Review of Questions about Heaven and Hell

In Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz’s book ‘Answering theToughest Questions about Heaven and Hell’ they begin by discussing what different religions believe about after life. This shows that God has placed in all humans a belief in at least A God and that they are eternal.

They also discuss what science: physics and biology show us about after life.

And that Jesus hated death so much He “killed it”.

Most importantly they discuss seven things the Bible says about death. And that Heaven and Hell are real places. And how often Jesus talked about both places.

After every question is answered, the authors list a few questions for the reader to think about.

I’ve read many books on Heaven and am always interested in learning more. This is a good reference book for Christians – not only for their own information, but to help them answer non-believer’s questions.

Bethany House gave me a copy of this book for my honest review. 

Reflecting the Character of Christ

I just finished teaching a long lesson on Heaven in Sunday School. One of the books I used as reference was Anne Graham Lotz’ book ‘Heaven, My Father’s House.’

She was talking about how in Heaven we will finally be like Jesus. That even with our own unique personalities and characteristics we will reflect the character of Christ.

And she said, “that character starts to get developed here on earth every time we:

Obey Him in the midst of suffering

Trust Him with unanswered prayer

Love Him without seeing Him

Believe in Him even though all evidence seems contrary to His Word

Focus on Him in the darkness of depression and discouragement

And hope in Him to bring us through.

When we choose to be patient instead of frustrated

To love instead of hate

To hold our tongues instead of lash out

To gently instruct instead of harshly correct

To be gracious instead of rude

Kind instead of mean

Unselfish instead of selfish

Tell the truth instead of the easier lie.

And when we:

Submit to the pain

Accept the pressure

Bear the burden

Deny ourselves daily and take up the cross of His will for our lives

When we follow Him not the crowd

And choose to live by His Word, not others’ opinions.

All of this forms Christ’s character in us and that’s how God uses everything for the ultimate good. None of our trials or sufferings are wasted.

A Christian's Goal in Life

I was just listening to Chip Ingram on the radio and he said something really interesting!

He said, "Our goal is not to get to Heaven! As Christians we are already going there! Our goal is to be like Jesus Christ!"

That means that everything we do and everything that happens to us is supposed to make us more like Him.

Some of us may need to be humbled and some trials will do that. Some of us need to have more compassion or to love more or to serve more or to share God more.

Think about what it will take to make you more like Jesus!

Review of Touched by Heaven

"Touched by Heaven" was a hard book to put down! Nancy was beaten by her father starting at age five. All she could do was pray on her knees by her bed afterwards. And Jesus began visiting her. Even as an adult, married and away from her father, He continued to show up.

At first I kept thinking why would He come to this one person so often and no one else? Then I read something her husband, David Ravenhill, wrote in the Epilogue. Jesus once said in the Bible that He could do no mighty works in His hometown because of their unbelief. And it was unbelief that kept Israel wandering around the wilderness for forty years. Unbelief is one of the greatest obstacles - if not THE greatest - to the manifestation of the supernatural.

Nancy was a small child when He first came to her. She had faith and all her life looked for Jesus and angels to show up.

So they did!

I was given a copy of this book by Chosen to review and I highly recommend it!

Review of the Book, "50 Things You Need To Know About Heaven"

I just finished reading Dr. John Hart's book "50 Things You Need To Know About Heaven"

I've read a lot of books about Heaven, so many of these questions and answers I'm familiar with. The difference (and why I would recommend getting this book) is it makes a good reference book to keep in your library. The 50 questions cover most of the questions people often ask about Heaven, so you can pull out this book and skim through the table of contents and answer them a lot faster then trying to remember where you read about it in some other book. (Or even finding the answer in the Bible - the author gives you Bible references for each question also.)

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher to review.

Faith in Action

This is the end of my lesson based on Steve Berger's book "Between Heaven and Earth". The book is available on Amazon.

Jesus tells four parables in Matthew 24 and 25. This is at the end of His life. He knows he’s leaving soon, so you know what He’s telling His disciples at this point is extra important.

The first is Matthew 24:44-51. A parable showing a contrast between a faithful and an evil servant. The faithful servant worked in expectation of his master’s return. The evil servant was all about “now” and himself.

The second parable is the wise and foolish virgins. Matthew 25:1-13. The wise ones kept the oil burning waiting for the bridegroom. The foolish ones weren’t prepared. They didn’t know the truth of the Word and wasted time and energy on foolish things.

