And I heard a loud voice from the throne,
saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among
them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be among them, and he
will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any
death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first
things have passed away.
—Revelation 21:3-5
Would
you like to visit the garden in Seventh
Dimension – The Door? Evil lurked in that garden, but when Jesus returns,
he will create a new earth free of sin.
*~*~*~*~*~*
From
Seventh Dimension – The Door, a Young
Adult Christian Fantasy:
Evening
came. I wanted to love but I was unwilling to give up my hate. Could the king’s
words penetrate my hardened heart? What joy would fill me if I surrendered
everything to the king?
Baruch
nudged me with his nose. “Where do we go now, Miss Shale?”
The
crowds were leaving to return to their homes. I didn’t feel like I had one. I
closed my eyes and prayed. “If I’m a daughter of the king, please forgive me.
I’m sorry for my wrong attitude.”
Nothing
changed on the outside, but I felt better on the inside.”
—Shale
Snyder, chapter thirty-two
*~*~*~*~*~*
While I can’t change the world I face each day,
I can cleanse my thoughts through reading the Bible. I can pray when I am
driving, when I am cooking, or when I rise or go to bed. I can confess to God my
pain when I feel overwhelmed by the unexplained darkness—when bad things happen.
By
allowing God to work in my heart, I can gain a heavenly perspective, lifting my
spirit from the gutter that robs me of my joy.
Take
a few moments and imagine what God is preparing for you. Your negative thoughts
can be redeemed, helping you to live each day with renewed hope for a brighter
future.
Someday,
God’s new heaven and new earth will rise from the ashes following the greatest
war ever fought in the universe. God and his angelic warriors will fight in the
last battle against Satan and the demons of darkness. Earth will be the
battleground and man the prized possession.
While
man’s salvation is already secured by Jesus’ death and resurrection, the
finality of souls’ destination is only within God’s purview. Satan does not
know; neither does he know everything you think. Satan is not omniscient. He
has nothing to lose—except you.
Even
as the battle wages, once we accept Jesus, we can rejoice. We can know for
certain where we will live for eternity.
Where
is heaven? A place where our failures will no longer paralyze us; where perfect
love casts out fear, pure joy abounds with unceasing laughter, and unfettered
peace will last forever. It’s but one heartbeat away for those who believe in
Jesus Christ.
Until
we enter heaven’s gates, we have to deal with sin. The curse, passed down from
Adam and Eve, plagues all creatures. Everything eventually dies.
The
best thing about heaven is Jesus lives there—as king. No more elections, no
more dictators, and no more czars. He said he was going to prepare a place for
his followers, and someday he would return and take us back with him.
What
will we see, and what will we look like?
Heaven
is inhabited by millions of beautiful angelic creatures. When we pass through
heaven’s gates, we will be clothed in spiritual bodies that will no longer be physically
imperfect but eternally perfect.
Some
saints will shine brighter than others, depending on their faithfulness to God,
just as some stars appear brighter in the night sky. There will be rewards for
our good works and for bringing others into the kingdom.
In
heaven, there’s no competition for food or toll for survival—even in the animal
kingdom.
For we know that the whole creation groans
and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
—Romans 8:22
The
wolf and the lamb will feed beside each other Children will play with lions.
The sound of crying will never be heard again. The old order of things will
have passed away. When God wipes away our tears, our afflictions and troubles
will no longer be remembered.
Heaven
is never dark because the glory of God gives it light. The New Jerusalem will radiate
with the majesty of God. The city will be built of gold, pure as glass. The
foundations of the walls will glitter with precious gems and the twelve gates made
of pearl will greet city visitors. Nothing impure will ever enter the city.
The
River of Life will flow from God’s throne, and the Tree of Life in the city
square will bear a different fruit each month. Its leaves will be for the
healing of nations. Whatever we have here will be even better there—in beauty,
fullness, and purity.
Heaven
in Revelation has many mysteries beyond our understanding. The four winds who
obey God and the four creatures who give praise to our heavenly father—who are
they?
The
Bible doesn’t give us a map to heaven, but in Genesis 28:12, Jacob “had a dream,
and …a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and … the
angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”
In
Revelation 4:1, John saw an open door to heaven; and in Acts 7:56, Stephen
said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Because
it’s impossible for anything defiled or sinful to enter through the gates, it
would have been impossible for anyone to go there if God had not provided a
way. God said in Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and
you will be my people.”
Today
we battle against the unseen powers of darkness—the prince of the air and his demonic
minions. But through the Holy Spirit, we have a taste of heaven here. When we
receive Jesus into our hearts, the Comforter indwells us. The Spirit whispers
to us in our sleep, comforts us in our pain, and implores us never to give up.
The
Bible reminds us of God’s unwavering truth. Thousands of years of attacks upon
it and God’s chosen have strengthened the validity of the Bible’s claims. Even
the rocks would cry out in praise to the heavenly father if it were possible.
When
Jesus hung on the cross, he said to one of the two thieves beside him, “Truly,
today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). I take comfort in the fact
that for the last two thousand years, Jesus has been preparing a place for you
and for me.
Someday
heavenly music will fill our ears. We will splash with joy in heavenly waters
emanating from God’s throne and walk on streets of gold. We will be reunited
with those who have gone before us. We will feast at the marriage supper of the
Lamb, and all those whose names are written in the Book of Life will see the
face of God.
In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart! I have overcome the world.
— John 16:33
What
a glorious eternity awaits us. Until that day, let not the heartaches of this
world discourage us from remembering the richness of God’s grace here—found in
Jesus Christ.
I am thankful I am a daughter (or son) of
the king. I am thankful that my salvation is assured through Jesus’ death and
resurrection. Help me to honor the king in all my ways so that he may be
glorified— until I enter the pearl gates of heaven.
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