Tough Minded About Heaven - Part 2

Christian mature Christian. Be assured of cross return and your eternity in heaven has changed the course of your life trying to point out that Jeremiah ripped up the series reviewing the mysteries of heaven by explaining how your advising tomorrow's impact your mindset today is his message tough-minded heaven friends we come now to the last broadcast on the subject of heaven. I'm sure will visit this again in the years ahead in the days ahead. But for right now, we wrap up the series which is consumed the month of July and were going to finish with the last part of being tough-minded about heaven from second Peter chapter 3. Thank you all for listening. During these days. I hope that your appetite for heaven has been lifted and that you're looking forward to being there.

Obviously we have a lot of work to do before we go to heaven but it's wonderful to know that God has a special place in a special plan for those of us who know him and trust him. So if you have been blessed by the series on heaven.

Let us know this is letter month. This is a good opportunity for you just to sit down and write a note to us and let us know with the services meant.

It will be encouraging to us as we continue to work and prepare and teach every day here on Turning Point. Tomorrow we're going to finish out the month with a prayer for wisdom from first Kings chapter 3, but right now it's time for us to finish up our discussion on what it means to be tough-minded about heaven. So let's open our Bibles to second Peter chapter 3 and let's conclude our discussion on revealing the mysteries of the Bible teaches about the future if you take all the information out of the Bible that has to do with everything. This could happen after you and I are here after the rapture you would take about one of the Bible and destroy it better of the Bible is all about what's going to happen in the future if God thought it was important enough to put it in this book and preserve this book for all these years accurately best be finding out what that's all about.

Not just out of curiosity but out of a desire to find out how that's going to affect my life. Peter says we need to be tough-minded about the promises of God. He has promised that he is coming back for Christ is coming back to this earth we believe is coming first in the rapture and later coming with his saints to set up his kingdom on this earth.

The Bible says Jesus is coming back. You believe that you expose no no I can't. You have to believe it with all your heart, with all your mind. You gotta develop a tough mindedness about it. You see, Peter already knew what our generation was like Bibles in chapter 3, second Peter in verses three and four says, knowing that first that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts and saying, where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation is exactly what he's been gone for 2000+ years and come back please go back and be back. One is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. But finally we do since he made that promise. A few minutes is gone by. One day he's coming back and we have to remember that what God has said is true or something. There are countless numbers of prophecies in the Old Testament about his first coming and every single one of them were fulfilled in exact proportion to the prophecy.

The same God who fulfilled his prophecies of his coming at Bethlehem is made some statements about his coming in the future and they will be fulfilled is exactly as the ones where in the first coming.

So Peter says be tough-minded about his return.

CS Lewis wrote this he said I must keep alive and myself. The desire for my true country which I shall not find until after my death. I must never let it snow on or turned aside. I must make the main object of life to press onto that other country and help as many as I can do the very same we need to be tough-minded about the promises of God. He tells us that were to be looking for and hastening his coming is 327 generally wait for the Savior. Titus 213 says what to look for his coming. Hebrews 928 says were to eagerly wait for his coming. And when Peter writes in verse 12 that we are hastening the coming of the Lord is reminding us that we earnestly desire coming of the Lord put it this way.

Toward the end of his life second to before a. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only, but also to all who have what love is. You love his appearing. Her story about a famous preacher preaching the conference of phenolic Indiana.

He was preaching on the Lord's coming, and he was trying to teach these people some interesting words and so he told him that the word merit after was a word, they should remember because it means the Lord comes. So when you see your brothers or sisters after you come out of this conversation, you can just greet them no longer feel like I was one of his first Christian buddy sorry what marijuana, no, no, it's not marijuana it's very Lord come to be in our hearts that the Lord come to think about it regularly, you, I think we do that it means we get a bit older.

Keep thinking maybe the rapture is going to come and beat us out of death. No were to think about that because that's the word of God number three. Not only should we be tough-minded about purity and tough-minded about his promises, but we need to be tough-minded about our purpose.

Notice verse 14 second Peter chapter 3, therefore, beloved looking forward to these things, what things the things we've been talking about heaven and the dissolution of the earth and all the promises God is looking for these things. Watch this BDL object to be found by him in peace, without spot and blameless, not the words. Be diligent here in second Peter I found three times in this epistle the first time is in second Peter 1537 were told to be diligent to add to our faith virtue and to virtue knowledge that's a good passage.

We should go and review that again sometime.

The second time is in second Peter 110.

Therefore, brethren, diligent to make your call and your election sure if you do these things you will never stumble. Peter is saying we have to be diligent to make our election and our calling sure we have to be diligent to make sure that our lives are matching the purpose for which we were created.

