REVELATION 22:1-5 – Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Do we know what is one of the most powerful things we do to live the overcoming Christian life in this world? Have we thought on the one thing that will enable us to consistently defeat sin, rejoice in trials, and be freed from the many distractions in this world taking our eyes off the Lord Jesus? It is found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians and is a springboard into today’s scripture–thinking much and attaching our hearts and minds on heaven. He writes, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

In today’s scripture, we find at least three heart-lifting glories awaiting us in heaven. Pray the Lord stirs our hearts as we recognize them. Yes, they are future, but thinking on them in the present is a sure-fire way to go from discouragement to encouragement, from fear to courage, and from weakness to strength as we “slug-out” the Christian life.

First, heaven will be a place of complete healing–the leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations. No more pain–emotional, physical, and spiritual. All will have passed. Suffering? Gone. Affliction? Forever removed. Another glory awaiting us will be holiness completed in us–no longer will there be anything accursed. Isn’t that one of the chief yearnings of our hearts for heaven? We will not sin anymore. The work God started in us will be completed in us (Philippians 1:6).Perfect love and worship for our Savior will be our eternal experience! And that has a purifying impact on our lives right now (1John 3:1-3).

A third glory awaiting us in heaven, helping us to live for Christ today, is the certainty of seeing Him face-to-face. What a soul-stirring truth; we are going to see our Creator, Redeemer, King, High Priest, Prophet, and Elder brother, not by faith, but sight–glorious sight! Oh, downcast believer, tried child of God . . . soon, very soon, we are going to see the King in all His beauty and glory. Let that certainty empower us today to live for Him knowing soon we will surrender faith for sight.

Yes, heavenly-thinking on what lies ahead for us in the future always leads to the power for godly-living in what lies ahead for us today.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for the certainty of heaven and all the glories awaiting me.”

QUOTE: “Think much on heaven and watch how we are able to overcome life’s many trials.”

Because of Him,

Pastor Jim