We are told not to love this world or the things in it (more than we love God) my take! As we will bring nothing with us! Elijah left, even leaving his mantle behind! Lot left without his flocks, his wealth and many possessions! TR I never imagine taking anything with us TR other than our immediate joyous love and expectation of meeting our Lord in the air in that moment. But regarding our pets for example, that doesn't mean God can't or won't place our pets in Heaven, at any given time that He chooses, if He chooses to, just because we asked. We have no idea how the Lord might fulfill something that we ask, but, we do know we have a Father Who says to us: * If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it. Jn 14:14 * If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you. Jn 15:7 * Whatsoever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you. Jn 16:23 * But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. James 1:6 * You have not because you ask not. James 4:2 * Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Mt 7:7 * For every one that ask, receives, and he that seeks, finds, and to him that knocks, it shall be opened. Mt 7:8 * All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. Mt 21:22 * And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Jn 14:13 * And this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1Jn 5:14 * And if we know He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know we have the petitions that we desired of Him. 1Jn 5:15 * Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be made full. Eph 3:20 * Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Eph 3:20 This is the character of God our Father that He reveals to us in His Word, and if He says we can ask anything according to His will, He will do it. He is a Father Who gives good gifts. He wants to see our joy! If God created the animals beasts and birds according to His will, brought them to Adam to name, and afterward brought Eve to Adam, then quite possibly, God may somehow bring the pets we ask for, to Heaven for our joy. This does not put our pet love above our Love for our Lord and Savior. We worship God, not our pets, and we are grateful for His Creation that He gave, that gives us the joy, as He intended and wants for us. We are His children. He said to ask. If for whatever reasons we cannot have those pets with us in Heaven, it won't at all diminish our oneness with, and love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But until then, we can ask, believe, have faith for, and hope because, nothing is impossible for God. :bible Hey Arthur! "Welcome!" :bye: Toodles, Kolleen. :bye: I suppose we need to differentiate between the world and the world system. The physical world itself in not evil but the world system, which is in rebellion to God, is. I found this article helpful. Here's the start of it: What does 1 John 2:15 mean when it says 'Do not love the world'? The admonition not to love the world or the things in the world is directed to Christians by John the Apostle in the Word of God: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15–17). Before defining what it means to not love the world, let us consider what it does not mean. Not loving the world does not mean we should not love the people in the world; God clearly commands us to love everyone in the world, including our enemies (Mark 12:31; John 15:12; Matthew 5:44). Not loving the world does not mean that we are not to enjoy or utilize the good gifts that God has given us in the world (James 1:17). God provides us with many good things to enjoy and we ought to receive them with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4). So, what does it mean that we are not to love the world? Firstly, we need to understand that it is not the created world itself that is sinful, but the rebellious anti-God system of the world. The spirit of this world which comes from the god of this world (Satan) is set against God and His ways (Ephesians 2:1–3; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4). John makes it clear specifically what he is referring to when he forbids us from loving the world; namely, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All of these attitudes are sinful and rebellious against God and His will for us. Ya … I’m on the fence with this subject … besides my dog …. I actually would like some of my counted cross stitch pictures that I made to be on the walls in my place … still not sure if we get a mansion or is it a dorm room? B-) Those picture are not worldly … some even have Bible verses on them! So who is to say our eternal home isn’t already fixed up to our liking and my stuff is already on display? Or do I have remake all over again? And did Lot really leave without ALL his cattle, ALL food and ALL clothes? I’m going to have to reread that event. I know they were told not to look back … but was it a sin to bring some of their supplies with them? :unsure: Well said Arthur, Kolleen and Geri! My initial motivation which I didn't communicate very well is that false teachers and prophets make false promises that even God has not spoken! Then I asked will there even be an emotional need in Heaven for pets?! For we will have interaction with every living creature! TR Here's how I see it. God is not a God of fellowship. He IS fellowship, as that is a part of His character. Therefore, He delights in us having fellowship with Him and with each other as well as with His creation that He created and called very good. The important thing is that God is to come first in all things. We only love because God loved us first. (1 John 4:19) When we are reconciled to God, we are given the ability to love and please God and to love other people. As Kolleen has said previously, it doesn't diminish or threaten God when we love our fellow man, wives, husbands, children or His creation. We couldn't even love unless He bestowed upon us the ability to love in the first place. God gets the glory. Keep in mind that we as humans are very capable of making anything an idol. That includes sports, baking, painting, etc. That even includes seemingly good things like Bible study, church attendance, flowery prayers or Christian internet forum posting. The list is practically endless. I do sense, TR, that you have a wound that hasn't healed or a burden that you are still carrying. You keep hinting at it with your posts or threads you create. While it may be cathartic for you, it also has the potential to become disruptive. So, I offer you this. While I certainly don't know everything, I do have the ability to listen. Feel free to PM me when you like and we can chat about it. Shalom, my brother. :good: Dorm room! :mdrmdr: I have been pondering that also. I am sure we won't be disappointed, but as I look around my home, I am sure hoping some of my favorite things will be there too! I thought about the jealousy that might arise if someone from a more primitive time visited my dorm room and saw my upgraded furnishings. I like antiques, so someone from the late 1800's or early 1900's would feel right at home. I am sure God has it all worked out so that there will be no bickering. Hey Arthur, it's so good to see you :bye: And Perhaps Today updated his photo! B-)
