Heaven

 Revelation 21:1-4

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, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell 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.”

I have spent a good portion of my adult life in fear over what heaven is going to be like. 

 May sound silly to you but to me it has permeated fear to the very core of my heart.

Of course I know it is going to radiate more beauty than I have ever experienced in this lifetime but I still find myself stuck wondering what that looks like.

I know it will be all about that wonderful man who gave his life for me so I could live unchained and free from sin.

Without sin

Is that even possible to envision in this sin stained body of mine?

Imagine your best moment you have ever experienced and sit there for a while letting your mind travel back to that moment…… isn’t it amazing to know that heaven will be so much more than that.

It is hard for me to grasp

Let me just be straight forward with you about my biggest fear that has stuck with me up until recently. 

What if in heaven I don’t know my husband or my daughters. 

I just can’t imagine the happiest place I have ever known without knowing them. 

This might sound a little morbid but if something where to happen to me and I missed them growing up into the beautiful woman God created them to be knowing I will never know  them in heaven does not sound joyful or happy to me.  I cant imagine only being able to see them but not experience a connection to them in heaven.

After all we were created to connect with each other.  Not be or live apart from each other.

Genesis 2:18

¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

 

Genesis 2:25

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Before we chose sin God made us perfect for each other.  Adam was not good alone so God gave him a wife. 

Why would a loving God create a heaven where the very people he created us to connect with here on earth are no longer connections in Heaven.

I just don’t know about this place called heaven

Last week I listened to this absolute beautiful sermon from Pete Wilson of Crosspoint Church in Nashville Tennessee.  He talks about this place called heaven.  Let me tell you I felt so much peace after listening to this sermon. 

 First off let me just say this I am not saying He is accurate on his speculation of what heaven is going to be like, in fact nobody knows fully until they meet Jesus face to face.  But he really paints a beautiful and scripture filled view of heaven.

He portrays heaven as being so much more than I ever let myself believe.

 

  It may not be this way but I feel such a sense of peace after listening to it. 

 If you have 30 minutes to listen to an online sermon go to Crosspoint tv on the left you can click on the message that will allow you to watch or listen to sermons online.  It will bring you to another page it is under the series cover to cover and it is the last video in that series #5.

 I highly recommend it.  

Some people want to argue with me that Heaven is just about worshiping God I think that is a major part of what heaven is going to be about, but they want to position it as if it is just about worshiping God its not going to be about getting to see your grandparents again, hanging out with friends and people you did life with. I'll be honest I completely disagree with that I think it is a lame attempt to sound really spiritual --Pete Wilson

Can you imagine life without the fear that it is going to end? --Pete Wilson

Anyways

We live in a sin stained world.  This world was created to be so much more beautiful than it is. 

 Why? 

  It was never meant for corruption and sin.  We are cursed by sin, but one day we will no longer be cursed by sin.

Revelation 22:3

 "No longer will there be any curse.  The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him."

We have been hiding in shame ever since Adam and Eve chose sin.  

  There is emptiness inside all of us as we all yearn for so much more, longing to feel whole again. 

One day this constant struggle will end.
 Sin will lose and love will prevail.

I will not know what heaven is like until I am there, but I know it is a place where love triumphs every time.  

Our souls long to be in such beauty.

No more shame.

Have you ever listened to the song “Did you hear the mountains tremble”? 

 Ah this song makes me long for my Savior and the place He is preparing for all those who seek after His truth.

I refuse to be held back in fear over what heaven is going to look like anymore. 

 It is going to be everything I was created for. 

 Absolutely beautiful!!

Just think one day we will all be united again under His truth!  

We will no longer look at each other and see these bodies that are flawed by sin, instead we will know what it is like to look at each other without judgment.

You will see me for everything I was created to be, so much more than this sin filled body can give me.

Until then....

Leap with me into the unknown leaving fear in the past and running towards the place He is preparing for us.

John 14: 1-4

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that 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.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Here we see that God your moving a time of jubilee is coming, when young and old return to Jesus, fling wide you heavenly gate prepare the way for the risen Lord

---Did you feel the mountains tremble, Martin Smith