Haven of Heaven
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Haven of Heaven
fennywest Mon 11 Jun 2012, 7:58 pm
Haven of Heaven
The place where God dwells, His abode, His citadel; where the throne of God is, the seat of God, His pavilion, where you find His manifest presence always ( Ps33:13): this is heaven. Heaven is a place where there is no sin, sickness, disease, depression, boredom, regrets, pain, sorrow, wickedness, weakness, aging or dying. God is the architect of this place- a place, far, far better than earth. (Gen 1:1, Heb11:10)
It is a real place, not pie in the sky. It has real people with glorified bodies, not limited by space or time; It has gates; it has a door; there are trees and rivers and streets but more wonderful than we can ever imagine. (Rev21:12-15)
In a survey in America about heaven, there was an overwhelming interest about the subject it was clearly evident many are keen of a place where there will be no more tears, no more or sorrow, no more disease, no more decaying or dying, no more bills, no more regrets or disappointment or heart aches:heaven.
When asked if they think they will go there if they died, the response was half-hearted: ‘I hope so,’ ‘I think so’ or ‘may be,’ ‘have good chance.’...
Heaven is a place promised believers when they die.
6[quote]
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
From the two scriptures we see clearly that heaven is not only a place, but a place for believers
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom3:23,
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-6:23
Paul said we are citizens of heaven.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Phil3:20
Jesus also said while praying for those who believe in Him, that they are not of this world.
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John17:14
For those who believe heaven is home, believers are like John Bunyan depicted: pilgrims here in a sojourn on the way to the Celestial City. We are Ambassadors, travellers, visitors, ‘aliens’ foreigners preparing for our home in heaven. We are in training for reigning with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 21 God gave the Apostle John a vision in which he had a glimpse of heaven. But the picture he saw as translated to your imagination cannot be compared to what heaven actually is. No amount of description or imagination by mortal man can fully capture the true magnificence and brilliance of heaven. Truly, no eye has seen or ear heard what heaven will be like. Whatever we are able to imagine will be wildly, stupendously and gloriously exceeded. Nothing on earth comes close to heaven.
15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.(Rev21:15-23)
The description here is just a picture- using what were are used to and can accommodate with our mental faculties. The original is indescribable. Many of us have not even seen any of these precious gems, yet as wonderful as they may be, they are a poor description of heaven.
David Burns identified five things that will occupy us in heaven as:’ worship without distraction, serving without exhaustion, fellowship without fear, learning without fatigue and rest without boredom.’
This is just the scratching on the surface.
There is the story of a rich man who died and made a last minute request of God to allow him to go with suitcases. The Lord told him he would not need them in heaven but he begged God to just allow him one suitcase. Because of his faithfulness, God was merciful said, ‘Ok, just one.’
The man was over the moon so he loaded it with bullions of gold and as he approached the gates of heaven proudly he was stopped by St. Peter, who happen to be on duty at the Gate. ‘Stop! My friend. Where are you going with that stuff? Who told you to bring a suitcase?
'The Lord Himself , he replied.'
'I doubt so,' Peter countered.
‘Yes!’ he insisted. 'I can’t come to heaven and lie.'
Peter was still unsure but insisted: ‘I have to check it and he opened the suitcase.
To his surprise it was overflowing with bullions of gold.
‘You brought PAVEMENT! ‘Peter said, rather disappointed.
John14:1-4,Rom8:16-17,2Cor5:6-8,1Thess4:13-18,1Thess5:9-11,2Sam12:23,John11:23-26,1Cor15:54-57,Phil3:20-21,1
In Heaven we will be reunited with Jesus, our Saviour, Lover of our soul, the Bridegroom of the Church- the Bride of the Lamb; the Fairest of the ten thousand, our Redeemer, Ransom Advocate, the Lamb who took away our sins, became a Bridge for us to cross to God.
In heaven He will be our Judge- the Righteous Judge of all and will reward us according to our works. Some will receive the Crown of Righteousness; others Crown of Life and yet others Crown of Rejoicing, or Crown of Glory or Crown, Incorruptible etc.
We will also meet with the saints of old like Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Elijah, Joseph, David, Mary, Sarah etc and our loved ones and other cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews12. O what a glorious reunion! What a day of rejoicing!
Without a doubt, even with this tantalizing description by John based on what he saw, our limited imagination cannot fathom what it will be like to be in a place where there will be no more tears, suffering pain, aging, or temptation.
Surely we would all like to be there. However, no amount of wishful thinking will get anyone to heaven. We go to heaven by the choice we make here on earth. Decision determines destiny. Choices carry consequences.
Who will be in Heaven?
