Heavenly Minded All The Way

I am reminded quite often that our home isn't here, not in this world. Not in a world, who has to watch their loved ones slip from this life into an eternal life apart from them temporarily; not in a world in which our tears are collected in a bottle, each and every one, carefully by God, because they are precious and our tears are important to God, not that He needs them but that He cares. Not in a world, who is more focused on their financial portfolios, their next level of success climbing the next level of the corporate ladder, when their are homeless all around, that we simply fail to see them any longer. Not in a world, where people are in so much physical pain from disease, cancer or whatever is slowing taking their life bit by bit and there is nothing you can do to stop it aside from prayer and simply being with them for as long as you can.

Not I am not of this world. I don't need a bumper sticker to remind me on my car, but at times, I can get so caught up in the cares of this world, I forget I am not home yet. I live for the day, when there will be no social media feeds for prayer, churches will be empty because there is no need, when hospitals are no longer needed and every single adversity, disability or deformity is corrected to absolute perfection and our tears no longer need to be collected.

Heaven awaits and I know without a shadow of a doubt that is where I am destined whether I take my last breath here or I am simply transformed from God during the Rapture. That is my home. The home I long for in my heart and down in the depths of my soul, that makes me weep with utter and unexplained joy! I long for my heavenly Father in such a way that no love on this earth can satisfy.

Yes, I long for the promise of Revelation 21:4 ~ "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."

Where we will sit in a heavenly city on a mountain great and high, the Holy City, Jerusalem. It shines with the glory of God and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. Surrounded by a great high wall with twelve gates in which stood angels at each one. Engraved on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, with three gates on each side of the Holy City. The walls had twelve foundations inscribed with the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The size of the walls that surrounded the city like a square, as long as it is wide, measures 1,400 miles in length, width and height. The depth of the walls were 200 feet and were made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every single precious stone, the first jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 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. Each of the 12 gates made of a single pearl and the streets of the city were pure gold like transparent glass.

The city of God does not need the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is the lamp. On no day will the gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 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.

The river of the water of life, as clear as crystal , flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, down the middle of the street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve Him. They will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. ~ Revelation 21-22.

Yes, Heaven is a real place. Just like most incredible places on the earth, we will need a special pass in order to enter. Not a ticket but in this case it will be in who you know. For us, believers of Jesus Christ, that will be the only name, in who we believe with absolute certainty is the Son of God. The one who came in human form to pay the price for sin for all humankind, through the shedding of his blood on the cross. Who died for us, as payment, because the wages of sin are death. He took our place for all our sins, past, present and future. He did not stay dead, but rose exactly as He promised on the third day, and now resides on the throne in Heaven. He sits in rest in Heaven, only rising when He personally greets each believer into heaven at the moment of their death.

But the only way to get to Heaven, will be ONLY through the belief in Jesus. There is no other path, road or belief that will get you there. Not in Buddha, Muhammad, Your Spiritual Force, or anything else you will insert in the place of Jesus.

John 14:6, "Jesus answered, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me."(NIV).

The only way you will be denied entrance to this heavenly city upon your death is denying Jesus, what He did for you and putting your 100% faith in everything He did and what He continues to do. If you don't accept Him, if you don't say yes, you are in a sense denying Him, saying No, no thanks, I got this one.

I'm sorry to tell you that your fate if you don't choose Jesus is Hell. But Hell wasn't created for man, it was created for the devil and his demons. But those who fail to accept Jesus, will unfortunately find their way to Hell. God doesn't send anyone to Hell, we make the choice all on our own. Once we breathe our last breath here our choice for eternity has been sealed. Heaven or Hell, those are our eternal destinations.

Trust me, Hell will not be a fun place, for hanging out with all the other people who didn't believe in Jesus. It will be a lonely, dark place, with no light. You will be left all alone, the most desolate place imaginable. You will face torture forever. Endless torture pain, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I guess for me, the certainty of my future is a no brainer. I choose Heaven. I choose Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, the truly blessed Son of God, who lived and died to restore a right relationship between me and God, who even now is preparing a place so grand that He has been gone for over 2000 years making it. It will be unlike anything here the world could provide. He fills me with a desire that the world can not match. He is exactly who He says he is. Creator, Alpha and Omega, The Great I Am, who I can't wait to bow down before His holy throne and worship forever and ever in the peace that will surpass all understanding for all eternity.

Do you want that same promise? Do you want to choose Heaven over Hell? Are you willing to turn over your messy, complicated, unfulfilled life to Jesus? Pray this prayer.

Father, I come to You, confessing my sin and asking for Your forgiveness. I thank you, Lord, for You have promised that if I will confess my sins, You will be faithful to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I want to turn from my sins and live in Your will. I ask that You give me the power through Your Holy Spirit to live the right way.

I thank You that Jesus Christ died on the cross, paying the price for my sins, and then rose from the dead. I accept Him now as my Savior, my Lord, and my Friend. Thank You for giving me new life in Christ. I surrender myself to You; make me what You want me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen!

If you prayed that prayer with all sincerity, welcome to the most incredible moment in your life. You, my friend are saved. You have the exclusive pass to enter heaven whenever you breathe your last breath here. I would encourage you to pick up a Bible and begin to learn about the Lord you know serve and will be spending an eternity with. He is truly incredible and you have unlimited access to his throne, through prayer. Begin praying, talking to Him, singing songs of worship and praise to Him. Draw closer to Him and see how different your new life can be. Find other Christians, and let them know about your new commitment and find a church you can learn from and grow in spiritually.

You might not feel any different, because it's not about a feeling, it's about a change that will take place inside of you as the Holy Spirit begins His work in your life. Trust me, it truly is the greatest thing in the whole wide world. You won't be able to contain it. Share it with others and rejoice because you, my friend are now going to be in heaven for all eternity. Our last breath here is our very first breath in Heaven! Welcome Home, precious Saint!