to heaven and saw Christ. What was his response? He fell at Jesus’ feet like a dead man. Revelation 1:18 records what Jesus said to John,
“I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore…”
John had seen Jesus die on the cross and be buried. He had seen the resurrected Christ. He had seen Jesus ascend in the clouds into heaven. But to see Jesus alive in heaven and hear Jesus explain He is alive forevermore had to be startling. If your today looks unbearable and you dread tomorrow, don’t. A day of glorious eternal life awaits you, believer. You will see Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we praise You. Thank You for dying for us so we can be ALIVE FOREVERMORE with You.
Friends, I’d love to have you join me beginning Wednesday, January 10th at 10 am for our weekly Bible Study of John Part 2 or on Thursday, January 11th at 6:30 pm. Click here for more info.
Live outside of the Texas Hill Country? No problem! My weekly teachings and Listening Guides will be added HERE each week so you can follow along or use it for a group study.
Take Comfort Knowing Jesus Is Alive in Heaven & Sees You
Have you ever been startled to see someone you didn’t expect? There have been a number of times that my husband has startled me and I assure you, I jumped. Considering how we may have been startled by someone we didn’t expect, can you imagine how startling it was for the disciple John to unexpectedly see the ascended Lord Jesus in heaven? John was on the island of Patmos when he was suddenly taken into Christ’s presence. What was his response? He fell at Jesus’s feet like a dead man. Revelation 1:18 records what Jesus said to John,
I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,…”
John had seen Christ crucified and buried. He had seen the resurrected Christ. He had seen Jesus ascend in the clouds into heaven. But to Jesus alive in heaven and to hear Jesus explaining that He is alive forevermore had to be more startling than we can imagine. If your today looks unbearable and you dread tomorrow, don’t. A day of glorious eternal LIFE awaits you in the presence of Jesus. In the meantime and while we are still on earth, find comfort knowing that Jesus is alive in heaven. Find comfort knowing that He knew where John was and He knows where you are. Find comfort knowing that Jesus is mindful of you, just like He was John. Believe.
LORD JESUS CHRIST, we praise You, who died for us, are alive forevermore, and are mindful of where we are.
Someone is Mindful of You
Have you ever been startled to see someone you didn’t expect? There have been a number of times that my husband has startled me and I assure you, I jumped. Considering how we may have been startled by someone we didn’t expect, can you imagine what it was like for the disciple John to unexpectedly see the ascended Lord Jesus in heaven? John was on the island of Patmos when he was suddenly taken into Christ’s presence. What was his response? He fell at Jesus’s feet like a dead man. Revelation 1:18 records what Jesus said to John, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,…” John had seen Jesus whipped, crucified, and buried. You don’t get “deader” than that. But now, John testifies that he saw Jesus “ALIVE!” If your today looks unbearable and you dread tomorrow, don’t. A glorious day of eternal LIFE awaits you in the presence of Jesus, who is alive forever. In the meantime and while we are still on earth, Jesus is alive and His eye is on you. He knows your name and where you are just like He did with John. He also has purpose for your life, just like He did with John. Believe.
LORD JESUS CHRIST, we praise You, who died for us, are alive forevermore, and are mindful of where we are.
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.
You Don’t Get Deader than That
Have you ever been startled to see someone you didn’t expect? There have been a number of times that my husband has startled me and I assure you, I jumped. Considering how we may have been startled by someone we didn’t expect, can you imagine what it was like for John the disciple to unexpectedly see Jesus in heaven? John was on the island of Patmos when he was suddenly taken into Christ’s presence. What was his response? He fell at Jesus’s feet like a dead man. Revelation 1:18 records Jesus said to John, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,…” John had seen Jesus whipped, crucified, and buried. You don’t get “deader” than that. But now, John testifies he saw Jesus “ALIVE!” If your today looks unbearable and you dread tomorrow, don’t. A glorious day of eternal LIFE awaits you in the presence of Jesus, who is alive forever.
LORD JESUS CHRIST, we praise You, who died for us, but are now ALIVE FOREVER!
Praise to the LIVING ONE
“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.’”
Death seems final, doesn’t it? I wept at my mother’s graveside even though we had known her death was near. Friends and families’ words, “You’ll see her again,” were comforting. But the reality was the casket. The shovel. The dirt.
During our lifetime, we’ll lose someone to death. Jesus’s disciple, John, clearly saw Jesus die. The scourging. The nails. The cross. The sword in His side. The blood and water. The tomb.
But then, John saw Him again!
Can you imagine what it must have been like for John to not only see the resurrected Christ, but to also see Christ glorified in heaven?
John recorded his experience. You can read it in Revelation 1. Jesus is glowing! His eyes are brilliant. His appearance is glorious. His voice tumultuous. He’s not barely alive. He’s abundantly alive! And He has a message for John to take to earth. He has the keys of death. In other words. You’re not staying locked in a casket or an urn. The one who made Adam out of dirt is regenerating you to your glorified body – fit for the Kingdom.
In light of knowing that we and our loved ones aren’t staying dead, what is our response? I want to run out the door and shout that a glorious body and place await us. I want to tell people that sin is the cause for eternal separation from Christ’s glory and He is ready to forgive. What can we do if not run out the door and shout the good news? Pray. Present the gospel. Put His glory before our lives so others see and believe in the resurrected Lord.
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.
Good News! Jesus isn’t Dead. He’s ALIVE FOREVER
“I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,…”
Astonished. That might best describe how John felt. He’d walked with Jesus; then seen Him crucified. “Dead,” he would have replied if we’d asked him about Jesus the day following His burial. But now, John’s answer is, “ALIVE!” If today looks unbearable and you dread tomorrow, don’t. A day of glorious eternal LIFE awaits you in the presence of Christ who is alive forever.
LORD JESUS CHRIST, we praise You, who died for us, but are now ALIVE FOREVER!
ALIVE FOREVERMORE
“I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,…”
Revelation 1:18
Astonished. That might best describe how John felt. He had walked with Jesus during Christ’s ministry on earth. “Messiah, that’s who Jesus is,” John might have replied had we asked who him who Jesus was. But then, John witnessed Jesus crucifixion. “Dead,” would have been his reply. However, if we had questioned John about Jesus three days later, no doubt we would have heard an incredulous shout of praise, “Resurrected!” Days later, after watching Christ rise into the clouds, John would have announced to us that the Son of God had “Ascended!” Ever growing in his understanding of Jesus, John is now given a heavenly vision in which Jesus announces “I was dead, and behold, I am ALIVE FOREVERMORE! In our world of friends and family dying, isn’t it comforting to know that He who is alive forevermore promises life eternal to us, too?
LORD JESUS CHRIST, I praise You, my Savior, who died for me, but is now ALIVE FOREVERMORE!
Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you.
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!
*Debbie Taylor Williams. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to forward or share this material provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee for it. Any exception to the above must be approved by Debbie Taylor Williams. Please include on any web posting or printed distribution: © Debbie Taylor Williams, www.debbietaylorwilliams.com. Thank you.