Poster | Thread | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| ~ Heaven ~ | | One Sunday during lunch in a seniors home, an elderly man said to me, You know, when you get to my stage, your life just isnt worth much. Then a quiet lady, also at the table, suddenly piped up, Oh, yeah, I feel the same way. I sure wish my maker would come to get me now. I really dont care to live any longer. Im finished. Interestingly, neither of these people seemed to express a longing for heaven.
That day I happened to be taking my monthly clergy-duty turn, and as always, I had been seeking the Lord for a message for these dear people. There is was, started in that conversation! I knew I needed to speak about heaven. I certainly had no problem finding plenty of favorite hymns to accompany my mediations.
It seems like the topic of heaven has diminished in popularity over the past several years. And yet we are called to look towards our permanent eternal home. Surely our views on these matters deeply affects our everyday choices.
Thats why that I felt it fitting to post this thread. It is a place for us to add songs, scriptures, and mediations about heaven the eternal destiny and longing of all Christ-followers. Hopefully this project will help us develop godly life-goals, and also strengthen our relationships with God and one-another.
Heres a thought to consider along the way:
"Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.
What might these objectors possibly mean by heavenly or earthly? What would Jesus say about that saying? Paul? Abraham? Moses?
Is there a danger in being too heavenly minded,... not being heavenly minded enough?
Consider Heb. 11:1, 2 Cor 5:7, Rom. 11:23....
Diane
_________________ Diane
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| 2006/8/23 15:16 | Profile | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: Ain't that Good News | | I ve a crown in the Kingdom Aint that good news
Ive a crown up in the Kingdom Aint that good news
Im going to lay down this world Going to shoulder up my cross
Goin to take it home to Jesus Aint that good news
I ve a harp in the Kingdom Aint that good news
I ve a robe in the Kingdom Aint that good news
I ve slippers in the Kingdom Aint that good news
I ve a Saviour in the Kingdom Aint that good news
in American Negro Songs by J. W. Work, 1940
_________________ Diane
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| 2006/8/23 15:19 | Profile | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: | | "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Lk 12:33
"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
You know the way to the place where I am going." Jn 14:1-4
dwelling places imply permanence
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Ps 23:6
_________________ Diane
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| 2006/8/23 15:24 | Profile | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: Heaven | | When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise, then when we've first begun.
from Amazing Grace by John Newton _________________ Diane
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| 2006/8/23 15:33 | Profile | Spitfire Member
Joined: 2004/8/3 Posts: 633
| Re: | | Diana. I couldn't help but think of a silly song when I read your thread. It was the first one that came to my mind.
[i]Lord, Oh Lord, I want to go to heaven. Hell's an awful, awful place.[/i] :-( |
| 2006/8/23 18:58 | Profile | freedbyjc Member
Joined: 2004/7/29 Posts: 204 Jacksonville. Florida
| Re: ~ Heaven ~ | | There are days that [at 49+ and 2/3rds of the way home] I too long for the trumpet to sound and our Lord Jesus Christ to take us all to our real home.
[b]BUT[/b]
I am not willing to waste the shed blood and the HOLY life poured out for me that gives me the redeemed life and the shared strength for sharing His Gospel, pining away for what I know [b]will be mine [u]one day[/u][/b]. I'm on the front lines; doing battle every moment of every day.
C. T. Studd had it right when he said [i][b]Let us not glide through this world and then slip quietly into heaven, without having blown the trumpet loud and long for our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Let us see to it that the devil will hold a thanksgiving service in hell, when he gets the news of our departure from the field of battle.[/b][/i]
I hear from too many of our 'senior' saints that "I've done my part; its time to rest, we've been on the field too long..." There are too few examples of those 'saints' who forcefully and purposefully stride to the gates of heaven. I have been blessed by several of them over the years and they were an encouragement to all that they came in contact with. They took the initiative to share the love of our Lord Jesus Christ up until the day they were called home.
We too easily get so focused on the 'heavenly' rewards that we forget that the 'earthly' battle is definitely not over and is not won until we leave the field of battle.
We are too 'earthly' comfortable ... we who have yet to share the 'heavenly' comfort with ALL those who need it so desperately.
_________________ bill schnippert
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| 2006/8/24 8:49 | Profile | Nellie Member
Joined: 2004/4/5 Posts: 952
| Re: | | Heaven, is waiting for me. Such beauty and Splendar my eyes have ever see. Jesus, His Sweet Face, I'll see. I may not have much here, but look what's waiting for.
O the Peace that He gives Way down in my soul Gives me strength to strive for the goal. Lasting Joy, over there. Nothing here, can compare. To when we step into our Saviour's Arms.
God Bless Nellie |
| 2006/8/24 9:22 | Profile | mamaluk Member
Joined: 2006/6/12 Posts: 524
| Re: | | When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise, then when we've first begun.
makes me teary EVERY time!
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| 2006/8/24 14:41 | Profile | InTheLight Member
Joined: 2003/7/31 Posts: 2850 Phoenix, Arizona USA
| Re: ~ Heaven ~ | | ...To Paul, being with Jesus was one of the most attractive thoughts about heaven. "For I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you'' (Philippians 1:23-24).
There will be no unpleasant or degrading companions in heaven. The devil will not be there. The lewd, the vulgar, and the obscene will not be there. The greedy and the scheming and selfish will not be there. The liar, the slanderer, the back- biter, the meddler, and the gossip will not be there. The mean, the contemptible, and the hypocrite will not be there. The profane, the blasphemer, and the scoffer will not be there. No money, influence, or cunning will get them in. ''And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie'' (Revelation 21:27).
There are limitations to the joys of the dearest earthly companionships. It will not be so in heaven. We can perfectly open our hearts to one another there, as we often long to do here but are unable. "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthins 13:12).
Heaven will be a place of glad reunions. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17) . The bereaved wife will meet again the husband she has missed so long, and the son will see the mother whose departure left his life so desolate. What glad days those coming days will be when we meet again never more to part...
-from [i]Heaven or Hell[/i] by R.A. Torrey _________________ Ron Halverson
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| 2006/8/24 14:52 | Profile | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: Heaven - what is it | | Quote:
We are too 'earthly' comfortable ..
Ah, yes, earthly comforts tempt us to get bogged down with permanent shelters (so we think). With that preocupation, we cant get our earthly jobs done - those jobs that count for eternity.
Quote:
We too easily get so focused on the 'heavenly' rewards that we forget that the 'earthly' battle is definitely not over
Is this the outcome of having God's heaven in mind, or our own image of heaven? Surely that makes a big difference.
Can we really be so overly focused on God's heaven that we fail to care about our earthly duties?
Heres a question to ponder: How does our view of heaven affect our view of our earthly existence?
Quote:
..To Paul, being with Jesus was one of the most attractive thoughts about heaven.
An important observation! One can't long for GODs heaven without longing for Christ.
Do not worry about your life
but seek first His KINGDOM (Seek the KINGDOM of God ahead of everything else) NLT Matt 6:33
"The KINGDOM of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then, in his joy, went and sold all he had and bought it." Matt. 3:44
"The KINGDOM of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." Matt. 13:45
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Matt. 6
Our citizenship is in heaven." Phil. 3:20
What is the kingdom of heaven? How does it relate to our view of life now and of life after death?
Diane
_________________ Diane
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| 2006/8/24 15:42 | Profile |
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