I Don’t Ask To Peek Into Heaven Anymore! What Are You Going Through Today? His Grace Is All You Need!

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!
1 Samuel 13; 1 Chronicles 2; 1 Chronicles 3; 2 Corinthians 12

I Don’t Ask To Peek Into Heaven Anymore!

What Are You Going Through Today?

His Grace Is All You Need!

Scripture

2 Corinthians 12

12 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. ³ Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know ⁴ that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

⁵ That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. ⁶ If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, ⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Observation

Because of this passage and a couple of other passages in the Bible I used to actually ask God to let me have a peek into Heaven. After suffering my heart attack and actually dying three or four times and having to be brought back to life I have decided that I am not going to ask God to let me see Heaven anymore. I will see Heaven soon enough and I don’t need any early previews.

People have asked me if I got to see Heaven during those times when I stopped breathing and had to be shocked back to life. No, I don’t remember seeing Heaven. I don’t have a great story to tell about all the neat things I saw in Heaven. But I can say that during my 26-day hospital stay although I didn’t get to see into Heaven I did get to see the Glory of God. 

God’s Glory was all over that hospital! God’s people filled the waiting room and flowed out into the hallways praying for Kathy, me, and the medical team that was trying to save me! The doctors, nurses, and chaplains were amazed at what God was doing! God’s Glory covered the place! So in that sense I did get to experience a little bit of Heaven during my hospital stay! 

I know this I will never pray and ask God to let me have a peek into Heaven. I am done with that. Paul got to experience Heaven and to keep him humble God allowed Satan to send him a thorn in the flesh. 

Paul says, 

“I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. ⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”


I like Paul now have a thorn in the flesh. I have a sick heart. I am weak. 

So I am going to claim verses nine and ten for myself and I am going to let Christ work through me. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Application

I am going to continue to let Christ work through me and I am going to try to bring Him glory no matter what! 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray for others who are sicker than I am. I pray for a lady named Shirley. I pray that You touch her body and heal her. Surround her with people that can help her. Give her strength during these days of weakness. Thank You for allowing me to live and even though I deal with a thorn in my flesh I know that I can still bring You Glory and Honor with my life. Help me to be the witness that You want me to be. Give people strength who are going through rough times right now. Show them how Mighty and how Powerful You are! 

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!