The third parable is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-50. This one goes even further in explaining how important serving in the harvest is to Jesus. One day there will be a settling of accounts. The 5 and 2 talent workers were wise because they took what their lord gave them and worked hard. They doubled what they’d been given. And their lord rewarded them with more. This is where he says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  The one talent worker was unthankful, bitter and rebellious. He was an excuse maker. And he was cast out into darkness. The last parable is the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:37- 46. The people represented as sheep served the last, the least and the lost.  Because of their faithfulness Jesus invited them in. They loved God, they loved people and their love for people manifested itself in serving others. By doing that they were actually seeing Jesus. The people representing goats were in trouble. They rejected serving other people and God and Jesus took their reward away. (Not truly saved!)

Remember the 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 passage mentioned earlier? Paul tells us that God is entrusting work to us. Then it is to be tested by Him. That work will either be something of eternal value or not. Enduring work will receive a reward. Work that is burned will be a loss. There will be a final accounting and how we serve will determine our rewards in Heaven. The very Christ we serve here is the One we will stand before in judgment. That shouldn’t distress us if we’ve been doing His work and look forward to His return. Every person we serve, everyone with whom we share Jesus, and every moment we spend praying with someone whose life is broken is a treasure stored up for us in heaven. It’s part of our reward.

Let me end with a couple promises about heaven.

In John 14:2 Jesus tells us that in His Father’s house there are many mansions. If you are a believer one of these is yours!

Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” This verse makes it clear that God wants to be among us. Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God shows the fulfillment of this promise. Revelation 21:4 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. shows God’s promise of happiness.

God gives us hope in Revelation 21:5-6 – hope because His promises are absolutely true and faithful. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Colossians 1:4-5 God’s promises of heaven are reserved for you. They give you hope and that hope causes you to reach out in love for all God’s people. It’s a calling based on His promises.

James 2:17-18 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

Our faith makes a difference in what we do. Real faith is accompanied by works. Faith in action. Get in His Word, let the Holy Spirit guide and lead you into the harvest. See the need, have compassion and meet it. Live a profitable life for Jesus right now – it’s not too late. And you’ll discover the joy of heaven, the joy of serving others and the joy of seeing other people receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Christians Must Guard Against Deception

We also need to guard against deception. There are people out there preaching a different Gospel! In Paul’s day it was a mixture of magic, Greek and Roman mythology and some Christianity.

1 Timothy 4:1 the Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

The first deception by the devil took place in the Garden of Eden when he twisted God’s Word and he’s still doing it today.

Paul says there’s a solution to this deception.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

So preach the Word. Stay focused on it. Don’t get it from other people’s opinions. The author says don’t preach about your summer vacation. I thought about Billy Graham here. I remember thinking once that he never says anything different. He doesn’t write up a new sermon every time he speaks. Just the simple Gospel and our need for a Savior and how to get Him. Don’t compromise God’s Word or make an apology for it. Don’t hold back and never stop. God’s Word will do the work.

Paul warned Timothy that there would come a day when people turn from sound doctrine to find teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. We see this today. People just want to hear what makes them feel good. They don’t want to be challenged or convicted. They don’t want to hear about sacrificial living or responsibility. They fell into false teaching and away from God’s Word. Reading the Bible equips God’s people to do God’s Work!

Most of us just want to be saved from hell. But God wants us saved from hell so we can save others from hell. We can only know His love and kindness and mercy when we read the Word. There isn’t one thing we will face in our lives that isn’t covered in the Bible. It has all the answers we need for those we are helping.

One of Satan’s tactics is to attack the authority of scripture. But Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

All of scripture from Genesis to Revelation is God-breathed. God inspired it. Why would He have anything else in the book He calls His Word? The Word is profitable for learning, for truth and for reproof (meaning conviction).

It’s profitable for correction (straightening us out) and for instruction in righteousness (guiding us in the right direction.) It’s profitable in making us complete and mature in the Lord. It can thoroughly equip us to live on this fallen earth and know how to reach out to people in the harvest.

The Word of God fills you, blesses you, and gives you wisdom, understanding, knowledge, hope and truth. It gives you power. It gives you something to share with people who are desperate and in need. To see Jesus through their hurt. It changes lives!

Jesus told His disciples to abide in His Word and they would know the truth and the truth would set them free. That means we should focus on it and meditate on it. This doesn’t just mean “keep God’s commandments”. Deception and opposition are defeated when we are immersed in the truth of God.

