Christmas is over. The shopping, baking, decorating, and wrapping are just memories now. But the message of the angels is timeless. It’s one that is desperately needed in our world, not just on December 25th, but every day of this New Year. It’s a message of Hope for the world.
If ever there was a time to offer Hope to all people, it’s now. The population has exploded, unemployment is high, bankruptcies are common, suicides are rampant, politicians lack leadership, leaders lack courage, Christians are unrighteous, and the masses are unrepentant. The list goes on. What is the world coming to? What hope is there for the future of my grandchildren, not just economically and politically, but morally? The land that we love is changing so drastically that future generations will not know the freedoms that we have enjoyed for so long.
My initial inspiration for Heaven: God’s Promise for Me was my three granddaughters. So it was a thrill to share my very first copy with my youngest, Anne Riggin. She now has her own copy and loves it! How I pray God will use this book to gather little children into His loving embrace. Forever!
Jesus loves little children! He underscored their value in Heaven when He revealed that the angels who are assigned to them occupy a position of privilege and power in God’s inner circle. He singled children out for attention and affection, seated them on His lap, wrapped His arms around them, and rebuked misguided adults who sought to keep children away from Him.
I am expecting to see Jesus! In the deep place where nobody goes…in the very deepest core of my being…in the deep inner place of knowing…in that same deep place I know that my generation is the one that immediately precedes the return of Jesus Christ to earth. Jesus is coming! I know it!
How can anyone know such a thing? My knowledge is not based on my hopeful thinking…not on dreams and wishes and feelings…not on hearsay or doom…not on gloomy economic forecasts…not on the dramatic political, social, cultural, medical, environmental and moral cataclysmic changes taking place in our world today…not on environmental disasters of biblical proportion like Hurricane Katrina or the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. I base my deep inner conviction on what Jesus said.
This AnGeL has “seen” Jesus; and the vision of His glory manifested through His character of goodness, kindness, faithfulness, graciousness, tenderness, thoughtfulness…and just generally, His loveliness…has made life not just bearable, but exceedingly better. Let me give you some examples:
Have you ever gone to the doctor and complained, “Something’s wrong. What’s the matter with me?”, only to have him conclude after examination, “I can find nothing wrong. You just need a rest.”? In your fast-paced, stressed-out life, do you long for a time of refreshment? I know I do! There have been times when even a hospital stay has appeared attractive, simply because of the rest it would seem to afford.
