Lord's Day Devotion - The Lord's Prayer

I love the fact that Jesus was most willing to teach His disciples to pray, don't you? Even though the disciples wanted to be "in vogue" with other Rabbi's followers especially those of John the Baptisers'.  

"Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1 NIV).

It was "a thing" the various Rabbis of the day did with their respective disciples and so Jesus was accommodating with His own little band of followers.  He set the example but did not force the practice of talking with His Father upon them.  

Sometimes, as parents, we may be a bit pushy and oblige our children to learn to pray because we know it is a good thing to do (pray and teach others to do so).  Then the child may well not really feel like it and be turned off or be rebellious about it.  However, if the parent is regularly in prayerful dependence upon their Heavenly Father and the children observe it, the "little arrows" may well naturally follow suit.

Jesus was often found in this pursuit of conferring with His Father, showing His dependence upon Him and His submission to His Father's will for His life.

This too is a good thing for each and every one of us followers of Jesus Christ to to do.  After all, He has done so much for us.  Jesus has brought us salvation, forgiveness of sins, eternal life through His death and resurrection.  If you have been reading this series of Lord's Day Devotions you will see multitudinous blessings attached to the salvation "package" God has bestowed on us who have faith in His Son Jesus Christ, which was brought about by His sacrifice for us; for all He has done for us.

This is the Heavenly Father on Whom we can depend.  Whose ear is always open to our cry.   Talk to Him; it's called prayer and communing with Him.  We can do so on a regular basis;  day in and day out.

Give thanks with a grateful heart for all He has done for you as you pass those emblems, those symbols of Jesus giving His body and blood for us, the bread and the cup of wine, and as we partake of them.  Do this in remembrance of Him.

Be like your Savior, pray in dependence upon your Heavenly Father and by example, teach others to pray.

                                                         ~ERC  August 2019~

I'm sorry, I just can't help myself...I need to share this wonderful song presented by Andrea Bocelli:  The Lord's Prayer.  Close your eyes and soak in the strains and meditations of the lyrics.

Here's another: Teach Me to Pray

Bible ABC's - Nourishes

"Aww!  Isn't he so sweet!  Look at him!  Look at how he suckles his mother's milk!"

A newborn babe is so marvelous to cradle in one's arms.  Then to see how contented he/she is as the babe grows when he or she is embraced closely to the mother.  

It is proven that mother's milk is always the best for the newborn, of any type of mammal, for that matter.  It's unfortunate for mother and child when that is not possible.  However, as the babe nurses for months on end, he or she is nourished and nurtured with the best of God's creative 'organic products'.

This is a continually amazing phenomenon.  A helpless, totally dependent babe encircled in loving  arms which bestow lavish affection upon the infant.  Coupled with the miracle of mother's milk, the baby grows strong into a "sapling" that continues to thrive upon the milk and eventually upon other nutritious foods with the ability to feed on meat and other more "solid" foods; growing, hopefully, in wisdom and stature, into grown adulthood.

The analogy, however, doesn't necessarily follow through as parents tend to want their children to grow up into independent, responsible and mature personages.  If done right, all the nourishing and nurturing will allow the individual to transfer its dependence from the parents to God, Himself.   This is a necessary element that is part and parcel of the nourishing and nurturing process.

True to life and nature, true to the spiritual realm.

God's Word the Bible, bestows a growing, flourishing, healthy spiritual life in a believer in Jesus Christ.  The more a person feds upon God's Word, the more the reader "eater" will grow up into a mature child of God.  God does not want His children to be so independent though.  We need Him every hour (as one hymn rhymes) of every day.

The type of foods a person eats will determine the level of health.  The level of becoming more like Christ depends upon the amount we "feed" upon His Word and obey it, as opposed to feeding on any plethora of available reading material, movies, etc, one imbibes.  

The apostle Paul admonished the Corinthian believers:

"Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.  Indeed, you are still not ready.  You are still worldly..." (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NIV)

This is a sad case where "the child" did not grow; was somewhat refusing to be weaned.

