This I Believe: About God (Final Part)

This I Believe: About God (Final Part)

Speaker: Pastor Lee Cummings
Date: November 30, 2025

What if our picture of heaven is incomplete? Pastor Lee Cummings unpacks the final line of the Apostles’ Creed, showing that Scripture points not just to heaven, but to resurrected bodies, Christ’s return, and a renewed creation. This message delivers a clear promise of the hope that’s to come.

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on this sermon:

Day 1: Present with the Lord

Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1–10

Devotional: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This truth transforms how we face mortality. Death is not an ending but a transition into the immediate presence of Jesus. For believers, the moment we take our last breath here, our eyes open in paradise. This isn't a distant, uncertain hope but a guaranteed promise secured by Christ's resurrection. The intermediate state isn't sleep or unconsciousness but full awareness in God's Presence, joining that great cloud of witnesses. This reality should remove our fear of death and fill us with confident hope. Today, remember that your loved ones in Christ aren't lost—they're more alive than ever, awaiting the glorious reunion to come.

Day 2: The Trumpet Will Sound

Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Devotional: The return of Christ will be the most dramatic moment in human history. When the trumpet sounds, the dead in Christ will rise first, their bodies transformed and reunited with their spirits. Then believers alive on earth will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. This isn't mythology or wishful thinking—it's the promised future that should shape our present. The Apostle Paul tells us to encourage one another with these words. Why? Because this hope changes everything. It means our labor isn't in vain, our suffering isn't forever, and our separation from loved ones is temporary. Live today with the expectation that Jesus could return at any moment, and let that urgency fuel your passion for the gospel.

Day 3: Resurrection Bodies

Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35–58

Devotional: Your body matters to God. Christianity isn't about escaping physicality but redeeming it. Jesus rose with a physical body—glorified, powerful, and eternal. Your resurrection body will be like His: imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual. The limitations, weaknesses, and decay you experience now will be completely removed. You'll be you, but the best version you were always meant to be. This isn't Greek philosophy promising escape from matter; it's biblical theology promising the restoration of all things. Your current struggles with aging, illness, and physical limitations are temporary. Don't despise your body or neglect it—it's the temple of the Holy Spirit and destined for resurrection glory. Live today caring for your body while remembering it's not your final form.

Day 4: Standing Before the Judgment Seat

Reading: Romans 14:10–13; 2 Corinthians 5:9–11

Devotional: Every believer will stand before Christ's judgment seat—not to determine salvation, but to receive rewards for faithfulness. This isn't about fear but accountability. What are you doing with what God has given you? Your time, talents, treasures, and opportunities are investments for eternity. The person celebrated in this age may not be honored in the age to come, while the faithful intercessor nobody noticed will shine with glory. This truth should radically reorient your priorities. Are you living for temporary applause or eternal reward? Are you burying your talents or multiplying them for the Kingdom? Today, evaluate your stewardship. Live intentionally, knowing that one day you'll give an account to Jesus himself for how you invested what He entrusted to you.

Day 5: New Heavens and New Earth

Reading: Revelation 21:1–7

Devotional: Heaven isn't our final destination—the new heavens and new earth are. God's plan isn't to evacuate us from creation but to renew all things. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven to earth, and God's dwelling place is with humanity. This means eternity won't be floating on clouds but living in resurrected bodies on a restored earth in perfect relationship with God and others. No more death, mourning, crying, or pain. The former things will pass away like a faint memory. This is the future that makes present suffering bearable and motivates sacrificial gospel work. We're not just saving souls for heaven—we're preparing people for the coming Kingdom. Live today with Kingdom perspective, knowing that every act of faithfulness, every tear shed, every sacrifice made contributes to God's eternal purposes.