Let’s Talk About Heaven: The Hope of A Christian

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One out of every one of the high life of the Lord was along longer than this boy wonder. So we need to know about Greg Laurie help us learn more about the future destination every true believer in Jesus Christ is the hope of a Christian school certain 7000 moving when we move we try to find out details about our new home today on a new beginning. Greg Laurie provides details about our eternal home. The Bible gives a more detailed and you may be aware, none of us knows are moving good idea to get that information now, let's talk about heaven because out of the subject. I love to talk about. That's a topic the Bible addresses many many many times that heaven is a place that we all need to know about because it were a Christian that's originally end up one day and you want to be ready for your gonna take a trip you want to know a little bit about where you're going, you know what close. Do I take with the good place to eat. Where should I stay what site should I go see you we prepare ourselves for a trip that we take. Well, we want to be prepared for heaven, because heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. So let's talk about heaven to turn the Colossians chapter 3 tonight turn over there with me if you would Colossians chapter 3 heard about an 85-year-old couple who had been married for almost 60 years who incredibly died on the same day they been a good health actually for the last 10 years mainly as a result of the wife's interest in health food and exercise so they reach the pearly gates in the matter course by St. Peter and he takes them to their brand-new mansion waiting for them in heaven, it's equipped with a beautiful kitchen and the master bath suite in a sauna and Jacuzzi at sertraline and online. The old man says to Peter how much is this going to cost Peter says the cost anything man. This is evident and then they looked out of their backyard and it's a championship golf course that changes every day resembling one of the great golf courses on planet Earth and the old man says one of the green fees. Peter says there's no green fees kids have and everything is free. Then they take the couple to this massive buffet lunch and have all the food that the old man wanted to eat but couldn't eat Mexican food, Italian food nachos with lots of cheese pizza, hamburgers, all that good stuff. That's the stuff I like to buy the way and the old guys looking at all of this food and he says well worth the low-fat and low-cholesterol tables. Peter says that's the great thing we don't have low-fat tables. We don't have low-cholesterol eat whatever you want and you never get in. You never get sick without the old bed take this throws out on the ground and start stomping on it and Peter and is the man's wife are looking like what is wrong with you. This is what what is happening. He looks at the wife and he says this is your fault. You says if you hadn't been feeding me those blasted bran muffin for the last 10 years I would've been here sooner is a two-story, it's also about but have and of course, is no joke. It's a real place.

As I said, for real people to do real things now how many of you believe in heaven raising to be believe in heaven right okay well most Americans actually do believe in a place called heaven. 81% of the stocks are a little lower for hell, 69% believe in a place called hell. But I think deep down inside we long for a place we've never been to before you ever traveled for a while, especially overseas and found yourself really homesick wanting to get home again, especially those that serve in the Armed Forces are those that do business overseas.

They can wait to get back home again. I think deep down inside, God is prewired us to be homesick for a place we've never been to before and that place is heaven.

We long for the Bible even tells us over in Ecclesiastes 311 that God has said eternity in our hearts. It was Augustine who said quote you form this for yourself and our hearts are restless till they find the rest in you, the great writer CS Lewis.

Speaking of heaven, said it was the secret signature of each soul.

Lewis continues urban times when I think we do not desire heaven, but more often I find myself wondering whether in our heart of hearts if we have ever desired anything else.

It's a secret signature of each soul. The incommunicable and on a peaceable want." I love that that it's his longing deep inside of us. The story of a little boy who was flying the sky and I went up higher and higher in soon. You couldn't see that was obscured by the cloud and someone said boy, how do you know that kite still up there the little guy said I can still feel it's Todd and I think deep down inside we feel the tug of heaven goes back to our childhood. I think even our excitement about Christmas in a way, as a longing for heaven. There's something about Christmas. Apart from all the commercialism of it and also apart from the fact that it starts in August.

Now that there really is a glimpse of heaven is not all the beautiful lights, the Angels, the beautiful songs like I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus know about those once a beautiful Christmas songs that we sing and it's just like a little glimpse of heaven. It sort of like a promise record Christmas cannot deliver on the promise, but Christ can in heaven can in the Bible teaches that when a Christian dies they go straight to heaven. Now I came across an atheist website a while ago.

