Turn Your Forward Into Forever - Part 1

Are you going to non-Christian as you move forward with the new phrase of this life wonder about the with the Marines of goods and you will come to a stop in heaven that I am 34. Dr. David Jeremiah offers a glimpse of what you can expect in your eternal heart, and you can rest assured it be boring to introduce today's message celebrate your thank you so much for being with us today. Interesting things when you study the book of Revelation is how many songs are recorded in the book. In fact, there are more songs in the book of Revelation than any other book in the Bible except Psalms itself was so much singing in heaven because heaven is a place of celebration where we gather around the throne and sing praises to the Lamb and I wanted to be a part of that were going to celebrate someday. So after you have dreamed of and prayed and chosen and focused and risked and pursued and believed and invested in finished, you get to go to heaven and celebrate celebrate turning your forward forever. Today's talk about that. I can't wait to get started. Well here's part one of celebrate forward into forever. You might say his job at McDonald's in Cardiff, Wales, walk away from it. After winning the UK National lottery. After all, he was an overnight millionaire celebrated his good fortune by marrying his girlfriend Emma, who was also a McDonald's employee and bought a house and took a long holiday was but after returning to Wells. Luke was born to be honest he said there's only so much relaxing you can do young and a bit of hard work. Never did anyone any harm. So he has for his old job back and now you can find him to look at hamburgers again. McDonald's makes more money from the interest on his winnings them at the restaurant, but he feels a natural need to work and be with his friends and his coworkers. They all think I'm a bit mad but I tell them there's more to life than money says I can totally understand. We both really enjoyed working at McDonald's and still have good friends there so it was very familiar for him something for him to look forward to that. We all need a break now and then but we don't need an endless holiday and after the pandemonium we been through the pandemic or whatever you want to call it. We all would agree to the fact that there's more to life than just sitting around and waiting for something to do when he is meaningful work close friends.

Something to look forward to those stocks. Don't ever change.

Listen to me, not in this life and they won't change in heaven either. When you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. You are wealthy and the winner of the richest lottery. Remember much of our treasure is ahead of us in heaven but many people are afraid to be born there. It's remarkable how many people tell me they'd rather not go to heaven because it will be boring.

Once I get to heaven and on board. They asked me. Well, after all, there's only so much relaxing I can do so if I miss my friends what I long for the kind of activity that enrich my life on this earth and I want to say to them, don't worry you will be bored and for one reason God is not boring heaven, will you, it will bring fulfillment in celebration of dreaming and praying all your focusing and risk-taking in investing all your forward momentum on earth is a prelude to greater service, happier work and richer fulfillment in your heavenly home. God's children are always moving forward, even as they depart the heroes of Scripture thought of heaven constantly confessing. They were strangers and pilgrims on this earth, but they were seeking a homeland desiring a better country heavenly one looking forward to the city whose foundations and builder and maker is God and Jesus long for heaven as he approached the end of his life to. He told his disciples, if you loved me you would rejoice because I said I'm going back to the father. The apostle Peter said something important about this he said you want to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That they will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So vendor friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him three times in that passage I just read Peter told us to look forward to anticipate what God has for us in the future. The return of Christ, the creation of the new heavens and the new earth and our eternal home in heaven. Our anticipation empowers us to live holy and godly and purposeful lives in this present age. The Bible says it this way, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God will not make us to heavenly minded to always be thinking about heaven will listen to the words of CS Lewis. This is what he said about that. He said a continual looking forward to the internal world is not as some modern people think a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is.

If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were 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 ineffective in this world.

Heaven sent, and you will get thrown in payment earth. You get me the one what then can you and I to expect heaven and get ready for it. What kind of celebrations will we discover in God's eternal home will first of all, we can look forward to a rousing welcome most of us are apprehensive about dying. The Bible is full of information to alleviate your concern. The apostle Peter said that if you serve the Lord Jesus faithfully you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ a rich welcome Jason underestimate those words recently little boy in Ohio named Grady went back to school after having been diagnosed with leukemia and missed the whole year with his classmates because of his treatments, but finally he was able to return for a few hours a day on his first day back. The principal met him and opened the door and in front of Grady were all the students and teachers lining the hall holding strands of bright crêpe paper yelled and shared his eight-year-old Grady ran between them and at the end of the hall there was this big giant sign that said welcome back Grady. The children clapped and laughed and teachers wipe tears from their eyes. Driving home later that day Grady said this was the best mom I have so much fun. I didn't know days could be this good, I tell that story because if schoolchildren can pull off a welcome celebration like that.

