Jonathan's Perspective on Heaven

I have to be honest about why I chose this topic.  As my disability robs me of more and more of my strength, my thoughts have often turned to what life after death looks like.  I am eternally grateful that because of the incredible gift of mercy that I have been given through receiving Christ into my heart, Heaven is now my eternal home, and my physical challenges make me long for it.

I do not fear death or what comes after it.  Much of my confidence comes from Jesus' promise of one day taking his followers to the place where He lives.  "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?  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).  Discovering what it feels like to see Jesus face-to-face and to have close fellowship with Him will certainly be too wonderful to put into words.  I have often imagined what that moment will feel like, and it always brings a smile to my face.‬‬

Additionally, I am very much looking forward to enjoying a perfect heavenly body, when "the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality," as 1 Corinthians 15:54 says.  The ability that I will have to walk again is thrilling to say the least!  I will be able to dance and lift my hands in praise to the One who gave me back what Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy took from me.

But that's not all!  Unlike some inaccurate pictures people have of Heaven, it is not all clouds and singing angels.  Rather, it will be filled with the vibrant beauty of much of what is beautiful on the Earth.  There will be trees, wonderful vistas, and peaceful places that we will be able to lie down in. There will be no more danger or hardships, no more sadness or despair, no more fighting or war.  God always meant for the world to be this way, but sin has corrupted everything.  However, by the grace of God, He will redeem what was lost.

Randy Alcorn, in his book titled Heaven, dispels myths about that wonderful place and provides an in-depth look at how glorious the Lord's plans are for those who love Him. 

Here is a small section from the book that spoke to me:

      "Jesus came not only to rescue people from ultimate destruction. He came also to rescue the entire universe from ultimate destruction. He will transform our dying Earth into a vital New Earth, fresh and uncontaminated, no longer subject to death and destruction.

       “The Curse is real, but it is temporary. Jesus is the cure for the Curse. He came to set derailed human history back on its tracks. Earth won't be put out of its misery; it will be infused with a greater life than it has ever known, at last becoming all that God meant for it to be.

       “We have never seen the earth as God made it. Our planet as we know it is a shadowy, half-tone image of the original. But it does whet our appetites for the New Earth, doesn't it? If the present Earth, so diminished by the Curse, is at times so beautiful and wonderful; if our bodies, so diminished by the Curse, are at times overcome with a sense of earth's beauty and wonder; then how magnificent will the New Earth be? And what will it be like to experience a new Earth in something else we've never known; perfect bodies?
...
       “Without Christ, both the earth and mankind would be doomed. But Christ came, died, and rose from the grave. He brought deliverance, not destruction. Because of Christ, we are not doomed, and neither is the earth. Earth cannot be delivered from the Curse by being destroyed. It can only be delivered by being resurrected." (1)

Combine this more accurate glimpse of Heaven with a firm promise from God and you begin to understand how amazingly glorious the eternal dwelling place of believers will be.  "He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 25:8).  I love how the verse ends: "The Lord has spoken!"  Although God hasn't yet established his perfect Kingdom on Earth, you can be certain He WILL one day.

Our response to this should not only involve heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness but also include a change in our behavior.  "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:2‭-‬4).  For believers, Christ is indeed our life.  So, how could we think anything less than living a life FOR Christ would be a proper response?  Let us then pursue Jesus in our daily lives in such a way that the world can see how thankful we are to our Lord for preparing such a wonderful future for us.  Use your conversations to point people to God.  Praise Him verbally when things go well for you. And of course, don't neglect daily Bible reading and study which is necessary to become more like Christ.‬‬

It is easy to think, "Won't we have all eternity to become more like Jesus?”  I believe a good biblical response to that can be found in 1 Timothy 4:8: "Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."  A belief that has stuck with me lately is that the depth at which we can know Christ in Heaven is proportional to how well we get to know Him on Earth.

The key is to remember all the joy and peace that awaits us in the new Heaven and new Earth.  "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:16‭-‬17).  I will remain devoted to knowing God more and more every day because of how devoted He is to ensuring my eternal future is filled to overflowing with good things.‬‬

In the last chapter of Revelation, Jesus Himself says, “Look, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:7a).  So, I hope and pray everyone who reads this has their faith built on the rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ.  He alone is the one who can grant entrance to the place we all long for.




Bibliography
1. Alcorn, Randy C. Heaven. Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.

