Heaven

Isnt heaven like your dream home. After all Jesus says in my Fathers house there are many mansions...
You are accepted just as you are you dont have to put on a mask or perform or do anything further to enjoy all the benefits of your dream home, everything is paid for by Jesus. Theres no debts/mortgage to worry about and you have a host of servants (angels) that keep the place running smoothly. What will you do in your dream home?

I think I will be gardening and decorating it. Like the very wealthy that have a life of leisure, their lifestyle tends to consist of parties and balls, luncheons and sports of all different kinds since they dont have to work to earn a crust or pay the bills. I once knew a lady who lived in a mansion and she and her husband operated it as a boutique bnb where people stayed for weddings and honeymoons. But she herself spent her time teaching Bible to children since she didnt have to go to work to earn a living. To me that was like living in the Kingdom of Heaven although she said the maintenance of the mansion was a huge expense, if they could not afford to have a cleaner and other people come in help, they would not have been able to run it.

In a retirement village the oldies have licence to occupy leases until they decide to move out or reach the end of their life. But all the maintenance is taken care of, the support staff include cooks, hairdressers, mail delivery, cleaners, handymen, gardeners, rubbish collectors, nursing support, accounting, laundry, security, and all these sundry jobs that still need to be done but now by someone else since these people are retired.

I wondered what the retired people now did but it seems many visit with their grandchildren, take up knitting, bowls, or sit around and gossip about the rugby. Some end up being real busybodies or just while away their time watching tv. Others are artists and pursue hobbies. One even makes coffins! But I know several who just go on cruises or overseas trips every month or so and spend all their earnings theyve saved up over the years. They might have never had a chance to do that while working so now the go all out and see the world. Is Heaven like a retirement lifestyle?
 
Fish Catcher Jim said:
Scripture talks about some being in charge of cities and some in charge of a city.

So if some are in charge over cities then it's obvious we will have jobs and things to do.
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My idea of heaven is NOT having jobs to do lol. I know it sounds mean and selfish, BUT give me any job to do that doesn't involve me cleaning up and looking after people other than me. I've spent my life looking after and cleaning up after other people. My heavenly job would be hiking and observing the beauties of nature, and photographing it! And then coming home to a clean house...with a casserole cooking in the oven(y)
 
My heavenly job would be picking flowers, with no thorns of course. Actually I would look forward to doing some cooking since I dont really get to do much here as I dont have my own kitchen...in heaven I will have my own kitchen and get to bake bread and the angels can clean up after me.
 
Lanolin said:
My heavenly job would be picking flowers, with no thorns of course. Actually I would look forward to doing some cooking since I dont really get to do much here as I dont have my own kitchen...in heaven I will have my own kitchen and get to bake bread and the angels can clean up after me.
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And I would love to pop round to your house for dinner XXX
 
Id love to see the sparkling clear crystal river coming from the throne of God, surely Somewhere in paradise there must be a beautiful waterfall and rainbows all the time..everywhere you look will be picture perfect.
I cant imagine there will be noisy cars, maybe our mode of transport will be by walking, eagles wings, or....kayak...?
 
I had some thoughts about some of the saints I know and their citizenship in Heaven.

One died and her testimony of being saved by Jesus meant in eternity no more harm can ever befall her. She wont be judged solely on her looks her heart will be open to all that can see. Heaven for her will be friends all around and no danger at all. She will have brothers (she never had them on earth) who treat her as a beloved sister.
Another died when he was killed for making the world a better place. Heaven for him will be a place that is neat and tidy, and where all his questions will be answered for he had an inquring mind. I can see him at heaven's vast library, learning all mysterious things he never got to learn on earth.
There was one saint, a widow who dearly missed his wife on earth, well he will be reunited with her in heaven. And there will be so much bounty of fruits to taste for him (he was an avid gardener)
Another, heaven will be a humbler abode, as she actually lived in a luxurious mansion on earth but yearned to live a simpler life. She will also be out there exploring the wonders of it not just staying in one place chained to a house.
The one elder I knew who recently passed, what could heaven be for him? I can imagine him sailing on a boat, with Jesus.

Heaven is where all your dreams will come true. The barren on earth will have many children and the harried mothers will have peace and quiet and rest! Jesus gave us a glimpse of this when he talked about Lazarus, who was so poor on earth he had crumbs from a rich mans table, now carried by angels to abrahams bosom. What is abrahams bosom?
I can imagine lazarus having a feast with Abraham...remember abraham was always hospitable and welcoming and even fed angels that came to visit him.
 
What scripture describes for us and what I can imagine are pretty impressive and I look forward to it, but all I am really concerned about is being with my Savior face to face and being bodily in His presence.
That is all that I want.
That will be heaven.
 
