John Bevere - Driven by Eternity: 40-Day Devotional: Make your life count today and forever

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC

Racine, Wisconsin, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

DRIVEN BY ETERNITY: MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT TODAY AND FOREVER 40-DAY DEVOTIONAL

Copyright 2016 John P. Bevere, Jr.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4245-5353-2 (hardcover)

ISBN-13: 978-1-4245-5363-1 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188, USA. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked MSG are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified Bible (AMPC), Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked TEV are from the Good News Translation in Todays English Version. Copyright 1966, 1971, 1976 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation. Copyright 2014, 2015, 2016 by BroadStreet Publishing Group, Racine, Wisconsin. thePassionTranslation.com. Used by permission.

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CONTENTS

I m so excited to put into your hands this 40-day devotional on the topic of eternity. Each day contains a devotional reading inspired by my book Driven by Eternity, additional Scriptures for study, an eternity truth, key action steps and points of reflection, and a personal prayer.

Its easy to get stuck in the busyness of life and miss whats most important. I pray this devotional will help you focus your life on what matters most so that you are able to stand confidently before Christ at the end of the age.

I invite you to pray with me as you begin this 40-day journey:

Father in heaven, Im grateful for the opportunity to learn what you have in store for the future. I want to be prepared so that I hear Well done, good and faithful servant when I stand before Jesus on that day. Do your good work in me so that all that I am and all that I do pleases you. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear what you have for me as I meditate on this message and your Word. Make my life count today and forever. Amen!

(Inspired by Chapter 1)

No one can begin to understand eternity. (Job 36:26 TLB)

He has put eternity in their hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

C oncepts like eternity and the size of our universe are too big for us to understand with our minds. Our logic cannot grasp them. Our words cannot accurately define them.

Try imagining the edge of the universe. Think of what the outer limit of the universe is like. Would you find a wall there? What would happen if you somehow stepped outside the end of the universe? What is beyond the wall? Would it simply be more empty space where no stars or galaxies can yet be found? Wouldnt that simply be an extension of the universe and not really the end? Where is the end? Can you grasp with your mind the endlessness of the universe?

The same is true for the eternal. We cannot grasp with our minds the endlessness or the enormity of it; however, God has placed it in our hearts. Even those who have hardened their minds to convince themselves there is no God still often, at the end of their lives, come to realize a deeper knowledge that has always been there. They find they always knew there is something more beyond death. They know there is eternity, even if they dont know what it holds.

Truth be told, we are eternal beings now, yet the reality of eternity awaits all of us. Every man, woman, and child will one day cross over from this world defined by time into a completely different realmGods realm of eternity. Scripture tells us that God is the Creator of eternity (Psalm 90:2), the Father of eternity (Isaiah 9:6), and the King of eternity (1 Timothy 1:17). Eternity is bigger than we can comprehend, yet we believe that God is bigger still.

We will be discussing eternity throughout this devotional. Since we cannot grasp it intellectually, we will have to listen with our hearts for anything meaningful to happen. In fact, this is necessary for you to get any benefit out of this devotional.

Two steps will help you learn to do this. First, acknowledge that you need the Holy Spirit to help you, and ask Him to do so. Second, stop to ponder and meditate on truths that grip your heart. Dont rush past them or you will limit what this book can do for and in you. Dont just read for mental understanding, which is easily forgotten, but hide these truths in your heart.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. (Psalm 90:2)

For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 YLT)

Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17 AMP)