Heaven Series #10
“The gift of Heaven”
Hollywood couldn’t have been further from the truth in how it usually depicts heaven in the movies and TV shows. No, we don’t float around in an ethereal blanket of clouds playing harps for the rest of eternity… Heaven is very tangible… much like the earth we live in now, yet without the limitations the original curse brought in the garden. The scriptures tell us that there are mountains, rivers, trees, a beautiful city filled with unimaginable things, angels, people… even animals in Heaven… not to speak of the New Earth which is coming as well. It is actually more real than what we have ever known here.
As beautiful as this world is in places, this present earth is on the way out according to God’s own word. Heaven is our true homeland, the “better country”, and it is being prepared for us by the master architect and builder Himself… God. Heb. 11:10
But before we get into the specific details of what scripture tells us about our future home, I want to focus today’s message on the source of this wonderful paradise… God Himself. As we begin to realize just how generous and kind and creative God actually is, the easier it gets to believe and visualize His promises concerning heaven… and what we can expect when we finally get there.
Here are just a few scriptures to guide us in the right direction:
“You will fill me with JOY in your presence, with ETERNAL PLEASURES at your right hand.” Ps. 16:11
Did you catch that? God’s desire and promise is to “fill us with joy”, and with “eternal pleasures”. What will that be like? And what does that show us regarding God’s intentions and ultimate plans for us?
In I Cor. 2:9, Paul tells us, “No eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED for those who love him.” I love how it says, “things which God has prepared…”. This clearly shows that God loves doing this for us… for you and me, and for all those who love him. I think about how my wife Kathy, would just light up when I brought her flowers. She would be beaming with joy from such a simple gift… and yet it brought me great joy as well, just seeing how happy it made her.
God loves to bless His children. Again, the scriptures tell us, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom.” Luke 12:32 You see, we limit our perspective of heaven and our hope… when we limit our view of God Himself… His character… His intentions and His capabilities. He is THE Creator. Every beautiful thing our eyes can behold in nature came by His design and with us in mind. Once we see this… and Him… more clearly, our imagination has somewhere to go… as His Spirit reveals marvelous things to us!
Blessings, Mike
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