Afterlife: Heavens Itinerary

We are glad you're joining us for a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners get more encouraging audio content. When you subscribe to pastor Greg Staley defenses learn more and sign up@harvest.org what are we going to be doing. Sometimes people think heaven is going to be boring as well. Although heaven may suffer from some bad press faulty assumptions pastor Greg Laurie sets the record straight on heaven. Revelation 1 reports of learning to be serving the Lord is upon Revelation challenged understand the symbolism is so rich usual. But at the same time.

Some wonder if it's going to be a boring existence for such a spectacle challenge to explain how good you are.

Greg Laurie takes his final book of the New Testament. One of the most descriptive discussion will see what will do here now in the book of Revelation chapter 4 again to review chapter 1 is a revelation of the glorified Christ chapters 2 to 3 is a flyover of church history. Chapters 4 and five were taken up into heaven in the rapture. Chapters 6 to 19 we have the great tribulation. That will last for seven years.

Chapter 20 we have the millennium. Chapters 21 to 22.

We have the new heavens and the new earth. So let's talk about the next event on the prophetic calendar I already mentioned it.

It's called the rapture.

Look at what John writes in verse one. The first voice which occurred was like a trumpet speaking with me saying come up here and I'll show you things that must take place after this. After this, after what after the things of the church on earth. So now the church are all believers in Jesus are caught up to meet the Lord.

First Thessalonians 4 is the Lord himself will discern from heaven with a shout in the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and we which are alive and remaining shall be caught up together with them in the air. So what is the rapture so very carefully. The rapture is a future event, when Christ will descendent from heaven and resurrect the bodies of believers who have died, their spirits of God the government. Their bodies are still here in the earth in the gray at the same time, we who are alive. If it happens in our lifetime we will be caught up together with them with you with those others who are having their resurrection bodies given to them will be caught up together with them in heaven will be a great reunion. The word rapture comes from the Greek word harp also this word harp also is used 13 times in the New Testament it means to take forcibly dispatched or to catch up. So mostly open the word rub from the Bible will depend to feel the Latin Bible you have it because of the Latin translation of harp also is rock Taurus for beginner English word rapture. It doesn't matter what you call it the rapture. The harp also the great escape. Whatever you prefer. But it means to take forcibly to snatch or to catch up. That's what the rapture is, is it spoken of elsewhere in Scripture. Answer yes Jesus spoke of it.

In John chapter 14, he said, in my father's house are many mansions were not so I would've told you.

I go to prepare a place for you if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you on the myself, that where I am, you may be also. Jesus also mentioned this event and what we sometimes call the all of the discourse found in Matthew 24. He says there in verse 42 men will be in the field will will be taken and the other left to woman will be at a hand mill one will be taken and the other left. So be watching you don't know what day your Lord will come. So summer in a field summer working summer sleeping, so it's a global event that will happen in a moment that you can't even really measure in time. Now here's the big question, the one that says more than any other one is a rapture answer any talk that could happen today can happen. Then I get up in the morrow we don't know the Bible says no man knows the day of the hour when the Son of Man will return. So what's going to happen first.

Well, when the rapture happens, the dead will rise first day you might be asking Greg, are you see people get a burst out of their graves and be given new bodies. Actually, that's exactly what I'm think because that's what the Bible says.

The Bible teaches that there is a bodily resurrection.

So this is something we can look forward to effectors even a prototype for this event found in the Gospel of Matthew.

After Jesus died on the cross. A lot of amazing phenomena took place. We read in Matthew 2751. After Christ died at the moment the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth should listen and the tombs open and bodies of many godly men and women who die were raised from the dead after Jesus resurrection. They love the cemetery and walked into the holy city of Jerusalem and appeared to many people. This is only in one gospel. It's amazing. Now here's the big question, what are we going to be doing and have this is important because sometimes people think heaven is going to be boring. It's going to be a drag were going to just sit around and fluffy clouds and plug Harbison and just sleep now. Actually, some people find that very appealing like along that but working to be doing a lot of things in heaven starting with the worship will be worshiping the Lord in heaven look at verse 10. Here in Revelation 4 the 24 elders fell down before him who sits on the throne and they worship in the lives forever and ever. They because the grounds of forum listen to what they say you are worthy overlord to receive glory and honor and power, you created all things for bar. Your will be exist and were created.

