Living in Gratitude and Hope for Eternity

Devotional

Day 1: Cultivating Daily Gratitude

Reflecting on the abundant blessings of God, we are reminded to pause and give thanks for the life and grace bestowed upon us. This gratitude is not just a fleeting feeling but a daily practice that acknowledges the gift of Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself for our sins, and the promise of eternal life for those whose names are written in the book of life. Our relationships, health, and freedom to worship are all manifestations of God's provision and love. By cultivating a heart of gratitude, we align ourselves with God's grace and provision, recognizing that every good thing in our lives is a gift from Him. [49:33]

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: What are three specific blessings in your life today that you can thank God for, and how can you express this gratitude in a tangible way?

Day 2: Embracing the Promise of a Glorious Future

Revelation 21 offers a vision of a new heaven and earth, where God will dwell among His people. This future is marked by joy, absence of pain, and the fulfillment of God's ultimate purpose. The holy city, the new Jerusalem, symbolizes the end of evil and the beginning of eternal joy. This divine creation, prepared as a bride for Christ, is a place where God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, or pain. This vision is a reminder of the absolute truth of God's promises, urging us to live faithfully today in light of the future glory. [51:49]

"But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Peter 3:13, ESV)

Reflection: How does the promise of a new heaven and earth influence your perspective on current challenges, and what steps can you take to live with this eternal perspective in mind?

Day 3: The Call to Overcome

The promise of the new Jerusalem is for those who overcome trials and remain faithful. This requires courage and steadfastness, even in the face of persecution or temptation. The passage includes a warning, highlighting the importance of overcoming trials and remaining steadfast in faith. Those who fall into cowardice, unbelief, or immorality will not inherit this promise. Instead, they will face the second death. This serves as a sobering reminder that our actions and faithfulness have eternal consequences. [01:06:15]

"To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a trial or temptation you are currently facing. What practical steps can you take to overcome it, relying on God's strength and promises?

Day 4: Living in Light of Eternity

The vision of our future with God should influence how we live now. We are called to resist temptation and live in a way that reflects our faith in Jesus. This requires a conscious effort to prioritize eternal promises over temporary pleasures. By living in light of eternity, we align our daily actions with God's eternal purposes, ensuring that our lives are a testament to His truth and love. [01:19:23]

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are tempted to prioritize temporary pleasures over eternal promises, and how can you shift your focus to align with God's eternal purposes?

Day 5: Ensuring Our Names in the Book of Life

Salvation is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice. This assurance should motivate us to live faithfully and share the gospel with others, ensuring that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life. As believers, we are called to let this vision of the future shape our present lives, inspiring us to resist temptation and live in a way that honors God. [01:32:25]

"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." (Revelation 20:12, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can share the message of salvation with, and what steps can you take to ensure your own life reflects the truth of the gospel?

Sermon Summary

Reflecting on the abundant blessings of God, we are reminded to pause and give thanks for the life and grace bestowed upon us. We acknowledge the gift of Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself for our sins, and the promise of eternal life for those whose names are written in the book of life. Our relationships, health, and freedom to worship are all manifestations of God's provision and love. As we journey through the book of Revelation, we are given a glimpse of the glorious future that awaits us—a new heaven and a new earth, where God will dwell among His people, fulfilling His ultimate purpose.

In Revelation 21, we see the culmination of God's plan: a holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending from heaven, symbolizing the end of evil and the beginning of eternal joy. This city is not built by human hands but is a divine creation, prepared as a bride for Christ. It is a place where God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, or pain. This vision is a reminder of the absolute truth of God's promises, urging us to live faithfully today in light of the future glory.

The passage also includes a warning, highlighting the importance of overcoming trials and remaining steadfast in faith. Those who fall into cowardice, unbelief, or immorality will not inherit this promise. Instead, they will face the second death. This serves as a sobering reminder that our actions and faithfulness have eternal consequences.

As believers, we are called to let this vision of the future shape our present lives. The promise of a glorious future should inspire us to resist temptation and live in a way that honors God. We are encouraged to remain faithful, trusting in the truth of Jesus Christ, and to ensure our names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Key Takeaways

