The Reality of Heaven

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power.”                     Colossians 3:1 (NLT)

WHAT IS HEAVEN?

1.  It’s wHere God LIVES AND RULES.

“Lord, I look up to You, up to heaven, where You rule.”

Psalm 123:1 (TEV)

2.  It’s a REAL PLACE.

“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths or rust can’t destroy it, and where thieves can’t break in and steal it.” 

Matthew 6:20 (NIV)

3.  It’s designed for US.

“Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” 

Matthew 25:34 (NIV)

“This is God’s purpose: that when the time is ripe he will gather us all together from wherever we are – in heaven or on earth-to be with him in Christ forever.”  Eph. 1:10 (LB)

“For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.”  Hebrews  13:14 (NLT)

WHERE IS IT?

IT’S OUT OF THIS WORLD!

“God looks down from heaven at people on earth to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship Him.”  Psalm 53:2 (TEV)

WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?

“No eye has ever seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 

1 Corinthians  2:9 (NLT)

NOT IN HEAVEN -

No Sickness, No Sadness, No Suffering, No Sin, No Death 

IN HEAVEN—

Reunion, Rewards,  Responsibilities, Rest, Rejoicing

We’ll know, love, serve, share, & honor God

HOW DO I GET INTO HEAVEN?

 “The Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight-when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us.  This is accomplished from start to finish by faith.  As the Scripture says it, ‘The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.’                                                        Romans 1:17 (LB)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life.” John  3:16 (KJV)

HOW SHOULD I LIVE IF I’M GOING TO HEAVEN?

1.  DON’T BE DISTRACTED BY TEMPTATION

“You are only visitors here on earth.  Since your real home is in heaven, keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls.” 1 Peter 2:11 (LB)

“If they had wanted to, they could have gone back to the good things of this world.  But they didn’t want to.  They were living for heaven.  And now God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has made a heavenly city for them.”     Hebrews 11:15-16 (LB)

2.  DON’T BE DISCOURAGED BY TROUBLE

why we never give up....  These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long.  Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever!  So we do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all round us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen.  The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.”  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (LB)

3.  FOCUS MY ENERGY ON WHAT WILL LAST!

 “Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here.”  Colossians  3:2 (LB

“ I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that god offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.” Philippians 3:14 (CEV)

YOUR RESPONSE

The Reality of Hell

“Right now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim reflection of reality but one day we shall see reality face to face!” 

1 Corinthians 13:12 (Amp)

THE REALITIES OF LIFE

1.  God made you to love you and wants your love back.

2.  You were made to last forever.

3.  God has prepared 2 eternal places.

4.  You choose where you’ll spend eternity.

5.  There is no second chance after you die.

1. WHY DOES HELL EXIST?

1.  Because Sin & Evil Exist

2.  Because God is Holy & Just

2.  WHAT IS HELL LIKE?  Seperation from God

“If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God— lost forever!”    1 Corinthians 16:22 (NCV)

GOD IS... WITHOUT GOD, HELL IS...

Love Terrifying and lonely

Light Complete darkness

Good Absolutely nothing good there

Life Eternal death and torment

Gracious A place of no grace.

3.  HOW DO I SETTLE MY ETERNAL DESTINY?

“I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know with settled and absolute knowledge that you already have life, yes, eternal life!” 1 John 5:13 (Amp)

“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God

does not have life.”  1 John 5:11-12 (NIV)

“At one time you were separated from God.  You were His enemies in your minds, and the evil things you did were against God.  But now God has made you His friends again.  He did this through Christ's death in the body so that He might bring you into God's presence as people who are holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty.”  Colossians 1:21-22 (NCV)

“For God so loved the world,

that He gave His Only begotten Son,

that whosoever believes in Him

should not Perish but have Everlasting Life.”

John 3:16 (KJV)

A  ADMIT   I  NEED A SAVIOR TO GET TO HEAVEN

B  BELIEVE   Jesus died for me

C  COMMIT    MYSELF COMPLETELY TO HIM

D DEPEND  On GOD’S PROMISE

4.  WHAT’S MY RESPONSIBILITY? TO TELL

“If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to warn them about changing their ways, then they will die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths.”

 Ezekiel 33:8 (NLT)

"Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  But how can they call on Him unless they believe in Him?  And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?  And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  It’s what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those

who bring good news!’" Romans 10:13-15 (NLT)

YOUR RESPONSE

The Truth About Stress

MYTH:  “Other people cause my stress.”

TRUTH:  How I choose to respond creates the stress.

I. JESUS’ STRATEGY FOR HANDLING STRESS

1. The principle of Identification:

I MUST KNOW WHO I AM

“I am . . . the Light of the world . . . the Son of God . . . the Way, the Truth and the Life . . . the Bread of Life . . . .”  John. 8:12, Mark. 14:62, John 14:6, John 6:35

“I testify on my own behalf.”  John 8:18 (RSV)

2. The principle of Dedication:

 I MUST KNOW WHO I AM TRYING TO PLEASE

“I only try to please the One who sent me.”  John 5:30 (NCV)

“No one can serve two masters . . . .”  Luke 16:13

3. The principle of Prioritization:

I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH

“. . . I know where I came from and where I am going.”  Jn. 8:14

“I must proclaim the good news . . . for I was sent for this purpose.”  Luke 4:43 (RSV)

4. The principle of Concentration:

FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT

               “As the time drew near for his return to heaven, he moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will.”  Luke 9:51 (LB)

“Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:62 (LB)

“Martha was distracted . . . So Jesus said, ‘You are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one . . . .’”  Luke 10:40‑42 (NAS)

5. The principle of Delegation:

LET OTHER PEOPLE HELP ME

“He appointed twelve ‑‑ designating them apostles ‑‑ that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.”  Mark 3:14

6.  The principle of Meditation: 

    MAKE PRAYER A HABIT

)“News about Jesus spread even more.  Crowds came to hear him and to be healed . . . but Jesus often slipped away to be alone so he could pray.”  Luke 5:15‑16 (NCV

7.  The principle of Relaxation:

     TAKE TIME TO ENJOY LIFE

“Crowds of people were coming and going so that they did not even have time to eat.  He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.’”  Mark 6:31 (NCV)

“Jesus came enjoying life . . . .”  Matthew 11:19 (Ph)

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you REST . . . learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your lives.  The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.”  Matthew 11:28‑30  (NCV)

YOUR RESPONSE