WE Can Know

There Is A Literal Heaven

WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?

The Old and New Testament words for heaven are used three ways. They and there refer to the earth’s atmosphere, space where the sun, moon and stars are and to God’s home. Although the word heaven is found in the Bible 592 times the majority of these references are referring to the first two heavens therefore we do not have an abundance of information in the Bible describing God’s home.

John 3:13 “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven-the Son of Man.”

2 Cor 12:2 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.

HEAVEN IS BEAUTIFUL ON THE OUTSIDE

Rev 21:18 "The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass."

JASPER: Translucent stone of various colors, especially that of fire, (Vine's) A precious stone of various colors some are purple, others blue, others green, and others the color of brass (Thayer's)

Rev 21:16 "The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long." (1,400 mi. cube; From Canada to tip of Florida, Atlantic to Colorado. More than 1/2 the size of USA.)

Rev 21:21 "The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl."

Imagine a pearl 1,400 mi. high.

A heathen girl who had been taught by some missionaries was looking out at the stare lit night, then she exclaimed almost in ecstasy, “How beautiful heaven must look when we get there it the out side of heaven is so fair!”

HEAVEN IS BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE

Rev 21:19-20 "The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst."

1.       Jasper              Translucent stone color of fire, purple, blue, green

2.       Sapphire           Clear blue

3.       Chalcedony      Misty gray, blue, yellow or purple

4.       Emerald             Transparent light green

5.       Sardonyx          Red & white

6.       Carnelian          Fleshly color and red

7.       Chrysolite          Gold

8.       Beryl,                 Pale green

9.       Topaz                Greenish yellow

10.    Chrysoprase     Greenish gold

11.    Jacinth               Dark blue, almost black

12.    Amethyst          Violet & Purple

HEAVEN’S LIGHT

Rev 21:11" It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal."

HEAVEN’S MAIN STREET

Rev 21:21 "The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass."

1 Cor 2:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF PURITY

Rev 21:27 "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF UNMARRED HAPPINESS

Luke 6:21 "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."

Rev 21:1,4 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth... 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."

Some have made the statement; I couldn't be happy in heaven knowing my loved ones were suffering in hell. In the book of Isaiah we find a companion passage that tells us a little more than Rev. 21:4, "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind," Isa 65:17 NIV. This verse indicates that we will never remember our loved ones who were on earth with us, if they end up in hell.

There’s no disappointments in heaven. No weariness sorrow or pain. No hearts that are bleeding and broken. No songs with a minor refrain. The clouds of our earthly horizon will never appear in the sky, For all will be sunshine and gladness with never a tear nor a sigh. We’ll never pay rent for our mansion. The taxes will never come due. Our garments will never grow threadbare, but always be faceless and new. We’ll never be hungry or thirsty, nor languish in poverty there, for the rich bounties of heaven, His sanctified children will share. There will be no crape for the door knob. No funeral train up in the sky. No grave on the hillside of glory, for there we shall never more die. The old will be young there for ever, transformed in a moment of time. Immortal we’ll stand in his likeness. The stars and the sun to out shine.

HEAVEN IS BEING WITH GOOD COMPANY:

Enoch Gen. 5:24;

Elijah II Kgs. 2:11;

Lazarus Lk. 16:

Will your circle be unbroken?

HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE:

Phil 1:21-24 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

2 Tim 4:8 "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

1 Peter 1:4 "Into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you..."

Matt 5:12 "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..."

Eph 3:8 "This grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ..."

The story is told of Joseph dumping chaff into the Nile. The river made its way through many villages and as it did so the town's people would explain, "If there's that much chaff, emagine how much wheat Joseph is storing up for us."  God has thrown the husks down to us to show his plenty.

If there are such glories on his footstool how much will there be at his throne?

If God made the world so fair, where sin and death abound, how beautiful beyond compare will paradise be found?

HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF REST:

Earth is for working:

Gal 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

John 9:4 "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work."

Heaven is for resting.

Rev 14:13 "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

Here so many are taking vacations, to the mountains, the lakes or the sea, where they rest from their cares and their worries, what a wonderful time that must be. But it seems not my lot to be like them. I must work through the heat and the cold. Seeking the lost sheep out on the mountains, bringing the wonders back to the fold. When I take my vacation in heaven and the face of my savior I see, hearing concerts of heavenly chorus what a wonderful time that will be. Setting down on the banks of the river, ‘neat the shade of the evergreen tree, there I shall rest from my burdens forever. Won’t you come, take your vacation with me?