Our ancient brother Timothy is a pleasure to learn about though.  Look at 2 Timothy 1:5, 6; and especially 3:15-17 NIV,

"...and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus...useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

There's a grown, mature Timothy who became pro-active with his mother's and grandmother's nurturing and teaching and Paul's encouragement and "finishing school" teachings.

I just sigh and wish the brothers-in-Christ, especially, could be like Timothy.  

Actually they can.  

And so can everyone else.

Read God's Word and be nourished in your inner man or woman.  

Of course, just reading is a big help but the putting it into practice is the real growth hormone, so to speak.

Once upon a time, I memorized Ephesians 4:9-16 and it comes back to me now.  No, not to be able to quote it to you verbatim without looking, but I will type it, from my NIV, below from verse 12,

"...to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ  From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

Sigh, again...

Isn't it a spectacular portrait of a well nourished person and church!?

All that from feeding on God's Word,  putting it into action and using our God-given gifts for the furtherance of His kingdom.

What a responsibility!  Be nourished ourselves so that in turn we can help to nourish others into a network of vigorous flourishing so that in turn, together, there is cohesive maturity and dependence upon Christ our Head.

I think God will look upon such a scene and with a deep contented, well-pleased sigh, say, "Aww, look at them!  Aren't My children  so sweet!"

                                                           ~ERC  August 2019~

Songs:  

I Need Thee Every Hour as presented by Fernando Ortega

Another song with a lighter yet still instructive note:  Read Your Bible and Pray Every Day as presented by Canaan City of Refuge

Lord's Day Devotion - God of Order

Our God is truly an awesome God!  He is like no other.  Have just read the last few chapters of Ezekiel which talks about allotting the land to the Israelites, especially to allocate a "holy district" (Ezekiel 45:1 ESV).

Focus on the exact measurements:

"25,000 cubits  x  20,000 cubits" (vs 1); 500 cubits  x  500 cubits for the sanctuary (vs 2) and 50 cubits for open space around it (vs 2) [Ezekiel 45].

Different measuring for different purposes. Such exact measurings, likely a surveyor's delight; a gift from the "Master Architect".  "Holy districts" and "holy portions" (Ezekiel 48:10 ESV).  Everything so organized and orderly; no chaos.  That's my God!  My heavenly Father!

Stemming from that, my thoughts jumped to Father God knowing the exact number of strands of hair we each have on our respective heads (Luke 12:7 ESV).  This God cares so much about us He even knows that!  Some of us have more, some of us, less hair.  Some have lost their hair to cancer and chemo some from age or were just born that way (with no hair).  Whatever, our orderly Father knows and keeps tract.  He knows and He cares.

Jumping to another "stepping stone" of God's order I think of the record He keeps of our names.  In the book of Luke and chapter 10:17-20, the 72 harvesters were sent out 2 x 2 into the towns and villages Jesus was going to visit en route to Jerusalem.  They were able to do wondrous works of disease healing, and exorcising of demons as well as preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.  They were so exuberant at this and said so to Jesus in their "report".

Jesus' rebuttal was, don't rejoice in those things, rather,

 "...rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20 ESV)!  

Skip to the next stone. Think...the Lamb's book of life (Revelations 21:27; 13:8).  There we read about our names being written in that book;

"...written before the foundation of the world..." (vs 8 - ESV).

Orderly.  Planned.  Our Heavenly Father, God, had it all written out.  He will not lose one of them (John 17:12 ESV).  Jesus' prayer to His Father assures,

"I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost..."

(Yes, one was "lost"--"the son of destruction" --  reference to Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus, sending Him to the cross of crucifixion, and who did not repent of his sins -- I believe his name was not ever written in that book of life as God knew Judas Iscariot's unrepentant heart even before Judas knew it himself.)

These lists come now as no surprise.  Look at 1 Chronicles and also Revelation.  An audit, almost, of whose sons are whose sons and of the numbers of each tribal group represented.  God knows them and has not forgotten about them.

This is my God and Father of order.  What He promises will come to pass.  This was made possible and available to mankind through Jesus' death and resurrection.  This we remember every Lord's Day.