Jonathan's Perspective on Having a Sense of Humor

It's time to switch gears and lighten things up a bit.  As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:4, "there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh."  I believe strongly that God desires our lives to be filled with joy and laughter.  In Psalms, when describing what it will look like when God ushers in His eternal kingdom, says "Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'  The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."(Psalm 126:2‭-‬3).
This wonderful feeling can be experienced in some small way when we laugh.

To be able to do that enough to get through the difficulties of life all begins with the lens through which we look at the world.  Are you only able to complain about your circumstances or can you laugh about them?  Better yet, can you laugh at yourself?  I think we've all had those moments when we walk into a room and think: "What did I come in here for?"  When that happens, I think the healthy response is to laugh at yourself and continue on with your day with a smile.

And now I'd like to share some things that I find especially funny.  I will begin with some puns that hopefully will elicit more of a laugh than a groan.

1. Coffee has a rough time in this house.  It gets mugged every single morning!

2. I asked a Frenchman if he played video games.  He said Wii!

3. My girlfriend told me she was leaving me because I keep pretending to be a Transformer. I said, "No, wait! I can change."

4. Three conspiracy theorists walk into a bar...  You can't tell me that's just a coincidence.

5. A man just assaulted me with milk, cream and butter. How dairy!

Another thing that makes me laugh is a limerick.  A limerick is a humorous 5 line poem with a very specific rhyming sequence.  The 1st, 2nd, and 5th lines all rhyme and the 3rd and 4th rhyme with each other.  On a summer road trip back in 2006, my family and I came up with limericks to help pass the time during long hours on the freeways up to Illinois.  We used names of cities we passed as inspiration.  My favorite was inspired by the city of Paducah, KY.

There once was a woman in Puducah
Whose name was Commander Pestrucah
Who just for fun
Invented a gun
To shoot chickens out a Bazooka

Now, tell me that isn't funny!

Another series of jokes I revisit every few years are funny phrases or typos found on church bulletins.  Here are a few of the best.

1. Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

2. Helpers are needed! Please sign up on the information sheep.

3. Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30p.m. Please use the back door.

4. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

And I can't fail to mention the hilarious Tim Hawkins, whose zany humor can easily be found on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/ndeZ2rJk1Lw

Part 2: https://youtu.be/CBhyskisVNM

I will conclude by saying I think it is very important to surround yourself with people that make you laugh.  I firmly believe that a large portion of the joy believers will feel in heaven, second to experiencing the glorious presence of our loving Savior Jesus, will be the laughter and pleasure of fellowship with fellow believers.

So, have a laugh, get a smile on your face, and enjoy life today!

Jonathan's Perspective on Encouragement

Have you ever been having a bad day when someone cheers you up with some encouraging words?  It could be as simple as a compliment or as profound as a call to persevere.  Whatever it is, a comment as short as a couple of sentences can completely change how you progress through your day.

Since our words have such power, we should all take advantage of opportunities to encourage those around us.  It takes no weighty theology to understand the wisdom of the idea that we should treat others how we want to be treated.  We certainly like to be encouraged so we should do the same for others.  Going deeper, the Bible says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up."
(1 Thessalonians 5:11a)  Earlier in the Bible Solomon described just how beneficial a kind word can be. "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
(Proverbs 16:24)

However, I think we all know how easy it is to remain too focused on ourselves to remember to encourage others.  But instead of trying to fix that that in our power I think it is far better to seek help from God to become more attentive towards those around us.  The Apostle Paul, led by the Spirit of God, wrote in Romans 15:5:   "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had."  So if we find in ourselves a tendency to neglect the all too important act of encouraging others, we should ask God to cultivate this attitude in us.  I certainly believe God will answer this prayer with a definitive "Yes!"  Then, it is our job to remember that prayer everyday and move out in faith believing that God will bring to our attention opportunities to encourage.

Knowing the wisdom and truth packed into the Scriptures will be a big help in this area.  "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." (Romans 15:4)  Daily reading of the many uplifting passages in the Bible will allow encouragement flow more easily out of us.

Why don't you read some of those now!  Here is one of my favorites.

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
(Isaiah 40:31)

Don't you feel more encouraged now?  I do.  So, like I've mentioned in previous posts, this is a great reason to make sure to do daily Bible readings, hopefully more than one per day.  In my case, I like to read a topical devotional and Bible reading in the morning and a chronological reading in the evening.

Additionally, another important thing regarding Godly encouragement was written in the book of Hebrews. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)  God never wanted for there to be loner Christians separate from the larger body of Christ.  Without consistent fellowship with believers, it is impossible to receive biblical encouragement or give it out.  In other words, find a church that fits you, regardless of any bad experiences in the past.  Neglecting this can produce Christians with skewed theology who do little to advance God's Kingdom on Earth.  Trust me, I know a few.

