Heaven Bound 4 Sure

10/12/2026

10/11/2026

Something's Missing

In Acts 20:7, we read "On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread."

In this passage, Paul is describing the activities of the early Christian church. The members gathered together to praise God, share food, discuss recent events that affected all of them, and plan for their future as a group of believers.

The passage reminds me of growing up in the 50s and 60s.

Every Sunday, we got dressed in our best clothes and went to church. Upon returning home, Mom would begin preparing her Sunday dinner. It usually consisted of some kind of roasted meat accompanied by mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, salad, pickles, bread & butter, and of course, dessert.

This was not just a meal for the immediate family. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and even friends joined in around the dining room table for the Sunday gathering. It was a special day of the week set aside to worship God and share food and conversation with loved ones.

This all sounds idyllic; especially in today's world where every member of the family lives in their own personal bubble. Church doesn't exist for a lot of families, and meals come pre-packaged from the grocery store or delivered by a Door Dash driver. We don't even sit around the dining room table anymore. Food is often consumed while standing at the kitchen counter or in the car enroute to a random event.

Entertainment is also an individual activity. Everyone has their own personal device to watch shows, play games, or listen to music in the privacy of their own noise-canceling headphones.

Family culture has changed over the past several decades; and I'm not suggesting that it's all bad, but there is definitely something missing.

I think it's called "Togetherness."

10/11/2026

10/10/2026

Loyal Love

In Psalm 51:1, we read "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions."

When a couple falls in love, most will get married; and standing in front of family, friends, and God, the couple will promise loyalty to one another. Traditionally they'll say things like "I promise to love you for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part."

But, for a lot of couples, that's a lie! As soon as the marriage becomes difficult, many will run to the courthouse to have the marriage dissolved. This may arise because of infidelity, financial difficulties, illness, or just plain boredom. Loyalty is thrown out the door with the departing spouse's clothes. SLAM!

Thankfully, God's promise of loyalty to us is never thrown out. He loves us even when we become unlovable, when we are unfaithful to Him, when we break our promises to others. He loves us when we're mad, arrogant, selfish, and deceitful. His love for us never fails because it's not dependent on anything we say or do. We can never break free from God's love. The door to His heart is always open.

When all else fails, including relationships with our loved ones, we always have God's loyal love!

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

In Spite of Us

In 1 Timothy 1:13, we read "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

I've often heard non-Christians refer to us sarcastically as "Holier-Than-Thou." But most Christians don't think of ourselves that way.
We think more along the lines that we're "Worse-Than-Thee."

That's because Christians understand how prone we all are to sinning; and that, but for the saving grace of Jesus, we'd all be doomed.

When I first realized that Jesus died for me, I remember sitting in church with my eyes closed; and I pictured Him hanging on the cross. I dropped my face into my hands and began sobbing as I got a vision of my name written in the blood pouring off His body. That's when I became aware of how sinful I was and how badly I needed Jesus. I'm still sinful and I still need Jesus.

We don't deserve the love and grace of Jesus. It's a gift He just gives to us in spite of ourselves.

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

Loving Obedience

In Job 36:11, we read "If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity."

When we read Scripture, we learn more about God. The more we know about God, the more we love Him. And as our love for God grows, it's only natural that we want to please Him by living our lives according to His plan (as best we can.)

If there's something going on in our lives of which we know God disapproves, that's when prayer comes in. We need to ask God to show us the way through and to the other side of our sin. We can't stop praying. It might take time, but everyday is another opportunity to pray for God's help.

This is the formula for spending our days in prosperity. Simple!