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes...See rev 21:4
And they shall see his face....see rev 22:4

How up close and personal can we get. Has anyone wiped your tears away? This is face to face intimacy. And Its not kissing. (Thank goodness, not really a big fan of kissing!)
 
Heaven.

Seriously, with a bit of good nature humor in it, but really with positive anticipation as a bible student: we got to meet St. Paul himself :)
if given the privilege, well I think we got eternity to seek appointment :)

Bible students, Christian theologians can discuss, with St. Paul, good naturedly how we arrive at different conclusions reading his letters (but of course: we are all single-minded, agree in the core, the spirit of the matter, the core message of his letters) :)
 
Yes aha nobody will ever be confused because we will all completely understand each other in all our different languages. It will be communication mind to mind, and we will all agree what scripture means because we will either all speak in tongues or we will all have one language in common. Possibly Hebrew!
 
Smiler said:
You have spent most of the day working hard in the garden. Things have gone well. Those persistent weeds have been removed. The lawn has been closely mown and the roses dead-headed, but the shears really need some sharpening. Now you can relax in a warm bath and soak the stiffness away. "Ah ! This is Heaven", you say.
Or, another time, you have had the grand-children for an hour or two. All is quiet again, and with all the toys cleared away and the chocolate stains scrubbed off the carpet, you sit down to relax. "Ah ! This", you say, "is Heaven".
Then again, with Elizabeth Barret Browning, you can enjoy the morning air as you lean on the garden gate. "The year’s at the spring / And day’s at the morn; / Morning’s at seven; / The hillside’s dew-pearled; / The lark’s on the wing; / The snail’s on the thorn; / God’s in His Heaven — All’s right with the world".
And there, perhaps, is a wrong thought. We assume that God is in His Heaven, up there somewhere, looking down on His creation with mixed feelings, but being kind to us at the moment; not demanding too much of our time and worship. He’s in His Heaven. But where is Heaven ? In the sky, somewhere ? All in the mind ? Must think about that later. It’s time to get ready for work now.

We each have our ideas of Heaven. But when we try to describe it, what do we mean ? Is it waiting at the pearly gates for St. Peter to admit us (hopefully), and are we really looking forward to playing the harp for all eternity ? A meeting with some we knew long ago ? All unchanged ? Where is Heaven, and what is it really like ?

If we compare the Gospels of Mark and Luke against that of Matthew, we find different expressions for the same thing. Might we understand better if we think of the Kingdom of Heaven as the Kingdom of God ? We get the feeling that the latter relates a little more to the here-and-now than to Heaven, which we think of as being more in the future. When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, He referred to the seeing of the Kingdom of God as being in this earthly life, and yet, face-to-face with Pilate, He explained that "My Kingdom is not of this world". It’s a mystery !

Mark quotes Jesus as telling His disciples, "Unto you it is given to KNOW the mystery of the Kingdom of God…..", making Heaven REAL in the heart. Here and now ! Jesus said "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you", and those words of Izaak Walton, written as an epitaph; "Of this blest man / Let his just praise be given. / Heaven was in him / Before he was in Heaven". Surely we each experience times of blessedness in this earthly life which we readily describe mentally as Heaven. Jesus did say "The Kingdom of Heaven is like this …." followed by several parables, which He explained to His disciples.

When Jesus put Himself in the place of the Temple, he wanted to convince His listeners that this wasn’t what it would be like some time in the future. It really was what it would be like from then on. This was the start of what God had promised it would be like when He would be King.
Re-thinking the content of the Gospels, we may be convinced that Heaven came to earth with and through Jesus, and that He gave the Holy Spirit to continue His work through mankind, so that over time, wrongs would be made right, and there would be progress towards God’s re-Creation.
Time would be involved, and the Body of Jesus would be represented by His Church. Jesus is using his people as He runs things in His Heaven on earth.

For me, Heaven is ....….... not a place.... not in the future.... but real, here and now.
For me, Heaven is a state of mind, and that is determined by one's thoughts. My thoughts are on several levels, and they are derived from memory, through input from the senses, and from the leading of the Holy Spirit.

As I type this, I'm in Heaven (and not because "I'm dancing cheek to cheek"). I know that all is and will be well for me. I look forward to enjoying whatever happens today, and tomorrow. I am content, even though my page just disappeared as I started to type here, and I had to restart, followed by the use of a different set of words. In fact, I am very happy, knowing that there was a good reason for that.
If I feel any disturbance, any difficult decision, even any pain, then within minutes, I can be back in Heaven, just by consciously following the advice of Jesus.

