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Wednesday,
April 24, 2024
Acriggs
Falls through
the picture
window at
Bordner's
Cabin
Click on photo to enlarge
Click on photo to enlarge
Note:
The cascading falls were a
bit more dramatic live!
"A
Glimpse Of
Heaven"
Message
summary:
It
will be worth
it all, when
we see Jesus.
Life’s trials
will seem so
small, when we
see Christ.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:11).
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:11).
Yesterday
we took a rail
trail bike
ride through
Swatara State
Park and
visited
Bordner's
Cabin in a
remote part of
northern
Lebanon
County. This
is a cabin
built at the
bottom of a
cascading
waterfall by a
high school
shop teacher,
Armar Bordner,
in 1939. He
lived in the
cabin until
his death in
the early
90's.
It
has been
called Lebanon
County’s
Falling Water,
a reference to
a house in
western
Pennsylvania
designed by
architect
Frank Lloyd
Wright. Since
we've been to
both we can
say they are
both very
scenic and
interesting.
However it
will cost you
$36.00 to
visit the real
Fallingwater
while visiting
Bordner's
cabin is free
although it
requires
either a mile+
walk or bike
ride to get
there!
We
enjoyed eating
our lunch in
the cabin
while the sun
highlighted
the cascading
water through
the paneless
picture
window. We had
to talk a
little louder
than usual
over the sound
of the roaring
waterfall. Due
to its
remoteness we
were alone
most of the
time since
many are
unaware of its
existence or
don't have the
physical
endurance it
takes to reach
the cabin.
It's a
beautiful view
we enjoy
riding to
every year. If
you've toured
Fallingwater
(Wright's
architectural
wonder) you'll
hear the guide
say, "It's the
ultimate view"
but he's
probably never
visited
Bordner's
cabin.
I consider other "ultimate views". I have traveled from coast to coast and from the tip of Florida to Canada and several other countries. Some of my favorite “ultimate views” is an overlook on Mount Battie near Camden, Maine that looks down over the harbor and out into the ocean. Or the Cades Cove area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, seeing the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park and many others. Take a moment and consider some of your personal favorite “ultimate views”.
But what is the ultimate ultimate view? I’m quite certain it won’t be any view we designate as “ultimate” on this side of eternity although we do hear the phrase, "It's a bit of heaven here on earth" or a beautiful view being like a "glimpse of heaven".
Will
it be the view
of Christ in
all His glory?
Or perhaps
when we get
our first
glance of the
New Jerusalem
through the
open gate made
of a single
pearl?
We
must in faith
wait, but the
daily text
grants us an
eyewitness
glimpse and I
can’t read it
without
sensing the
awe. Just
imagine the
scene, "I
saw heaven
standing open
and there
before me was
a white horse,
whose rider is
called
Faithful and
True".
As I study heaven I note that no single extended Scripture portion gives us substantial information. Rather we see glimpses of what heaven is like. Today’s portion comes from the book of Revelation. It’s a tremendous comfort to believers. John had just received a remarkable revelation from an angel and had bowed down to worship the angel when he was firmly rebuked and told to “Worship God”.
Then he saw heaven standing open and what did he see? Actually not what we might expect! If the verse was not before me I would expect it to say something to the effect, “Jesus sitting at the right hand of His Father” which is indeed the most common place we see Him (by faith) after the ascension. But John says he saw a “white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True”. As you read on through the passage this is clearly a vision of Jesus.
As we briefly examine the two titles given to Jesus Christ from our daily passage may it encourage our hearts:
We close with a powerful thought from Warren Wiersbe, one of our favorite writers, concerning this verse:
As I study heaven I note that no single extended Scripture portion gives us substantial information. Rather we see glimpses of what heaven is like. Today’s portion comes from the book of Revelation. It’s a tremendous comfort to believers. John had just received a remarkable revelation from an angel and had bowed down to worship the angel when he was firmly rebuked and told to “Worship God”.
Then he saw heaven standing open and what did he see? Actually not what we might expect! If the verse was not before me I would expect it to say something to the effect, “Jesus sitting at the right hand of His Father” which is indeed the most common place we see Him (by faith) after the ascension. But John says he saw a “white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True”. As you read on through the passage this is clearly a vision of Jesus.
