Author: Kenneth

The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21 New International Version – UK 

A new heaven and a new earth

21 Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death”[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’

He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.’

Admittedly for some reason I do not like the tune to ‘The Holy City’ but it is a song about the above passage of scripture.

Although I may not like the tune what I do like is the image i portrays in your mind, a Jerusalem where there is no death,mourning,crying or pain.

Lets face it Jerusalem at the moment is a long way of that nowadays.

God also tells us he is the Alpha and the Omega and people will not go thirsty, also the victorious will inherit his kingdom. Wheres as the wicked will be condemned to hell.

“The Holy City”

Last night I lay asleeping
There came a dream so fair,
I stood in old Jerusalem
Beside the temple there
I heard the children singing
And ever as they sang,
Methought the voice of Angels
From Heaven in answer rang
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Lift up you gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna to your King!”

And then methought my dream was chang’d
The streets no longer rang
Hush’d were the glad Hosannas
The little children sang
The sun grew dark with mystery,
The morn was cold and chill
As the shadow of a cross arose
Upon a lonely hill
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Hark! How the Angels sing,
Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna to your King!”

And once again the scene was chang’d
New earth there seem’d to be,
I saw the Holy City
Beside the tideless sea
The light of god was on its streets
The gates were open wide,
And all who would might enter
And no one was denied.
No need of moon or stars by night,
Or sun to shine by day,
It was the new Jerusalem
That would not pass away
“Jerusalem! Jerusalem
Sing for the night is o’er
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore!”

Love

1 Corinthians 13 New International Version 

 

13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

 

Living Lord

Romans 5 New Living Translation

Faith Brings Joy

"The LORD is to be Praised!"

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Pleasure in God’s sight

Psalm 149 New International Version

Psalm 149

Praise the Lord.[a]

Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing
    and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.

Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds.

May the praise of God be in their mouths
    and a double-edged sword in their hands,
to inflict vengeance on the nations
    and punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters,
    their nobles with shackles of iron,
to carry out the sentence written against them—
    this is the glory of all his faithful people.

Praise the Lord.

1. Praise ye the Lord among His saints,
New songs of gladness sing;
Let Zion’s children praise and bless
Their Maker and their King.

2. Yea, let them praise His blessed Name
With all abounding joy,
The sounding timbrel and the harp
In songs of praise employ.

3. The Lord takes pleasure in His saints,
He is His people’s strength,
And He will glorify the meek
With victory at length.

4. Ye saints, by day and night rejoice,
Exult and joyful stand,
Jehovah’s praises in your mouth,
His sword within your hand.

5. This is the glorious judgment given:
His saints shall rule the earth;
Then bless the Lord, His glory tell,
And celebrate His worth.

The way of Truth

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Proverbs 12 New International Version 

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

I Got to admit Proverbs is one of my favourite books in the Bible.

It is very easy these days to tell a lie, but what we seem to forget is that lies have a habit of catching up with you.

What verse nineteen basically tells us is that truthful lips will last forever whilst lying tongues will only be short lived.

‘Loose Them!’

The video you are about to see is

An excerpt of General John Gowans, at his dynamic and eloquent best, preaching at The Salvation Army Old Orchard Beach camp meetings in Maine, USA – circa mid 2000’s.

This is a timely reminder that we should always go or do things if we need to. In the video you will hear that John Gowans (a Captain at the time) never discouraged and always encouraged this man.

What I like about Gowans preaching here is the touch of comedy mixed with the serious side.

Happy New Year

It may only have been a month or so since I started blogging but never the less I would like to take this opportunity in wishing you a Happy New  Year.  To everyone that follows me, likes my blogs whether it be on WordPress.com, Facebook or Twitter I hope the coming year will be a blessed one for you full of joy and happiness.

So as we enter this year and continue to move throughout the year it is important that we keep one thing in mind and that is God our heavenly Father .

 

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