Promise Of Our Future Hope

We live our life differently when we are Eternally minded vs 70-80 year minded

What are we going to look like 25 million years from now

2 Peter 1:8–11 NIV

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Verse 8 Short shortsightedness is having temporal mindset- your living for the day

Pray that God would make us more effective

Those who live fruitful and productive lives for God, who do not disastrously stumble along the path to the eternal kingdom (heaven) will receive a rich welcome.

This pictures the type of welcome Stephen experienced as he was martyred, “‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’” (Acts 7:56 NIV).

All believers will experience a wonderful welcome into their true home, the eternal kingdom of the Lord and Savior.

Those who have been called and chosen, but have been unfruitful and have stumbled much along the way, will still reach the kingdom and receive their salvation, but it will be, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:15, “only as through fire” (NRSV).

Whether this welcome will be any different is unknown; but Peter encouraged his readers to confirm their calling and election (1:10) and to ensure a rich welcome by living to please God during their time on earth.

Looking toward our future eternal life provides the motivation for right living now.

We must be centered on heaven’s priorities, not those of this world. We can face hardships and still be faithful to God because we know the bright future he has for us. How wonderful it is to contemplate that God wants, expects, and waits for us.

Paul said if there isn’t no resurrection of the dead then lets eat drink and be marry.

Unless God’s promise of eternal life with him is true, morality makes no sense at all. We might as well get what pleasure we can each day until death does us in.

Everywhere the Bible points to history’s culmination when all believers will live with God forever. God’s character defines the future. God’s love wants to share that future with you.

Today may have been tedious, humdrum, discouraging, or hurtful, but God promises a bright tomorrow when all his holiness will shine and all your devotion to him will be rewarded.

You’re almost there.

Keep up the pace.

Never even think about quitting. Jesus welcomes you at the finish line.

2 Corinthians 4:17–18 NIV

17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

John Bevere was preaching to a church network in Brazil that had 300,000 members and he asked them how long did it take to build this network -

and he was thinking it would have taken 125 years and the founders would have been long gone. It actually took 16 years. He asked how did they do it and they said its because they teach eternal rewards and judgement.

The one guy said he goes to the US and speaks often and he noticed that we are more 70 - 80 year minded where they are more eternally minded.

300 scriptures about His first coming

2400 scriptures about His second coming

We shall be like him?

1 John 3:2–3 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

What does he look like

Matthew 17:2–5 ESV

2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Revelation 1:13–16 ESV

13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Daniel 12:1–3 NIV

1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Mary Neal

A orthopedic spin surgeon was on a white water kayak trip in Chile when she plunged over a waterfall when her kayak got stuck under water.

“she said I very quickly knew I that I would likely die. She felt her bones breaking and her ligaments tearing from the pressure of the water fall.

“ at that point I completely surrendered the outcome to God’s will. At that point she felt held by Christ and reassured that everything would be fine. At that point she had no fear.”

“she said she tried to free herself from the pressure of the waterfall but in the moment felt great and more alive than ever before.

The moment I surrendered to Jesus I was overcome with an absolute feeling of calm, peace, and of the very physical sensation of being held in Jesus’s arms.

After some time she felt her soul break free from her body and rose about the surface of the river where a welcoming committee was there to joyously greet her.

She said they were wearing robes of some sort and exploding with pure love.

It was joy at an unadulterated core level… My arrival was joyously celebrated and a feeling of absolute love as I was hugged.

The feelings and sensations were far greater than I could ever descibe with words and far greater than anything I have ever experienced on earth.

I knew that I was going to my eternal home.

Then she was called back into her body