Heaven

PRESENCE, WITH ETERNAL PLEASURES AT YOUR RIGHT HAND.”

Heaven is our ultimate dwelling place or home.

Joni Eareckson who became a quadriplegic as a result of a diving accident nearly 30 years ago has experienced more than her share of pain and heartache.

She says that “heaven has become my heart’s home, the place where I will finally belong.The place where I will get a brand new body.” Heaven is the place where there will be no more tears, pain or sorrow. She goes on to say, “In the world’s finale something so glorious is going to happen that it will atone for every single tear we’ve ever cried. God is going to give us the key that will make sense out of what now seems to be such senseless suffering. Heaven is going to be a place of no more disappointment, no more grief but joy. Heaven’s joy.” (P.T. #157)

UNHINDERED FELLOWSHIP

We also know that heaven is a place where we will enjoy

unhindered fellowship with God. Our present fellowship with God is limited, hindered and distorted by sin. Consequently, at times God seems distant and far removed.. We don’t always sense His presence. That will never be the case in heaven.

Heaven is where God is and in His presence we will have

complete and unhindered fellowship with Him. We will know Him like we have never before known Him. “What makes heaven heaven is God.” (L.Anderson)

2 Corinthians 5:8 says “TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.”

When we leave this life and enter heaven we will be in the presence of the Lord. In this earthly life we are able, to a small degree, to know God and have fellowship with Him. It is, however, limited. But the time is coming when on a far deeper level we shall know the Lord and be with Him. Our fellowship with Him will be unhindered. We will know God in a far more intimate way. We will relate to Him in a way that we cannot now even imagine.

We will experience the awesome Presence and glory of God. With that fellowship will come an unimaginable peace, contentment, and fulfillment.

HEAVENLY BODIES

Confined to a wheelchair, Joni Eareckson longs for the day when, as she says, she will leave her wheel chair behind. And receive a brand new body. But it won’t be an earthly physical body.One of the things that we definitely know about heaven is that in heaven we will not possess physical bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:50 says that “FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” At physical death we leave behind our mortal bodies. The body dies but the soul lives on. The real us continues to exist. Our souls enter into the presence of Christ.

- Eventually, in God’s timing at the return of Christ,

our souls will receive new spiritual or heavenly bodies that are suitable for our heavenly existence.

We are not going to merely be spirits floating around the universe. Our heavenly or spiritual bodies will be like the resurrection body of Christ..1 John 3:2 declares, “BELOVED, NOW WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD,...AND WHEN CHRIST APPEARS, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM….” When we leave this life we will be like Jesus in many different ways not the least of which will be our resurrection bodies. These new heavenly bodies which we will receive are described in 1 Corinthians 15.