We have to approach the Bible with a teachable spirit; praying that God leads us to His truth. This doesn’t happen when the Bible is on your to-do list as “read 5 verses today”. The religious Jews in Jesus’ time knew the Old Testament inside out. They memorized huge portions of it, but it didn’t change them one bit.

Jesus told the Jews in John 5:39-40 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Jesus was saying that a spirit-led encounter with His truth would lead them to a personal relationship with Him. Not just a checked off list of memorized verses. We should all take 1 Peter 3:15 as a life verse: But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

When we really "get" Heaven, we change!

More from my lesson based on Steve Berger's book; Between Heaven and Earth.

Once we grasp all that heaven is and all that a heavenly focus gives us, we change. Our lives, our attitudes and our priorities. We know where we are going and long for it, but we realize we have a purpose for remaining on earth. We see the needs of people. We want to help them know the Savior through our testimony, our lives and our service. It’s not just preachers and evangelists. It’s every believer. God’s mission for all of us is winning the lost, discipling the found and sending forth the willing. And there’s a shortage of labor. Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

The harvest is people who need Christ. And there are multiple opportunities for the gospel to go out and for people to be saved. Jesus doesn’t force us to work; we serve Him willingly and gladly. Jesus looked at the crowds and saw weary, broken and scattered people. He had compassion for them. And we must be like Him. Is there someone right in front of you that you know isn’t saved? The harvest is great.

John 4:35-36 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

Jesus was clearly telling us not to wait until someday in the future. We can make a difference and nothing we do for the harvest is trivial. Everything we do for it has eternal reward. But it’s called labor for a reason. There will be discomfort sometimes. And it’s not a part-time job. It’s a perpetual assignment. There is no moment when we are not “on call!” Preaching the gospel is the priority. People are waiting and there aren’t enough workers. 20% of the people do 80% of the work in all areas. But it needs to be 100%. No more saying “me first” “let other people do it” “I’m too busy” “I’ve got other things to do first”. That’s selfishness.

We also let fear stop us. We see a need, we feel the stirrings of wanting to do something about it, but immediately the doubts about our ability come in. But 2 Timothy 1:7 says For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

There are things we can do right now that will move us past these blocks.

1. Renew – look inside ourselves in prayer, through God’s revealing Word and with the help of the Holy Spirit make sure our hearts really do long for heaven.
2. Repent – turn from the behavior that takes our focus off the harvest. Cry out to God and let Him bring change.
3. Receive Forgiveness – God’s forgiveness must be actively received. We must deliberately accept it.
4. Pray – seek God’s will for our lives and let Him show us both where to act and how to do it.
5. Obey – don’t let distractions, attitudes or excuses get in the way of serving.

Next it’s important to know we can’t do anything without God’s strength and His strength comes to us through the Holy Spirit. And we need to know God’s Word so we are ready to share it when opportunities arise.

Do you know that according to the Gallup Polls only ½ of U.S. adults know the title of even one Gospel? People have Bibles. They just never open them! Only 16% of adult Americans say they read the Bible everyday. People feel that they know from Sunday school and church everything it has to say.

I was in that religion class once and a student made it clear she thought King Saul and Saul who became Paul were the same person!  28% of adults don’t know who Moses was! The Bible is our opportunity to know God, His ways and His will. Scripture leads us to a personal encounter with Jesus. Jesus is the Word! We have to know the Bible so we are prepared to help people know Jesus.

If you remember the parable of the sower and the seeds, you’ll remember that only 25% or 1 in 4, of the soils produced fruit. The people, represented by the soils in the parable, all heard the same message and had the same word available to them, but only 25% actually did anything lasting with the truth they heard. We need to be among those who commit to read and study God’s Word and let it produce fruit in our lives.

You’ll also remember from this parable that Satan actively works to steal the word from us. He knows that if we receive and keep God’s Word in our hearts, we will bear fruit and he can’t stand that idea!

If God’s Word isn’t deeply implanted in us, when difficulty comes we won’t persevere. We’ll miss the chance to be an example to others who are hurting and need encouragement from someone who has been there and made it through victoriously.

And in the parable you’ll see that the word gets choked out. Jesus said, “They will hear the words, but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other good things will choke the word.” There is serious opposition against those of us who want to read and study God’s Word. We face Satanic and worldly pressure to put our attention on anything, but God’s Word.

