Positive Assurance

Psalm 33:12-19a

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth–he forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death..."

Genesis 2:7

"Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

I Corinthians 15:42-49

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being,” the Last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man."

“Expected in Heaven” is a title I love to think about and focus on at times! How is God going to deliver us from death, really???

C.S. Lewis had some interesting thoughts that illustrate this point in his book The Last Battle from the Chronicles of Narnia. Queen Lucy was trying to tell the dwarfs to look in the right direction, but they weren’t able to see where heaven was! They thought it was too dark. They didn’t realize the fruit of Heaven was right there and full of light, but they (the dwarfs) only had eyes for their gross food because they didn’t notice the brightness of Heaven with its amazing fruit since they were trapped in their own darkness.

I believe we have moments when we miss what God has for us when we worry too much about challenging things in life. God has answers for us on how to get through uncertain things, but we try to handle it our own way. We are blinded by the darkness of sin and what the world says is the truth. Pastor Joel reminded us of this problem too, in our study of the church in Pergamum from Revelation 2:14. This church was being persuaded to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality. Today as well, we can be fooled into thinking certain things aren’t so bad to do –because after all, isn’t everyone doing it?? Satan loves to fool the Christian into thinking we can follow the ways of the world together with God, but God says we have to choose one or the other. Otherwise, we will be like the dwarfs in the Chronicles of Narnia who no longer see God or want the beautiful things he has for them.

Psalm 33:12-19a talks about knowing the God who saves and helps us see God and know who He is. He sees us, forms us, delivers us, keeps us alive through tough things, and delivers us from death at the end of our earthly journey when we keep our eyes on Him, waiting in hope.

I Corinthians 15:42-49 tells us of the hope we wait for. It talks about a first and second Adam. I personally love this thought. How the first Adam, though of the dust, was a son of God and created good, but he failed the test. Jesus, the second Adam (the Son of God from heaven), though tempted in every way (Hebrews 4:14-16), passed the test and saved us.

I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that I have a high priest in heaven pleading my cause. Even though I am from the seed of the first Adam of the dust, I now have hope in being given new life in Jesus, the Son of God, the seed from Heaven!

Am I willing to keep my eyes focused on the one who gives sight to the blind? When my day comes will I be ready? I can say “YES” not because I have been a perfect person, but because Jesus, our second Adam, the perfect sacrifice, covered my sins and called me out of darkness into His wonderful light! Now I know I am Expected in Heaven!

C.S. Lewis ends his tale of The Chronicles of Narnia with great words, and I think they apply to all of us who call Jesus Lord! He basically says our story really just begins (in Heaven) when at last we finish our last battle. So if you haven’t read The Chronicles of Narnia, it’s never too late! And be certain of the assurance that “Jesus is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b). Finally, hang on tightly and prayerfully to God’s Word, claiming its truth daily!