I don't usually read that many atheist websites, but from time to time of check-in and what other people are saying and it turns out that they were quoting something I said on their atheist website and here's what it said they quoted me rightly with these words, they said that I said quote when a Christian dies. It's a direct flight to heaven.

There are no stopovers them only take our last breath on earth. We take our first breath. In heaven we go in the presence of God exactly what I said they were outraged by this and here was their response. Going to heaven after death is assumed not only does he start with this unsubstantiated and onerous assumption, but he goes on to more detail about the precise state of affairs that take place in heaven. Once you arrive and what evidence does Greg Laurie have both of these claims. Nothing at all just a bunch of Bible quotes. That's right, just a bunch of Bible quote on the way. I love the I stand by that.

That's right, just a bunch of Bible quotes I'm building everything I believe I just a bunch of Bible quotes I'm building my hope on Jesus Christ.

What he tells me in his word, no listen I don't expect EPS to understand the hope of a Christian it's hard for them to wrap your mind around the fact that we have such a strong hope that this is something that God gives to us isn't it. It's a quiet confidence.

It's a supernatural certainty and where we find this hope we find it from Scripture or as he atheist website, said a bunch of Bible quotes.

That's why it's a good thing to memorize the Bible and pull your mind with what the Bible says in the Bible actually has a lot to say about heaven that someone 19 says you are my refuge, my shield, your word is my only source of hope. That's one of the reasons the Scripture was given to us to begin with, to give us hope. Romans 15 for said such things were written in the Scriptures long ago did teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises by the way, the word that is used there were, hope is a word that can be translated a strong and confident expectation will have that I have the hope that one day I will go to heaven after Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message just a moment. Such a blessing to hear from listeners who take time to express their appreciation, Pastor Greg, I just wanted to thank you for your daily devotional and also for your sermons.

I especially like your series on heaven and what to expect when we get there. It's helped me accept my husband's death much easier knowing that for the year and 1/2 of him being in the hospital suffering complications from a liver transplant and him not being able to eat any food.

Now that he's in heaven need anything he wants to somehow gave me great comfort in knowing this, since my faith is in the Lord and Savior.

I know that he's not suffering any longer and I will see him again someday, but also learning of things that we can expect in heaven. From your message just brought me a little more comfort in this very difficult time right now. Thank you so much for being a vessel for God. If you have a story to share. Why not call us and give us all the details. Here's the number 1866-871-1144 866-871-1144 joined us for one of Pastor Greg's most requested studies of the past year called let's talk about heaven part one.

Let's continue now. I was asked in a TV interview a while ago by the interviewer what you talk about heaven all the times that I noticed in your sermons. I'll see you on TV or hear you on the radio and you're always talking about heaven and I thought really well good thing to be always talking about. I was aware that but I'm not embarrassed by that are ashamed of that because really when it said and done. What's more important than that, the more we spend our eternal destiny and I want to do everything to help you come in your relationship with God and find that beautiful and meaningful relationship he has for you on this earth.

But when it's all said and done the statistics on death are quite impressive. One out of every one prisons will die. And then there's the afterlife in the afterlife last a lot longer than this life on earth that we should call our time on earth. The before life.

We put so much focus on the afterlife know the before life is short, the afterlife is forever. Yes, it's true, I admitted I wanted to get as many people to heaven with me as I possibly can. And so we need to know about half have always studied haven't always been fascinated by. I wouldn't say I'm an expert on it at all, but I would say am a student of it and I probably became greater student of it. No doubt in 2008 when my son went to heaven he beat me to heaven. My son Christopher was 33 at the time. Now Christopher and I used to race each other on the beach and he was a runner. He was out in track and field is very good but I was okay as a runner in high school and so I was a bit younger and so we be on the beach and I brace him all the time, I'd say let's raise to that mark down there and you know what I was better at short distance and he was better long distance so I always pick a distance. It favored me right because I would run out of steam quicker than he would let friend about Arkansas ready doughnut you would run and I get ahead of him and IBG again.