So they are giving honor to God, and we will be worshiping the Lord so get in the practice now be a worshiper of the Lord because this is something we'll be doing a lot of in heaven but were not going to just sit around that one long church service.

I think that's all some people envision oversight church on Sunday when it goes too long. Nono will be worship and you'll see the Lord in his glory, and you want to worship. But listen, you will be doing things as well. You will be busy serving the Lord. Revelation 22 three says his servants will serve him will serve him. So the be tasks for us to accomplish. Can you imagine the Lord's, and would you go do something for me right now just Lord what can I do anything you want were told in Revelation 715 that were going to be serving him day and night in his temple.

I mean, I'm looking forward to rest, but I can only rest for so long. I like to get out and do things and I even like to accomplish things. You wonder, will we be able to accomplish some things in the afterlife. We were not able to complete in this life you know we all have dreams and aspirations things we wish we could have done or maybe our dreams were shattered and done. I think sometimes people act as though everything that can be done must be done in this life and if it's not done in this life and that it there's no other chance is not. I think it is important to do what we can with our life on earth. We certainly don't want to waste our life was Corrie 10 boom, who wrote a life is not measured by its duration, but by its donation. We all want to make a donation with our life, but one of the life was cut short through disease or a disability, or the like was shorter than we hoped it would be because they died as a young man for a young woman they had no control over those circumstances. That doesn't seem fair.

So do they just lose and that said too bad you died younger and that's the way it goes for you and then you see other people living long lives sometimes honestly long wicked lives long ways full lives and then you see some of that and so much promise and so much potential. I think of my own son, age 33, just such a wonderful young man so full of talent envision and plans for his future. He was taken to be with the Lord at 33. Why do we think everything that can be accomplished can only be accomplished on earth.

There are things that we will do in the afterlife as well.

And don't forget, we'll get into this later. Heaven is going to come to work.

We read about that at the end of Revelation is also the millennial reign of Christ. That's a thousand years. In fact, we read in Isaiah 6521 will build our own house and eat the fruit of our own vineyard. Wait, what we were going to just sit around and clouds and plug car so no, we a lot of things are going to be doing working to be worshiping working to be learning working to be serving were even going to be building houses in the millennium so you might get that dream home.

After all, when we restate that you will get that dream home after all your great glory will have the second half of his message just a moment.

We hear from so many people find Christ through Pastor Greg's teachings, Esther, Greg, I was saved at your harvest Crusade in Anaheim Stadium. About 20 years ago.

Before that I could hardly stand to look in the mirror because I was lost in a world of drugs and violence.

In fact, I had many friends and family who died when I was young I always figured I would be far behind. Today I went to your harvest Crusade. I was kind of embarrassed to be there and didn't understand what this was all about and you came on stage and began to grab my attention. God was speaking through your mouth. My heart, I started crying and didn't know why but I knew I wanted everything you were talking about the love, the forgiveness and eternal life.

You did an altar call for anyone who wanted to accept Jesus as their personal. I popped up and jumped through the rows to get to the field so that I could commit my life to Jesus Christ. I just felt the need to share this with you. I pray that God continues to use you to help save the lost. Thank you Jesus and thank you Pastor Greg for sharing God's love was so many great stories of how God used the harvest Crusade to bring this man to Christ, tell a friend about Pastor Greg's next event SoCal harvest October 3 Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California get information and get involved by going to harvest.org harvest.org you're listening to a message called afterlife from Pastor Greg series in the book of Revelation, and if you missed any part of today's presentation or the earlier installments just go online for a replay@harvest.org and now as we close this message. The elders give us an insight as to why we exist because this is a question that is often asked why am I here in earth. What is the meaning of life. Why was I placed here. These elders in heaven. Tell us what we are here on earth. Let's go back to Revelation 4, verse 11 they say you're worthy a Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, you created everything and it's for your pleasure that they exist and were created wine away exist. Why do you exist why was I put here. Here's the answer I exist and I was created to bring glory and pleasure to God I was not created to bring glory and pleasure myself but there are people that dedicate their a lot tire life to the pursuit of pleasure. The Bible even tells us in the last days people would be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God first Timothy 56 were told.

