(IHEAM:PREFACE) I HAVE AN ETERNITY AHEAD OF ME: PREFACE


 EXPULSION FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN 1620, Sir Peter Paul Rubens

  

I HAVE AN ETERNITY AHEAD OF ME

 

PREFACE



Sometimes, I let my mind wander. I must confess, lately, it's more often, than sometimes. Nonetheless, in these wandering states of mind, I sometimes think about Eternity with God and Jesus. I'm sure our Father probably is amused at my wandering, uninhibited, large, and vivid imagination that puts me in a somewhat placid state of being.


Oh, I know that our Eternity begins when we have been born again and come to know the Father and Son. Jesus told His Father that His Disciples were no longer of this world, but, had become part of God's Heavenly Kingdom. God's Kingdom is Eternal.  If you have been reborn, you are living in your eternal life! Did you know that? Did you ever think about being Reborn in that sense? Do you believe that? Do you live that?

What will it be like when we shed these bodies and are changed to be like Him--God, that is, living in His presence? Most certainly, it will be peaceful, not always quiet, yet, beyond our imagination, that's how I begin thinking about spending eternity with our Father, brothers and sisters. I try to mentally eliminate all the physical and mental barriers and limitations we have on earth and try to visualize a place beyond the stars and planets and the known universe. I think of the peace I feel, when I'm alone talking to God. The atmosphere around His throne must be even more enhanced with tranquility, majesty, and holiness, than that which we are capable of feeling here on earth.


I like to entertain the thought that I will someday have the privilege to sit at His feet, with Jesus seated at His right hand, and we'll just smile and laugh. I don't know what at, but, I see it in my own way, as if I've told them something that has amused us all. Joy, that is the expression I see upon our faces, sheer joy.


I sit there and sing them a song of days gone by and even the sad times don't bring sadness, but victory. They earnestly listen with all understanding, with knowledge and visions of the past, because they were there! Throughout the good times and the bad times, they were there watching over me.


Oh, there are a multitude of angels and their voices rise and join in with my singing. I know that I am home, because our voices assure me I am where I belong. And as the song fills my heart and washes over me, somehow, I know that I will never have to sing that song describing my journey to cross over again. You see, I am done with the past and I have an eternity ahead of me. When I am finished, my Father beckons me to come. He holds me in His arms and there is nothing like His Love; then, as peace floods my spirit, I know I have just been touched by Jesus.


I guess I could go on and on day-dreaming and imagining, but, that is for another time. Here I am now and they are here inside of me; walking with me and talking with me; and listening to my thoughts. I am needed here, now. I have a charge to keep and a God to glorify. I am a vessel to spread the GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM, that others may be reborn to abundant and eternal life.


The word 'eternity' is hard to fathom, when thinking about it in terms of 'living', especially living it now. I guess I've been thinking like so many other people. Eternal life begins after physical death. Perhaps, the abundant life part of the scriptures are emphasized more and made relevant to today. Probably, just another way Satan has blinded many of us. We are supposed to be experiencing our eternal, everlasting life, now, because, as Jesus said, we are no longer of this world, but, are now citizens of the Kingdom of God.

It is important to know what distinguishes us to be living an eternal life. Should people be able to tell while we're living here on earth? Should I be more joyous and alive? Need I be in a hurry to do things in life anymore? Well, I guess that's where the abundant life comes in. We can't take tomorrow for granted. We must live eternally today.


When I have left this body, what will it be like to live for an eternity? What will I do? Where will I go? Who will be with me? The Word of God says that we will never tire or be sick. But, already, I have to stop myself, because I feel that I'm on the wrong train of thought. traveling down the wrong track to the wrong destination. Are me, myself, and I going to be my primary focus throughout eternity? Does God live only for Himself? Already, I have a lot to learn about eternity and I better start learning and living it now.


Please join me on this new journey of preparation, growth, fellowship, and discipleship. Let us start with prayer, then, answer some very important questions to help prepare for our journey.


Father,


We thank you for being in our lives and for your Son, whom you've given us to follow. Help us to keep our eyes on Him, that we may forever be close to you.


Father, you have reminded us that tomorrow is not promised to us and we know not the hour or day when you will come. Help us to be prepared for the bridegroom; our lamps lit as we stand, dressed in holiness for the wedding.

Search our hearts and remove that which hinders us from living and enjoying the abundant and eternal life you have promised to us. Lord, humble us. Keep us forever humble and grateful.

Help us to leave the old man inside of us behind and flourish in the new Mind of Christ to be fruitful and pleasing in your sight.

Please forgive us when we fall short of the Mark. Help us not to become discouraged, but to continue to fight back the darkness which preys upon your children.


Use us to help one another and lift up the name of Jesus, drawing all men unto Thee. We pray that when the day comes and you call our name, we will be listening and ready to spend the rest of eternity with Thee.

In the precious name of The Lamb, Yeshua, Amen

Your servant, united with the One,


Mishael


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SELF REFLECTION: A Look in the Mirror


Once again, when we look at Jesus' parables, He is challenging us to examine where our heart lies. Closely examining your heart, answer the questions below.

DISCUSS your answers with a mature Believer who can guide you in your spiritual relationship with Jesus and our Father, and/or have group discussions to learn from those who have different experiences and perspectives.

QUESTIONS: Write down your questions and discuss them with a mature Believer or submit them to: 


https://fsasw.blogspot.com
  1. Do you understand Rebirth? John 3: 8
  2. Have you been Reborn through God's Holy Spirit? 
  3. Do you want to be Reborn?
  4. Do you have eternity ahead of you? How do you know? John 17:1-3
  5. Are you enjoying abundant and eternal life, now? John 10:10
  6. How has your life changed? 
  7. What are you doing or not doing differently?
  8. Do you feel changed? 
  9. Are you looking forward to Eternity? Have you given it much thought?
  10. Are you ready for Eternity?   
  11. Are you living now like you have eternity ahead of you? Should you be? 
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SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

John 3 (KJV)

1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

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John 10 (KJV)


1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42 And many believed on him there.

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John 17 (KJV)


1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

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