In conclusion, I highly recommend you read a encouraging Bible passage every morning and pray that God would help you be aware of opportunities to encourage those around you. Step out in faith and the right words will come.

I will end with a prayer.

Dear Lord, please help me and all those who will read this post to start or continue the meaningful habit of receiving encouragement from Your Word every morning.  Give us awareness to see when others need an encouraging word spoken to them and provide us with the right words to say.  In Jesus' name, Amen.


(All passages are from the New International Version of the Bible)

Jonathan's Perspective on Idolatry

The topic for this post is idolatry.  At the root of this word is the word idols.  Upon hearing this word, the first thought some of you might have had was of a carving of a man or an animal.  It seems to be something out of a bygone era, when worship of carved images was prevalent across the world.  Idols are mentioned many times in the Old Testament, like this in Psalm 135:15-17.

"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands.  They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.  They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths."

It doesn't seem relevant to us in modern society, does it?  But in reality, an idol is anything that has the top priority in our lives, other than love for God.

In 2 Corinthians 12:2 of the Message Bible it says
"Remember how you were when you didn’t know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it?"

In today's world there are plenty of phony gods: the pursuit of money, popularity, or anything that feels good.  If a person pursues these things, it is obvious they consider them to be the most important thing in life.  And the sad part is, gaining those things will no more satisfy them than the pointless worship of lifeless idols.

Instead we must heed the words of Samuel in 1 Samuel 12:21. "Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless."

Chasing after empty passions and pursuits only keep us from experiencing the depth of kindness and care God offers to all of humanity.

In the belly of a whale, Jonah learned a very important reality.  “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them."
(Jonah 2:8)

God truly loves us and wants to give us salvation and endless blessings through Jesus.  The pursuit of something other than God will only leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled with nothing of lasting value to show for it.  So, instead surrender to the love of God in the center of which is peace, fulfillment, and rest.

For Christians, the biblical call to abandon idols is even stronger.  The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:16, asks: "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'"

The Creator of the Universe Himself has agreed to live with and be present with those who receive Him as their Lord and Savior.  This amazing opportunity should not be spoiled by letting our former priorities creep back into the picture.  It is all too easy to let this happen so to combat it will take vigilance on our part.  We must keep our focus on Jesus, who Paul referred to as the "Author and Perfecter of our faith." In practical terms this means starting each day by entering into His presence through prayer and Bible study.   Commit your day to Him, and then read God's Word.  The aid of a daily devotional or Bible reading plan can be a big help. 

Once this becomes an established part of your morning routine, you can more effectively turn away from any potential idols you may encounter during your day.  Keep your eyes on God and remember His love for you is of greater value than anything this world can offer.

I will leave you with this call to action found in 1 Corinthians 10:14. "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry."

Jonathan's Perspective on Thankfulness

Even though in my own life, there are plenty of reasons to get discouraged or irritated with my situation, maintaining an attitude of thankfulness prevents me from becoming bitter.

 The Bible wisely instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."  Now why would someone have any reason to be thankful no matter what situation they're in?

Well, a believer can maintain this positive outlook because they know what God has already done for them.  God has shown true believers their original nature of sinfulness and graciously provided a way, through Jesus, to be cleansed from that sin.  Romans 3:25 says: "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith."  That means that when someone chooses to have faith in Jesus, their sins are paid for by His death on the Cross.  The consequence of their sin of disobedience towards God has been paid for in full through Christ's sacrifice; their sins are now forgiven.

Through the toughest circumstances, Jesus' followers know that Heaven is now their eternal home and are filled with joyful anticipation of one day arriving there.  Even death itself is not to be feared, for it is simply the abandonment of a flawed body for a perfect one.

But for many of us, that day is a long way off.  We, in our limited, human view need something more immediate.  Fortunately, because of God's grace, there are many blessings we can be thankful for in both our past and present.

For me, I look at all the great things I've been able to do in my life.  I was able to walk until I was 12 and had the opportunity to do many cool things.  I played soccer, went on boat rides in Rockford, Ill. with my Uncle Bob, and even joined a jazz dance class when I was 7.  That was especially interesting because I was the only boy in a group of 15 girls! 😂

But the experience that was the most awesome was my trip, at age 9, to Wisconsin to see a Green Bay Packers game.  The wonderful organization Make-A-Wish gave me an amazing all-expense paid trip to Green Bay to see a game.  First came a limo ride to Tampa Int'l Airport, a nice hotel room in Green Bay, and another limo ride to the game.  We got to go onto the field to watch the players warm up before heading up to our seats at about the 50 yard line.  The game was certainly not an exciting high scoring affair, but the Packers did win 6-3.

