Heaven’s Door
Lostpine has spent a lot of time over the years writing about God’s Truth. You know, that which is righteous behavior and the absolutes established at the time of our world’s creation by God. If you go back to the very beginning, Genesis, God’s Word describes a pretty nice place. There was no stress or strain in the Garden. No fear, no anxiety. The Tree of Life was there, providing physical and spiritual nourishment. Today, we might call this the good life, the life we all seek to find. What in the world happened? Oh yes, there was that slippery serpent that changed all of that for us.
(John 8:44)1NIV New International Version Translations – “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
In one rather creative lie, Satan destroyed our heritage too. We are the heirs of Adam and Eve. Our first couple of humanity would leave us an estate filled with “thorns and thistles” (Genesis 3:18). This new world, Satan’s world, now requires constant labor to survive. Adam and Eve would watch one of their offspring murder the other over nothing more than simple jealousy. The idea of pain and death in their new world became much too real, and it is much too real in our world today. The hope Adam and Eve had for eternal bliss quickly faded. It must have looked like a future without hope. Maybe you think our future today looks the same—not too hopeful.
Reflecting for a moment, Satan reminded us to trust our abilities rather than rely on God. King David tells us that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). It is the oldest trick in the book. Satan says, “You too can be as smart as God.” Eve was so convinced, that she ate the forbidden fruit just to “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). If anyone is expecting our world to ever be an easy place to live in, you may want to reset your expectations. Eve had to do quite a reset. We will always be tired, and anxious, and we will live with stress and fear. Why? We keep trying to shoulder the responsibilities of our Creator. There is no history of that ever working!
Humans make lousy judges and lawmakers. Our idea of moral order has never worked for long. We try to create but only manage to destroy. We try to be shepherds but only manage to lead others away from the very God who loves us and created us. If we can accept the science (facts), our world has not existed forever, nor will it exist forever. It is only safe to assume that our world is the place where you and I are right now. It is also the only place we will find the door—the gateway out of this world back into eternity. This should be everyone’s goal because that is where we will find God.
Know this:
- Our God loves us. He loves His world and desires a relationship with all of humanity.
- We must acknowledge that sin has separated us from our God, and without intervention, this separation leads to spiritual death, the kind that Adam and Eve experienced.
- That door, that latch to eternity, is nothing less than Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for human sin, and rose from the dead to prove to us that “He and only He” is the door, the latch to eternity from our world into the next.
Our vision in this world will always be clouded by pride. To see the door, to see the latch, and to see Jesus Christ, we must be willing to repent of our sins and place our faith in Him as our Lord and Savior. That Tree of Life is sitting inside that door, along with the Tree of Eternal Life. Jesus is ready to forgive our sins, reconcile us to God Himself, and transform our lives back to that which was lost so long ago by Adam and Eve.
If you are tired:
(Matthew 11:28-30) – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
If you are anxious:
(Philippians 4:6-7) – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
If you are tempted:
(1 Corinthians 10:13) – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
If you are fearful:
(Isaiah 41:10) – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
If you are under stress:
(Romans 12:2) – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
Still Looking for Hope? Others have fought that same fight too!
(2 Corinthians 4:8-9) – “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
The above Scripture verses are all a small part of God’s Truth, conveniently packaged in book form entitled, “The Bible.”
Contemplations
- When our world is filled with despots, liars, thieves, and sadists, and the list goes on, we will have chaos. Are you surprised that we have anxiety, fear, war, and stress, and must deal with other human anomalies?
- Ideas to Explore: Why is society surprised by economic difficulties when we have incompetent leadership? Do you think we are being led by thieves? What is it about the pride of position that drives those to power and crime? Does over 34 trillion dollars in debt concern you? It should, it is your debt!
- Do you think that those who elect and support corrupt leaders recognize their failure?
- Ideas to Explore: Half of the population of the world disagrees with the other half. How can this be reconciled? Do you think knowing God’s Truth might help sort this out?
- Why is it often insufficient to tell someone with health issues, financial issues, or other severe problems that they should just “keep the faith?”
- Ideas to Explore: Does keeping the faith mean the pain stops? Have good people, who do not deserve the problems of the world, experienced suffering not at their own hands? What is our role when we see this? Are we helping people find the latch to heaven’s door?
- Do leaders of today have the competence to lead?
- Ideas to Explore: How do you measure competence?
- 1NIV New International Version Translations