You and Mimi had one day while walking on the beach. Is it okay I picked a spot. Let's go Newmarket said going off we went in and he beat me finally happened that happen in life to it. I expected that I would go way before him to heaven. In fact, written on his tombstone are the words I fought the good fight, I kept the faith.

I finish the course and that is what were all going to do when we don't know how long the course will be some of us may run that course for 8595 years. Some of us may run that course for 45 years. Some of us may run the course for 18 years.

Some may run it for 33 years.

Likewise, and we don't know none of us know. That's why we want to run as well as we can and as hard as we can while we can, because one day will be our last day and there were an eternity and then were standing before the Lord.

So what is heaven like let's talk about that a little bit here in Colossians chapter 3 and read two verses.

Since then, you've been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. There so we are to set our hearts. We are to set our minds on things above. This phrase set your mind to be translated. Think, or more thoroughly, have this inner disposition. Let me put it another way, the verses actually saying simply think heaven think heaven that something were all supposed to do as Christians and by the way, the verb that used in this verse is in the present tense. So to be translated. Keep thinking heaven, or keep thinking about heaven, or keep seeking heaven put it all together and think constantly be seeking and thinking about heaven. You see her feet must be on earth, but our minds and our hearts can be in heaven but if were honest many of us have gone an entire day without a single thought about heaven.

That's not a good thing we should always be thinking about it were and where to be a great good Bible commentator said, quote for the Christian heaven isn't simply a destination. It's a motivation is a okay will that that's fine but you know how to we think about a place I've never been to before.

Otto I wrap my mind around the place. I know so little about what you need to learn about heaven and see what the Bible says about Scripture because when you're thinking about heaven and you're seeking heaven. You will be a heavenly minded person in the best sense of that phrase. I know it's used to critique people all there so heavenly minded.

There are no earthly good and I know a lot of people are so overtly minor there no heavenly good and I think of your heavenly minded in the right way, you'll be of the greatest earthly good fact of the matter is those that think the most of the do the most in this one because of I believe there's an afterlife, and I believe there's a reward waiting for me for my faithfulness want to make me want to serve the Lord, and of I believe in an afterlife and I believe there's a potential judgment for me more that make me want to fear God and avoid sin. So you see him.

I believe in the afterlife affects me in this life, but on the other.

Again, I don't believe there's a reward waiting. Why do anything for anyone but me and I don't think there's a future judgment out there, why can't I do whatever the heck I want to do to whoever I want to do it to because nobody know, eternal repercussion, so as you can see your thinking about the afterlife, has a dramatic effect on you in this life. So let's just start with what is heaven. What is while it's the dwelling place of God.

All right where is heaven well we know it's up. We know that there is 1/3 heaven. The Bible talks about three heavens and the first heaven would just be basically walked outside to look up to see the sky.

The second heaven would be the solar system and the third heaven is that supernatural room, but it may be closer than we think.

I think we can get so far away you know maybe it's just right next to us in a way it's really another dimension. You see, right now we live in the physical dimension but at the same time we coexist within eternal dimension. It's a dimension of God and the devil of angels and demons of the supernatural world. Great illustration of this is found in the book of Kings with the prophet Elisha and his servant to his side, they were surrounded by their enemies and were closing in which chariots and arm soldiers and gays. I started breakout panic is that when we do mastery actually woke Elisha blazes and whatever okay Lord just opened his eyes and his eyes were open and he saw the supernatural forces of God all around him, and he discovered that they had more on their side than the enemy had on their side right now were surrounded by the supernatural world. The Bible says that the angel of the Lord encamps around those inferior and we may even have guardian angels. I'm not sure of this, but I think you could make a fairly good case for it. At least maybe children have them because Jesus talks about how our little children have their angels, so it may be that we are personal angels in the maybe we just have angels that just do God's bidding, but there working around us every single day God that works of the supernatural realm this place called heaven. We don't know where it is but it is where God is and that is the most important thing of all, because really the greatest thing about have is going to be seen, messages past year.

Pastor Greg Laurie is offering compelling insights on what's waiting for us in heaven. Good encouragement here on a new beginning. What were happy to have Pastor Levi Lesko with us today lead pastor of fresh life church in Montana, Utah, Oregon, and Wyoming and he is the author of the new book 90 day devotional for kids called roar like a lion at Levi. If you would explain the title for us.