[=18size]
We need to make our reservation here to be assured of a place in heaven. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Heaven is for people who have made a deliberate decision to make Jesus their choice, their Lord, their Saviour. It is not a place for people who wish they were there or who hope they will be there.
The key question is: Is Jesus Lord of your life? Have you invited Him into your life and are you living for Him? Is He Lord of ALL? Unless He is Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.
If you are not sure of your relationship with Him, then this is a good time to make your peace with Him. If you did at one point in time but fell away, this is a time to come back home, like the prodigal son. If you have any doubts about your salvation, settle the issue Now!
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John3:3
Jesus said:
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Is Jesus knocking on the door of your heart now? Is He pulling your heart’s strings?
If so, do not resist Him. This is the acceptable time. This is the day of salvation.
The alternative to heaven is hell, prepared for the devil and his cohorts. However if you reject Jesus, you open the door to hell for yourself. If you accept Jesus- the Door to Heaven- you open the gates of heaven to yourself. Otherwise you have by default accepted hell as your destination when you die. There is no middle ground, no fence for you to sit on.
Today, make the right choice. Make a conscious decision of accepting Jesus as Lord and begin to live for Him for the rest of your life. This is what qualifies you for heaven.
There is a story about President Ronald Reagan in a meeting with Evangelical ministers who asked the President: “Suppose you were to die and found yourself standing at the door of heaven. If God were to say, ’Why should I let you into heaven?’ what answer would you give?”
The presidents thought hard and fast and it seemed he was cornered.
What would your answer be if you were in his shoes? Would you think of your good deeds? Would you think of your denomination? Would you think of your baptism? None of this is good enough.
The President’s reply was : “Well, I guess I’d have to answer with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
You see, it all hinges, not on your works but on your belief and your belief is borne out, not just by what you say, but by your actions, what role Jesus plays in your daily life; not on a sinner’s prayer you said out of emotional pressure one day which you did not believe.
Your reservation for heaven is dependent on what Christ did on Calvary’s cross and not on what you have done. It is by grace and not by works. That does not mean we continue to sin that grace may abound. No. We are called out, separated, God’s workmanship, created for good works, a salt of the earth and a light of this world.
Yes we fall from time to time but so long as we acknowledge our sin and repent, He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness, and restore us to fellowship, so long as we do not take His grace for granted and make sinful living our life-style.
The way to hell is paved with good intensions and wishful thinking for those who have not made Jesus Lord of their lives. The road to heaven is paved with the blood of Jesus- the Lamb of God- come to take away our sins. And those who have accepted Him as Lord and Saviour are on their way to heaven.[/size]
Lord, I acknowledge that if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Therefore I consciously acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness and salvation.
Forgive me, Lord, of my sins and come into my heart and my life. Help me, Lord to make this a quality decision that I will not go back on, but remain true to, for the rest of my life.
Lord, I pray that Jesus will not just be Lord in words but also indeed. So help me, Lord. Amen.
The place where God dwells, His abode, His citadel; where the throne of God is, the seat of God, His pavilion, where you find His manifest presence always ( Ps33:13): this is heaven. Heaven is a place where there is no sin, sickness, disease, depression, boredom, regrets, pain, sorrow, wickedness, weakness, aging or dying. God is the architect of this place- a place, far, far better than earth. (Gen 1:1, Heb11:10)
It is a real place, not pie in the sky. It has real people with glorified bodies, not limited by space or time; It has gates; it has a door; there are trees and rivers and streets but more wonderful than we can ever imagine. (Rev21:12-15)
In a survey in America about heaven, there was an overwhelming interest about the subject it was clearly evident many are keen of a place where there will be no more tears, no more or sorrow, no more disease, no more decaying or dying, no more bills, no more regrets or disappointment or heart aches:heaven.
When asked if they think they will go there if they died, the response was half-hearted: ‘I hope so,’ ‘I think so’ or ‘may be,’ ‘have good chance.’...
2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.(John14:2-3)
Heaven is a place promised believers when they die.
6[quote]
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
From the two scriptures we see clearly that heaven is not only a place, but a place for believers
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom3:23,
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-6:23
Paul said we are citizens of heaven.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Phil3:20
Jesus also said while praying for those who believe in Him, that they are not of this world.
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John17:14
For those who believe heaven is home, believers are like John Bunyan depicted: pilgrims here in a sojourn on the way to the Celestial City. We are Ambassadors, travellers, visitors, ‘aliens’ foreigners preparing for our home in heaven. We are in training for reigning with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 21 God gave the Apostle John a vision in which he had a glimpse of heaven. But the picture he saw as translated to your imagination cannot be compared to what heaven actually is. No amount of description or imagination by mortal man can fully capture the true magnificence and brilliance of heaven. Truly, no eye has seen or ear heard what heaven will be like. Whatever we are able to imagine will be wildly, stupendously and gloriously exceeded. Nothing on earth comes close to heaven.
