Let’s Talk About Heaven: New and Improved

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harness.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith will like to watch the glory of someone who discovers the super powers like Superman, wonder woman character might be really superb dollars Esther Greg Moore Jesus when we get to heaven will be the same person we are today, only better. Much better you will be given new body, but it will still be you just be the running late. Using a package marked new group you by home in case it is well as believers the time when we're new you today on a new beginning. Glory points out just how will change personally when we get to heaven. This message is one of those are listeners requested the most Newsweek to the cover story with the titled visions of heaven. It revealed that 76% of Americans believe in heaven and 71% of them believe it's an actual place, but after that the agreement began to break down 19%.have a look like a garden, 13% thought it was like a city 17% did not know, and those that did not believe in it sneakily with there was one now. Another poll done by the pew research Center had people talk about heaven and hell and define it there definition was heaven is a place where people who lead good lives are eternally rewarded and hell was a place where people would let God lives, and died would be eternally punished.

So, right out of the gate. People have a wrong that is not whatever it is that is not what hell is now, here's the problem. People say they believe in the heaven, and that idea of heaven comes uniquely from the Bible. So if you're going to say you believe in heaven. You need to read the rest of what the Bible says right because the Bible tells us there is I have and we would not believe in the heaven. They were not for the teaching of Scripture to say you believe in heaven, but then not read what the Bible has to say about it would be like say what I believe in Disneyland, but I do not agree with the price for getting in and I would be with you on that and I do not believe that the location is accurate. So I'm in a go to where I think Disneyland is and I will in the way that I want to enter Disneyland okay whatever.

So you can end up with some lame golf course with one broken ride. I don't know but if you happen to make it to the Magic Kingdom. You gotta go in the Disney way. You don't go in at all. You try to just walk in the car shall be stopped, arrested by the Disney police will be put into the jail and and I don't know what happens after that but but the ideas that you have to do it the right way, you have to pay the admission price. While in the same way you say will I want to go to heaven and I'll do it my way. Well know you won't you do God's will.

All right what's the admission price. Trust me when I tell you, you can't afford it. That's the bad news you can't afford the price to get in heaven. The good news.

The prices been paid. Admission is free through Jesus Christ. That's how you get in the heaven because it is done for us on the cross so as to good people going to heaven and bad people going to hell. Listen to this. There will be people in hell would be defined by some as good people, and in the same way there will be people in heaven who lived God lives when we say that again there will be people in hell who would be identified by some as good people, and there will be people in the heaven lived God lives, but they repented of their sin.

How does this work being good doesn't get you to Kevin. There's only one way to get to Kevin being forgiven. Evidence not for good people. It's for forgiven people. But then again you can be a good person, relatively speaking, but you're not good enough and you can think you would get to heaven in your own good works and of course you won't.

That's how you might end up in hell.

Okay, so now let's answer some often ask questions about the afterlife number one what will our new bodies be like in heaven. Number two will we know each other and have number three will we be married in heaven. Number four what will we do in heaven and for then lastly, and this is often asked to people in heaven know what's going on with us on earth all right. So let's go question by question and by the way, in our last message let's talk about heaven, we discovered. Of course heaven is an actual place, not a state of mind. It's a real place. Jesus said in John 14. I've gone to prepare a place for you. Jesus tells us in the rest of the Bible tells us heaven is a city. Heaven is a country. Heaven is a paradise. It doesn't say it's like a city there is city in heaven doesn't seem to like country. It is a country that doesn't seems like a paradise.

It is a paradise about get better than any city you've been to on earth it's better than any country you have ever visited and it is better than any paradise that you can imagine whatever you've experienced on this are the best of the best of the best doesn't even come close to the glory of heaven. Why, because earth at its best, is a pale imitation of the real thing which is heaven.

Heaven is not a watered-down version of earth it's kind of the other way around. And so whatever you are thinking this can be far better than you ever imagined.

All right, so what about these new bodies.

