I’ve been thinking about heaven a lot lately, and I wonder what my daughter is doing, my mom and dad, my grandparents, etc. I’ve been thinking about seeing those who arrived there before me, thinking about what it’s really going to be like when we get to heaven. The word of God gives us glimpses, but as the words in the anointed song say, ‘I Can Only Imagine…’
What I imagine from the word of God about heaven is not what we see on the news concerning this world. Heaven is the complete opposite of this world in many, many ways. Jesus prayed, “May your Kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” for a reason!
We’re in a world where many crave attention…selfies here, selfies there, selfies everywhere you turn around. Selfish here, selfish there; you don’t have to look far to see it. Our God is not that way. Jesus is not that way. The Holy Spirit is not that way. Good Lord, do we look and act like the Three who loves us, or more like the world? I trust I’m growing from glory to glory, but there are times I know I’m lacking, and have not arrived to reflect my Father or Jesus as I should. To be real, I can imitate the world more than I should, and those times can be really, really shallow, selfish, and meaningless. Reflecting the kingdom of heaven is not shallow because it’s rules are not, but the world can be.
There was someone very well-known whose priority was about the kingdom of Heaven. He said, “I despise all this attention on me. I wish we could publicize the meetings in some way in which my name were not used. I’m not trying to bring people to myself, nor am I trying to interest people in me, but I know that God has sent me out as a warrior.” — Billy Graham.
Billy Graham also said, “The Bible says that as long as we are here on Earth, we are strangers in a foreign land. There are enemies to be conquered before we return home. This world is not our home; our citizenship is in heaven.”
Do we know what a spiritual enemy is? Are we conquering spiritual enemies, or pretending they aren’t there, hoping they’ll go away? They won’t. Billy Graham was never physically violent towards anyone that I’m aware of, but he conquered enemies through prayer and preaching the word of God. Satan, chief spiritual enemy, lost many, many souls through him boldly preaching the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Billy was in the world, but he was not of it…he was about the kingdom of God’s business.
The immoral, ungodly actions that are contrary to the word of God was prophesied about long ago. The bad news for us who hate it is that those actions and worse will continue until the very end of days. The good news is those things will never take place in the kingdom of God, so we can still have joy because we’re much more a citizen of heaven, only living as a temporary citizen on the earth. The believer really is just passing through! I love my country, not because it’s perfect; it’s not, but it’s my home at this present moment; however, my move to my forever home is coming soon, which is why I try to keep my eyes focused above, on the One we love more.
Your time and my time on the earth is so short compared to eternity. Our daughter’s life on the earth was just sixteen years. Yes, we are citizens in our countries we call home, but we really are just passing through. If we’re believers in Jesus Christ, our true citizenship is heaven–the Kingdom of God!
Jesus gave us directions for how to deal with this world we temporarily live in, and one of the things He said was, “When I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Myself.”
He didn’t tell us to lift ourselves up, but to lift Him up. I pray I do that more, and that my focus is less about me, and more about Him. I pray I quit trying to reflect the world, its newest trends, its newest political thought, its current clothing styles, etc., as they are ever changing, but that I will reflect Him more. He never changes, as He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! If we ever needed stability, He is it! I know what it’s like here, but I can only imagine what it’s going to be like there!
If you’re wondering whether you’re saved, or if you know you’re not and want to be, you can call this toll-free number: 1-877-247-2426, and you can also read more about salvation here: https://billygraham.org/story/how-to-be-sure-of-your-salvation/