One of my favorite old songs is "Everybody Will Be Happy Over There".  Great concept, but sometimes we sing it wrong.  Sometimes we sing it as if to say "we'll have to wait for over there to be happy".  That notion leads many Christians to lead defeated lives, and a defeated Christian is a poor witness for Christ. 

If we are born-again followers of Jesus Christ, we should also accept the promises He gave.  Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many dwellings, if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3).  He said He would go to prepare a place for us.  Of course we'll be happy "over there" - JESUS is preparing a place for US!  The apostle Paul said "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).  Doesn't that sound awesome?

So we're going to be happy over there - that should be a given.  Nothing this world can do to us can take away what we have in Jesus, and if we REALLY BELIEVE we're going to actually be over there with Him someday, then we should be happy over here now!  I'm not talking about rejoicing in the miseries of this world, and I'm certainly not talking about putting on a fake happiness just for show.  I'm talking about an inner joy, based on our belief and trust in the promises of God, a joy that shines as a light in a dark place, drawing others to Christ.  This life is just a shadow of what is to come for those who believe in Christ and follow Him.  And yet, sometimes we get so focused on our troubles over here, we lose sight of what we already have over there.  If Christ is in you, you are not defeated - you are victorious!  Share that victory and joy with the people around you.

Take the church to someone today - one life to another!

(c) 2008, 2010, Randall Buchanan
King's Invitation Ministries
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