You realize how easy it is to just let days and weeks and months go by all this and you wake up in the plane to which you have been called has been put on the back burner and that's not even in play in your life and one day when you stand before the Lord as a Christian you going to give an account for the things done in the body and God is going to tell you I gave you a gift. What did you do with it. And you know there's a lot of buzz in the teaching of Jesus to tell us that's a real situation is going to happen and so Peter saying in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back. Be diligent about your purpose. Make sure you get up every day and think Christian money, the loins of your mind around the thing God is called you to do and say this is what I'm all about a lot of things are going to come and try to take me away from what I'm supposed to be doing but I will be tough-minded not to practice this. It's the hardest thing I do you talk to people to look around, you know, we can always things people want to study the people ours: you say no God told me you're supposed to be here when you told me that's a problem if I want everyplace gone gone told somebody else supposed to be on never be here and so I get these opportunities and I've asked myself is this into the grid what God has called me to do. I find myself saying no. 90% of the time few things that I do do pass through this grilled it is this really the center purpose God has called me to not any different than in rest of you.is called you to do something.

You know what to say yes to some things you gotta say no to some others. That's what it means to be tough-minded and is a seller be, by the grace of God want to do it.

That's called me to do and if I do that I can't do this on you can't always put God at the bottom of the list and then say I'm making God. My priority need to be diligent about your calling. Paul understood that heaven was his goal and his life reflected this.

He eloquently wrote to the Philippians in Philippians 313 and 14 these words. He says brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do listen to this, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. What was he saying I say no to some stuff I forget about the past.

I got press toward and focus in a get tough-minded about what God is calling me to do. Are you tough-minded about God's purpose in your life. Things Peter says should come when we realize that one day the report for the final time to stand before the Lord and give an account of how we live our lives in light of that, the loins of your mind. The sleeves of your mind and be tough-minded about your purpose is the fourth one tough-minded about your profession. Second Peter chapter 3 verse 17. Beloved, since you know this before hand know what God's got the future all lined out for you beware. Watch this beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness being letter lay with the error of the wicked. Now please note you and say beware that you fall from your salvation can't do that. This is beware that you fall from being steadfast does not mean solid you know what you believe you know why you believe it, and nothing can sway you from your not just a surface Christian but the roots go down deep in your heart when someone knocks at your door. Maybe it's two guys were traveling in the neighborhood and I want to engage you in some sort of conversation you already know who Jesus is who he was and we always will be. And so you're not from the steadfastness of your faith. Peter says, in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back one day you going to go be with him better beware lest you be drawn away from your steadfastness and drawn in the error in your why he said that because elsewhere in the text it says that is about to come back. There's going to be an increased amount demons and an increased amount of diverse opinions and increased amount of calls and-isms and lessons all the other things and I'm seeing that happen right now. Are you every time you turn around somebody's come up with a new religion come up with some new crazy idea about how you know God, Peter says, in light of the fact that Jesus come back. He says I want you to be steadfast.

I want you to be tough-minded about what you believe. Finally, last of all five. He says I want you to be tough-minded about your progress with to be tough-minded about her progress to general. When you read second Peter chapter 3 your reading Peter Swan song Jill. That was the last thing we have of him having said or written Jill glass and Peter said was before he shut it all down is what he said but grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever you not to keep from getting turned away with some weird person who comes knocking at your door just keep growing in your own faith. That's the best way to stay steadfast Christian.

My friends is not like something you get to a certain place in recent funny Saddam discover how much of the truth. I don't know before, and I study the Bible a lot and every time open this book. I am so overwhelmed what God is willing to teach me.

If I'm willing to be a learner under so much I'll never learn. If I live to be 100 I'll never, ever be able to master all of the Bible, but every day I get into this book I learned and I grow are you the same person this year that you were last year you identify any change in growth in your life. Peter says the thing you need to do in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back and this is his last admonition grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Are you a growing Christian just stagnated you know is a story about a little boy who fell out of bed one night, his mother went up check on Jesus only wanted you fall out of bed. He said no mom I guess I fell asleep too close to where I got in there. I know a lot of Christians like that don't you may fall asleep as soon as they get in the faith they get in and that's it may never grow problem. Men and women is is this.

If you're not growing you are an absolute perfect target for the enemy.

He can come and draw you away and you can get caught up in something that could ruin your life. So Peter is really on target when he saying grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why because Jesus is coming back. I want him to find me growing. I want him to come back and I'm just discovering something new about him is growing in him all the way to glory, wanting to come back and find out that the last time I read my Bible was six months ago towards on the back shelf of my car and I can't find it wanting to come back trying to be a growing Christian and penises. I want you to be tough-minded about the honeybee tough-minded about growing the physical realm.

You don't just grow to be tough-minded about some things in there you eat right yet exercise to get clean air, make sure you stay away from contaminants or things that can poison your system.

Not a lot different in spiritual realm is if you want to go over certain things are true.

In fact I thought was interesting that there are a number of things in the Bible that talk about what we need to do to grow and the related to the coming of Christ are my favorite verses. For instance, is Philippians 16 it says being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until when the day of Jesus Christ. I written down in my notes growth comes through the will of God on what God's will is for your job or what his will is for the person you're thinking about marrying. I don't know about his will for what you're supposed to live.

I can say one thing for sure God wants you to grow. It's the will of God for you to be a growing Christian. He didn't bring you into his family.

So you could be dwarfed. He brought you and was family so you could grow into a strong, vibrant girl Christian. Secondly, growth comes to the watchfulness of prayer.

