Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Heaven


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Rewarding Myself!

Scripture for Today: Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

The only thing that kept me weeding today was the thought that I would reward myself when I was done with a particular patch.  There was ice cream in the freezer calling my name!  So, I kept pushing myself to reach my goal.  Somehow, making that ice cream serve as a reward made it all the sweeter and more satisfying!

The concept of reward for hard work is basic to our motivation.  The Lord understands this as He created us this way!  Our verse for today talks about the reward of our heavenly inheritance.  We are working for the Lord.  He is the One we are really serving.  And we are to work with all our heart.  Part of our motivation is knowing that we will be rewarded.

It seems somehow “unspiritual” to be motivated by reward.  It is fine in any other area of our lives, but it seems less than worthy of a pure selfless service to God.  And yet, the Lord is the One who in His grace has offered rewards.  Paul did not apologize for pressing on to win that prize (Phil. 3:14).  Looking forward to reward kept him self disciplined.  Thoughts of being recompensed helped Paul get through the hard times.

God’s rewards are a grace.  He does not owe it to me.  I certainly do not deserve reward.  How loving He is to want to recompense me!  I hope there are rewards awaiting me in heaven.  Why?  They will be for His glory as I humbly give them back to Him in worship.


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Royal Tombs

tombs3735304055_31f7be270d_zScripture for Today: Psalm 49:16-17  “Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.”

My husband and I were able to tour these royal tombs in Macedonia with my French chorale.  They were only discovered in 1977 but date back to the beginning of the third century!  They were able to escape detection for so long as they are so well camouflaged with dirt reaching 13 meters high and 110 meters across!  They seem to blend in with the surrounding topography!

The tombs here contain not only the remains of Alexander IV, son of Alexander the Great, but much of his wealth as well.  On display are articles made of silver, gold and ivory found in these tombs.  There are also marble structures, paintings and weapons.  It almost seemed as if Alexander wanted to take these items with him into his next life.

Our verse for today points out the absurdity of the idea that at death we can take our riches with us!  A man may grow rich in this life and his house be a marvel, but he cannot take any of that hard earned splendor with him.  He descends into the grave without it.  Death is the great equalizer when it comes to riches.  But there are riches that are eternal!

Those that are rich in faith will inherit the kingdom promised to those who love Him (James 2:5).  I may be poor in the eyes of the world.  But my rich inheritance is waiting for me and it will not perish, spoil or fade! (I Peter 1:4)

So, I am not overawed at the rich!  Instead, I am awed by God’s grace and generosity!


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Healing

Scripture for Today:  Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him and by His wounds we are healed.”

It is flu season now in California.  My husband and I had our shots in November, but there are so many strains, there is no guaranty that we won’t catch it.  The hospitals in the area are not allowing children under fourteen to make visits and they are screening all others at the door.  School absenteeism is on the rise and simple preventative measures are being reviewed in the media.

No one likes being ill.  We count on our healthy lifestyles and our doctors to keep us well.  For the believer, the request for healing of loved ones or for ourselves make up a large part of our prayers.  Our verse for today says that through the sacrificial death of Christ we have peace with God.  Because He took the punishment for our sins, those who place their faith in Him are forgiven!  It goes on to say that by His wounds we are healed.

Quite frankly, even with lots of faith and lots of prayer, one is not always healed.  But this verse speaks of a more important healing in the spiritual realm.  God absolutely heals us physically when it is part of His plan.  But it is always part of His plan to give us spiritual healing.

His healing mends my broken heart, and He heals me from the awful effects of sin.  He will one day heal me for eternity with a heavenly body that is perfect and incorruptible!  Thank you Lord, that in my future, sin and sickness will be a distant memory.


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Stylish Hats

hat unnamed Scripture for Today: Isaiah 35:10  “And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads.  And they will find gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

My husband loves his hats!  However, the one pictured here is only a distant memory!  It was the perfect hat!  It had metal in the rim and could be twisted this way and that for the perfect look!  He was able to enjoy it for only a few days.  On a ferry ride, it blew off his head and into the waters of the Atlantic.  Oh, the shock and regret of that moment!  There was nothing to do but watch it drift away.

In our verse for today, there is something very different on the head!  Hats will have to make way for everlasting joy!  This prophecy of Isaiah made reference to a literal return of the Israelites from exile in Babylon.  They would one day return to Jerusalem or Zion.  But in a larger sense it can refer to all whom the Lord has redeemed.  One day there will be a highway traveled only by the redeemed and it will lead right into God’s Millennial Kingdom.  There will be uninterrupted joy in the presence of our King!

In God’s presence is fullness of joy! (Psalm 16:11)  In the future there will be no sorrow nor sighing.  One day there will be no tears.  Even the memories of struggle and disappointment will completely fade.  It will all flee away in the overwhelming joy and gladness of His very presence!  What a day that will be when I see Christ!  “One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase.”

Thank you, Lord, that even today in Your presence I can live a bit of that joy!


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Rehearsal

rehearsalunnamedScripture for Today:  Revelation 5:13  “And every created thing which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’“

I just finished a series of concerts with my French Gospel Chorale.  The program was called, “Total Praise” and I was sorry to see it end.  These concerts were the result of hours and hours of rehearsal throughout the year.  As the majestic music rose to the cathedral ceilings, I could not help but think what praise would be like in Heaven.  Our hearts will soar with our voices to the honor of the One who sits on the throne!

All those rehearsals are so important.  It is a time of learning and memorizing the words, the notes and the timing.  Our verse for today describes an unbelievable concert of praise given to the King of Heaven and the Lamb of God.  It will be a perfect concert.  There will be no false notes, no forgotten words and no missed entrances.  It will be the most perfect sublime music ever heard!  And it will be to His glory.

Here on earth, it is a time of rehearsal.  We praise Him but it is not yet perfect.  Sin can make us sharp or flat.  We live with that old nature.  We can come close to perfect music, but we will always be a little “off.”  The Lord is gracious to accept our imperfect praise as here on earth, this is just the rehearsal.

One day we will be part of that innumerable throng singing perfect praise!  Worthy is the Lamb of total praise!  Happy rehearsing!