The Whole Earth Longs for Heaven

The more you know about heaven the more you will long for it.

Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! ² My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

We hurt because we live in a fallen world. Natural disasters happen because we live in a fallen world. Wars happen because we live in a fallen world. The selfish appetites today are no different then Eve’s. She was willing to disobey God for what she wanted.

Romans 8:22-23 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

The whole earth is hurting and waiting. So are we, but we first fruits (people who are born again) are adopted into Christ’s family. The adoption will be fully realized when we get to heaven.

When our hearts are firmly rooted in heaven we can get through life’s pain because our perspectives are right. We also need to understand that pain and sorrow happens to everyone: the just and the unjust alike. Personal and natural catastrophes are going to happen. It’s not true that “if you have enough faith nothing bad will happen to you”. Look at Job – the Bible says he was blameless and upright. Daniel was a man of great faith and he suffered a lot. And look at what Paul went through!

We need to understand that pain and suffering are results of a fallen world before they come into our lives. So that when something happens we know why. And then we’ll know how to get through it.

From the beginning of time God has planned restoration for us:

Jude 1:14-15 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones ¹⁵ to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Luke 4:18 Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free”,

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Revelation 21:4 ‘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.”

Peter understood restoration. He denied Christ 3x and Jesus restored him. He knew Christ’s love from personal experience. Paul kept his eyes on the promise that everything would be restored.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

When we are perplexed and struck down, we can know that God is going to bring life out of it and turn it around if we hold on to Him and trust Him.

Sometimes we hurt so badly we can’t even pray. But what we must understand is, God gets it! And if we keep trusting Him He will begin to turn it around for good. We are never alone.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

We don’t quit. We don’t walk away from Him and we don’t live hopelessly. But we need to be renewed everyday. We need a fresh encounter with Jesus every day.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Paul gives a list of his “light afflictions” in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28. But he realized his afflictions were working in him a glory that surpassed anything we could imagine this side of heaven. His life wasn’t for nothing. He saw God working in the midst of his pain. He was conforming Paul into the image of Jesus.

Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

God’s glory will far surpass our present circumstances. So we continue to wake up. We continue to breathe. We continue to put one foot in front of the other.

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Another reminder to focus on Heaven, on the promises of God and the coming restoration of all things.

What Will We Do in Heaven?

What will we do in heaven? The author of Between Heaven and Earth says create. The Bible talks about singing a new song and believes we will do everything from writing, singing and painting to gardening, worshiping and dancing. Free from any fear, sin, judgment or constraint of time and space. Our creativity won’t be destroyed in heaven, but perfected. He even wrote, “I sincerely believe we haven’t heard or seen the last of Beethoven, Michelangelo or Shakespeare…”

Victor Hugo the 19^th century French poet, playwright, novelist, artist, statesman and author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame said this about the next life, “I feel within me the future life. For half a century I have been translating my thoughts into prose and verse. History, drama, philosophy, romance tradition, satire, ode and song. All of these things I have tried. But I feel I haven’t given utterance to the thousandth part of what lies within me.”

We will hear music and sing new songs. We always read about Angels and the Heavenly Host singing. Music and heaven are a fit! We will worship - Revelation 5:9 tells us that those in heaven will be from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” We’ll be with new people. We will all be worshipping the Lamb together surrounded by thousands and thousands of angels. It’s mind blowing!

John wrote in Revelation 15:3 that they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:

We’ll not only be singing new worship songs, but some of the old ones too.

We’ll laugh in heaven. In Luke 6:21 Jesus said Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

Someone once wrote “Heaven is the compensation for lost earthly privileges. Heaven is a place for those who weep today to regain the joy that was stolen from them.”

CS Lewis wrote, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.”

Also people always ask if there will be animals in heaven. When we read the Bible we see the answer is yes. Isaiah 11:6-9 - The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. ⁷ The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. ⁸ The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. ⁹ They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

This passage refers to the 1000 year reign after Christ comes back. But the author says why would the millennial kingdom be more then what heaven will be?

Billy Graham said in 1999 “God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”

We will also work in heaven. The author suggests there will be building, farming, teaching, exploring, creating and artistry. There are many ways to serve God. The difference between working here and there is, in heaven our work will be completely satisfying. And we will reign with Christ.

Revelation 5:10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”

We’ll have responsibility and authority given to us so we can oversee what God wants done.

