Driven by Eternity E-Book

John Bevere

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 178

Beschreibung

Live with eternity in view!   You were created with eternity in your heart. This is why you have an inner knowledge of a greater existence beyond this life on earth.   This 40-day devotional is inspired by Driven by Eternity: Make Your Life Count Today and Forever by best-selling author John Bevere. In it he shares compelling principles on how to live with hope and assurance that will carry you through to eternity. Each day contains a devotional reading inspired by the book, additional Scriptures for study, an eternity truth, key action steps and points of reflection, and a personal prayer.   It is easy to get stuck in the busyness of life and miss what's most important. Everyone will stand before Jesus Christ at the end of time, and those who have followed Him will receive eternal rewards. Many will be shocked to learn that the majority of their time was spent on things that won't matter.   How can you be ready to stand confidently before Christ? This devotional will instruct you how to maintain an eternal perspective inspire you to work for the things that will endure till the end. Keep in sight the reward Christ has for you as you follow Him with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength.  

Leseprobe

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC

Racine, Wisconsin, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

DRIVEN BY ETERNITY: MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT TODAY AND FOREVER 40-DAY DEVOTIONAL

Copyright © 2016 John P. Bevere, Jr.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4245-5353-2 (hardcover)

ISBN-13: 978-1-4245-5363-1 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188, USA. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked MSG are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified® Bible (AMPC), © Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked TEV are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version. Copyright © 1966, 1971, 1976 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016 by BroadStreet Publishing Group, Racine, Wisconsin. thePassionTranslation.com. Used by permission.

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Edited by Nathanael White

Cover design by Allan Nygren

Interior by Katherine Lloyd at theDESKonline.com

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Day 1: Listen with Your Heart

Day 2: Success That Lasts

Day 3: Confidence at the Judgment

Day 4: Eternal Decisions

Day 5: Is Hell Real?

Day 6: The Second Death

Day 7: Hope in Jesus

Day 8: God’s Outrageous Goodness

Day 9: New Life

Day 10: Exchanging Lives

Day 11: Finish Your Race

Day 12: Know That You’re Known

Day 13: Falling Away

Day 14: The Fear of Falling

Day 15: Seeing Spots

Day 16: Good Fear

Day 17: When Fear Isn’t Being Afraid

Day 18: What Keeps Us from Sin

Day 19: The Future of Believers

Day 20: The Millennial Kingdom

Day 21: When Everything Becomes New

Day 22: The Believer’s Judgment

Day 23: Living to Win

Day 24: Life in the Light

Day 25: Just Barely Saved

Day 26: Hope for a Hopeless Assignment

Day 27: Co-laborers with God

Day 28: God’s Custom Home

Day 29: Living Your Unique Calling

Day 30: Discovering Your Call

Day 31: Putting down Roots

Day 32: Removing Entanglements

Day 33: Displaying Your Work Forever

Day 34: Empowered by Grace

Day 35: Building with Wisdom

Day 36: Multiplying Grace

Day 37: Learning to Multiply

Day 38: Attitudes for Victory

Day 39: The Confrontation of Love

Day 40: The Legacy of Love

INTRODUCTION

I’m so excited to put into your hands this 40-day devotional on the topic of eternity. Each day contains a devotional reading inspired by my book Driven by Eternity, additional Scriptures for study, an eternity truth, key action steps and points of reflection, and a personal prayer.

It’s easy to get stuck in the busyness of life and miss what’s most important. I pray this devotional will help you focus your life on what matters most so that you are able to stand confidently before Christ at the end of the age.

I invite you to pray with me as you begin this 40-day journey:

Father in heaven, I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn what you have in store for the future. I want to be prepared so that I hear “Well done, good and faithful servant” when I stand before Jesus on that day. Do your good work in me so that all that I am and all that I do pleases you. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear what you have for me as I meditate on this message and your Word. Make my life count today and forever. Amen!

DAY 1

LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART

(Inspired by Chapter 1)

“No one can begin to understand eternity.” (Job 36:26 TLB)

He has put eternity in their hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Concepts like eternity and the size of our universe are too big for us to understand with our minds. Our logic cannot grasp them. Our words cannot accurately define them.

Try imagining the edge of the universe. Think of what the outer limit of the universe is like. Would you find a wall there? What would happen if you somehow stepped outside the end of the universe? What is beyond the wall? Would it simply be more empty space where no stars or galaxies can yet be found? Wouldn’t that simply be an extension of the universe and not really the end? Where is the end? Can you grasp with your mind the endlessness of the universe?