HEAVEN IS BEING WITH JESUS

John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 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."

Rev 3:21 "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

When I was a boy I always wanted a brother. I had three sisters, all older than me and all could run twice as fast. We would run into the house for cookies and Cecile, my oldest sister, would get theere first. She left the door open for Lucile. Lucile, my middle sister, would arrive next and leave the door open for Marilyn. Marilyn was my youngest sister but she was four years older and could run much faster. Marilyn would leave the door open for me. Finally I would arrive, after all the best cookies were taken and I would rush in for the crumbs but invariably, before I could get my cookie some one would shout, “Norman you were the last one in. Go back and close the door!" I remember getting down beside my mother’s bed and begging for a brother. I figured that if I had a big brother he could fight my battles for me. If I got a little brother, at least he would have to shut the door. How I longed for a brother! But no brother ever came.

Each fourth of July we would have a parade through Guys Mills. It was mostly fire trucks and bands but once in a while someone would put together a make-shift float. I use to dream about that parade and those big red fire trucks. I would pretend that my friends and I would be watching the parade and a big fire truck would pull up and I’d say, “Hay, know Bruce, my brother is driving one of those fire trucks in the parade.” Bruce would say, “Oh, go on! You don’t have a brother!” Then I would turn to Gary Fareman and tell him about my brother driving a fire truck. Gary would say, “Norman you don’t have and brother!” I would turn to Harington Smith. “My brother is going to drive a fire truck!” Soon all my friends were telling me to leave them alone. I DIDN’T HAVE A BROTHER!!! Then all of a sudden we would look up and there would be the biggest, the brightest, the reddest fire truck we had ever seen. Our mouths watered just with the thought of touching it. Look at those shinny gages and valves! Boy what a fire truck! Suddenly, far above us, looking straight down at us, was the big handsome fireman. He looked down at us and said, “Norman would you like to ride in the fire truck,--- with your brother? Oh boy would I?!! I raised up my tiny little hand and he reached way down to me and picked me up as though I was as light as a feather. I slid into the truck, wow what a beauty! He said, “You can if you want to.” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Really?” “Why sure, nothings too good for you, my little brother.” I reached toward the dash and with a pounding in my heart I pushed that big red button.  ERRRrrrrrrrr ERRRrrrrrr. Oh it was great! I looked down at my friends on the side walk below, their mouths were hanging open and their color was that of green pea soup. Then I slid my little bottom over next to my brother and he draped his arm around my shoulders and I heard him say, “Your my brother.”

Well that was just a dream, ------ but some day I’m going to walk right down those golden streets and right up to the throne an I’m going to set down, I’m going to slide my little bottom right over against Jesus and I'm going to wave at all my friends and I’ll say, “Hay, Bruce. Look Gary! Here’s my brother Harrington!” And Jesus will say, “Look Father, here’s my brother Norman.”

Rev 3:21 "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

Won’t you come take your vacation with me?

After I had been in basic training for several weeks we had our first leave. My friends and I went to a movie theater. A war movie was playing. I sat there for a little while watching the movie then all of a sudden I thought, “That’s me! I’m a soldier now and perhaps I will be the one being shot at next.” That movie brought home the sudden reality that I was now a soldier and It was a very dramatic experience for me.

 THINK OF IT...

Think of stepping out on the sure and finding it to be heaven!

Taking hold of a hand and finding it the hand of an angel.

Taking a drink of water and realizing that it will make you live forever.

Visiting with an old man and finding it to be Moses.

Admiring a pillar in heaven and finding your name inscribed.

Setting down to rest and finding that your setting on the throne of heaven.

Having your tears wiped away and find that God’s hand is holding the handkerchief.

Hearing Jesus say to God, “This is my beloved brother in whom I’m well pleased.

Think of being shocked into reality, “It’s me. I’m really here. It’s not a dream. It’s real.”

I’m bound for a beautiful city my Lord has prepared for his own.

Where all  the redeemed of the ages sing “Glory!” around his white throne.

Sometimes I grow homesick for heaven and the glories I there shall behold.

What a joy it will be when my savior I see In that beautiful city of Gold.

won't you come to heaven with me?

We Can Know . . .

There is a God in Heaven
 

Jesus Is God

We can know The Way To Heaven

We can know There Is A Literal Heaven

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