Why is it essential for our own walk with God to make it our habit to read and study his Word on a regular basis? Because we will be building a treasury deposit of truth within our own hearts from which to draw whenever needed, especially when going through difficult times. This will happen even if we haven't deliberately memorized specific verses, though that is a highly recommended thing to do. When we repeatedly read the Bible it lodges in our subconscious and the Holy Spirit can shine his light upon it. This happened to me as I was preparing my last blog.

The fundamental truth contained in the words "has passed from death to life" suddenly dawned on me. (The words were already in my head, but the Holy Spirit wanted and needed to establish them in my heart.) I had to find that verse and re-study it. My mind went to "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). A wonderful truth, but that wasn't it. I used a concordance and found John 5:24.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life" (ESV).

"I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life" (NLT).

As I was checking through my old Bibles (NASB, NIV, ESV and NLT) for a word comparison, I found I had highlighted this verse in every one, yet missed its central truth! I received Jesus as my own Lord and Saviour when I was eight. At that moment I truly and specifically passed from death to life. That is, I passed from having normal natural life that would end in death to having eternal supernatural life that would never experience death; that I would simply exchange one mode of existence for another and the difference between the two would be wonderful beyond imagination.

"Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies … Just as we are now like the earthly man [Adam], we will someday be like the heavenly man [Jesus] … death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15:42-49, 54).

All this means we truly can bring heaven down to earth! We already possess eternal life; heaven's life!