“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

This past Sunday’s sermon was “Ask Pastor Tanner (https://www.californiaecchurch.com/sermons/ )” week. And as usual there were many “nugget worthy” topics covered, but I thought the one thing that stood out was on Christian Faith. Maybe its just me, but I think sometimes we take this word faith and wrap it up in an elegant glass box – only to keep on our shelves as that reminder of our final salvation. While our faith is ultimately what saves us through the love and mercy of Christ Jesus, it is not just the keys to the kingdom that we take out of our pockets in the “end of days.” No, our faith also serves a purpose each day leading up to that second coming of our Lord and Savior. You see, it is our faith in Jesus that tells us that the death of a loved one is not the end; that losing a job is just an opportunity to spread the word of God in a new environment; that setbacks in our health or finances can be opportunities to share and fellowship with others having a common struggle. Without faith, and without a firm belief in verses like todays from the book of Revelation, any one of these situations could be the final “straw that broke the camel’s back.” But our Christian faith allows us to put our hope in something different than non-believers. Our hope, and our future, is in the Risen Lord. Jesus will come again, and He will restore us within His new Jerusalem, “There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain.” So, as we start this thanksgiving week, let us remember that our faith is not just a front seat ticket to Jesus’ return, it’s a lifetime pass to choosing God above all else