My Online Faith Journal

    2  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?   3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am .  John 14:2-3, NIV     The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and rested on the 7th.  Some may be surprised by this or argue that it could not have been 6 literal days.  I'm surprised by it and wonder what took God so long.  I think God was enjoying the process of creating the heaven and the earth because clearly he could have created everything in a moment of time.  It wasn't hard for God because nothing is hard for God  (Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27).  It isn't impossible for God to do anything except violate his own perfect nature (Hebrews 6:18).       There are two verses quoted above from John 14:2-3 that says that Jesus went ahead of us into heaven to create a place for you.  So, if it o

    Jesus sat down on a high place to teach the multitudes.  It was common in those days for Jewish leaders to sit down when they were prepared to teach.  The teaching that follows in Matthew 5:1-11 is often referred to as the Beatitudes.  Jesus did not refer to it this way, but the church has over time.  In verse 25 of the previous chapter it makes it clear that these people who were there that day were from Judea and all of Israel and beyond the Jordan and had heard of Jesus fame due to the many miracles he was doing. He describes those who are truly blessed or happy as being poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers and persecuted.  One of the things that we see here is the true believer is not basing his success on all the recognition, awards, attention or fame that he or she has now.  In fact, the believer is not investing his or her heart on this kingdom, but on God’s kingdom.  His or her priorities are diffe