Give thanks with a grateful heart followers of Jesus Christ, ones who's names are written in the book of life, who's strands of hair are all counted.  Give thanks as you pass the bread and cup of wine and partake of them in remembrance of Him.  

This is just one more feature of all we can give thanks to our Heavenly Father for and that comes with the salvation through Jesus Christ "package".  We can count on our God who is systematic, well ordered and knows how to keep the records straight.   Awesome God, indeed!

                                                      ~ERC  August 2019~

I like this Hillsong, This is our God.  Sung so reverently.  Have a listen.   May we each fall at His feet in worship.

The Young Men

While reading 1 John 2, verse 14 jumped out at me.  The part that says,

"...I write to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you..." (1 John 2:14 ESV)

especially impressed me.

Normally, we stereotype and think the "young men's" focus is on sports or career building or thoughts full of the opposite gender; that that's what they use their strength up on.  Surprisingly, these young men John refers to have "the word of God abiding" in them.  Stemming from this devotion to His Word, the young men are able to,

"...overcome the evil one" (1 John 2:14 ESV).

Last weekend, I met just such a group of young men and women.  It was so refreshing to see their earnestness and eagerness to also share the love of God and the message of Jesus with others.

This group were university age but there was also one in Form 2 (Grade 8); quite a young man of about 14 or 15 years.  They all had the common thread of zeal and commitment from allowing God's Word to abide in them.

They had been resistant and/or complacent with their Heavenly Father.  However, when they put away the 101 excuses they formerly had and instead, submitted themselves to Him, they also became in tune with God's purposes for them and that love for Him that helps lubricate and sustain the abiding in God and His Word.
I pray they will ever remain faithful to their Heavenly Father and His cause; abiding in His Word enabling them to overcome the evil one.

"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth..." (Ecclesiastes 12:1 ESV)

Young men and women, use your young strength now and give it to your Heavenly Father to use according to His will and ways for your life.  If you continue to read Ecclesiastes 12, to verse 7, you'll see the difficulties of the older age and as you can well imagine, more difficult to get out and about.  Having said that though, on that weekend there was an 80 year old brother-in-Christ who, although totter-y, used what strength he had and was still abiding in God's word and sharing it with others; ever faithful from his youth, up.

So, to all the young men (and women) out there, I pray that prayer for you too!  There is so much to distract and derail even a most fervent intention and commitment.  May you all be ever faithful.

Store up treasure in Heaven.  Don't just stay in a "holy huddle"; go and share the message of Jesus.  That' what the young people I met were doing.

Do you know why?  It was because other such young people had shared with them.  They are carrying the baton now but are pro-actively passing it on.  They are touching the lives of others with Gods' Word accompanied with prayers that the recipients will also abide in God's Word.

Young men and women--be encouraged to:  use your strength to abide, overcome, and pass on God's abiding Word.

                                                        ~ERC  August 2019~

Here I am Lord, as sung by Eric Hall; a song of dedication and commitment.

You can also check out my Bible ABCs series about what the Bible does for us as we read and obey it.  The first in the series is Bible ABCs - Acquaints.  Have a look.

Bible ABCs - Moulds

Summer's at the Nova Scotia Gospel Tent (like a vacation Bible school), had the extra fun element of "Hobby Class".  This happened one afternoon every 2 weeks in different locations.

Preparations for this hobby class involved moulds, plaster, water and patience, to start.  The moulds were a variety of Bible verses with designs of flowers and other beautifying decorations.  My Dad, and sometimes he'd commandeer his children's assistance, would mix up water and plaster of Paris and carefully pour the sloppy conglomerate into moulds.  Then the waiting game began until they set and dried. 

If not done just right, the plaster mixture could be too watery, or too thick.  There could be air bubbles or other faults in the finished initial product.  If you were impatient and decided to separate the plaster text from the mould too soon, you could ruin it; wasting time, effort and ingredients.