We just need to KNOW that we are each connected to our Creator. Then by following the Maker's instructions each of us can be in Heaven. Now, continuing here in His Heaven on earth, with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, "the earth shall be filled with the glory of God…..", finally, on the return of Jesus at the appointed Time.
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I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks for sharing these thoughts.

I agree that the Kingdom of heaven is with in us. So what's next? For me, it means to bring the kingdom that God put inside me, outside for the world to see (let your light shine before men... right?). How exactly do we accomplish this? Simple. Jesus came and ushered in the Kingdom of Heaven. How did He do this? Not only for paying for our sins so we can be reconnected with God, but through His teachings and testimony; he showed us what the Kingdom of Heaven should look like.

Therefore, if we want to bring the Kingdom of heaven to this world, then we must follow Jesus' teachings and express the love of God in the same way that Jesus did.

In peace
 
One thing about heaven or rather the description of the New Jerusalem.is its really SHINY.
Its described as like a jasper stone...clear as crystal

See revelation 21:11

I dont think I've really seen a jasper stone up close...or seen gold that is like glass.
 
My NEW body. Healthy, young, strong. My body I live in now is about worn out. Pain, sleepless, withering away.
I will be young and strong forever. Temptations will vanish? I pray so. Jesus said not to be anxious for HIS return, but I can't help it. I'm like a little kid going to the Fair :)
 
I wont need to wear glasses, although im praying for healing and clarity in my vision now. I want to be able to see Jesus clearly when He comes and if hes going to wipe the tears from my eyes, hes going to have to remove my glasses.
 
Lanolin said:
I wont need to wear glasses, although im praying for healing and clarity in my vision now. I want to be able to see Jesus clearly when He comes and if hes going to wipe the tears from my eyes, hes going to have to remove my glasses.
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Hello everyone;

This is a beautiful post and reminds me of wonderful brothers and sisters that need "heaven in their eyes." They battle daily for healthy vision. One of them has legal blindness. Another has what is called macular edema which is swelling of the eyes from diabetes.

I have two eye doctors, the second an opthamologist. About 9 years ago my left eye kept getting broken blood vessels, almost weekly. I went to my first doctor and he found a tiny hair embedded in my left eye, most likely from a hair cut. He referred me to my opthamologist who performed surgery where she locked my head on a machine, did an incision and took the hair out.

When we pray for brothers and sisters with eye problems, and myself, I share this passage to them from Jeremiah 17:14, 14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

The broken blood vessels stopped permanently.

Eyes are precious and am including your eyes in my prayers daily. Of course when we get to heaven we won't have to worry about wearing glasses and will see everything eternally.

God bless you all.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello everyone;

This is a beautiful post and reminds me of wonderful brothers and sisters that need "heaven in their eyes." They battle daily for healthy vision. One of them has legal blindness. Another has what is called macular edema which is swelling of the eyes from diabetes.

I have two eye doctors, the second an opthamologist. About 9 years ago my left eye kept getting broken blood vessels, almost weekly. I went to my first doctor and he found a tiny hair embedded in my left eye, most likely from a hair cut. He referred me to my opthamologist who performed surgery where she locked my head on a machine, did an incision and took the hair out.

When we pray for brothers and sisters with eye problems, and myself, I share this passage to them from Jeremiah 17:14, 14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

The broken blood vessels stopped permanently.

Eyes are precious and am including your eyes in my prayers daily. Of course when we get to heaven we won't have to worry about wearing glasses and will see everything eternally.

God bless you all.
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I can relate to that. I just had cataract surgery last week. I will have another in about a month.

I have actually been unable to see at all in one eye from birth and I also will be glad to see clearly one day!
 
Major said:
I can relate to that. I just had cataract surgery last week. I will have another in about a month.

I have actually been unable to see at all in one eye from birth and I also will be glad to see clearly one day!
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I will pray for you both. I went to the osteo and he cricked my neck as the joints were tight. I havent noticed much improvement in my vision yet but there was one day after ward that I thought My eyes were adjusting.

When I think of the verse 'the blind leading the blind' I'm saying to God please if Im going to do this new job and leading these children I dont want to lead them to a ditch cos of my bad vision!
 
Lanolin said:
I will pray for you both. I went to the osteo and he cricked my neck as the joints were tight. I havent noticed much improvement in my vision yet but there was one day after ward that I thought My eyes were adjusting.

When I think of the verse 'the blind leading the blind' I'm saying to God please if Im going to do this new job and leading these children I dont want to lead them to a ditch cos of my bad vision!
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Thank you for the prayers sister. May the Lord bless you as well.
 
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