“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”1
You may have seen the video about the blind man sitting by the side of the road begging but wasn’t receiving much help. A passerby came along, read the man’s sign and walked on. Then she stopped, returned to the beggar, picked up his sign and re-wrote the message, then went on her way.
The response to the beggar’s sign improved dramatically. All day long passerby people were throwing coins into his lap. Late in the day a lady stopped to talk to him wanting to know how his day went. The beggar recognized the lady so excitedly asked what she did to his sign that made all the difference.
His sign had said, “I’m blind. Please help.” The lady had turned it over and wrote, “It is a beautiful day and I can’t see it.”2
Dear reader, when it comes to God and spiritual sight we are blind and cannot see with human eyes what lay ahead. Let us be sure to listen to what God has to say about heaven. Not only is it God’s dwelling place but right now Jesus is there preparing a place for all his true followers and promised to return to take us there.3
It’s beauty is beyond compare. Here’s a tiny glimpse: “The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”4
Best of all, God will be there and there will no longer be any need for the sun or the moon as the Bible says, “The city [heaven] does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb [Jesus] is its lamp.”5 And all of his true followers will be there in their new heavenly body—and there will be no more sickness, sadness or sorrow, no more parting, and no more dying.
Heaven is indeed beautiful. Whatever you do, make sure you get to see it.
To do so be absolutely sure to pick up your Passport for Heaven. Don’t leave earth without it. Go to: www.actsweb.org/passport.php or read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.
Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you have given your Son, Jesus, to die in my place on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins, and in so doing you have offered me a full pardon for all my sins and with that a home in Heaven to be with you for all eternity. Help me to be certain that I have received your forgiveness and have accepted your invitation to Heaven. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”
1. Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV).
2. See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzgzim5m7oU.
3. John 14:1-3.
4. Revelation 21:18-21 (NIV).
5. Revelation 21:23 (NIV).
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