Image of child: How our heart will exult, always, in heaven.
Heaven. What’s it going to be? Many say, I can only imagine. Well, not really – because we can really know, not merely “imagine”. The Bible tells us a lot about Heaven.
Directory…inside this article (Use Forward/Return arrows in your browser)
The reality for us now
The Gift by His Precious, Undeserved Grace
Christ secured our eternal home
Heaven for us
FOR MORE:
There is a lot of conjecture about Heaven. Stephen Hawking, really impressed with computers, wrote,
“I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” – Famous quote of Hawking
What’s your take on it? Do you know what God tells us in the Bible – about Heaven? Actually…
“The Bible gives us little windows to see beyond – into heaven. We actually have windows into heaven!”
Interesting, comparing statements about Heaven – by Billy Graham & Hawking:
Who was correct? Graham -or- Hawking? Billy said “I’ll be in heaven in the future life”, whereas Hawking postulated there is no afterlife, saying heaven “is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”
“One thing’s for sure: Both of these men now know the truth of what happens after death.” – Robin O’Hare on Facebook
Source: – Was Graham right -or- Hawking?
The reality for us now
is “Christ has in fact been raised from the dead”. The mystery of the Gospel has been revealed – and fulfilled by the Messiah:
“But now [as things really are]
Christ has in fact been raised from the dead,
[and He became] the first fruits
[that is, the first to be resurrected
with an incorruptible, immortal body,
foreshadowing
the resurrection] of those
who have fallen asleep [in death].”
– verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
Death is promised to all. But Jesus was victorious over death. So He now offers us —
- The hope of His resurrection, now,
- His promise to save those who sincerely believe in Him — and
- His promise to resurrect us all from the dead at the End Times.
Without Christ we are legally damned, but He can legally forgive. Don’t be mislead by religion and philosophies of mere puny humans. What do they know, really? They are all on the broad way to Hell. “There but by the grace of God go I.”
We must not deceive ourselves
by any
stupididiotic reasonings of man
– to accept what God has rejected.
The Gift by His Precious, Undeserved Grace
Oh how marvelous – His grace towards us, sinners all.
Romans 3:23 since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,
1 John 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].
-See both: Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:9
God is asking you to repent. Accept Him and be born again, be made brand new inside.
When it comes to repentance for salvation – Jesus is all inclusive. He will accept any truly repentant sinner of any vile stripe. You name it, He will forgive. But His is a limited grace. Don’t try to squeeze-by in His courts of justice.
- His grace is limited by time: once your time is up… His grace cannot save you.
- His grace is limited by your heart: if your heart does not let you repent and turn to Him… His grace will not impose itself.
The Galatians 5 Warning…and others.
The Bible just flat-out lists all the sins the writers could think of. Each sin, alone even, separates us from His grace – eternally. And then Paul fills-in between the lines, saying, “…and other things like these.” Oops. Well, there goes that loophole many hope to use (“Oh but, but, that’s not exactly what I did….”)! (Luke 10:29 MSG)
There is absolutely no loophole, no sin we practice – on purpose, as a way of life, in “our lifestyle”, which God accepts. Nada. Zilch. Jesus warned He will reject any person of that ilk — even those who “tried Jesus”. To those self-deceived Jesus quotes Himself from the future (another warning) when He will say on that day of reckoning,
“Publicly” declare! God is warning us, time and time again (maybe because He knows our excuses?), that “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” If you are still “into” any of these… then you are in a state of being “vile to Jesus“. Not a good place to be at any time, but, especially if you land in His Courts still “vile to Jesus”.
This list is “good-to-go” for any type of person, whoever you might be: little old housewives, big young brash ones, dirty old men, clean and shaven young executives, pompous – egotistical…… billionaires, smart mouthed – skateboarding millennials, fake-faith politicians, common boys and girls in the neighborhood, whoever. Jesus knows our thoughts even. (So much for hiding our sinfulness.) With God, sins are “clearly evident”:
are clearly evident: they are
sexual immorality, impurity,
sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control),
idolatry, sorcery,
hostility, strife, jealousy,
fits of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions [that promote heresies],
envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior,
and other things like these.
just as I did previously,
that those who practice such things
will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Christ secured our eternal home
Jesus paid it all – so we could be forgiven of all these sins, all our past, all that separates us from The Most Holy God. He’s got it covered, penalty paid. We just need to humbly get together with Him and plead His grace upon us.
“…righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [a]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus….” – Romans 3:22-24
* BibleGateway Footnote [a]: “His favor and mercy, extended to man who can do nothing to be worthy of it. It is God’s amazing gift.“
Choose now to be a true follower of Jesus – not “a bits and pieces” faker of faith (choosing “this and that”), but a sincere and truthful believer. Stand for what Jesus stands for. Don’t be an empty suit faker – be a true follower of Christ!
He requires a heart 100% given-over to Him. Nothing less. And He promises eternal life with Him in His Heaven. That is the best deal in the universe. I’ve been saved. Will you accept Him today?