She then lives for pleasure is dead while she lives.

Listen to this living for pleasure is one of the most un-pleasurable things that you can do we say that again living for pleasure is one of the most unpleasurable things you can do. It's been said, the best cure for hedonism is an attempt to practice it didn't go for it is integrated.

Are you saying that we can experience pleasure as Christians know I'm saying told live for it. Don't make that the pursuit of your life because of you do, you'll never find it.

However, the Bible says in his presence there is fullness of joy on his right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Jesus said in John 1010 I have come that you might have life and that more abundantly. So all yes you can experience pleasure, but you experience it, not by living for pleasure, but by living for God, my friend, Randy Alcorn put it this way and I quote, if we come to see the purpose of the universe is God's long-term glory rather than our short-term happiness, then we will undergo a critical paradigm shift in tackling the problem of suffering." Well said if I understand that that the ultimate goal of my life is bringing glory to God, it changes everything. Here's the bottom line when you seek to fulfill the purpose you were created for. Which is to know glorify and worship God, you will find the happiness you been seeking in life, you will find the happiness you want in life by seeking it, you'll find the happiness you want to live by seeking him because the Bible says happy are the people whose God is the Lord yes God created you for his own glory.

Isaiah 43 seven the Lord says everyone that I've created I've created for my glory, then first Corinthians 1031 Paul says whatever you do, do it for the glory of God is what it means whatever you're doing in life, whatever your career path or if you're a student tour husband or wife or her parents are whoever you are, whatever you're doing to it for the glory of God and if he can't do it for the glory of God baby you should be doing it anymore. Jesus taught us in the Lord's prayer to pray. How would be thy name. If you can't write how would be his name are honored be his name over what you're doing, then don't do it, do what you can as God's blessing on Intuit for his glory. Why because life is preparation for eternity. We were made by God. We were made for God and God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. Let me close with this. Are you ready for the afterlife.

You cannot escape it. It is there.

You're going to get there if you're Christian by death or by rapture nonbelievers again enter the afterlife to they of course would not go be a rapture.

They will go via death and life care will in for some sooner than later. We all have an appointment with the afterlife. I decide in this life where I will spend the afterlife. Let me say that again I decide in this life where I will spend the afterlife. You have two choices heaven or hell. Smoking and non-smoking. You decide where you will go sometime people will say how can a God of love, send people to hell. Why do you say that you're immediately questioning the love of God has God not shown his love by sending his son Jesus Christ to suffer and die in our place. Listen, God doesn't send people to hell we set ourselves to help because he is Lewis wrote, quote the gates of hell are locked from the inside. Listen, friend, if you end up in hell one day and will talk about this later in Revelation, but if you went up there.

It's on you. It's a God fall hell was not created for people. According to Jesus, hell was created for the devil and his angels are his demons. But God doesn't want people made in his image to spend eternity separated from him. That's why he sent Jesus to die on the cross in your place, and he took his anger and wrath and judgment imported upon Christ when it should have come upon you and me and Jesus rose again from the dead, and as we pointed out, he stands at the door of our life in the Knox nipple hear his voice and open the door he'll come in as I said earlier, it will open the door of our heart to Christ on earth will open the door of heaven to us later so that your choice where you want to spend eternity you want to go to heaven when you die you want to know that you're ready to meet God than you need Jesus to come into your life. Jesus is standing at the door of your life knocking ready to come in.

Only you can open the door and invite him in and receive his forgiveness and I want to pray that you will make this decision to follow Christ. So let's all pray. Father, I thank you for your word to us.

