Heading for Heaven

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

 Romans 8:16-18

When I was young, I made a decision to be born again and commit my life to Jesus Christ.  There were three basic reasons why I did this:  Jesus loved me, I didn't want to go to hell, and I wanted to go to heaven.  As unthinkably horrible as hell is, heaven is infinitely better than we can grasp.  I think it is easier for us to comprehend the terrors of hell than the bliss of heaven while entrenched in our earthly condition.  In this life we have all tasted suffering to some extent.  Instead of backing away from hell in fear, Christians ought to set our focus upon the heavenly glory which will be revealed.  New Jerusalem will not be amazing because the streets are paved with gold or because of our glorified bodies:  New Jerusalem will be great because God is there, sitting on the throne in unspeakable glory, and we will be with Him forever.

Scripture is limitless in scope and application.  The more we dig in the more we realise much remains to be discovered and understood.  No man alive can plumb the depths or soar into the heavens of all that scripture contains.  Yet for all the height, width, depth and breadth, only a small fraction is spent describing the new heavens and new earth that will be our eternal abode - the place we commonly call "heaven."  Many books have been written on the subject, but they cannot not do heaven justice.  I'm sure the authors would not disagree.  Our view of heaven is foggy and misty at best.  Having been saved from the wrath to come, we do well to fix our eyes upon Christ and where He is, living in the presence of the Father.  That is a place where even angels fear to tread, bowing before the Father reverentially with constant words of praise and adoration.  Even with the revelations provided by the Holy Spirit, it has hardly entered into our hearts what God has prepared for those who love Him.  Our light affliction (which can be unfathomably heavy by the world's standards) is not worthy to be compared with our ultimate glory.  Suffering now increases the sweetness of heaven exponentially.

Revelation 21:3-5 reads, "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. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."  Can you imagine a place where there is no death, sorrow, crying, or pain?  I can't.  I believe heaven exists and by God's grace, according to the assurance provided in His Word, I will someday live there.  But it is unimaginable how things will be different.  God will make all things new!  It will not be former things with a new coat of paint:  all things will be new.  Pain and sorrow are our inseparable companions on earth, but the day is coming when they will pass away forever.  Death will not even be a memory, for the former things will not come into mind (Isaiah 65.17).

I have heard many people say that they look forward to meeting men and women of faith spoken about in the Bible and asking questions about their time on earth.  Should I go up to Moses and ask him what was going through his head when he saw the burning bush, I would surely have to interrupt praise being offered to God!  He would be right to say, "Shut up, man!  You are in the presence of the KING OF KINGS!  Who am I?  You're thinking about a burning bush when the Lamb of God stands before you in glory?  Praise Him!"  Words are inadequate to convey the feeling of joy all will experience who are in the presence of God, a God whose presence we can boldly enter today by grace through faith.  Because the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in every believer, we know a bit of the joy we share in God's holy presence.  But when we are perfected and glorified, we shall comprehend in a far clearer and purer sense than we can today.  1 John 3:2 reads, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

Jesus says in John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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."  When considering heaven, what is your primary focus:  crowns, mansions, a glorified body, or simply being with Jesus?  He is coming to receive His inheritance to Himself.  We are that inheritance, the reward of His suffering.  That God would love us to such a degree is mind-blowing.  Can you imagine, us sinful pukes as an inheritance?  Yet it is a reality that rightly brings tears of joy to our eyes.  To God be the glory now and forever!  Since we are going to be together forever, let's get to know Him better today.  When the time comes to meet Him face to face, there will be no words.  Looking into His eyes will suffice.

Living in the Light of Eternity

When people take out a loan to buy a house, there are consequences for those who are late or miss payments.  Late payments affects credit ratings and adds fees.  If a "homeowner" ceases to make payments on their home (which the bank still owns!), they can be evicted from the property.  After I bought my first home in the States, it turned out that the previous tenant had accrued much debt.  My neighbor told me he saw several of her cars impounded, and for a while we received calls from a collection agency because she had missed payments on her furniture.  If we put ourselves in debt by overspending and are unable to pay, those whom we owe have the legal right to repossess our cars, homes, and even take the bed out from under us.

All people are born with a debt of sin that looms larger by the day.  Like a balloon payment at the end of a mortgage, the day will come for everyone to settle accounts with the Judge and Creator of all things.  God has provided the 10 Commandments and His Word so we might be see ourselves in the light of His truth:  we are all sinners, and the wages of sin is death.  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission, no forgiveness of sins.  If I were to die in my sins and be judged according to God's perfect Law, the only way I could settle accounts with God would be with my own blood.  I would be bound hand and foot, my body and soul repossessed, and be thrown into hell - where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.  It is a place of outer darkness, regret, and unspeakable torment for eternity.  That's the consequence of sin, and it's absolutely heartbreaking.

