Daily Bible Reading
Monday, September 17. Read Revelation 21:1-4. 1) What did John see in this vision? 2) What was “the new Jerusalem” doing? 3) Where was God’s home in this vision?
Tuesday, September 18. Read Ephesians 1:9-11. 1) What is the mysterious plan of God? 2) What does God plan to bring together or unite?
Wednesday, September 19. Read Isaiah 11:1-10. 1) What is God planning to do through the Branch? 2) What will happen because of Branch? 3) Where will Branch do this?
Thursday, September 20. Read Psalm 96:11-13. 1) What does the Psalmist say the earth should do? 2) What is the Lord going to do in regard to the earth? 3) What does this incline you to think about the future of the earth?
Friday, September 21. Read Hebrews 11:8-10. 2) What was Abraham searching for? 2) Where do you think that search was going to be fulfilled/completed?
Saturday, September 22. Read Philippians 3:12-21. This is Sunday’s sermon text.
Prayer for the Week:
Dear Father, like Abraham in Hebrews 11, we too are searching for the City that will never be destroyed. We know that You will be a resident of that city as well, and it will be a place of eternal peace and joy. We have confidence that all of time and place will be centered in that renewed earth and glorious City. Help us lived in a prepared way for the time when you will bring that vision to pass. In Jesus’
Hymn of the Week:
Joy to the World
by Isaac Watts 1719
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n, and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Devotional Reading of the Week:
Heaven
How long will your stay be?
by Alan Smith
The joke is told about three nurses who died and went to Heaven, where they were met at the Pearly Gates by Peter.
To the first nurse, St. Peter asked, “What did you use to do back on Earth? Why do you think you should be allowed to come
“I was a nurse at an inner city hospital,” she replied. “I worked to bring healing and peace to many sufferers, especially poor, helpless children.”
“Very noble,” said Peter. “You may enter.” And in she went.
To the next nurse, he asked the same question. “What did you used to do?” “Why do you think you should be allowed to come into Heaven?”
“I was a nurse at a missionary hospital in the Amazon basin,” she replied. “For many years, I worked with a skeleton crew of doctors and nurses who tried to reach out to as many people across numerous tribes, with a hand of healing and peace, and with the message about God’s love.”
“How wonderful,” said Peter. “You, too, may enter.” And in she went.
He then came to the last nurse, to whom he asked, “What did you used to do back on Earth? Why do you think you should be allowed to come into Heaven?”
After some hesitation, she replied, “I was a nurse at an HMO.”
Peter pondered this for a moment, and then said, “Ok, you may enter, too.”
“Whew!” said the nurse. “For a moment there, I thought you weren’t going to let me in.”
“Oh, you can come in,” said St. Peter, “but you can only stay for three days.”
Some of you personally know the feeling of being pushed out of a hospital room faster than you would like to have been. But, while there are a lot of adjectives that the Bible uses to describe heaven — incorruptible, undefiled, glorious — adjectives never used are “temporary,” “fleeting,” “uncertain,” and “hurried.”
As I look back over my life, there have been some wonderful moments that I wished would never end. However, everything we experience in this life is temporary. No matter how much we enjoy doing something, going somewhere, or being with someone, it is all only temporary. On the other hand, we have the opportunity to live with God and His redeemed for all eternity on a recreated earth where heaven comes down.!
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2.
I hope you’ve made your reservations for the party that will never end!