The Bible talks about what will they be like short answer Macy you know that people love these superhero movies you know you at the DC University of the Marvel universe. And there's just so many of them coming out and I will like to watch the story of someone who discovers they have superpowers like Spider-Man or Superman or wonder woman or whoever the character might be because they can fly they have superhuman strength they can do all kinds of amazing things will really you're going to have superpowers if you will one day in this new body that God is going to give you wife because your resurrection body is going to be like the resurrection body of Jesus Christ. So let's think about that for a moment Jesus was crucified on the cross right he rose again from the dead three days later did he rise in a physical body yes or no answers yes and so in a physical body.

Was he a different person or was he still Jesus will still Jesus even said to his disciples.

It is I not another, to the point he still bore in his hands and in his feet. The marks of the crucifixion.

Remember when he appeared to the disciples in the upper room. He extended his hands to Thomas, who was a bit doubtful if the goalie had a butcher hands, and the wounds in my hands, and of course Thomas didn't need any more proof so he was still Jesus, but he did things in this resurrected body that he did not do before. Something he could've done that before, but he didn't.

So afterwards he did some unusual things like appearing in a room without using the door.

That's pretty cool, why would Jesus never flew well you flew what you think you sent to this he does one write up to heaven, so why do I bring this up because the Bible tells us over in first John 32 were the children of God. It hasn't been revealed what we will be but we know when he's revealed. Listen, we shall be like him, for we will see him as he is by the way, Jesus ate in his resurrection body and I don't think it was like translucent ghetto we could see it go down a sword or something but it probably was in a row body sit there give me some be errors present this awesome just jot it down, but he was in a real body will get to this a little bit more but you will be given a new body, but it will still be you. It'll just be the radically upgraded version of you okay is that the Bible says. First Corinthians 15 our bodies now disappoint us to get an amen on that. But when they are raised will be full of glory their week now. But when the race will be full of power their natural bodies now, but when the rays will be spiritual bodies listen to this, our new bodies to God will give to us later will be both different and at the same time, the same as her body here.

By that I mean you are still you have already said, but again a radically upgraded version, Esther, Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment, emails, letters and phone calls from listeners are so encouraging to us and they let us know the effectiveness of these studies.

Greg a lot. I graduated from college black here. I came back from my job and I would go to putting my date on the back burner about me from being due on work and now in my morning. I looked near my dad and I never bump up there with the Lord bring more and I've been going to church regularly and you had in fact my date though. Thank you for the work you doing here in the and I get to listen you usually in the car on the way to the gym where I work out and I love your method to look at the analytic truth that you bring each and everything will say thank you for sharing the word of the Lord and all that you do their part of ministry great stories, pastor Creek's teachings from God's will made an impact on this man's life. If you'd like to listen to pastor Creek's podcasts.

You could do that through Google Apple course modify or just Google harvest.org that's harvest.org will pastor Greg is addressing a number of questions people have about heaven.

The first one. What will our bodies be like an eternity. Let's continue with the biblical insight okay so Jesus says in John 14. In my father's house are many mansions are dwelling places therefore were not so I would've told you if I go I will come again and receive you on the myself there where I am, you may be also in my father's house are many mansions, so sometimes he will say I can't wait to get them. I mentioned and have only actually go to mansions reminds him a story about minister in a New York cabdriver that both died and went to heaven on the same day.

So Peter meets him both in the cabdriver first online and peters is welcome to heaven.

I'm in charge of housing so I hear your cabdriver New York. I suggest series is all right will I got your house picked out for you. You see that mansion over there in the hill, that's yours all the cabdriver was so excited he ran off to his bench at the minister standing behind him stood a little taller whole because he was a famous preacher peters is. I hear your well-known minister. Yes, I okay will you see the little shack down there in the valley with the roof coming apart that your place will what you mean, that's my place. I preach the gospel. The minister said I taught the word of God. I was a holy man of God, yeah, whatever that your place. It doesn't make sense I should be given a better place.

Bottom line when that cabdriver drove people prayed, but when you preach people's lap. He gets amends to two-story by the way, notice. So what is this mansion referring to in John 14 couple of options one and may be our new body that God will give to us.