When all was well, these somewhat fragile texts would need to be carefully wrapped in protective swaddles and boxed to be "shipped" to the Gospel Tent Hobby Class Afternoon.

On that day, the texts were arranged on a table or two for the young people to choose.  Paints would be dug out of other boxes, mixed and set out for the children to use.  Paintbrushes would also surface and be strategically distributed at intervals on several tables.   

Then, oh glory, what a pleasant, chatter-y summer afternoon of painting ensued.  Rainbow colors would begin to appear, slathered with the greatest of ease here and there if not guided more prodigiously, and even sometimes with guidance.  Ha, ha.  Others, with steady hands and knowing concentration, created their masterpieces with great aplomb.

I have heard from some of those then children, that they still have those meaningful texts so very many years later and even have hung them up upon their own homes' walls.

There's one very important aspect that cannot be overlooked in all this.  Success of the quality texts and emerged cheery afternoon hobby class, depended upon the moulds.  The moulds, although fixed in some facets, needed to be of malleable material.  If it wasn't so, those texts may well have come out of the moulds in dismaying pieces.

Now when I say the moulds were "fixed", I mean the basic design of flowers and the texts of God's beautiful words.  Jiggle your mind over to these spiritual questions.  Did you know God's Words are the same, yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)?  Did you know they are living words (Hebrews 4:12)?  

As we read, understand and obey God's "fixed" Word, it can form our character and even our life style, by transforming us from old ways of living, into beautiful obedient children of God.  This is the "malleable" part.

Give thanks to God with a grateful heart.  Look at what happened to the saints at Rome.  Peruse and cogitate on Romans 6:17-19 (ESV),

"But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.  I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations.  For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification."

These particular Romans were "committed" to the standard of teaching.  A standard, and not just any standard.  In fact, it's better to express this as "The Standard".  God's standard.  That's fixed.  That's the mould.  How the Holy Spirit leads and guides an individual with God's standard, moulds and makes the obedient-to-God-person of malleable heart, soul, strength and mind, to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

Let this mind be in you!   Read Philippians 2:5-8.  Paul wrote to the Philippian believers to follow Jesus' humble example.  He became our servant!!   He 

"became obedient...even to death on the cross" (vs 8, ESV).

Jesus always did His Father's will.  He moulded Himself to Him and accomplished the purpose for which He was sent to Earth.

"Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God,..." (Hebrews 10:7 ESV)

In the book of Luke chapter 22 and verse 42 (ESV) Jesus prays,

"Father...not my will, but Yours, be done."

Again, Jesus moulded Himself to His Father's will and word.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to well, follow, Him too.  Let it be more than just a one day hobby session; let it be our committed passion!  Let God's Word mould us to be ever more like Him in word and deed.  He is our Standard.  Reverently, I say, Jesus and God's Word are the original "Perfect Mould".

                                                          ~ERC  August 2019~

I realize that this is a slightly different slant on the mould, moulding concept as delineated above, but I think you will get the idea.  Sing along prayerfully with this Hillsong, The Potter's Hand. 

Lord's Day Devotion - PLIGHT

What plight are you experiencing at the moment?  Do you wonder if you should hang on and fight, or gear up for flight?

Suggestion:  scrutinize plight's spelling.  What do you see?  Can you see 'light' in 'plight'?  In the darkness that seems to surround your plight, fight to see some light.

Not just any light; look for the light of God.  This will not mean the darkness will be suddenly and magically and totally dispelled.  Oh, no!  Some folks endure plights for years on end.  For some, it's plight after plight.

The light of God will be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105) guiding you through the darkness.  Think of your darkness as a tunnel, that has strategically placed lights, keeping you in your lane and seeing you safely through.

God's light has infinite illumination ability. He sent His Son Jesus to be the Light of the world.  Our world was filled with darkness.  God's Light, Jesus, shone on His creation bringing hope to His fallen creatures. 

In John 8:12 NIV Jesus said,

"I am the Light of the world.  Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Due to Jesus' death and resurrection, we followers of Jesus Christ have the Light of life with us to lead, guide and comfort us.

