Heaven–Our Father’s House

Scripture

There are many dwelling-places in my Father’s house; if it were not so I should have told you; for I am going there on purpose to prepare a place for you.

~John 14:2, NEB

Quote

In heaven, in the FATHER’S HOUSE, we will live in God’s eternal presence: not his mystical presence but in His manifested presence.

~Ya’akov

My father is still present with me; he is in my mind but it is a mystical presence. I can’t actually see him or hug him. Thomas didn’t believe that Jesus was alive until he seen Him with his own eyes, Jesus said to him, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” I’m like the little boy who came home from Sunday School and his mother did the twenty question thing…“What did you teacher talk about in Sunday School?” She asked her son. Her Son replied, “The same thing she always talks about; Jesus and germs and I’ve never seen either one of them.” So at present, we live in Jesus mystical presence. Although there is no imperial proof, by faith, we believe He is present. In our Father’s House {heaven} we will see Him face to face: no faith will be needed.

Jesus said, “In My FATHER’S HOUSE, there are many dwelling places.” Most bibles translate this word “rooms”, the KJV translates it “mansions”. The word, which is used only twice, literally means abode or abiding places. We know the FATHER’S HOUSE will be spacious: it has many rooms that are as big as a mansion. June and I visited the Biltmore Estate a couple of years ago: she hated it. She said over and over, “I would not want to live here even if they gave it to me.” Anne Graham Lotz got to tour Buckingham Palace {I would enjoy that myself}, the home of the Queen of England, and she had basically the same experience as June. She said their were no toys in the floor, no jackets draped over the back of the chairs, and no visible signs of life. She said I felt like I was in a museum and not a home. She was told that the queen was in the house, but she never saw the queen. Our FATHER’S HOUSE is not like the Biltmore Mansion of Buckingham Palace: it is inhabited. It is a huge house where Jesus is the host and we will see Him, dine with Him and talk with Him face to face.

In the later part of the last century, before the passing of her mom, then dad, then Husband–Anne says her favorite day of the year was Thanksgiving. All the family gathered at Dr. Graham’s modest cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of N.C. After the meal, Dr. Graham presided in a time of sharing as they went around the table; each expresses thanks to God for something He had done in the previous year. Franklin’s wife Jane did most of the cooking and she would always weep tears of Joy as she heard the family share. Anne said, “I would pitch myself and say, ‘It doesn’t get any better than this.'” And then I would think, actually it does, in MY FATHER’S HOUSE ABOVE.

I cannot lie, I am more anxious to see Jesus than anyone but I do look forward to seeing my parents, my two brothers and two grand dads that I never knew. I have many friends on the other side and the list is growing. When it comes to mother and daddy’s generation, I am down to two uncles. Lord willing, in about three weeks, I will get to spend a week with all our children and grand children. June rents a cabin the mountains and this year’s cabin has eight bedrooms. We gather every night for our devotional time with yours truly presiding. Big Mama takes care of the cabin and all the details: Joe David and Holly usually plan the day’s activity. Hannah is the mother hen, she looks out for all the little ones. I don’t tell them where to go or what to do but I do insist on leading the devotions. I absolutely love it. I’m in hog heaven the entire week. I have my entire family and my jigsaw puzzles under the same roof but it is nothing compared the MY FATHER’S HOUSE above.

No new information. Continue to pray for Holly Bailey Roberts, Phillip Carrol and Jean Smith. We do praise the LORD for yesterday…God is good. I wish everyone could have enjoyed yesterday the way I did. Lexi is our lunch planner on Sundays and for the past three weeks we have dined at Moe’s in Priceville. John Truett Cagle is the manager and he has a fantastic cook. The food is great. Their specialty is BBQ but they have other things. I love their broccoli casserole. It is just off of 67, behind the big service station. I hope you have a great day and week and thanks for reading the blog.

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