First Peter 47 says, but the end of all things is at hand.

There's the future. Again, therefore, what school and serious in your prayers. Is there anything friends. It takes more tough mindedness than developing your prayer life is hard work. If you only play when you feel like brand. You probably never play. Prayer is the kind of thing when you get up so I just can't wait to get on my knees and pray you do it out of obedience and what happens when you do it out of obedience, God fill your heart with love and desire and hope and excitement but you got to be tough-minded about you. Gotta say I'm going to do this and to do this. I'm not going to do that because if I do that it's been like this out this is the priority. That's how you grow tough-minded about prayer fairly growth of the word of God. In Revelation 22.

Seven it says behold I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of this prophecy was written about the book of Revelation, but it applies to the whole book growth of the word of God and find you growth for the work of the church is 1025's is here again is the future let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. Now watch this and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

You get the picture in this message. If you don't get anything else out of this. I hope you get this, that what you believe about the future determines how you live today and over and over again in the Bible that is the truth that we hear if you believe Jesus is coming back you will develop a tough mindedness about how you live your life today, and the more you move yourself away from what God has planned for you in the future, the more apt you are to become a person who just sort of drips. See, when you know you're going it makes all the difference in the world how you live and if you keep reminding yourself that one day you spend eternity with a holy God in the know when you going to get rewards affairs by bringing people with you, and by encouraging people in viral giving and all that makes all the difference in the world. So you see the coming of Christ in the document having provide some of the strongest motivation for living the Christian life you ever find CS Lewis once again set up this way. He said if you have read history you will find that the Christians who did most of the present world just those who thought most of the next world.

It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this world. Many say this and I wrote this down this is great aim at heaven and you will get thrown in aim and you get nothing natural aim at heaven and you get thrown in what you aim it you don't get anything as one of these days as we learn at the beginning of this chapter. This is all going to be dissolved and only what's eternal last year for many years Don and I have gone to the NRB which by the way is one of those acronyms for the national religious casters Association, highlight we love going there because we are friends slowly have a special guest speaker, three or four times the President of United States.

I saw Pres. Bush's father saw Pres. Reagan and I sat on the front row.

When George W came shook his hand and got my picture taken. I love it when they come, but it's almost really not worth, because when the president comes when he comes to the conference just messes everything up from the night before until he leaves messes everything up see the president who's going to speak at 1045. You gotta get line at 8 o'clock in the morning and it doesn't make any difference if you're the preacher or the pastor on the board. Gotta get line you know what I saw people standing in line you think they would be frustrated and bored Einstein there like they were greeting their old friends and they stood in line for three hours just talking to one another. Then when you finally get to the front. Gotta go through a metal detector metal detector to go to the restroom. Now I'm telling you everywhere you go with metal effect is as natural to go through a metal detector number 40 go through the metal detector.

You got have credentials showing that you registered for the NRB all my goodness, you should've seen the people stood in line from 8 to 11 and they got up to the gate and they didn't have any credentials and they had to go back to the room, get the credentials and get in the back of the line is nobody put up with that if you were going to see present.

For one thing, friends, one demo, see the King of Kings seen the Lord of lords not in any Q line. I'm just getting ready to try something that I've done to get ready. First of all, I got my credentials. I got you got your credentials, get turned away when I get to the front of the line is going to see my credentials you know what they are. I was born again. I was saved through the blood of the Lord Jesus and Christ as my Savior.

I can get to heaven on my own is going to say on my credentials. David Jeremiah in the name of Jesus Christ.

This risk is a hope that you understand because the one that were going to go spend eternity with this far greater than any human Pres. or human leader or king or queen or potentate when you start getting ready to start living our lives like we really believe that one day will spend eternity with Almighty God, we need to become tough-minded about heaven. Men want to thank you for being a part of this series, you know I always feel a sense of sadness when we in teaching series. I know something good is coming, but we invested ourselves in this subject now for several weeks most important thing about this series is whether or not you are going to go to heaven. That's the most important thing you know that for sure. Did you know that it's possible for you to know here and now that you're going to spend eternity in heaven. It's not about how many good works are bad work to do. It's about whether you've put your trust in Jesus Christ. When you stand before God someday.

He says why should I let you into my heaven is only one answer it's because I have put my trust in your son Jesus Christ as my Savior. If you haven't done that you can do it today wherever you are. Invite Jesus Christ to be your savior and don't forget to join us tomorrow as we talk about prayer for wisdom right here on this good station. David Jeremiah thanks for listening. Their message today from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr. David Jeremiah please write until his head. God is using Turning Point in her life right through us at any point PO Box 3838, San Diego, CA 92163 visit our website at David Jeremiah thought/ready revealing the mysteries of heaven better informed about your amazing if she was very gifted in the amount also searches the Jeremiah study Bible and the English standard and new international version standard or large in the new King James healthfulness and articles by Dr. Jeremiah visit Jeremiah thought/radio Gary hopefully join us tomorrow for a special timely message. I pray for wisdom to run Turning Point taking time to listen to and from these increased in size and