Maybe you can't feel it right now.  Or you question yourself, "Is God's light really with me?  He seems to be sleeping and to have turned off the Light."

Remember, Jesus was in the boat, yes, sleeping, albeit He was ready at a moment's notice to come to the rescue.  The disciples, many of whom were seasoned fishermen and used to the sea's moods in any variety of weather, were terrified!  They thought the light had been switched off (Matthew 8).

They did, however, turn to the one, who could deliver them in their "last moments".  They were all in the same boat, quite literally, and if it were possible to fight this plight (flight wasn't an option), they wanted Jesus in it with them.

They were not disappointed.  Jesus calmed the sea; the wind and waves.  He did so with His words.

We too can turn to the Word of God which will help to give: His light along the way; comfort through our dark hours of seeming aloneness and isolation.  Reach out to Him; He is our Living Hope and Light. This is a great privilege we have because He is our Father  and we His children.

He won't give us snakes and scorpions but the Bread and Light of life to govern our days and Light up our life to steer us through the darkness of any multitude of trials and tribulations.

Thank God as we remember Jesus, the Light of the World, in His death and resurrection on Lord's Day.  As we pass the bread and wine one to another, realize His reaches out to us, shines His Light for us, and walks with us through our valleys of darkness and shadows of death.

Praise God for His mercies.  Matthew 4:16 NIV gives more hope,

"...the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

Wait upon the Lord, our Light.  Let His brightness fill you and lead you and lift you up, despite your darkness, into His glorious light.  You don't have to fight or be in flight from your plight.

                                                           ~ERC  August 2019~

Sing along, Shine, Jesus Shine

It Smelleth!

This is a not so spiritual an entry.  Taking up a challenge to write a descriptive essay about a ....well read on and find out....Rather mundane, perhaps, but have you ever tried it?  Ha, ha.  What you ask students to do, you should be able to do too.  Needs to be more than 400 words in length.

If Only It Had Smelled Like a Rose

You could smell it way before you could see it!  And...for your information, I'm not talking about that supposed "king of fruit", the durian, that folks all the way from Thailand down throughout Malaysia, and into Singapore and even into wee Brunei LOVE!  Granted, durians smell to high heaven and back themselves!  What I smell, right now, while about 30 meters out, is the shopping mall bathroom!

Rank and repulsive...!

But I really, gotta go!

Beggars can't be choosers, they say, and so with nose prickling and bristling with disgust and protest, I keep tenacious course set for the "stink hole" to relieve and make my bladder gladder.  With intrepid steps I pushed through the "haze".

Overwhelmed with the stench of urine that had missed its mark, or because someone had neglected to flush, I very gingerly and grudgingly took ballet steps into the bathroom trying not to come into contact with much of the surface of the place and ensconced myself into a toilet stall.

Definitely not stalling in doing my business,  I "hung" over the bowl in bodily appeasement.  It was a real juggling act not to slip on the wet floor, hold one's garments at bay and aim with accuracy all at once.  Multi-tasking, I glanced around.  Uh-oh!

It was remarkable that anyone would linger in any of those cubicles long enough to display their "artistic" talents upon the stall walls.  Such graffiti itself was appalling; dirtier than the filth from those who couldn't care less if they'd peed or poohed properly or cleaned up civic-mindedly or not.

Praise be though, some God-fearing soul, I suppose, trying to be salt and light, wrote rather offensively, 

"Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, ..." (James 4:8 NIV).

That wasn't very helpful at all but there was a humorous tidbit of advice someone else wrote,

"If you sprinkle when you tinkle,  Be a sweetie and wipe the seatie."

At least they tried...

Oh another one quoted,

"He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully...these are the ones who may stand in God's holy place" (Psalm 24:4, 3 NIV).

That written in a most "unholy" place; so to speak.

Someone had tried to deface that verse.

You are likely wondering why I'm loitering in there!  I'm actually half passed out, so may as well read on...

There was one more from another soul trying to save the day.  She wrote,

"The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7 NIV).

That one was really scribbled over but you could still puzzle out what it said if you were determined.