After the game I got to meet a bunch of Packers players, most notably eventual Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre!  To say I was starstruck at 9 years old is an understatement.  But most memorable of all was an incredible opportunity to go to the home of cornerback Tyrone Williams to have dinner with him and his family.  I had received Tyrone's jersey at the beginning of my experience, so he was very much involved in Make-A-Wish.  After dinner we went outside to his front yard and played a game of touch football with some neighborhood kids.  That was the highlight of the trip for me.

More recently, I became a writer and have published 2 books.  Not everyone can say that!  I also love sports and wrote a college football blog for 4 years. But I am most thankful for my mom, my dad, and my best friend Erik.  Their love and friendship are the fuel for my daily struggle against Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy.  And I can't forget to mention all my other good friends from First Baptist Church of Port Charlotte.

So, what blessings can you be thankful for?  Are there fun experiences you can look back on with fondness?  Is there someone whose friendship is special to you?  And most important of all, do you know Jesus whose very presence can bring you joy and salvation?  I pray you will pursue Jesus and remember to be thankful today.

Jonathan's Perspective on Forgiveness

The definition of forgiveness could be: A glorious thing that has been given to us through Jesus that cannot stop with us.

I'm going to get straight to the point.  It is very natural to want to hold onto a grudge.  From personal experience I know it is all too easy to stay mad at a person, rehearsing what they did to you over and over again in your mind.  We somehow think that we are getting back at them by doing this, but we are only hurting ourselves.

Along with this practical reason to forgive, a parable told by Jesus gives a v powerful message regarding the vital importance of forgiveness at it relates to out relationship with God .

Pay attention to the character who we can compare to God and the one we can compare to ourselves.

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 

At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’  The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.   He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 

His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 

But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.  When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 

Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’" (Matthew 18:23‭-‬33)‬‬

Let's break the parable down.  The master is God and the ungrateful servant is someone walking in unforgiveness. The tragedy of the story is that this servant was so filled with pride that he failed to realize the need for him to show mercy as his master had.  The sum of ten thousand bags of gold is representative of the overwhelming weight of our sin that we could never hope to compensate for.  The far lesser amount of the silver coins is indicative of a slight or wrongdoing committed against someone.

The main point of the parable is that we, as Christians cannot in our right minds go around holding grudges against people in view of how completely God has forgiven us.  Our Father in heaven detests sin, and yet has chosen to lavish undeserved grace on us.

Furthermore, God expects us to show the same kind of mercy he has shown us, even when something far greater than a slight or betrayal has been committed against us.  How might we do this?  In our power?  No.  Only with God's help.

I know of no better example of what God can help us to forgive than the story behind Matthew West's song titled Forgiveness.  It was part of an album where every song was based on true stories submitted to Matthew by listeners.  The story behind each song was powerful and covered with God's fingerprints, but the one that really blew me away was the inspiration behind Forgiveness.

It is the story of a woman named Renee and a young man called Eric.  Renee had four children, two of them twins.  One of the twins named Rachael was driving home from the beach with her best friend one day when her car was struck by a drunk driver.  That drunk driver was Eric, only 24 years old at the time.  Rachael and her friend did not survive and Renee's life was never the same.

After coping with this horrific loss through her Christian faith and church family, Renee felt strongly led to go around to churches to speak about the dangers of drunk driving.  She did this for 8 years or so before the Lord put something else on her heart.  God told her, "You still have not forgiven Eric."  It would be very easy to say, "Why would God ever expect her to do that?"  When you read the incredible end of the story, you will know exactly why.

After wrestling with this for a time, Renee decided to let go of her bitterness and allow God to help her forgive Eric.  So, in an amazing act of trust in God she reached out to Eric in prison.  Then, in a meeting that could only have been God-ordained, Renee visited Eric in prison and said, "I forgive you."  This short sentence had a profound impact on Eric.  He would later say, "I couldn't even forgive myself, and she forgave me."  In experiencing Renee's astounding act of forgiveness, Eric could see the kind of love Jesus offered him.  He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, forever transforming his eternal destiny.