Thank you for your promises to us and I pray for everybody listening wherever they are right now speak of their heart. Show them their need for Jesus, help them become to you and believe, so they can change their eternal address from hell to heaven from hopelessness to hope, from death to life in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

You want Jesus Christ to come in your life you want him to forgive you of your sin, you want to go to heaven when you die nominally doing a simple prayer and I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me if you like you can print quietly if you prefer, but I want you to pray this prayer immediate.

The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved and in this prayer doing just that. If you want to go to heaven when you die if you want to be forgiven of all of your sins. If you want to find the meaning. The purpose of life. If you want. Hope instead of hopelessness of your ready to say yes to Jesus pray this prayer with me right here right now.

Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner but I know that you are the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead. Now come in the my life. Forgive, I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray that Esther, Greg Laurie closing with an important prayer for those choosing to follow the Lord today and if you just prayed with Pastor Greg and you've meant those words sincerely your sins have been forgiven. The Bible says Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and we want to help you get started. Living the Christian life would like to send you our new believers growth packet just dashboard and will set it free of charge requested when you write a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or when you call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and when you're in touch. Let us know how you're enjoying this new series in Revelation and then we want to mention Pastor Greg's new book that springs from the series is called Revelation, a book of promises and festering. Some people have a rather cloudy understanding of prophecy. You know they're not sure of the terms and some prophecy is just so rich in symbolism that they wonder where they can get a decoder ring member decoder reggae Arava decoder ring. I don't know if I ever got one. But I was very aware of them and I wanted one.

Do you have an extra effort for your gift of any size. Okay, so it is your book. Sort of a literary decoder ring as it were for for all of us to understand what Revelation means and how were supposed to employ that insight today. Yeah yeah I think that's good description. You know, my objective as a pastor is a Bible teacher as an evangelist is make things understandable to people I don't see any value in speaking over someone's head and using theological terminology that people don't understand the Bible says of Jesus, the common people heard him gladly. Which simply means regular rank-and-file people understood what Jesus was talking about. So the book of Revelation.

This is a book. Many people are fascinated by, but it's also about many people are mystified by and there is a decoder ring as I describe it early in the book a password.

A password or an encryption key that will help you understand the book of Revelation, and it's found right in the first chapter, I think you're going to be surprised by how understandable this great book of the Bible is, I write in a way.

Well, it's as though were just sitting down over a cup of coffee and were just reading the verses together and were talking about them together and I'm trying to explain to you with simple analogies, and other scriptures commentating on Scripture and showing you how these great truths apply to you. So it's in a brand-new book that just came out, never excited about it and I want our listeners to have a copy again. It's called Revelation, the book of promises and will send it to you for your gift of any size, though some can only give a little will send one to you.

Some can give more.

Of course, will send one to you, but whatever your gift is large or small, we will use it to continue to teach the word of God and proclaim the gospel so get your copy of Revelation, a book of promises I will rush it to you and arthritis brand-new be one of the first to own a copy of this new hardcover commentary from Pastor Greg and Dave let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this new book Revelation about the promises, but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times events so you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation. In the antichrist and the second coming. What happens when will this very beautiful little visual bookmark sort of lease it out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now.

Yeah that's right so we hope to get in touch today and ask for Revelation, a book of promises will send it to say thank you for your donation. Just address a letter to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and this is your invitation to be a part of our large upcoming evangelistic event October 3 called SoCal harvest. It takes place live at Angel Stadium in Southern California. Pastor Greg welcomes Phil Wickham and for King and country, and will bring an important gospel message. Obviously if you're in the Southern California area.

Be sure to attend and bring someone who needs to meet the Lord. But no matter where you live, you can invite a friend to watch online along with you@harvest.org/SoCal that's also where you'll find full details on SoCal harvest again October 3 when next I Pastor Greg has the next message in our Revelation series 1 was a dramatic title, the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. If the details on this revealing from a next time.

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