Just think of what Almighty God and his angels can do.

You are promised a rich welcome into heaven, will be your best day ever. You can imagine that a day could be so good. You're rich welcome actually begins before you arrive in heaven and our Lord's parable of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus were told. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side in heaven. I believe that the Lord Jesus sends an angelic escort to accompany his departing saints to heaven. You will not be forgotten, forsaken all alone for a single second annual arrive there to find your home at last. If you want to imagine how you feel when you see your amazing new home. Listen to what the martyr Stephen said in the New Testament as he died he looked up to heaven and he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he shouted lock. I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God is the first person to give his life for Christ Stevens experience is unique, but to some extent. It surely anticipates the rich welcome you and I will receive the moment were transported to heaven we will enter into the joy of our Lord. So as you look forward to celebrate what God has done in your life and is doing in your life. Look forward to a rousing welcome then look forward to a rich reward among the joys of heaven will be the rewards given for faithfulness on this earth. If you live according to biblical principles such as the ones that I've talked about in previous messages versus series of rewards for you described in the Bible.

Jesus often said things like, whoever gives one of these little ones a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple. Assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward. Luke 623. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for indeed your reward is great in heaven.

Luke 635 but love your enemies, do good and land hoping for nothing in return, and your reward will be great. Paul picked up the theme saying whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord, you will receive the reward of the inheritance that you know that a fabulous award shows like the Oscars, even those who lose still get gifts, according to Forbes magazine, every Oscar nominee gets a gift bag value in 2020 at $225,000.

These are not for the winners.

Just the people who showed up.

I don't know what could be in a gift bag worth that much.

But I did a little homework and I found out that their certificates and therefore plastic surgery there some incredible bath bombs valued at $75 each. You can find a voucher good for a 12 day cruise on a yacht with Butler service a helicopter in the spa. Some bags contain a trip on the submarine others. A gift card redeemable for a romantic getaway in the Spanish lighthouse converted into a luxury hotel, all the things that are in a $225,000 gift bag but I gotta tell you, the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, that the Lord offers us when we get to heaven will make all of that seem as if it was nothing. The Bible describes heavens rewards as crowns, there's the victor's crown described in first Corinthians 9 were told to run in the way that we may obtain it, and that everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a personal crown, but we do it for an imperishable crown. This is God's reward for those Christians who live a disciplined, godly life on earth. And then there's the crown of rejoicing. Paul describes this in first Thessalonians chapter 2.

What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.

This is the joy of seeing those in heaven who were influenced for Christ by our lives and our deeds and our words and then there's the crown of righteousness. The key for this reward is developing an intense desire for the Lord's return. The apostle Paul said it this way. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me on that day and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing next there is the crown of life given for those who endure temptations and trials here. We read blessed is the man who endures temptation for when he has been approved and will receive the crown of life. And finally, there's the crown of glory. And Peter describes it this way when the chief Shepherd appears, shall receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. The greatest reward in heaven will be seeing those who been influenced by your work. That's when you will understand that you've achieved something in life, far more than you realized for your labor in the Lord is never in vain.

When we get to heaven were going to spend eternity with people some of whom are only there because of your faithfulness and what you have done in the Bible tells us that were all going to get a reward for the part we play. I've often wondered how he's going to divide it all up, but if he can create all of us out of the dust of the earth.

I figured he could probably figure out the reward system for which we all will be benefited.

So when you look forward to the celebration. Look forward to a rousing welcome and a rich reward and look forward to a resurrected body.

Oh my goodness, listen to this.

It's important to remember that we aren't going to be ghosts or angels or disembodied spirits in heaven at the moment of our rapture or our resurrection were going to celebrate our new glorified bodies were not going to be like Lazarus, who was raised from the dead. John chapter 11 he hobbled out in his grade close others cut them out of the shroud.

No be like Jesus was resurrected and passed right through his grade close. Nobody could figure out how that happened. Lazarus rose to die again, Jesus rose never again to age, experience, illness, face weakness or encounter death.

Philippians chapter 3 says the Lord Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be just like his glorious body so I don't know about you but for me that's really good news. Some of you who are listening to this message are battling illnesses and disabilities and ravages of aging medical sciences grappling with all these issues and some of our advances are amazing. Sgt. John Peck is an American Marine who lost all four limbs to an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010.

