Heaven

Let's talk about Heaven!

I think for each of us believers, God prepares a special place in His presence, but we are all different and unique so what does Heaven mean to you personally? And what kind of things are you looking forward to in Heaven?

For me. When I think of heaven God knows it will have no weeds and I wont need to do any laundry! My cats will be there and my friends who have now passed on will be reuinited. People whove showed kindness to me will all be there, in ways they might not have registered. I look forward to having a totally healed, holy spiritual body that has no blemish or spot...! Or even it does happen to gave any spots it will be a beauty spot! There will be a vast library that I could spend eternity in reading out loud everyones testimonies who are written in the lambs book of life. The clothing willbe glorious and the food will be amazing. Plus I will get to ask God how he makes the universe work. Like I've often wondered how weather happens and what the deal is rain, wind and volcanoes. Or how He created each creature. I will get to meet Abraham and all his family. I will have absolutely no fear because theres no darkness in heaven, nobody is going to bite you and I will be able to swim with no fear of drowning. I will never be bored in heaven it will be so beautiful and everyone will be singing praises there will be no reason to ever feel down in the dumps. And how can it get old it will never get old!
Just some of the things....!
 
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.
 
Besides a few descriptions of streets and buildings and a very few events, we have little description of Heaven. Thinking that this gives a representative view of Heaven is like watching a travel show about the Washington DC mall, and thinking we know about living in the US. It wouldn't even be adequate to describe living in Washington DC.

But, I can tell you some of what I think it will be like. This is all speculation but based on observation and analysis.
We can base this on what we observe about God.


First, he is an active God. No long vacation is coming.

Second, He is preparing us for life in His Kingdom, teaching us to look to Him rather than to ourselves. That preparation will be needed.

Third, we will be raised free from our negative desires (those that put ourselves before Him).

I believe that this life is where we learn to trust Him, and follow His directions, without question or even needing an explanation.


So, I believe that we will have some great and joyful task to perform together in harmony.
Once we have been freed from ourselves (our own selfish desires) we will be both willing and fully able to do Gods will as He desires.

That is what I would call Heaven.
 
Dear brothers and sisters;

When I think of Heaven many times its the memories. I share this in my devotional with God and fellowship with others. Only God knows.

When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be
When we all see Jesus, We'll sing and shout the victory


When we all get to Heaven we'll take with us the memories that maximize our enjoyment of God. Our loved ones will be one of the memories that enhances our worship and I truly feel they will be remembered.

God bless you all and your families.
 
Angels. We will see angels.
The holy city Jerusalem will be the centre but it does say in Revelation how big heaven will be. I dont know the population but people of every tribe tongue and nation will be there. Somehow we will all understand each other. Possibly a similar atmosphere to the Olympic or Commonwealth Games but without all the drugs, scandal and competititveness.

We will be dancing in the streets full of joy like David did.
 
Angels.
Yes, there are angels here in our Heaven on earth, but it is sometimes difficult to recognise them when they present themselves to us. Abraham semed to cope in Genesis 18.
I was so happy to recognise such a helpful one who was known to me for 72 years, and the description in Proverbs 31:12-31 fits exactly.
 
Is this an angel you entertained unawares.
I often wonder if it just meant the angels (invisible to us) were watching and being highly amused, not that we were actually entertaining them, because how can you entertain someone and not even be aware of it? If I'd invited them over and they showed up at my house wouldnt I be aware of it?
 
There will be no sin or curse and none of us has ever felt what that is like.
There will be order.
I was thinking on this.
JEsus said something about us being as angels. Angels also are not given to marriage and they dont reproduce or have children...so no sorrow and pain in childbirth for women and no working fingers to the bone for men.

It might be we become like children again as also Jesus said to enter the kingdom of heaven you become like a child, and a child really knows nothing except they are loved by their parents.

As for order, in The kingdom of Heaven its all decreed by God so nothing is out of place. Everything is as it ought to be. Even butterflies, which to us flit from place to place, in seemingly random fashion will be as God made them to His perfect design. I dont see God as a rigid tyrant like Louis IV moving tonnes of earth to make a Versailles and clipping hedges so that all plants grow in straight lines military fashion, imposing order artificially. God can move a mountain, but He wont level it and make everything flat and boring. Everything God does is for His good pleasure so He doesnt need to destroy or remove anything He created. All creatures great and small He will save for heaven, knowing the purpose and destiny of each one.
 
Hmm siloam said something interesting about it Heaven not being like a vacation. Maybe it will be doing something you love all the time.