Second Corinthians 51 the new living translation says this earthly tent we live in is taken down.

When we die and leave these bodies we have a home in heaven. In eternal body made for us by God himself will put on the new body like new clothes.

Okay so good be a description of our new body, but it could be a house. I mean literally house in heaven, why not is not heaven. The city is not heaven, a country is not heaven. A place so we could have a house and by the way, were told over and Isaiah 6521 in the millennium that's in Crites's ruling on the earth that we will all build our own houses okay so it might be an actual house and I love how Jesus says my father's house. So that suggests spaciousness big place, but then he says in my father's house are many rooms that sort of suggests coziness right. I mean even if you're in a palatial estate, you can't live in 300 rooms at once you find a nice little spot sit down and front of a fire and have a cup of coffee or cup of tea or whatever you know so you have in the idea is that it's a real place waiting for you what it is exactly. I don't know but it's going to be amazing. We know that any tell you what, that the thing is is with life as you get older it seems like it goes more quickly and know this is true. Billy Graham was once asked the question what is been your greatest surprise of life, and he said in response, the brevity of and there's a reason that it seems like time goes faster as you get older I read that they did a study on it and what it revealed was the reason it seems like time goes faster when you're older is because you get into routine right older people like to go to the same restaurant sit in the same spot in order the same thing over and over again, but when you're young you like adventure like things happening you like to try new things when you're older so much right and so their telltale signs are getting all you know you're getting old when you go to pull up the wrinkled socks are wearing and realize you're not wearing socks is not against you know you're getting old when your peacemaker opens the garage door accidental today plus another piece acres right okay so you know you're getting old when you bend down to tie your shoe and you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.

Sen. I'm down here already is earning nothing and it is I don't want to come down here again so but to the point here. Life goes by so quickly. But here's the good news though your body is wearing out like a tent, which is not meant to last forever.in a resurrected and your soul will live forever in your body will be resurrected so no one were in heaven will we know each other and have do you think you get anymore stupid in heaven then you are on earth.

Maybe I said I think are some of you know each other on earth will then your go a course know each other in heaven. In the same way you know on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Remember Jesus was transfigured, he shine like the sun on one side was Moses and on the other side was Elijah. How do we know was Moses and Elijah with a worried little nametags hi I Moses. Moses was he holding the tablets Moses like to call them fired up. No, I don't think so. Somehow they were recognizable as they made this guest appearance if you will, on each side of Christ. So I think when you get to heaven just will see each other.

Yes, will know one another, were told in first Corinthians 13, we will know as we are known will know everything we know on earth except more will know everything we know on earth but with divine perspective. Now, sometimes people have this mistaken notion that when you get to heaven you have some kind of a brain white.

I like to remember that movie men in black they redo the little thing and they've forgot everything they saw people going when there and have their dislike. It's almost like Evans a giant lobotomy or something. No, I want to know there's memories of earth and heaven so they can be true Greg because we would be sorrowful. Will you a perspective see I understand things now.

How can I be rewarded for something I did on earth. If there's not a memory of what I did on earth so you're going to remember earthly things.

But now, with that supernatural perspective. There's no break in my love for my loved ones breaks guys on earth but renews them in heaven with the same people we were here. Greg Laurie great insights and wants to come when we reach our heavenly home. Maybe these are questions you've wondered about Pastor Greg will have more answers as he continues this best of message, including some thoughts before we close today here on a new beginning. Everybody Pastor Greg care. You know, I know a lot of you listen to a new beginning in your car when you're on the go. Taking your kids to school, picking them up from school or other times were little ones are in the car. I know because you write me letters and the kids even write me letters and tell me how they love the program and I'm so thankful some kids if you're listening. Thanks so much and I'm glad you like to listen to our radio show, but I have a friend with me right now. His name is Levi Lesko. He once was nine years old. Now he's a lot older he's almost 40, but when he was just a little kid.

His parents used to have him listen to something called a cassette tape.

