It can be yours too!

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5 ESV)

I am often asked what I think heaven will be like. I always respond that I do not have to imagine it. John wrote of the heaven he saw in the vision from Christ and the angels. John stood in heaven and wrote about it in Revelation so that we may know.

There are no tears in heaven. There are no tears because all things that bring tears have been erased. When we die, Jesus gives us an eternal body like his. Paul wrote, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)  Remember, Jesus rose from the dead in bodily form, not Spirit. The apostles ate with Jesus and touched him and his wounds from the crucifixion. Even Thomas, who doubted the resurrection, believed after he saw and felt the resurrected Christ.

Because we have an eternal body, there is no more pain. There is no sorrow, no sadness, no want, no needs. Jesus defeated death, which no longer exists in heaven. Paul wrote, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) Christ also defeated sin, so there is no crime, no hurt, only sanctification completed in each of us.

Will we see our loved ones in heaven? I believe we will, although the relationship will not be the same. We will all be focused on God, who stands before us. Our only desire will be to worship and glorify God.

It sounds like a pretty great place, does it not? So, how do we get there? First, anyone can get to heaven, and God does not discriminate. Those who God has chosen, those drawn to Christ regardless of race, creed, or color, go to heaven. We know this because the apostle Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

In the Gospel of Luke, Christ said, “ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” ( Luke 13:3-5 ). One must repent their sins and, in our sanctification, as we grow in Christ, we turn away from them to the Lord. John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). One must confess their sins to God, not a man, because only Christ can forgive sins. The urgency and necessity of repentance cannot be overstated.

Have you placed your faith in Christ as your Savior? Do you know Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe Jesus Christ was resurrected from death in an eternal body? Have you repented of your sins? If all these things are not yours, do them today. There is no guarantee that the next second of your life will come. Jesus is waiting.

God Bless.