This is just what Heaven means to me........

FAITH:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3

**Barney has recently been a series of sermons about what Heaven will be like. I have asked several people to write their summation of the series for me. We have also used these sermons as the outline for Bible study time in our individual groups that meet weekly. Here is the first one.
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There are still many unanswered questions as to what Heaven is and will be, as well as when we will actually get there.

I believe that God has given us just enough information to keep us curious. As humans we have an overwhelming desire to “know” what lies ahead for us and the loved ones around us. I am convinced that if it were clear to us in the Bible then there would be no need for faith. Humans also need to have “an idea” of what/where we’re going in order to achieve that faith. I believe that God continues to allow us to stay here on earth before taking us home to be with him so that we can grow in our faith and help others around us grow in Christ. This led me to believe that when we get to Heaven we will not all be exactly the same type of heavenly person. Our personal struggles here on earth are similar to other folks but different enough so that we are individuals on earth and also when we get Heaven. These struggles, I believe, are what God has us working on so that when we get to heaven we will all be doing different things, God created us in His own image but not identical.

Probably one of the biggest struggles that occur here is due to the people around us that are not living a Godly life. I believe this is one of the biggest reasons God doesn’t take us up to Heaven the second we accept Him into our hearts as Lord and Savior. I don’t know if I’m justifying this in my own mind but my wife and I have discussed this in great detail since finding out about my Mother to be terminal with cancer. She was supposed to leave this earth over a year ago, according to the doctors, but we believe that God has a plan for the people around her since she is a born again Christian woman.

This also helps me to understand why she has had to suffer so much here when a Godly woman, such as her, does not appear to deserve to suffer so much pain. When I pray for her I truly struggle with asking God to heal her so we can have her here longer or asking God to take her home to be with Him so she can enjoy His grace in person. My only resolve is that He has something or someone here he wants to use her for.

This is a difficult process for my sister to understand since she is not a Christian. She always wants to know why God would do this to our loving Mom. I have tried to explain it to her but she just pushes me away. I am convinced she will understand someday. I just hope it’s not on Judgment Day. All I can do is be a good witness to Christ’s grace and love my unsaved family and friends as God has commanded.

Someday I’ll get to Heaven and be able to have these things answered for me but until then I have to keep my faith in Him and hope that I get to see His hand working in and around me until such time as he takes me Home.

This has been a wonderful eye opening experience that helps us to have a deeper faith in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
by Don Roberts Jr.- Deacon @ Sonoma Ave Church of Christ

FRIENDS:

Father, I need to stop for a moment and focus my eyes on what I can not see. Please help me to have the kind of life that allows me to stand before you with clean hands and a pure heart. I want to spend eternity with you as my glory and light forever. I praise you for your eternal glory that is to come. In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE

7. LUKE 15:1-10; 1 TIMOTHY 5:1-15; PROVERBS 7; EZRA 9
8. LUKE 15:11-32; 1 TIMOTHY 5:16-25; PROVERBS 8; EZRA 10

~Nehemiah~ (starts on Friday)

You are about to meet the Abraham Lincoln of the Old Testament. A respected leader with a tender heart. You will see his tears in the oval office as he weeps for people oppressed and vulnerable.

You are about to meet the General George Patton of the Old Testament. A rugged leader. Intolerant of compromise. Relentless in demanding perfection. He punished those who were soft by pushing them down and cursing their names.

You are about to meet the Winston Churchill of the Old Testament. A statesman. Tested and tried. Resisting the enemies who seek to lure him away from the task. Rising above the squabbling factions who could distract him.

The tenderness of Lincoln. The fire of Patton. The savvy of Churchill. All found in the same man. Nehemiah.

When we meet him he is wearing the robe of royalty. He is the king's cupbearer. But though he was in a position of power, his heart beat for people in Israel. He was a Hebrew in Persia. When word reached him that the Temple was being reconstructed, he grew anxious. He knew there was no wall to protect it.

Nehemiah invited God to use him to save the city. God answered his prayer by softening the heart of the Persian king. Artaxerxes gave not only his blessing, but also supplies to be used in the project.

Nehemiah exchanged the royal robe for coveralls and got to work. The project took twelve years and was uphill all the way. He was accused of everything from allowing faulty construction to being power hungry. In spite of grumpy workers and lurking enemies, he made it. With the wall built and the enemy silent, the people rejoiced and Nehemiah went back to Persia.

After twelve years he returned. The walls were strong, but the people had gone to pot. Faith was forgotten and discipline was a bad word. So Nehemiah got busy again.

He went to his closet, hung up his royal robe, bypassed his coveralls, and dusted of his frock and set about the task of teaching the people a few things about morality. He didn't mince words. "I argued with those people, put curses on them, hit some of them, and pulled out their hair" (13:25). Not what you'd call a typical Bible class.

But Nehemiah wasn't what you'd call a typical fellow.

FOOD:

Italian Noodle Medley

8 ounces medium wide egg noodles, uncooked
3 cups (about 28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook noodles according to package directions for 3 minutes;drain.
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat spaghetti sauce and chicken until warm.
In 2 quart casserole, spoon enough sauce to cover bottom. Layer with one half noodles; 2 cups sauce and 1 cup Mozzarella cheese; repeat with remaining noodles, sauce and Mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; bake uncovered, 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Makes 4 servings

FUN:
Very good idea from a reader:

My Mennonite ancestors had a Pickle Trick that kept us entertained as young people. When the cucumbers were growing they would slip them on the vine inside a variety of bottle. The old Ketchup bottles, pop bottles, anything with a thin neck. The cucumber would grow to fill the entire bottle. Then they would pickle it. You had a huge pickle inside a bottle with a skinny neck. To a 5 year old, that was magic. Dale from NV.....