Not that I agree with penning on walls that don't belong to you, but at least God had a witness especially in the 1 John Bible verse.

Enough already!  It was more than time to hitch myself outta there!  Finishing up, I timorously opened the door latch, which when you think of it, actually had locked, and went to cleanse my hands, if that were possible in such unsanitary a place.

It is a prerogative to bring ones own toilet paper and tissue into these places.  Readying some I turned on the tap, fearing I may pick up more germs than what was on my hands.  I went through the motions anyway - minus the soap that was not available.  Patting my hands dry with the prepared tissue, I then twisted the tap water off, covering the tap with the tissue as I did so, feeling a bit like a criminal wiping out his fingerprints.

OK, my lungs are about ready to burst for lack of oxygen.  However, one more consideration, and talk about recycle and reuse; don't throw your tissue away too soon, you still have to open the bathroom door to exit.

EEEEEEK!  A cockroach!  I'm outta here!  PRONTO!  Scuttling faster than that bug, I launch forth from that reeking place, gulping great gulps of fresher shopping mall air, thankful I hadn't swooned nor fallen to the very moist floor of that most appalling place!

                                                         ~ERC  August 2019~

P.S.  Nowadays, the mall washrooms are not so terrible and there is more effort to keep them cleaner, if not entirely free from some nefarious smell or whatnot.

Lord's Day Devotion - Eternity (.....) Eternity

What is the difference between eternity past and eternity future?

First, let me say, God made Time and took a "time out" not because He was naughty but because He is so good and full of compassion. He also wanted more company.  I read that once in an article somewhere (can't remember the author or article's names).

That article said the Trinity was having such a wonderful time, that they wanted others to share eternity with Them.  So, the Trinity got busy creating:  besides the heavens and earth and all that in them are, the Trinity (God) created mankind to be the apple of His eye (Deuteronomy 32:10 NIV).  

All this creating created that parenthesis in eternity called, "Time".  "Time," like a blip or a dip on a heart monitor:  a long straight line, and then the blip or dip of Time continued thereafter by a long straight line.   There you have it:  Eternity (.....) Eternity.  In this case, of course, the straight line is a very good, never ending representation.  Thus Time became sandwiched between past and future (to our way of thinking) eternity.

We, meaning human kind, who are followers of Jesus Christ, look forward to being part of the vast throng who will be sharing eternity future with the Trinity.  

That's it in a nutshell.  All was wondrous and pronounced by God as being, "very good" (Genesis 1:31 ESV),

"And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good...."

God would come and commune with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, in that idyllic Garden of Eden.  What peaceful , joyful interludes they must have had!

Sit back and cogitate on that a while.

It was what God had masterminded and "ordered".

Then BAM!

Satan had to stick his jealous oar into the proceedings.

The Fall happened.

No more communing.  Relationship cut off.

God had His rescue plan though.  He sent Jesus to atone for and redeem mankind's sorry state.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Thank-You, Jesus for Your sacrifice and making the way of salvation to reconnect with Father God.  Father, God, thank-You for Your Holy Spirit Who indwells us, your children.  You redeemed us by Your mighty outstretched hands.  Those same Trinity hands that fashioned us in Your image.

We remember all this Father God, as we partake of those emblems, the broken bread and cup of wine.  We do this in remembrance of Your death and resurrection in deep gratefulness and thanksgiving.

We are so grateful that You, Father, have taken the time to make Time for us, Your children.  We are eternally indebted to You.  We excitedly look forward to eternity future spent with You, in Your blissful Presence communing with You, minus the shackles of sin, suffering and death; the evil consequences of The Fall's fallout.

And that is the difference between eternity past and eternity future.

                                                       ~ERC  August 2019~

I'm not much of a fan of so-called worship songs which use a lot of "I will do this or that for you Lord" type of lyrics where the focus is on the individual rather than on our Savior.  However this Touch of Heaven - Hillsong  has some good thoughts in it in line with communing with our Heavenly Father in the here and now.  What will it be to be with Him in all eternity!  Beyond our imaginations!