The same is true for the eternal. We cannot grasp with our minds the endlessness or the enormity of it; however, God has placed it in our hearts. Even those who have hardened their minds to convince themselves there is no God still often, at the end of their lives, come to realize a deeper knowledge that has always been there. They find they always knew there is something more beyond death. They know there is eternity, even if they don’t know what it holds.

Truth be told, we are eternal beings now, yet the reality of eternity awaits all of us. Every man, woman, and child will one day cross over from this world defined by time into a completely different realm—God’s realm of eternity. Scripture tells us that God is the Creator of eternity (Psalm 90:2), the Father of eternity (Isaiah 9:6), and the King of eternity (1 Timothy 1:17). Eternity is bigger than we can comprehend, yet we believe that God is bigger still.

We will be discussing eternity throughout this devotional. Since we cannot grasp it intellectually, we will have to listen with our hearts for anything meaningful to happen. In fact, this is necessary for you to get any benefit out of this devotional.

Two steps will help you learn to do this. First, acknowledge that you need the Holy Spirit to help you, and ask Him to do so. Second, stop to ponder and meditate on truths that grip your heart. Don’t rush past them or you will limit what this book can do for and in you. Don’t just read for mental understanding, which is easily forgotten, but hide these truths in your heart.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. (Psalm 90:2)

“For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 YLT)

Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17 AMP)

ETERNITY TRUTH

The reality of eternity waits for all of us. Every man, woman, and child will one day cross over from this world defined by time into a completely different realm—God’s realm of eternity.

MOVING TOWARD ETERNITY

♦ Write your first impressions about knowing the reality of eternity waits for you at the end of your life.

♦ What does it mean to you that Jesus is Lord of eternity?

♦ Put into your own words what it looks like to listen with your heart.

PRAYER

Lord God, you created eternity, and you created me. Only you can teach me what I need to understand about eternity. I invite your Holy Spirit to speak to my spirit as I read this book. Show me where I need to pause to let you work in me more deeply and speak to me as I meditate. Open my heart to the truth about eternity. Give me the wisdom to look ahead to the end of my life and what is beyond it, and then to live the days I have until then with eternity in mind. Thank you for walking with me through this. I begin this journey by giving myself to you completely. Now, please show me your ways.

DAY 2

SUCCESS THAT LASTS

(Inspired by Chapter 1)

Teach us to make the most of our time … and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful! (Psalm 90:12, 17 NLT)

Most people want to succeed in life. This desire is almost certainly placed in each of us by God, because He also wants us to succeed.

Just look at the verses above. This prayer of Moses asks God not once, but twice, “Make our efforts successful.” Hebrew writers didn’t waste words. They didn’t repeat things just to fill in extra space. In fact, when they did repeat something it was to intentionally bring emphasis, much in the same way as we might write something in bold, italics, or with all capital letters. More than that, those words come from God’s holy Word, revealing to us His purpose, heart, and intent for your life and mine.

Yes, God’s desire is to help us be successful! Yet we must remember that God has a much different perspective than ours. God is eternal. He therefore does not view our lives the same way we often do. He knows that even the longest human life cannot be measured against the immensity of the eternity that waits for us beyond this life. For this reason, God’s definition of success is not our earthly, human definition of success.

Our world is continually changing. Names are remembered for a time and legacies endure for a season, but eventually history moves on. Even the things we consider to be most certain now will be vastly transformed, or perhaps will even cease to exist only a few hundred years from now.

It is not so with God. He never changes and He never will. From beginning to end, throughout all eternity, God will remain the same. His standard will never change. His heart toward us will never change. His definition of success will never change.

If we are to truly succeed in life, we must succeed by God’s eternal definition. All other success will one day fail. Only success by God’s definition will endure.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES

“The Lord your God will then make you successful in everything you do.” (Deuteronomy 30:9 NLT)

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

He who loves wisdom loves his own best interest and will be a success. (Proverbs 19:8 TLB)

ETERNITY TRUTH

If we are to truly succeed in life, we must succeed by God’s eternal definition.

MOVING TOWARD ETERNITY

♦ What does it mean to you to know that God wants you to be successful in life?

♦ Describe what it would feel like to you to have confidence that your life will be eternally successful.

♦ When you consider God’s perspective, how does that change how you view your own life?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, it’s amazing to think of how you have both my perspective of human life and God’s perspective of eternity. I give my mind and my heart to you. Please teach me to see my life the way you do. Teach me to measure success the way you do. As I walk with you toward eternity, help me to be patient with the process. I know that one day I will leave this world to join you in yours. Help me to not be so caught up in my world right now that I miss the importance of where I will spend eternity. And, please, make my efforts successful!