Hear how Whitefield preached, and never dare to be lethargic again.  Winter says of him that "sometimes he exceedingly wept, and was frequently so overcome, that for a few seconds you would suspect he never would recover; and when he did, nature required some little time to compose himself.  I hardly ever knew him go through a sermon without weeping more or less.  His voice was often interrupted by his affections; and I have heard him say in the pulpit,  'You blame me for weeping; but how can I help it, when you will not weep for yourself, although your own immortal souls are on the verge of destruction, and, for aught I know, you are hearing your last sermon, and may never more have an opportunity to have Christ offered to you?' (Lectures to My Students, Spurgeon, pg. 307)

People will do anything to save their own skins.  But most give little if any thought to the condition of their souls.  Jesus asked, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"  Money, fame, power, or political clout will not save you on the day when you stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment.  It is not the throne which is intimidating, but the face and mighty power of the One who sits upon it before whom the earth and heavens will flee.  Death comes unexpectedly, and the wise prepare for it.  I am not referring to funeral plans, insurance, or buying a plot for your remains:  I speak about the soul, the eternal, immaterial, and real you who lives in your body. Through the Gospel, all people are invited to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour, allowing God to possess you heart, mind, body, and soul.  On the Day of Judgment no Christian will face God's wrath, because Jesus has paid the fine we owed.  Because He did for our sins, we are partakers of His life which continues for eternity.

Think of it!  Standing naked with empty hands before the Creator and Just Judge, God Almighty - without a solicitor, lawyer, money, or recourse - what would you say after countless charges are laid before you, each carrying the sentence of eternal death?  What could you say?  What could you do?  When a man dies in his sins and is bound hand and foot by angels powerful enough to kill every human being on earth in a day, how could he fight against them?  Can a man fight against God?  Man can fight, scream, curse, and blaspheme, but that will not change the righteous rulings of God.  It gives God no pleasure to mete out justice to man for his sin.  It is God's will that none should perish and that all come to repentance.  He has made a way for all to be saved through repentance and faith in Christ.  There is one way to heaven, and Jesus is the Way.  God has revealed this all beforehand so all men are accountable.

Jesus says in John 3:16-20, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."  Are you walking in the Light?  Jesus is the Light of the World, come to seek and save the lost.  When God shines the light upon you, allow yourself to be exposed.  Don't run from the truth.  Don't try to hide the reality of your sin.  Repent and be born again today.  Jesus is your only Hope.

Joey Hockenberry, Loved By God

Funerals are bittersweet:  bitter because we are processing the loss of a loved one, but sweet to reflect on how people have impacted our lives for good.  The first funeral I officiated was for a man I never knew.  Our church was contacted by the coroner's office in San Diego and were asked if we could provide someone to perform the service.  I was on staff as a youth pastor at Calvary Chapel El Cajon at the time and had been recently ordained as a pastor.  It was through that phone call I was introduced to a young man known by his friends as Joey Hockenberry.

Joey was a man I wish I could have met.  A condition from birth prevented him from being able to speak.  Even at 30 years old he enjoyed simple pleasures, especially balloons.  He had an amazing smile.  His mother and sister loved Joey deeply, and his death was a tragic shock.  In a moment, this young man passed into eternity.  As I stood at the lectern at the funeral hall, the organist playing softly behind me, my heart broke for the grieving people who knew the young man.  This was a man who was greatly loved by people and the God who created him.  Though I never met Joey, I will never forget Him.  His life should be celebrated more than the mourning of his passing.  If I could meet Joey's mum and sister again, I would give them each a hug.  They shared the life of their dear son and brother that day, a gift I can never repay.

There are some people who might trivialise Joey's life because of an arbitrary level of physical or mental development.  I can tell you one thing for certain:  God doesn't.  God spoke to Moses in Exodus 4:11, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?  God made Joey Hockenberry.  He made him exactly as He intended to, and God does all things well.  Joey never lost the wonder of being young.  He laughed, he loved, he was human in every way.  What we see as a limitation in someone else is a revelation of our limitations.  God values human life to the point of sending His own Son as a sacrifice for sin.  God allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to face death on the cross so all might live.  Jesus died for Joey, me, and you.

God values life.  He is the one who gives eternal life!  Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  If you hate your life, it is because you love yourself more than Christ.  And when Christ becomes your life what freedom, peace, and joy is provided by His grace.  Psalm 16:8-11 reads, "I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. ¹⁰ For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. ¹¹ You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Worship the Creator!

There's been a lot of hoopla on cnn.com about the success of NASA deploying the rover "Curiosity" on Mars. At a mission cost of 2.6 billion, the hefty price tag is impressive.  The rover was eight months hurtling through space before it touched down safely on the Red Planet.  It is amazing what technology, human ingenuity, and some government funding can do.

As amazing as it is to put a man on the moon or a rover on Mars, it is nothing compared to the miracle of human life.  It is far easier for us to land a rover with cameras and robotic arms on Mars and control it remotely than to comprehend or explain how bones form in the womb of the mother (Ecclesiastes 11:5).  Isn't it crazy that the heart of a baby forms BEFORE the brain?  Unless the heart was formed and pumping blood throughout the body, the brain tissues could not live.  Our brains cannot fathom this wisdom.  Maybe the day will come when man will put a rover on Jupiter, but that great feat will still pale in comparison to the miracle of life which God performs hundreds of thousands of times every 24 hours right here on earth.

A microscopic cell from a father and a cell from the mother in the right conditions are all that it required to begin a whole new life, a person in whom God breathes a living soul.  Diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench is kid stuff compared to this.  God scoffs at nanotechnology:  He is the only true Innovator and Creator.  Worship Him, because by Him all things are created and consist.