15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.(Rev21:15-23)
The description here is just a picture- using what were are used to and can accommodate with our mental faculties. The original is indescribable. Many of us have not even seen any of these precious gems, yet as wonderful as they may be, they are a poor description of heaven.
David Burns identified five things that will occupy us in heaven as:’ worship without distraction, serving without exhaustion, fellowship without fear, learning without fatigue and rest without boredom.’
This is just the scratching on the surface.
There is the story of a rich man who died and made a last minute request of God to allow him to go with suitcases. The Lord told him he would not need them in heaven but he begged God to just allow him one suitcase. Because of his faithfulness, God was merciful said, ‘Ok, just one.’
The man was over the moon so he loaded it with bullions of gold and as he approached the gates of heaven proudly he was stopped by St. Peter, who happen to be on duty at the Gate. ‘Stop! My friend. Where are you going with that stuff? Who told you to bring a suitcase?
'The Lord Himself , he replied.'
'I doubt so,' Peter countered.
‘Yes!’ he insisted. 'I can’t come to heaven and lie.'
Peter was still unsure but insisted: ‘I have to check it and he opened the suitcase.
To his surprise it was overflowing with bullions of gold.
‘You brought PAVEMENT! ‘Peter said, rather disappointed.
Heaven: Happy Haven
Peaceful, blissful, joyful
Indescribable magnificence
God’s manifest presence.
Heaven place of Reunion
Rejoicing, rewards
Rest, Resurrection
Rapture, Restoration.
Heaven: Street of gold
Praise and worship untold
No tears, no pain
Sorrow or strain.
Heaven: place of Rest
With the Best of the best;
For those who put Him first
And have passed the test.
Heaven: No sickness
Or weakness
Or wickedness
Or darkness.
Heaven: for Citizens
Redeemed from sin
Confessed and forgiven
Saints, Predestined.
Heaven: Incomparable
To the earthly amiable.
God gives the light
To all His Delight.
Heaven: Happy Haven!
Peaceful, blissful, joyful
Indescribable magnificence
God’s manifest presence.
Heaven place of Reunion
Rejoicing, rewards
Rest, Resurrection
Rapture, Restoration.
Heaven: Street of gold
Praise and worship untold
No tears, no pain
Sorrow or strain.
Heaven: place of Rest
With the Best of the best;
For those who put Him first
And have passed the test.
Heaven: No sickness
Or weakness
Or wickedness
Or darkness.
Heaven: for Citizens
Redeemed from sin
Confessed and forgiven
Saints, Predestined.
Heaven: Incomparable
To the earthly amiable.
God gives the light
To all His Delight.
Heaven: Happy Haven!
John14:1-4,Rom8:16-17,2Cor5:6-8,1Thess4:13-18,1Thess5:9-11,2Sam12:23,John11:23-26,1Cor15:54-57,Phil3:20-21,1
In Heaven we will be reunited with Jesus, our Saviour, Lover of our soul, the Bridegroom of the Church- the Bride of the Lamb; the Fairest of the ten thousand, our Redeemer, Ransom Advocate, the Lamb who took away our sins, became a Bridge for us to cross to God.
In heaven He will be our Judge- the Righteous Judge of all and will reward us according to our works. Some will receive the Crown of Righteousness; others Crown of Life and yet others Crown of Rejoicing, or Crown of Glory or Crown, Incorruptible etc.
We will also meet with the saints of old like Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Elijah, Joseph, David, Mary, Sarah etc and our loved ones and other cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews12. O what a glorious reunion! What a day of rejoicing!
Without a doubt, even with this tantalizing description by John based on what he saw, our limited imagination cannot fathom what it will be like to be in a place where there will be no more tears, suffering pain, aging, or temptation.
Surely we would all like to be there. However, no amount of wishful thinking will get anyone to heaven. We go to heaven by the choice we make here on earth. Decision determines destiny. Choices carry consequences.
Who will be in Heaven?
[=18size]
We need to make our reservation here to be assured of a place in heaven. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Heaven is for people who have made a deliberate decision to make Jesus their choice, their Lord, their Saviour. It is not a place for people who wish they were there or who hope they will be there.
The key question is: Is Jesus Lord of your life? Have you invited Him into your life and are you living for Him? Is He Lord of ALL? Unless He is Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.