At first he thought he spend the rest of his life working prosthetic arms and legs but I can hardly believe this in 2016 he received a double arm transplant. The limbs came from a young man who was declared brain-dead and whose arms were rushed in ice packs to an operating room in Boston for the 14 hour transplant surgery performed by a team of 60 surgeons, nurses and technicians.

When Peck woke up the next day he had someone else's arms today. John Peck is able to perform many daily tasks with his new arms, including signing copies of his book rebuilding Sgt. Peck human medical technology can do so much to help our bodies recover from horrific tragedies. Imagine what God can do instantaneously at the moment of the resurrection.

First Corinthians is it this way, we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an at the last trump for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Consider what we know about the resurrection body of Christ. It was his own natural body recognizable with his unique DNA. This personal essence and his personal qualities were intact. It was the same body he acquired in embryonic form at conception, but in a flash of Easter glory, it was transformed into an imperishable body with new capabilities. This resurrection body is the way our bodies are going to be when we go to heaven would have bodies just like Lord you can cut like that all you want next time you are considering cosmetic surgery. Just remember, if you wait long enough, you will have to do that because Jesus Christ is going to change everybody to be just like him so when you go to your celebration. You will look forward to a rousing welcome, you will look forward to a ritual Lord you will look forward to a resurrected body. But here's one that surprises a lot of people.

You will look forward to a renewed assignment. No major resurrection body because you have a lot of work to do when you get to heaven. One of the greatest aspects of heaven involves the prospect of more service twice in the book of Revelation were told will be involved in meaningful tasks and acts of service in heaven. Revelation 715 says therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night, and Revelation 22 three says, and there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in his servants shall serve him going to go to heaven and sit in the clouds, ukulele or whatever it is that you think were going to do when we get there no good to go to heaven little work and if you don't understand how powerful that is that you don't have a job you love, you don't have a career you're excited about your silica work is to be listened to the words of Randy Alcorn as he describes it work in heaven being frustrating or fruitless. Instead, it will involve lasting accomplishment, unhindered by decay, unhindered by fatigue enhanced by unlimited resources will approach our work with the enthusiasm we bring to our favorite sport or our favorite hobby.

In other words, work will be difficult it will be the greatest joy of heaven to be able to work without anybody pushing back on you.

Anybody try to tell you to do what you want to do because God puts within you the desire to do the right thing.

You will be able to get off at work every day will be the joy of your life. Perhaps our occupations in heaven will be an extension of the work that we do here on this earth. Some occupations will exist in heaven. There won't be any doctors in heaven because there won't be any illness the world. Many police officers or prison guards. There won't even be any evangelists for everyone will already know Christ. But there will be musicians and they may also be teachers for we won't be omniscient, will be capable of learning and teaching what we learn. We know there will be layers of authority and responsibility in the administration of the new heaven. I expect some of us will be scientists because God's new heavens and new earth will be full of surprises to investigate. You have plenty of time to undertake new vocations, new hobbies, new pursuits with eternity in the practice you'll be able to master great symphonies create wonderful works of art playing extreme sports like books deliver lectures and explore exotic locations and enjoy thrills without risk.

All along the way there will be meaningful work and there will be fulfilling responsibilities and activities. When you get to heaven when you attend the celebration at the end of what happens here on this earth, you will have a rousing welcome, you will get a ritual Lord, your body will be resurrected and changed completely. You get a new assignment and you will look forward to a royal throne by far the greatest energy and enthusiasm in heaven will be around the throne of God. When we cast our crowns at his feet and worshiped him with full understanding and joy.

We have a preview in Revelation 4 and five when the saints and angels of heaven, saying in a loud voice, blessing and honor and glory and power to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever. Just one of the songs in relation just part of the celebration that awaits us as we look forward to being with our Lord in heaven forever and ever. Tomorrow we will conclude our discussion of celebrate. Turn your forward into forever. And then on Thursday going to prize the interview Sheila Walsh at the beginning of the series. Great review of everything we talked about over these last few days of friends. Don't forget to be here when we meet again next time right here on this good station for the next edition of Turning Point. For more information on Dr. Jeremiah's current thinking series, please visit our website. We have also fine-tuned freeways to help you stay connected monthly magazine Turning Points and daily email sign-up today davidjeremiah.org/radio davidjeremiah.org/radio when you do your copy of the discovery is present tomorrow is the Jeremiah study Bible and the English standard version, new international version can James version are available in a variety Jeremiah.old/regular Gary join us tomorrow as we conclude the series Turning Point. Jeremiah taking time from teaching