Although in Hebrews it says believers enter into their rest. For me actually Heaven does sound a bit like a vacation, or vocation. Or retirement,

For example Heaven does not sound like its the same as Auckland city where I live. It doesnt sound as if it has traffic jams and pollution, busy industry and always changing weather! And people complaining...because even in a gated retirement community where I work, and generally thought of as safe, with no riff raff or babies crying...there can be not nice people living there. But if you kind of ignore or overlook that, it does seem a bit like heaven, to have everything catered for and you dont have to lift a finger, and your home maintained (as long as you can afford to occupy it, to the end of your earthly life as most people have sold all they have to live there). You really have nothing pressing to do except chat with your neighbours over a cup of tea and reminisce about the good old days, and go on day trips and cruises. As long as your body doesnt break on you it can be an excellent lifestyle. To many people, that would be like heaven.
 
We will be blessed.
We might all enter heaven and say to each other how did you get here? I can imagine different saints sharing on how they died on earth and when they got there. One might say, cancer killed me, but Im here. Or another, I got beheaded, but Im here, thank you Lord. Or I was aborted, hit by a bus, burned in an oven, but Im here. Miracle!
And we might all be from different tribes and tongues but we will all communicate perfectly. We will all know Gods language and somehow not ever misunderstand any meanings whatsoever. We will all be constantly praising the Lord.
 
Also noone will ever say 'I paid $2 million in church tithes to get here' because Jesus said its very hard for a rich man to enter heaven...like a camel going through the eye of a needle. Although of course nothing is impossible with God.
 
Also noone will ever say 'I paid $2 million in church tithes to get here' because Jesus said its very hard for a rich man to enter heaven...like a camel going through the eye of a needle. Although of course nothing is impossible with God.
Lanolin those scriptures have nothing to do with a Christian having lots of money or being rich.
It is talking about those who put their trust in money. Those who make money priority over everything including God.
 
FCJ it was just talking about rich men who are trusting in money it wasnt talking about rich christians, we are all rich in his Grace, so we do not need to boast at all about having money. Nobody can buy their way into heaven, how could they when the streets are already paved in gold and its all given to us free, as part of our salvation?

Hoping you will understand this.
 
JEsus told a parable or was it actually a true story i.e not symbolic about the rich man and lazarus. Lazarus was very poor on earth and the rich man (who was not named) was very rich, but their positions were reversed after they died. lazarus got to go to paradise and the rich man was in hell/hades. Why because the rich man had treated those who were poor like scum of the earth. I dont believe its saying all wealthy people are like this but with general observation they can look down on the poor and treat them like dirt. And often they do not even realise they do so.

Luke 16:19-31
 
Besides a few descriptions of streets and buildings and a very few events, we have little description of Heaven. Thinking that this gives a representative view of Heaven is like watching a travel show about the Washington DC mall, and thinking we know about living in the US. It wouldn't even be adequate to describe living in Washington DC.

But, I can tell you some of what I think it will be like. This is all speculation but based on observation and analysis.
We can base this on what we observe about God.


First, he is an active God. No long vacation is coming.

Second, He is preparing us for life in His Kingdom, teaching us to look to Him rather than to ourselves. That preparation will be needed.

Third, we will be raised free from our negative desires (those that put ourselves before Him).

I believe that this life is where we learn to trust Him, and follow His directions, without question or even needing an explanation.

So, I believe that we will have some great and joyful task to perform together in harmony. Once we have been freed from ourselves (our own selfish desires) we will be both willing and fully able to do Gods will as He desires.

That is what I would call Heaven.
Siloam what task do you think it might be? I think the tasks we are given to do here and now on this earth is also to prepare it for the heavenly Kingdom that will descend. Not just ourselves but the entire earth. Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth. And it does need restoration.

A lot of earth these days is so polluted that nothing can live or grow on it and its been over exploited. People just dont do things Gods way or care about creation. But in heaven its perfect there is no pollution. Heaven requires that we care about each other and what God created.
 
Ok we kind of know some things for example it will centred on the New Jerusalem rev 21:2 or 'the holy Jerusalem' in rev 22:10

Has anyone been to Jerusalem? I can picture the layout of this ancient city. I've read so much about it and seen a few films about it but never been or lived there. But I can imagine that once we enter those gates we will know we are home.

What an honor to meet our King in person - face to face!

I have not been to washington DC. Perhaps the White House is quite impressive. I don't know. But see the White House doesnt have a tree of life bearing 12 kinds of fruit every month does it, although I have heard it has some massive magnolia trees and a rose garden. Another thing the New Jerusalem features is a pure river of water of life.
Now lots of cities have rivers. But can you drink out of them? Not a chance, most of them are polluted as anything or even full of sewage. Some are so bad you have to buy your own bottled water cos the tap water is undrinkable.
In this Holy City, you CAN drink the water freely! Hallelujah!
 
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