Smyrna 8

What does Jesus being The End mean for your life? So often we see Jesus as someone who is in a far away place called Heaven and one day, when we die, we will hopefully get there. But is this Jesus’ definition as The End?

Remember, Jesus is the Beginning, the End and everything in between. He is not defined within the confines of time, space and matter, He rules over them. When Jesus speaks, He speaks from an eternal, now, reality where everything has its beginning and its end. Therefore, He calls things that do not appear as a reality here on earth as though they already ware. And this is why He tells us to be heavenly minded because from there we can also see the beginning and the end, and the end is ALWAYS good and triumphant.

This is another reason why He tells you to rejoice in all circumstances and to give thanks IN (not for) every situation, test or trial you are facing. When Dave was a drug addict the Lord constantly told me to rejoice and give thanks. Frankly I thought He was crazy. How was I supposed to do that while my life is falling apart around me? Have you ever felt like that? In hindsight I can tell you to rejoice, but at the time I was not aware of being heavenly minded. All I did was worship.

We have so many struggles and conflicts within ourselves and our relationship with the Lord when we are going through struggles. In a time of struggle your greatest victory will come through setting your mind on things above, or in heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. This is the same place the Jesus HAS ALREADY lifted you up to. This is not a place you will ascend to once you die, it is a very present, now, reality.

How do you get there? Through praise, thanksgiving, and bowing down in worship. The entrance to heaven within you is found as you focus your attention upon His goodness and mercy and that He has your life in His hands. He knew your situation before it happened, and He knows how to bring you to a successful end.

But it is more than this. As you focus on the Lord with your whole being filled with love and gratitude simply for the fact that He has saved you from death and written your name in His Book of Life, the wonders and mysteries of heaven begin to unveil themselves to you. When you become conscious of heaven and the wonderful, eternal rewards that He has in store for you your struggles become what Paul calls, “Momentary light afflictions.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Jesus letter to Smyrna is His love letter to you and reveals His heart and character towards you when you are suffering, especially when you suffer loss. It is when you suffer loss that you consider yourself poor, yet in this very time Jesus considers you rich! Why? Because He sees your whole life, now and forever. Death is not in this picture. You died in Him, so death is of no consequence. Heaven is.

If you are in a place of suffering, be it sickness or disease, lack of finance, broken relationships, or any other impending doom, go sit somewhere alone, close your eyes, begin to think about the Lord and what heaven is like. Then begin to praise and thank Him for the wonder of all He has done for you. Remember His suffering on the cross for you. Let your heart begin to rejoice. He will show you what to do, He will guide you and teach you in gentleness, His blood and His Word will softly wipe away all fear and dread and love will fill your heart with peace.

There is a song from Bethel that I want to leave you with. I hope it ministers to you and that you remain blessed in your relationship with the Lord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgUiJm5SwPY

You are loved. 💛

Yvonne

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, like, comment and share.

Smyrna 8 – Download PDF