If you are not sure of your relationship with Him, then this is a good time to make your peace with Him. If you did at one point in time but fell away, this is a time to come back home, like the prodigal son. If you have any doubts about your salvation, settle the issue Now!
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John3:3
Jesus said:
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Is Jesus knocking on the door of your heart now? Is He pulling your heart’s strings?
If so, do not resist Him. This is the acceptable time. This is the day of salvation.
The alternative to heaven is hell, prepared for the devil and his cohorts. However if you reject Jesus, you open the door to hell for yourself. If you accept Jesus- the Door to Heaven- you open the gates of heaven to yourself. Otherwise you have by default accepted hell as your destination when you die. There is no middle ground, no fence for you to sit on.
Today, make the right choice. Make a conscious decision of accepting Jesus as Lord and begin to live for Him for the rest of your life. This is what qualifies you for heaven.
There is a story about President Ronald Reagan in a meeting with Evangelical ministers who asked the President: “Suppose you were to die and found yourself standing at the door of heaven. If God were to say, ’Why should I let you into heaven?’ what answer would you give?”
The presidents thought hard and fast and it seemed he was cornered.
What would your answer be if you were in his shoes? Would you think of your good deeds? Would you think of your denomination? Would you think of your baptism? None of this is good enough.
The President’s reply was : “Well, I guess I’d have to answer with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
You see, it all hinges, not on your works but on your belief and your belief is borne out, not just by what you say, but by your actions, what role Jesus plays in your daily life; not on a sinner’s prayer you said out of emotional pressure one day which you did not believe.
Your reservation for heaven is dependent on what Christ did on Calvary’s cross and not on what you have done. It is by grace and not by works. That does not mean we continue to sin that grace may abound. No. We are called out, separated, God’s workmanship, created for good works, a salt of the earth and a light of this world.
Yes we fall from time to time but so long as we acknowledge our sin and repent, He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness, and restore us to fellowship, so long as we do not take His grace for granted and make sinful living our life-style.
The way to hell is paved with good intensions and wishful thinking for those who have not made Jesus Lord of their lives. The road to heaven is paved with the blood of Jesus- the Lamb of God- come to take away our sins. And those who have accepted Him as Lord and Saviour are on their way to heaven.[/size]
It is a matter of faith,
Not a matter of strength.
It’s a matter of faith
Not a matter of sight.
Faith to accept the Son
As your substitute
Faith to accept the Son
As your perfect Lamb.
He is our bridge.
To cross over.
He is our Ransom
He is the Door
He is the Way.
It’s the matter of a done deal
Not a matter of good deed.
It’s a matter of the blood seal,
Not a matter of pious creed.
So without God’s Son
You can’t have God’s sun.
Getting to Heaven
Getting to heaven-
The divine haven,
Is God’s desire.
God has paid for it,
By sending His Son
To give His life: die!
As to pave the Way.
He who has the Son
Has the assurance
Of salvation,
Of reservation
Of a plane ticket
Even a passport
To heaven’s Kingdom.
Getting to heaven,
Not by accident;
Is not by, ‘I wish’.
Yes, it is not by a wish,
But by a decision
Of making Jesus
The Lord of your life.
Not a matter of strength.
It’s a matter of faith
Not a matter of sight.
Faith to accept the Son
As your substitute
Faith to accept the Son
As your perfect Lamb.
He is our bridge.
To cross over.
He is our Ransom
He is the Door
He is the Way.
It’s the matter of a done deal
Not a matter of good deed.
It’s a matter of the blood seal,
Not a matter of pious creed.
So without God’s Son
You can’t have God’s sun.
Getting to Heaven
Getting to heaven-
The divine haven,
Is God’s desire.
God has paid for it,
By sending His Son
To give His life: die!
As to pave the Way.
He who has the Son
Has the assurance
Of salvation,
Of reservation
Of a plane ticket
Even a passport
To heaven’s Kingdom.
Getting to heaven,
Not by accident;
Is not by, ‘I wish’.
Yes, it is not by a wish,
But by a decision
Of making Jesus
The Lord of your life.
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Rom3:21-28
Lord, I acknowledge that if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Therefore I consciously acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness and salvation.
Forgive me, Lord, of my sins and come into my heart and my life. Help me, Lord to make this a quality decision that I will not go back on, but remain true to, for the rest of my life.
Lord, I pray that Jesus will not just be Lord in words but also indeed. So help me, Lord. Amen.
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Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717) wrote powerfully about the need for an intimate relationship with Almighty God, including this: “He who has a pure heart will never cease to pray; and he who will be constant in prayer, shall know what it is to have a pure heart.”