Now we don't have those around anymore but that basically was a little recording you put into a little teak that thing and played it and you would hear a Bible study and so Levi tell us about what tape you used to listen to it, even as a nine-year-old how you understood how the word of God matter. Will Pastor Greg at such an honor to talk to you.

You know when I was little kid I used to listen to you preach every day my dad would always have you on in the car you would have you on in, you know that he would actually purchase your tape cassettes because he loved to listen to you preach and I used to sit in his little study and I would just kind of sneak in there and sit there and sometimes he would even help have me help him do his Bible studies looking up verses you give me bottom take a look at this verse and I look it up for Evan and and I used to love love love listening when he would have you on out of anybody else he would listen to.

He listened other people like Pastor Chuck Smith and Pastor John course of you were always my favorite because I thought you were the funniest. You told stories. He made things come alive, and I member sitting specifically one day listening to you tell this Bible story about David and I said dad when I was going to bed later that night, can I listen to that Bible study by Pastor Greg again. He said sure and he gave me the tape, cassette, and I put on the little boombox in my room and I was into it at night before bed. My dad told me that for years and years and years. I wouldn't go to bed without listening to that tape, you would be my good night Bible story every night before sleep and I was called David his calling.

Part two, and so I just stay as a pastor eyes. I stand on that and I just I applied every parent who turns this on on the way you take your kids to school in the carpool or you put this on you know the room you have never you have no idea how much more your kids are absorbing than you think they are and there might be some future pastors and missionaries and worship leaders in business, Christian business leaders who are listening, absorbing these teachings. Week in and week out and let me tell you, like the Bible says there is a famine not for food. As Ms. much in waters whence there is a famine for the word of God and in this covert season. I have it on my heart is one of the reasons this book was so important to me was, we could blink, you lose a generation.

You know maybe you know you you you you justify not going to church or whatever. Just a prioritizing your family the word of God because that's what we need more than anything and I think that that is what a new beginning stands for. Thank you Levi and you know something your dad Chip did a great job raising me Levi and you're doing a great job raising your children and now you've given us our resource tool to use for us as parents and grandparents to teach the word of God to our kids, and it's a brand-new book that you've written called roar like a lion 90 devotions to a courageous faith. Some of the things you deal with in this book is having the courage to try something new. Even when others are watching facing fears about school and friendships handling new challenges and past disappointments, and so much more.

This is a book you need folks to read to your kids and your grandkids and we want to send you roar like a lion by Levi Lesko to help you get your kids in the word of God and will send this gift you for your gift of any size to help us continue on teaching the word of God so we can reach not just adults but kids to because a lot of people need to hear truth, yeah, yeah, that's right. And that's our mission to know God and to make him known. In this study reaches around the world with that objective in mind and we have huge plans for 2022, including a large Crusade outreach and a film documenting the Jesus movement were praying God sends another revival like the Jesus movement so your donation couldn't come at a better time and with your investment. Be sure to ask for roar like a lion by Pastor Levi Lesko.

You can donate online@harvest.org or write a set a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime. Again, 1-800-821-3300 what we've been talking about heaven today and what things will be the same and what things will be different when we get there.

Pastor Greg closes with some thoughts about what will know in our eternal home by this association before but I only have five illustrations I returned to it. One of my grandkids might be playing with the toy and it breaks at all. The head comes off and they're freaking out because you know headless doll is alarming in many ways even to me Bob Dall's head came up. I'll fix it and then in turn the screw the which is not in all go away when I'm doing because it's not good thing to watch. I think if they had to screw back in sauce. They will don't worry about Obama that all they're so unhappy I'll take it. Don't worry about it will be okay but it'll be okay. Why is I know in a cupboard. I have five more of those dolls is I'm smart and plan ahead so the reason I can see it's okay is because I know it's gonna work out better for them, and so on. The same we were here in this life, and we see God what you doing got wire to paying attention toward where are you, Lord says it's okay yeah okay you're never going to heaven and I know it's going to be okay. You'll see it one day. So when you have and I have memory things on earth with everybody. Thanks for listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God