DAY 3

CONFIDENCE AT THE JUDGMENT

(Inspired by Chapter 1)

“He who … does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.” (John 12:48–49)

It’s shocking how many people are basing their lives on what is not eternal. They build their lives on everything from complete falsehoods to partial truths, but anything less than the full truth is a setup for disaster.

Jesus made it very clear in today’s verse: Everyone will face judgment one day, including Christians. No one is exempt. This day is fixed by God and it will surely come for both the Christian and the non-Christian.

The basis for God’s judgment is equally fixed. No human can bring their own standard to that day. No one can say, “I tried my best to live a good life.” It will do no good to claim that Jesus’ mercy as Savior prevented you from also knowing Him as Judge.

Moreover, the term of God’s judgment is firmly decided. It is eternally final (Hebrews 6:12). His verdict is final and there is no appeals court. No higher authority can challenge God’s eternal ruling. There are no second chances.

Does it shake you to know these things? By God’s mercy, we can face these truths with confidence.

Look again at today’s verses. They tell us the basis of God’s judgment. It’s no secret. God’s own words that He has already spoken will judge us on that day. It is simply a question of whether we have taken care to examine God’s entire Word, and not just part of it, to see what God commands. We demonstrate His love by carefully following all the precepts He has clearly laid out for us, living them by the grace He gives us to do it.

The topic of God’s judgment may not be pleasant for many people, but while we approach it with reverent fear, we do so with confidence. Many students fear their final exam, knowing they are unprepared. But those students who have been diligent to study and know what their teacher requires will approach that day with confidence.

We cannot discuss eternity without discussing God’s judgment, for His judgment is what decides the fate of our eternity. Do not be shaken. As you continue this study, God’s Word will show you everything you need to become confident for that day.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES

Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1–2)

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. (1 John 4:17 NLT)

ETERNITY TRUTH

The words God has already spoken will judge us on Judgment Day. It is simply a question of whether we have taken care to examine God’s entire Word, and not just part of it, to see what God commands and then live in a manner careful to obey those commands.

MOVING TOWARD ETERNITY

♦ Take time to really feel the difference inside you between having confidence and lacking confidence on the Day of Judgment. Let that experience sink in.

♦ Now, in your own words, express the value of knowing how to have confidence on the Day of Judgment.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you that your judgment is good and right. Thank you also that I can have confidence on the day I stand before your judgment seat. My life is open before you. Teach me your Word and place it deep in my heart, so I live my life in a way that pleases you and leads to rewards from your hand on that day. Spirit of grace, empower my actions and make my life a testimony of your glory, truth, and love.

DAY 4

ETERNAL DECISIONS

(Inspired by Chapter 4)

Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of … eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.] (Hebrews 6:1–2 AMP)

The author of Hebrews called the subject of eternal judgments one of six elementary stages of Christian teaching. (I did not list the others in the Scripture passage above.) Really think about that for a moment. Consider what “elementary” means in our education system. The elementary principles of our education system are reading, writing, and arithmetic—the things you absolutely must know in order to move on to more specialized subjects. These subjects form the foundation of our education. This is what eternal judgments should be like for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ.

If we do not have eternal judgments firmly established in our understanding, then we will not be capable of building a proper life in Christ. It could be compared to trying to advance your high school or university education without being able to read, write, add, or subtract.

God has blessed me with the opportunity to travel a lot to minister for Him over the past thirty years. One thing I have found is that understanding the matter of eternal judgments is far from common. In fact, it is rare, and I’m even talking about deeply committed Christian leaders. This is even worse when we consider what the author of Hebrews writes, “These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.” As an elementary principle of our faith, eternal judgment is a subject we should know fully and completely.

I’ll tell you what the problem here is and why believers have not continued to emphasize this truth as the early church did. It’s because, when we see that word “judgment,” we think it means “condemnation.” But let me tell you what it really means.

The word judgment in this verse is the Greek word krima, and the base definition of this word simply means “a decision.” Read through the verse again and exchange the word judgments for decisions. That has a much different feel to it, doesn’t it?

What we know then, is that there is an appointed day—a day of judgment. On that day, God will make decisions about every man and woman who ever lived on Earth. Those decisions are going to be eternal decisions. God is going to weigh our lives and the decisions He makes, based on His careful investigation, will be eternally firm.

These truths are foundational for all Christians. They will impact our lives forever. This is why we have to understand them going forward.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES

So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. (James 2:12 NLT)

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. (1 Corinthians 2:6)

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food…But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12, 14)

ETERNITY TRUTH

Understanding eternal judgments must be a part of our foundation as we build our life in Christ.

MOVING TOWARD ETERNITY

♦ Reflecting on the weeks and months after you came to Jesus, what were the “elementary teachings” you first received?

♦