HEAVEN
Heaven is the ultimate goal of all Jesus believers. As the late great Pastor, Teacher, and Evangelist Dwight Keith used to say: “If going to heaven does not get you fired up, your wood is wet!”
Achieving this goal is the most glorious accomplishment possible. We mourn for those who do because we will miss them, but in the twinkling of an eye, we will rejoin them and rejoice with them. We should celebrate their victory over the flesh and their entrance into the glory that is eternal life with God the Father, God Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit.
Our knowledge of Heaven is limited by the capacity of our finite minds, the reporting of visions by the prophets like Isaiah, the report of our anointed teacher Paul of his visit there, John’s prophetic visions, and Jesus’s teachings. Paul reported that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. (Hebrews 12:1)
The one who came from there gave us some hints, though. We know this: Heaven is where the King of Kings and Lord of Lords make His home. That alone is compelling enough for me. What could be better than to spend eternity with the King of Love?
Jesus revealed what Heaven is to the disciple John by taking him there and showing him. As a result, John wrote the Book of Revelation and described what he saw to the best of his ability. Here is an excerpt.
“Then I saw a new sky (Heaven) and a new earth because the former sky and the former earth vanished, and no sea existed.
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband;
There, I heard a mighty voice from the throne, and I perceived its distinct Words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live among them, and they
shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more; neither shall there be anguish, sorrow, or mourning. Nor grief nor pain anymore because the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new.
(Revelation 21:1-5)
John goes on to describe the New City Of Jerusalem and Heaven as it appeared to him:
“It was Clothed in God’s glory in all its splendor and radiance. Its luster resembled that of a rare and most precious jewel, like a jasper, shining clear as crystal.
It had a massive and high wall with twelve gates and twelve angels, and on the gates, the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written.
There are three gates on the east side, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west.
The city wall had twelve foundation stones, on which were the names of the twelve disciples of the Lamb.
And He who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.
The city lies in a square, its length being the same as its width. He measured the city with his reed–12,000 stadia (about 1500 miles). Its length, width, and height are the same. He also measured its wall- 144 cubits (about 72 yards).
The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear and transparent like glass. The foundation stones of the city’s wall were ornamented with all the precious stones. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third white agate, and the fourth emerald.
The fifth onyx, the sixth sardius, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each separate gate being built of one solid pearl. And the city’s main street was of gold as pure and translucent as glass.
I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Omnipotent and the Lamb Himself are its temples. The city does not need the sun or the moon to give it light because God’s splendor and radiant glory illuminate it.”
(Revelation 21:11-23)
John continues describing the new city of Jerusalem in the twenty-second chapter:
“THEN HE showed me the river whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. Through the middle of the city’s main street, on either side of the river, was the tree of life with its twelve varieties of fruit, yielding its fresh crop each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing and restoration of the nations”.
(Revelation 22:1-2)
Then John made this beautiful report:
“There shall not exist there anything that is accursed, detestable, foul, offensive, impure, hateful, or horrible.
But the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall worship Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”
(Revelation 22:3)
What a glorious and enticing vision. That last verse alone is enough for me to want in! How about you?
“THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.”
Jesus declared that in Heaven, God’s will is done. How cool is that? How wonderful will it be do live in a place where God’s will is done? Love, Grace, Mercy, Hope, Joy and Gladness, Perfect Health, Truth, Eternal Life with Him, Glory, Abundance, Peace, Rest, and the Perfect Light are the will of God.
In Heaven, we know that there is no evil, sadness, illness, poverty, stress, worry, anxiety, doubt, despair, unbelief, competitiveness, need to produce income, deceitfulness of riches, pride of life, fear of what other people think, lust of other things, or the cares that come from life on earth, murder, theft, atheism, or other sin, because these things are not the will of God.
Jesus taught us that there are treasures in Heaven:
“Do not gather and heap up treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worms consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves can not break through and steal; For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-20)
Jesus, Paul, and Peter taught us that we receive crowns in Heaven: The Crown of Rejoicing 1 Thessalonians 2:19, The Crown of Victory 1Corinthians9:25, The Crown of Life James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10 The Crown of Righteousness 2Timothy4:8 and the Crown of Glory 1Peter5:4
THE VALUE OF HEAVEN IS IMMEASUREABLE! IT IS WORTH GIVING EVERYTHING WE HAVE OR EVER WILL HAVE TO GAIN ACCORDING TO THE ONE WHO CAME FROM THERE.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Of all the seeds, it is the smallest, but when it has grown, it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and find shelter in its branches.”
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and covered over with three measures of meal or flour until all of it was leavened.”
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a dealer searching for fine and precious pearls. Who found a single pearl of great price, and went and sold all he had and bought it.
“The kingdom of Heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man finds and hides again; then, in his joy, he sells all he has and buys the field!”
(Matthew 13:44-45)
Jesus taught us that those who steadfastly believe in Him and persevere here on earth will receive great rewards in Heaven:
(Matthew 5:12)
HOW TO GUARANTEE LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS FOR ALL ETERNITY:
“Believe in and believe the one whom He has sent”, period!
(John 6:28-29, John 3:16-18, John 5:24, John 11:25, Romans 10:9-10)
Our mission is to teach as many folks as possible the uncompromised true Gospel of “GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE.” In doing so, we want to help them find the keys to the kingdom: simply believing in Jesus. We want them all to join us in the most fantastic party that exists. Let’s all meet in Heaven, soak in the light, and bask in the Glory of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Amen!
END OF TEACHING
