Heaven Isn't Too Far Away

Heaven Isn’t To Far Away

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard,

no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN

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. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 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." Revelation 21:1-4 NIV

Heaven According to Huck Finn In Mark Twain's famous story, Miss Watson, a rather stodgy old fuddy-duddy, is telling Huck about heaven. "She said … she was going to live so as to go to the good place. I made up my mind I shouldn't try for it. But I never said so, because it would only make trouble and wouldn't do no good. Now she had got a start, and she went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn't think much of it. But I never said so. I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and, she said, not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together." Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Time Magazine Article (3/24/97) people were asked questions about heaven, here are their responses:

Do you believe in the existence of heaven, where people live forever with God after they die? 81% said Yes, 13% said No

Where do you believe you will go when you die? 68% Heaven, 3% Hell

Which of the following do you believe are in heaven? 93% Angels, 79% St. Peter, 43% Harps, 36% Halos

The word heaven occurs over 500 times in the Bible: describes 3 different types of heavens:

First heaven - the atmospheric heaven (the sky)

Second heaven – stellar or celestial heaven (outer space)

Third Heaven – the divine heaven (the abode of God)

Why we should spend time thinking and talking about Heaven

•It has been said some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good. But perhaps more believers are so earthly minded they’re no heavenly good.

•Colossians 3:2 –“Set you mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

•Apostle John recognized this and exhorted believers to be mindful that this world is fatally flawed and incapable of providing ultimate satisfaction to the believer

•I John 2:15-17 NIV - 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

•C.S. LEWIS said, “Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

•C.S. Lewis also said, “ If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world”

What About Heaven?

•Heaven is a real place.

(John 14:2-3) “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were

not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place

for you. 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.”

(Revelation 21:14) “The city was laid out like a square, as long as it

was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be

12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.”

What will Heaven Be Like?

The Splendor of Heaven - Heaven will be a glorious place both because of what is there and what is not there. There are 11 things that won’t be there: sea, sin, death, mourning, crying, pain, night, temple, curse, sun, or moon. The main thing that will be there will be the glory of God. (Rev. 21:11, 23)