Revelation 2:26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations

And in heaven we will relate to God Himself. The greatest thing about heaven is God!

God will be among us. We will have a real relationship with Him. When we get to heaven our faith will truly become sight.

Again: Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  And:

Revelation 22:3-4 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

A Glimpse of Heaven

The author of Between Heaven and Earth wrote “our best days on earth don’t even come close to comparing to our days in heaven.” When we realize this truth it should cause us to loosen our grip on this earthly life a bit. Secondly it should cause us to long for heaven and everything Jesus prepared for us there.

Again: Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘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.”

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Just like in Eden God will dwell with His people. Remember how He came to walk with Adam and Eve in the garden? Also no corruption or tears or sorrow – like Eden before the fall. The Apostle John tells us that it will be new – he speaks of something renewed; so therefore superior and more splendid then this one. God is not a stingy, reluctant giver. He’s extravagant and limitless. And He has a surprise for us at every turn. If we see God as a God of rules we’re going to see heaven as boring. But when we know God and what a loving, kind, generous Father He is, who wants the best for His children, we won’t be able to wait to see what He has planned.

Revelation 21:18-21 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

Materials we think are precious will be common building materials. The opulence of the new heaven will far exceed any city of this world! Gold so pure it’s like glass! Walls made of precious stones. Pearls the size of gates!

In Revelation 5:10 and 21:24 we are told we are called and made priests and kings. We will rule over the new heaven, much like Adam and Eve were called to have dominion over Eden. But forever!

Revelation 22:1-2 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations

The river is called the very water of life. And there’s a tree of life there like the one in Eden, but this one heals.

 In just these few verses in Revelation we see what God has always intended for us. And this should inspire us to live differently on earth.

Remember - Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

And it won’t be boring. No floating around on clouds playing harps. Not an unending church service. Scripture tells us that heaven is everything we can dream it is and more. People might think of heaven as boring though because they’ve never entered into the thrill of receiving supernatural power to do what God has called them to do. Our lives in Christ can sometimes be boring because we don’t know what it’s like to completely trust God in our trials. Again we’re looking through our distorted view and not thinking about His character! Heaven will be extravagant, loving, creative and powerful. It will be utter satisfaction and utter surprise at the same time. We will have sinless, resurrected bodies that will have unbelievable abilities. They will be incorruptible.

Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

We’ll have bodies like Jesus that can do what His does! Jesus had the ability to fly!

Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

He could appear and disappear: Luke 24:30-10 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

That’s not boring!

Christians are Pilgrims Looking Forward to their Real Home

This is still from the Sunday School lesson I prepared using Steve Berger's book "Between Heaven and Earth."

Peter in 1 Peter 1:1 calls the people he’s writing to pilgrims. We, as believers are not earth-dwellers; we are pilgrims. We are people who are not in their real home. The dictionary says a pilgrim is a stranger, not simply passing through, but a foreigner who has settled down, however briefly, next to or among native people.

Abraham knew it too. Here’s what the book of Hebrews says about him:

Hebrews 11:9-10, 13-16 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ¹³ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. ¹⁴ People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Abraham was wealthy. We live in a beautiful part of the world. But when God calls us home, we can’t have our fists clenched around the things of this world. We can’t get too attached, because it’s temporary – and heaven is better!

Knowing the promise of heaven changed the way Abraham lived his life.

1 Peter 1:3-4 tells us what it is like: incorruptible, unfading, always fresh, always new.

Sometimes you can better understand something by what it’s not:

Revelation 20:10 ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The devil and his demons are not in heaven!

Revelation 21:4 ‘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.”

No tears, no death, no pain, no sorrow.

Revelation 21:23-25 ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ²⁵ On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

No darkness. God illuminates heaven with His Glory.

Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

No sin. Nothing that doesn’t reflect the perfection of God.

Revelation 22:3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

No more curse.

The author says that when we talk about God and the things of God, our finite minds can’t have thoughts that are greater than God really is. What awaits us in heaven is actually beyond description.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Right now, living on earth, we see God dimly, but we will see God face to face.

In order to see Him, in order to get to heaven, we have to make a decision to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. Heaven is not everyone’s default destination. Often when someone dies people say “he’s in a better place”, but do we know about that person for sure? The absolute truth must come from God’s Word, not people’s opinions.

Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We cannot live a life of sin, rejecting Christ and His solution for our sin and then expect to live eternally in the kingdom of God. We must say yes to Christ and live a life that reflects that decision. Yes we still sin, but we don’t live in a sinful life style saying it’s ok. Hell is a real place. It’s a place of torment because the people there could have said yes. But they said no to God’s free gift of eternal life.

And it’s too late when you’re already in hell. But it’s not too late now! CS Lewis wrote, “A man can’t be taken to hell, or sent to hell! You can only get there on your own steam.”

You reject God’s offer. The people who end up in hell are getting exactly what they want – a life without God and His goodness…forever. But God loves you! With all your sin and baggage and doubts. In spite of everything you’ve ever done. You need Him and He knows it. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God didn’t even wait for us to clean up our act before He sent Jesus to take the penalty of our sin and die in our place. We can let go of our past and start a new life in Christ today. As long as we are breathing. It’s called being born again. We are to repent (which means change your mind and change your direction) and believe in the gospel. Believe Jesus rose from the dead. Believe He paid the price for all your sins; past, present and future. Believe He died in your place because God loves you! And receive Him through prayer.

John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

If you haven’t made the decision for Christ, simply tell Him. Tell Him you want to repent and that you believe in the gospel. Invite Him into every part of your life. To heal you, restore you and to break your bondage with sin. And when you pray the prayer, meaning it, you become a child of God and are born again! And the angels and saints in heaven celebrate!

What You Do Now Matters For Eternity

If we keep our minds set on this temporary life we are caught in Satan’s trap. Jesus said:

Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Jesus is telling us not to be earthly minded! He wants our hearts focused on heavenly treasure!

Paul went on in 2 Corinthians 5:10 ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The last word “bad” doesn’t mean awful or evil it means “worthless”. Something of no value. As Christians we are all going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Not for salvation, but for reward. What are we doing for Him with our lives that we’re going to be able to tell Him about that day?

What are we doing that counts? That has eternal perspective? Martin Luther, the father of Protestantism felt the truth of the judgment was so important that for years the only two dates on his calendar were “today” and “that day”! He knew if he lived right today, that “that day” would take care of itself.

General William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) had a vision of going to heaven and being questioned by people and by Christ about his life on earth and being so horrified with his answers he wanted one more chance to return to earth and make amends for a wasted Christian life.

1 Corinthians 3:10 – 15 ¹⁰ By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Three types of building materials will survive and three will burn. Don’t build on Christ’s foundation using worthless things. Jesus, the ultimate and final judge will declare the worth of our work. Improper actions, or even right actions and wrong motives will not stand God’s purifying fire.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has put eternity into our hearts. Everything we long for and appreciate that is godly, loving, true, right, peaceful, secure, beautiful and eternal goes back to the Garden of Eden and God’s intention for human kind. To live forever in a state of beautiful heavenly joy. Every person has the spiritual DNA of Adam and Eve. There is an understanding, a knowing that there must be more then life on earth. They may not realize what this longing is, but it’s there. And God can’t wait for us to come home.

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

The Hebrew word for precious means “valuable”.

In John 14:1-3 Jesus tells His disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Don’t let this temporary, evil world bring you down. This isn’t your eternal home. Whatever hardship you are facing, don’t let your heart be troubled! Jesus is preparing our eternal home right now!

For a Christian, to Die is Gain.

Here are some verses that show dying is indeed gain for the child of God:

Revelation 21:3-7 ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘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.”

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

1 Corinthians 15:35-58 ³⁵ But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” ³⁶ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷ When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. ³⁹ Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. ⁴¹ The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

⁴² So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ⁴³ it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹ And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Corinthians 5:1-9 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

All of these promises gave Paul an incredible longing for heaven and all that is waiting there. Paul was certain that Jesus would work in him and through him, making a difference in people’s lives, because his heart was set on heaven.

Review of the Book Between Heaven and Earth by Steve Berger

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House to review and I have to say it’s one of the best Christian books I’ve read in a long time. In fact I’m busy writing up a Sunday School lesson from it to teach a Women’s Bible Class.

When I started reading I thought the whole thing would be about what heaven is like and what we’ll be doing there. But that’s really a small part of it. Steve Berger’s focus is to get us to see what heaven will be like, yes, but so that it will change the way we view life here on earth. That knowing about heaven will get us to see our mission and the need for people to hear the gospel.