Eventually all of Renee's family members would express their own forgiveness.  Tears would stream down Eric's face every time.  But the story does not stop there.  Renee approached a judge to have Eric's sentence of 22 years in prison reduced!  Yes,  you read that right.  Stunned by the request, the Judge nonetheless agreed and Eric's sentence was cut in half.  He was released in November of 2012.  Soon after, he appeared at a series of Matthew West concerts alongside Renee, one of which I had the privilege to attend.  I wil never forget that night.

Since then, Eric has joined Renee many times in her presentations about drunk driving, adding the beauty of an incredible story of forgiveness to an already moving call to avoid driving under the influence.  All of this made possible by an act of forgiveness.

Now, not all of us will be called to forgive something so substantial, but this true story should remind us that God offers forgiveness to everyone, no matter how sinful they are.  I am thankful for this fact.

Let us remember that before we knew Christ we were all in the same position: in danger of judgment from God.  In reality, no sinner is really that different in the eyes of God.  In view of that, we should all be able to say, as Paul did, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them all."
(1 Timothy 1:15 NLT)

We as Christians are all called to be like Christ.  With His help, each and every one of us have the power to display a depth of forgiveness that Jesus himself demonstrated on the Cross.  Even when he was being executed unjustly by evil men, he said, "Forgive them, Father.  They do not know what they are doing."

So let us run unhindered by any grudges or bitterness in our hearts, ready to vibrantly display the love that God through Jesus has shown us!

Jonathan's Perspective on Perseverance

Perseverance is one of those words that can be framed.  You know, beneath a picture of a climber ascending a mountain along with an inspiring quote.  But, at least for me, seeing that has served to remind me how difficult it is to persevere.  Living with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy is no walk in the park and lately it has felt like an endurance race up the side of a mountain.

I need more than an inspiring quote to keep on living and not give up.  I need the strength and comfort found in the verses of the Bible.  Thanks to a reading plan on the YouVersion Bible App, which I highly recommend, I read Hebrews chapter 10, and boy is that chock full of encouragement to persevere!  It's not often I'll spend a post solely in one chaper, but this time it's a must.

The first part of the chapter concerns the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for us and provides the foundation for the encouraging words of this chapter.

Let's begin with verses 11-14.  "Day after day every [Hebrew] priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."

Let us remember that before Christ came, the priest would have to kill a healthy, unblemished animal and shed it's blood to atone for a person's sins.  This was always going to be a temporary fix and it's greatest value was that it gave a preview to what Jesus would do for us on the Cross.  The amazing thing about His perfect sacrifice was that once was enough!  The meaning of Him being seated next to God is that his task of providing a means of atonement for the sins of mankind is complete.  And someday soon He will completely destroy sin and death, perfecting the bodies and souls of believers before ushering them into his glorious, eternal Kingdom.

However, believers will receive that amazingly awesome reward only IF they persevere.  Yes, you heard me right.  "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35‭-‬36) Only runners that finish a race receive a prize, right?  What you find two verses later presents an even more striking edict to persevere.  "My righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”  I certainly want to be pleasing to God, don't you?!

Earlier in the chapter, God provides us with the fuel to power us through any weighty challenge that tempts us to abandon our faith.  This is a great danger and the Bible gives us just what we need to avoid it.

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus ... and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."
(Hebrews 10:19‭, ‬21‭-‬23)

There's quite of lot of encouragement there!  Let's unpack the rich spiritual truths within.

First, this passage is saying that we can have confidence to be able to enter into the very presence of God because of one thing and one thing only.  Is it our own good works?   Certainly not!  The blood of Jesus, which he shed willingly, purifies us from all sin so that we can have a loving
relationship with a God who detests sin.  This is amazing to me no matter how many times I think about it.  Such undeserved grace!

Not only that, but we have a Jesus acting as our High Priest, interceding for us before the throne of God the Father.  Knowing this, we should let God's love wash away our guilty conscience.  If the Word of God says we shouldn't hold onto shame over our past sins, then let's abandon it!  But remember the end goal of God is to completely purify our hearts, so we should focus on living a holy life and not falling back into sin.

So, as the passage says, let us charge ahead, knowing that God will be faithful to fulfill every promise He has ever made.  And He has made some awesome promises, like giving us an opportunity to one day live a joyful and eternal life with Him in a place more beautiful than anyone can imagine!  Anything this corrupted world offers looks utterly worthless in the light of this future.

Although challenges and trials may come, nothing should deter us from walking the path of this life with boldness, knowing our Lord and Savior is behind us every step of the way.  I know Jesus will help me climb every mountain and pass through every valley that stands between me and Heaven.

"Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57)  What could ever stop us now?