4/22/2020 – Pastor Brian’s Blog –

  • China ups its spy game on US soil as it bids to spread disinformation
  • Stocks sink as oil’s selloff worsens
  • Trump goes on tear against ‘Lamestream Media,’ clashes with MSNBC hosts
  • Dems attack Trump over immigration order
  • Bombshell study indicates 200K in LA county already had coronavirus
  • Severe thunderstorm threat in Northeast, storms may bring damaging winds to NYC and Philadelphia
  • WHO cautions against rush to ease coronavirus restrictions, warns of resurgence
  • Coronavirus reveals big tech’s unchecked, scary power over our lives.

And these are just one day’s headlines!

Isn’t it nice to know that as Christians this isn’t all we have to look forward to?! At my church we are in a study in 1 Peter. Peter starts off his letter by saying, (depending on your translation) that as Christians we are: strangers, foreigner’s, refugees, pilgrims, and temporary residents… when it comes to this world.

Peter encourages us not to get attached to what this world offers because this is only our temporary residency. We have been deployed on a mission, and once our mission is over, God has something far better in store for us. As a matter of fact, Paul describes it like this:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9

One of my spiritual heroes of the faith is D. L. Moody. On his last day on earth, Moody suddenly woke up and began speaking: “Earth recedes, heaven opens before me.” His son Will thought that his father was dreaming. “No, this is no dream, Will,” Moody replied. “It is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me and I must go.” Having seen this wonderful place, Moody realized that he was headed home.


Let me give you just a few reasons why we should be excited about going home. God created us to be social beings, so when we arrive home, we will fellowship with God:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21:3

We will no longer struggle with the old nature; we will be just like our Savior:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

1 John 3:2

Ever cry and felt like no one cared? God cares, as He takes his divine handkerchief and wipes your tears away

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

No more running from one event to another, no more pressure to fulfill that obligation. Finally we can rest:

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Revelation 14:13

Never again will we feel like we need to chase after that newer and bigger thing. We will finally be content.

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:9-10

No longer will we dread going to work or long for that new job:

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 22:3-5

I’m not sure how good your carpenter is, but they can’t hold a stick to the carpenter that builds your new home. Jesus said:

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

John 14:2

So when the headlines of life try to discourage you or get you to quit, don’t, because we aren’t home yet, and you don’t quit until you arrive home. And as my good friend Jimmy DeYoung says, today might be the day we get to go home and suddenly… poof!

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Want to be encouraged?

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

Don’t quit! We may find ourselves closer to home than we think…

Categories: Pastor's Blog