As we briefly examine the two titles given to Jesus Christ from our daily passage may it encourage our hearts:
1)
Jesus Christ
is called
“Faithful”.
This
translates the
very common
Greek word
“pistos”,
which
objectively
has the
meaning of
trustworthiness
and
reliability.
This is one of
the great
attributes of
God found
throughout the
Scriptures.
Believers can
join with
Jeremiah in
declaring,
“Great is Thy
faithfulness!”
2) Jesus Christ is called “True”. This word denotes real and genuine. It places Him in contrast to the antichrist who is also depicted on a white horse earlier in Revelation 6:2. While on earth Jesus told His discipleswhen Thomas boldly asked Him, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus responded by saying “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
2) Jesus Christ is called “True”. This word denotes real and genuine. It places Him in contrast to the antichrist who is also depicted on a white horse earlier in Revelation 6:2. While on earth Jesus told His discipleswhen Thomas boldly asked Him, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus responded by saying “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
We close with a powerful thought from Warren Wiersbe, one of our favorite writers, concerning this verse:
“This
description of
Christ is
thrilling! He
is no longer
on a humble
donkey, but on
a fiery white
charger. His
eyes are not
filled with
tears as when
He beheld
Jerusalem; nor
is He wearing
a mocking
crown of
thorns.
Instead of
being stripped
by His
enemies, He
wears a
garment dipped
in blood,
signifying
judgment and
victory. When
on earth, He
was abandoned
by His
followers; but
here the
armies of
heaven follow
Him in
conquest. He
comes to rule
with a rod of
iron (Psalm
2). He comes
not to bear
the wrath of
God on the
cross, but to
tread the
winepress of
God’s wrath at
the Battle of
Armageddon. He
is King of
kings and Lord
of lords!”
Wow, Wiersbe's description of Christ is like that of a dramatic narration at the end of an Easter Cantata. It is sure to be the ultimate view!
It
will be worth
it all, when
we see Jesus.
Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ.
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase.
So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.
Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ.
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase.
So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father,
how blessed we
are to view
glimpses of
beauty and awe
on this side
of heaven. But
with great
anticipation
we await the
glorious day
when we will
behold the
ultimate view;
Jesus in all
His glory.
This world
with all its
troubles and
disappointments
will vanish
from our
memory as we
behold a new
heaven and a
new earth.
Contemplating
that ultimate
view
diminishes our
heartaches and
burdens of
this life.
Keep us
keeping on as
we journey
below so that
we will
ultimately
reach our
eternal
resting place.
In Jesus’ holy
name we pray.
Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"It
Will Be Worth
It All"
Watch
on YouTube
The
Browns
(This is the
song
referenced in
today's
message.)
"Hymn
Of Heaven"
Watch
on YouTube
Phil Wickham
How
to visit
Bordner’s
Cabin at
Swatara State
Park
(many photos)
Short
video
of the Acriggs
waterfall
yesterday. We
both enjoy the
sound of a
waterfall!
Fallingwater
(the Frank
Lloyd Wright
designed
property)
Fallingwater
Full
Walkthrough
Tour in 4K
Video
(Save $36.00!)
To
get to
Bordner's
Cabin you take
the Bear Hole
trail. I
(Stephen) had
a bike
accident on
this trail two
years ago and
tore my
rotator cuff
among other
injuries.
Thankfully I
am able to get
back on the
trails!
(Agriggs
waterfall is
on the other
side of the
cabin.)
Click on photo to enlarge
Click on photo to enlarge
Any
time we ride
the Swatara
Rail Trail we
check out the
condition of
this fixer
upper that's
at the
northern end
on Swopes
Valley Road.
This photo was
taken
yesterday but
here's a photo
from 2017. As
Brooksyne was
looking more
closely at the
crumbling
house she
discovered a
very deep
basement made
of cinder
blocks that
has not yet
caved in.
Click on photo to enlarge
Click on photo to enlarge
A
portion of the
Swatara Rail
Trail.
Wild
blue bells
along the
Swatara Rail
Trail.
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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