What an incredible thing to follow Jesus because he's the lion of the tribe of Judah in the book of Proverbs says if we follow him in his footsteps. We can be as bold as a lion as righteous followers of Christ, and so I love the idea of the strength and even attention because that strength is exercised through humility because even though Jesus is the lion when we see him. He's a lamb who's been slain, and so there's that tension of majesty and meekness of strength, but exercised through weakness and I want kids to know that they don't have to feel afraid to get a feel frayed lots, but that's where you have the occasion for true bravery that you have a book, also called through the eyes of a lion are they connected yes they are so our daughter Lynn yeah who went home to be with Jesus in 2012 we nicknamed her linear lion and when she went to heaven. We were able to donate her corneas through an amazing organization called site life to two blind people who received sight, and they see life through her eyes, and so we wrote the book through the eyes of a lion to help people know that if they trust in Jesus he can turn their pain into power and that book of by God's grace touch people. I know Pastor Greg US had had it on the show is a is a is a gift that you give out to a lot of people who supported the ministry a new beginning.

In this book is meant basically the kid version of through the eyes of so that we can now help kids understand the same principles you know Dave. We've known Levi and his family for years and I can tell you that Levi and his wife Jenny. They they just love their family leave is a real family man and his kids love to be with him and he so much a part of their lives in you. I am so appreciative that you wanted take these truths and bring them to the children here were told in Scripture that the role of a parent is to teach these things to her children. When they rise up when they lie down. We walk on the way and I think what you've done here and in a fantastic way is starting with the graphic chosen artist I I notice things like that just super cool looking, but great design really fresh graphics really engaging and then the layout of the pages is very appealing and broken up, and so it's not just a barrage of typing that something that the kids themselves can read and participate in the processes that go through it and in the end of the great thing about doing devotions with your kid is or your children is is you know you learn as they learn right so one of the cool things I like about your book as you have, like, here's a chapter 1 roar like a lion so you talk about why you chose this picture and what it's like to roar an ally and then there's this little side column and you do these and in each story you tell a little bunch of factoids right so here you talk about roaring like a lion and then you tell us in the sidebar there in the wild lions roar for three reasons. Number one to let other lions know where they are never to the show how powerful they are.

And thirdly, to scare off an enemy and then you say your life should be the same for the same reasons and then you expound on that. That's just so cool it's bite-size. It's appealing. It's colorful, it's engaging and I think it's gonna like it and I think adults are gonna like it to. In this by the way is our gift to you this month for your gift of any size. What a great New Year's resolution to say I want to study the Bible with my family and specifically with my kids. So whatever you can send to us here at a new beginning. Will send you your own copy of roar like a lion by my friend Levi Lesko gets a great resource for your kids, your grandkids neighbor kids or even to donate to the children's ministry at your church and will send it to thank you for your donation. That's an investment in change lives through new beginning and through our large evangelistic events, so we hope to make a donation today. You can donate securely online@harvest.org or call any time around-the-clock 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 is heaven just some theory old metaphysical life be a right deal next time. Pastor Greg points out heaven place and it's really paradise join us. You run a new beginning.

Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie some bonus content podcast list as we were visiting with Pastor Levi Lesko.

He has some good things to say to Pastor Greg about the importance of godly fatherhood. Let's listen watching you as a dad over the years and watching you as a grandfather is just been such an inspiration to us, you and Kathy. The way you prioritize your kids and and of course walking through grief.

As you rested through Christopher's homecoming.

We had that is our I've always called you are footsteps in the snow because we been able to follow your footsteps, and it helped us navigate our way through grief and I think it is just like you said so important you know your kids you blink and their mildness is 16 she's about to get a drivers license and you just think how quickly that happens and you know so before you know everyone listening. Your kids are going to be out of the house and you to be an empty Nestor and what did you do to get God's word in the heart. We all want to save up for college. We all want to save up for our daughter's weddings, but more than anything the spiritual deposit we can make into them is what can alas not only on earth into eternity. The preceding podcast was made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God learn how to do, harvest partners, sign up for daily devotions and find resources to help you grow in your faith harvest.org