1. Gratitude for God's Blessings: Reflect on the numerous blessings God has bestowed upon us, from the gift of life to the promise of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. This gratitude should be a daily practice, reminding us of God's grace and provision. [49:33]
2. The Promise of a Glorious Future: Revelation 21 offers a vision of a new heaven and earth, where God will dwell among His people. This future is marked by joy, absence of pain, and the fulfillment of God's ultimate purpose. Let this vision inspire hope and perseverance in our daily lives. [51:49]
3. The Importance of Overcoming: The promise of the new Jerusalem is for those who overcome trials and remain faithful. This requires courage and steadfastness, even in the face of persecution or temptation. Our faithfulness today has eternal implications. [66:15]
4. Living in Light of Eternity: The vision of our future with God should influence how we live now. We are called to resist temptation and live in a way that reflects our faith in Jesus. This requires a conscious effort to prioritize eternal promises over temporary pleasures. [79:23]
5. Ensuring Our Names in the Book of Life: Salvation is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice. This assurance should motivate us to live faithfully and share the gospel with others, ensuring that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life. [01:32:25]
** [92:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Reflecting on God's Blessings
[02:15] - Gratitude for Life and Salvation
[04:00] - Journey Through Revelation
[05:45] - The Glorious Future in Revelation 21
[07:30] - The New Jerusalem
[09:15] - God's Dwelling Among His People
[11:00] - No More Tears or Pain
[12:45] - The Warning and Its Implications
[14:30] - Overcoming Trials and Temptations
[16:15] - Living in Light of Eternity
[18:00] - Ensuring Our Names in the Book of Life
[19:45] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Sermon Clips

1) "The good news is these last two chapters, chapter 21 and chapter 22, is where we turn the corner, right? All of the doom and gloom and cosmic battle between good and evil has finally passed us, and now these last two chapters give us an amazing glimpse of this glorious future that awaits us. And my heart today, as a result of getting a picture of what John saw, as he's going to give us so much detail of this amazing city, the holy city, the new heavens and the new earth, the new Jerusalem, I pray that this picture that we're going to hear about today kind of just lands in your heart so that it affects how you live today." [49:46] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "This glorious picture that God is going to paint for our future, for your future, my future, it's going to be a place where we're rejoicing forever. It's going to be a place where we're delighting in the presence of God, and we are literally going to be a people of joy. So let's practice that. Turn to your neighbor right now and just give them your biggest, joyous smile. Just look at them, and just with joy, just show off your pearly whites. Just joy, exuberance, excitement, delight. Let's just rejoice in the amazing, glorious future that awaits us." [51:49] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "Ultimately this was God's desire this was God's will this has been a part of God's purpose from the very beginning even in Genesis when he created the first human beings Adam and Eve God has always desired to live and dwell among his creation to live and dwell among his people in fact we see that laden throughout the Old Testament let me show you a few verses of God's ultimate purpose that he wants to dwell with us that he wants to live with us that he wants to be among us in his creation." [56:45] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "Now, hopesters, I don't know what has caused tears to fall for you on this earth. I don't know what has caused pain and suffering and heartache for you on this earth, but there will be a day where there will be no more pain and no more peers, sorry, peers, yes, no more tears. There will be our friends up in heaven. No more tears, no more suffering. No more sickness, no more disease, no more heartache. Man, can you imagine that? Can you imagine a place where there is none of this? It must be heavenly." [58:45] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "And in a society and in a culture that wants to sell us this idea that there's no such thing as absolute truths, that you can have your beliefs and they can have their beliefs and you can have your truth and I can have my truth and truth for you is truth for you and truth for me is my truth. Baloney. There is absolute truth. And it's built upon the foundation of who Jesus is when Jesus made that declaration that I am the way, the truth, and the life." [01:01:47] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "This is a promise to everyone who overcomes. Don't miss that part. This promise of the new heaven, this promise of the new earth, this promise of the holy city, the new Jerusalem, this place where God will live and dwell among us and there will be no more tears or pain. Or sickness or death. This is a promise to everyone who overcomes." [01:06:15] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "The glorious picture and revelation paves the way to how you should live in the future. How you should live today. The glorious picture and revelation paves the way and how you and I should live today, right? Like that future picture of you and I knowing, man, what is awaiting our future, not only this promise of eternal life, but what does that even mean? Man, it means that someday we're going to live amongst God, and he's going to dwell among us, and he's going to provide for all of our needs, and it's going to be a glorious place where there's no more tears or pain or sorrow or sickness or disease, and the glory of his presence is going to be so overwhelming." [01:19:23] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "And, so, let me give you one quick application. So, the next time, right, temptation comes knocking on your door, the next time temptation comes knocking on your door, you're gonna let this picture of this glorious future come to your mind. And, because of this amazing, glorious picture that is promised to you, the next time temptation comes knocking on that door, you're not gonna open it. You're gonna go, nah, fam. I'm headed to someplace greater. I'm headed to someplace more glorious. And, I am not willing to exchange what I'm headed towards for a simple, temporary pleasure on this earth." [01:26:26] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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