Look beyond today
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4
Some people have the idea that it is hard to live as a Christian in today’s world. Those who are still outside the gift of God’s salvation often see becoming a Christian as an inconvenience to the life they live day to day. Even though they have problems and struggles, many people see the blueprint that God designed mankind to live within as limiting and full of sacrifices. It is a sad situation, but much of today’s society prefer to look to other people when going through life’s difficulties, rather than the One who has the solution to bring them to victory.
While it is true that the way God created people to love one another goes against the culture we live in today, what the world sees as bondage is really freedom. Living a life in a personal relationship with your creator and Father is to thrive on the path of blessings that your loving Father set up for you before you were even born. I, for one, cannot imagine what it would be like to be on this crazy planet without the peace and security that comes from that relationship that can only be entered into through the blood and sacrifice of the Savior Jesus.
I love the way the apostle Paul put it in his letter to the church at Corinth. He said in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Paul showed us that the things we go through in life can be working for us for glory in eternity. He wanted the church in Corinth and today to be looking beyond our current circumstances to what is waiting for us beyond the life we live in the world today.
That is exactly what today’s scripture reading in Revelation 20 is all about. We don’t consider the inconveniences and struggles we go through in everyday life. We are not looking at the things that are temporary here in the earth. We are looking at the eternal things like reigning with Jesus and being with Him for all eternity. We are faithful in what we have been called to in this life, but our reward and security is in eternity, the things we cannot see right now. Those who have scoffed and put off entering into God’s great gift of salvation will pass on and will not have a part in the first resurrection. That is the resurrection that death has no power over. The faithful and those who are committed to that special connection to the Father through the Son will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him in the world!
So today I want to encourage you if you have never entered into that personal relationship with the One Who loves you and sent His only Son to pay the penalty for your sin, do it today! All you have to do is start talking to Him. Turn away from evil and begin to walk toward Him to get on the blessed path He has planned for you. Confess that you are a sinner and need His great salvation and He will receive you with open arms and pour out the love He so generously wants to give you. Pray this prayer today and Jesus will come into your heart and into your life. You can have His peace in your life not matter what is going on around you! He will walk with you day by day and you will never be alone again.
Pray: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me. Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today. I know Your Son, Jesus died for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward. I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen
Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
The Daily Dose 