John 14: verse 1 “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.”
Jesus is there now, in His Heaven, and He said He is there to “prepare a place for you“. He promised “I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.” That is quite a promise!
John 14: verses 2-6
2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because 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 again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Heaven for us – starts when we die.
We know this because, on the cross, Jesus said to one of the criminals (v43),
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” – Verse 43 of Luke 23:39-43
and Paul said,
“52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]. ” – 1 Corinthians 15:52
– both references: (Luke 23:39-43; 1 Corinthians 15:52)
All of history flashes by – in Heaven’s timeless, infinite continuum, and all His saints arrive together in Heaven. For more about time theory see: Timeless Infinite Continuum, It’s Time, Right on Time.
Heaven is joy and goodness everywhere – always – where only the goodness of God surrounds us. THAT is heaven. No more darkness, no more pain, no more sin, no more sorrow, no more tears.
“…and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the former order of things has passed away.” – Revelation 21:4
Imagine your first day in heaven. It will never diminish.
Some sweet day I’m a goin’ home! I’ll fly away! Oh – What a day that will be!
I have hope. Anyone on earth can have hope and joy everyday – through Jesus. He carries me. He is “the lifter of my soul.”
What about you? Have you drawn close to God? Whoever you are, no matter what you’ve done with the privilege of your existence – today there is hope for you in Jesus.
– Source: Some sweet day!
Heaven is where – All the earth experience is behind us — without the enemies of our soul to wreck everything:
- No more fallen world,
- No more of the damned flesh
- No more Satan anywhere (except in Hell) to influence and ruin anything for us. (verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 15:20-26 – Christ “…hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after He has made inoperative and abolished every ruler and every authority and power.”
Satan – “the god of this world” – 1 John 5:19
Hell was created for Satan, not for us. Heaven is being created by Jesus – – for humans. That is God’s loving plan for us – heaven. Not hell. But we’ve got to want it!
The first step to discovering God
is wanting to.
He is there,
but I’ve got to want to know more
about Him.
I choose to
– or not.
– Source: Want it
“Draw near to God
and He
will draw near to you.”
–James 4:8
Heaven is where – only born again believers go, “everyone who believes in Him” and “receives forgiveness of sins“:
43 All the prophets testify about Him,
that through His name
everyone who believes in Him
[whoever trusts in and relies on Him,
accepting Him as Savior and Messiah]
receives forgiveness of sins.”
– Acts 10:43
11 And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior]. – Verse 11 of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth….” – Verse 1 of Revelation 21:1-8
What He told us Heaven is going to be like for those who follow Him:
- Heaven will be instant. References: (Luke 23:39-43; 1 Corinthians 15:52)
- Heaven is realized before the end of “the end” where Jesus destroys the Antichrist (verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 15:20-26) 24 After that comes the end (completion), when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after He has made inoperative and abolished every ruler and every authority and power.
- Heaven is realized before death itself is defeated:
13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave gave up the dead that were in them, and people were judged by what they had done. 14 Then Death and the Grave were thrown into the fiery lake. This, the fiery lake, is the second death. 15 Then anyone whose name wasn’t found written in the scroll of life was thrown into the fiery lake. – Revelation 20:13-15 Common English Bible (CEB)
- For heaven – we will all be changed. – 1 Corinthians 15:50-53
- Heaven is built by God. – John 14:2-3
- Heaven arrives without prior notice. – 2 Peter 3:10
- Heaven is so fantastic – it is inexpressible. – 2 Corinthians 12:4
- Heaven is where we will forever be with the Lord: “So we shall always be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17 [Full Chapter]
- In Heaven we’ll have an incorruptible, immortal body. – Verse 20 of 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
- Heaven is where sin will be no more. – 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
- Heaven is now a source of comfort (because of our future): “Comfort one another with these words.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
- We get through to Heaven now – by our prayers to Jesus: – Verse 22 of Hebrews 12:18-24.
— “you have come to Mount Zion
and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to myriads of angels [in festive gathering]….”
– Verse 22 of Hebrews 12:18-24.
See: Have you “come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God”?
Details: Windows into heaven
100% Forgiven (Acts 10:43; Acts 26:18; Romans 4:7; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Colossians 2:13; Hebrews 10:18; John 3:16-17)
everlasting (Matthew 7:14; John 3:14-17)
…Listen to Chambers Brothers – People Get Ready LIVE version: People Get Ready
¨Even so, come, Lord Jesus¨ – Revelation 22:20
Read about heaven.
BibleGateway search: heaven
OMGjesus.org search: heaven
Death was just a doorway -by Andree Seu Peterson: In the moment… We can always find a reason to put off serving the Lord; World Magazine. December 03, 2019
Heaven will be awe-full and law-less
The Roman Road -a compilation of verses in the book of Romans that clearly explains the message of salvation in Christ.
*Download PDF copy of the article: God’s System of Justice PDF file download
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