Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Isaiah 26:2.
The life on earth is the beginning of the life in heaven.
We are children of the heavenly King, members of the royal family, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. The mansions Jesus has gone to prepare are to receive only those who are true, who are pure, who love and obey His words…. If we would enjoy eternal bliss, we must cultivate religion in the home…. Peace, harmony, affection, and happiness should be perseveringly cherished every day, until these precious things abide in the hearts of those who compose the family.
That which will make the character lovely in the home is that which will make it lovely in the heavenly mansions.
If we manifest the character of Christ here, keeping all the commandments of God, we shall be cheered and blessed with glimpses of the pleasant home in the mansions Jesus has gone to prepare.
Let all that is beautiful in our earthly home remind us of the crystal river and green fields, the waving trees and the living fountains, the shining city and the white-robed singers, of our heavenly home—that world of beauty which no artist can picture, no mortal tongue describe.
There the loves and sympathies that God has planted in the soul will find truest and sweetest exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages, the sacred fellowship that binds together “the whole family in heaven and earth”—all are among the experiences of the hereafter…. With unutterable delight we shall enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings.
It is the privilege of parents to take their children with them to the gates of the city of God, saying, “I have tried to instruct my children to love the Lord, to do His will, and to glorify Him.” To such the gate will be thrown open, and parents and children will enter in.
The Faith I Live By p. 279
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Prayer Requests
—-Pray for my friend she needs a Christian person to rent her home, and can’t find an appropriate person. Rosemary
—-Please pray for A and D to get along. Buck
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Dear Friends,
My parents were divorced when I was a baby, and my grandmother talked my mother into letting her and my grandpa adopt me. No doubt this was to keep my alcoholic father from having any right to have me even part of the time, but it caused a very large rift between my mother and grandmother. My mother had wanted to name me “Louisamarie,” but my grandmother named me “Rosa Lee”. My father begged her not to as he already had a daughter named Rosalie by a previous marriage, but she would not listen. She was adopting me and had the right to name me whatever she wished.
As soon as I was old enough to understand, my mother told me that my grandmother named me after some character on her favorite radio program. From that moment, I no longer liked my name. It became a symbol to me of what I felt was rejection. I was soon to enter my teen years, and that made the rejection teens feel even deeper, more confusing. (It wasn’t until a year or two ago when I was doing my genealogy that I discovered that my grandmother had an aunt named Rosa. That made me feel so much better.)
I never really bonded with my grandmother. She had wanted me so badly, but she after I grew past the cuddly stage, she did not seem to want me around. She would shoo me outside at every opportunity or if the weather was bad, she would make me sit at her big dining room table and make little words out of some big word like “Washington.”
Jacob must have had similar feelings about his name. He was named “cheater.” “And when her (Rebecca’s) days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.” Gen 25:24-26
For many years, Jacob lived up to his name. He cheated his brother out of his birthright and finally had to flee from home. He had to bear the consequences of his cheating, for he never saw his mother again and was in turn cheated by his father-in-law. Every time someone called his name, painful memories must have come flooding back.
As he was returning to his homeland, our Dear Saviour gave Jacob a new name. A wonderful name. “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Gen 32:24-30 From that moment his life changed.
Someday soon, our Loving Saviour will give each of us a new name. Our old name will mean nothing. “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Rev 2:17 We will have a special name that is unique to us. It will be a precious secret that God shares with us, known only to the two of us. We will receive our new name with joy! We will cherish it forever.
Let us, with joyful anticipation, look forward to that grand and glorious day when we receive our new name. Let us give diligence to make our “calling and election sure” that we may dwell with our Heavenly Father, Who loves us with an everlasting love and draws us to Himself with lovingkindness. 2 Peter 1:10; Jer 31:3 Let us love Him in return with our whole heart, serving Him with all our strength, finding our happiness and courage in His great love for us is my prayer.
Rose

A Welcome to the Heavenly Home