(Part 1/3 – A summary of the Sunday morning teaching on 20-Sep-15, in AFT Church, English service. From the series The Foundation For Victorious Living)

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 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.

John 14:1-3

LET’S MOVE

As soon as the idea of relocating to a new place pops into your head wouldn’t you go all out to gather as much information possible about your new destination? The population, the culture, the lifestyle, cost of living, climate, political and economical conditions, job opportunities and the availability of good schools for the children are only some of the many things that you would want sorted.

However, despite knowing about our glorious forever home many Christians barely give it a second thought, let alone perk up any interest in knowing more about it. Know what I am talking about?

Heaven! The Home that God is preparing for us.

Last week, we began studying about the love of God that wants us to be with Him forever. Today, let us continue to learn more about this Home that will be ours forever.

P.O. BOX HEAVEN

1) NEW EARTH AND NEW HEAVEN

Look around you. This earth will one day be wiped clean. All the blemishes, darkness, miseries and evil will be cast away. In its place, there will be a new earth. And Heaven will descend on it. God and man will live here forever.

We need to only look as far as our Bibles to know the truth. Revelations 21 and 22 describes in detail about our renewed future. Revelations 21:1-3 says, Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, 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 heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God’. John describes a new earth and a new heaven replacing our present day abode. It will be in this lovely new place that we will reside.

We may not know the exact timelines. But one thing that we can be certain about is that it will happen after the dead are resurrected and our bodies are made new. Romans 8:22-23 says, For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body’. On the day of redemption, all things will be made new.

2) FULLY ALIVE

Last week, we also learned that the idea of heaven being a boring place is incorrect. So is the concept of soul sleep or the idea that we are not conscious after death. Well, let me biblically establish for you the truth that heaven is indeed a place full of life. Not only is the soul of a dead person conscious but is also alive and active.

Here are a few verses to chew on:-

a) Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it’.

b) Luke 16:22-31 says, So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

c) Philippians 1:23 says, For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better’.

d) 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord’.

e) Revelations 6:9 says, When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

The common thread among all these verses is the state of believers in Heaven. They are alive, active and able to intelligently converse and enjoy life.

…to be continued…

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