A phrase he uses over and over is “having our hearts in heaven, but our hands in the harvest.” He does share some of the beauty and glory of heaven and how focusing on it will lead us to a renewed faith, encouragement and a life that is full. He shows us why this heavenly mind-set matters today. That there are hundreds of opportunities to reach out to people in this broken world who are ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

He writes, “When your heart is in heaven, you begin to see as Jesus saw. You’ll see people who have deep hurts and unmet needs who are desperate for a Savior. And you’ll be torn. You’ll desire to be in heaven and be a part of all that God has for you there, but at the same time you’ll see people who need your help here.

And he does a wonderful job telling us how to meet the need.

Letting Go of Your Limitations

I just finished reading Dr. Sandie Freed’s book Letting Go of Your Limitations – Experiencing God’s Transforming Power.

While I thought the book was a little dry the last chapter finished it with a bang. (Maybe she should have just written an article instead of trying to stretch it out.)

But here’s the good part: Jesus is not a “law giver”, but a “life giver”. The law was given so we would realize our need of a Savior. As believers there is now no condemnation in those who love the Lord. Jesus fulfilled the law. All the commands in the Old Testament that promised blessings if we do and curses if we don’t can be stamped “paid in full.” He did it. We can rest and be blessed!

She wrote, “The only “if you” we have to worry about is if you want Jesus. If we do that the blessings are ours.” And “Jesus took every curse with Him to the cross. Everything I had coming to me under the Old Testament curse, Jesus took so that I could receive everything coming under the New Covenant promises. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Yes, He took what I had coming so I could have what He had coming.”

We do not have to wait to get to Heaven in order to experience Heaven. Unbelief kept the Israelites out of the Promised Land for 40 years. Don’t refuse His gift of grace. We can have Heaven on earth!

Disclosure: I was given this book by Chosen Books to review on my blog. They did not ask for a positive review; only an honest one.

 

http://www.cafepress.com/givitup/6375365

 

Heaven is for Real

I wanted to share an article by Billy Graham called "Heaven is for Real".
It's not long. It says it all. And it's beautiful. Enjoy:

Heaven is for Real

Explaining the 3 Heavens

Dr. Jimmy DeYoung explained the 3 Heavens the last night of the Prophecy Conference.

2 Corinthians 12:2-3 gives evidence that there are 3 heavens:

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows

The first heaven is what we see in the daytime: the sun and clouds
The second heaven is what we see at night: the moon and the stars
And the third heaven is where God is.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

These principalities and evil spirits are gathered in the first two heavens and dispatched to earth to wage spiritual warfare.

2 Corinthians 11: 14- 15 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Satan has his own ministers doing things for him. That’s why we have to compare everything we hear and read with scripture.

We know that before war breaks out in heaven, that Satan has access to the third heaven by these 2 verses:

Revelation 12:7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back

Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.

Christ’s Judgment and Rewards

Dr. Jimmy DeYoung talked about Christ’s judgment at the Prophecy conference:

1 Corinthians 3:10 – 14 talks about the judgment seat of Christ and our rewards.

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

The gold, silver and precious stones are the works we did for His Glory and in His power. The rewards we get will be:

An incorruptible crown –

1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

A crown we will rejoice over –

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?

A Crown of life for not yielding to temptation –

James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

A crown for helping the body grow –

1 Peter 5:1-4 ¹ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: ² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

A crown of righteousness –

2 Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

After this judgment we will lay our crowns at His feet and attend the marriage supper of the lamb for seven years!

Heaven

I just finished teaching a six week Sunday school lesson from the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn. It’s a wonderful book and I condensed it down to about fifty pages for my lesson. But here’s one thought from it I really wanted to share. It’s from the section “Living in the light of Heaven”

Once we are saved we should ask ourselves what we can do today, tomorrow, next week or next year to live a life that pleases God and also stores up treasures on the New Earth to be laid at Christ’s feet for His glory. All of our choices and decisions should exalt Christ.

What will last for eternity? Every service to the needy, all money to feed the hungry, every cup of cold water given to the thirsty, every investment in missions, every prayer for the needy, every effort invested in evangelism and every moment spent caring for children.

Galatians 6:7-8 tells us we’ll reap in eternity what we’ve planted in this life.

What else will last for eternity? God’s Word and people. So invest in people and spend time in His Word.

Peter wrote: 2 Peter 3:11-14 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

Revelation 21:1, 3-5 1Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘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.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

We were all made for a person and for a place. Jesus is the person and Heaven is the place.