06/10/2022 – “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn / Concluding – last chapter: “Anticipating the Great Adventure”
I start selective verbatim quotes from page 469:
“Setting our minds on Heaven is a discipline that we need to learn… Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I daily reflect on my own mortaility
- Do I daily realize there are only two destinations – Heaven or Hell – and that I and every person I know will go to one or the other?
- Do I daily remind myself that this world is not my home and that everything in it will burn, leaving behind only the eternal?
- Do I daily recognize that my life is being examined by God, the Audience of One, and that the only appraisal of my life that will matter is his?
- Do I daily reflect on the fact that my ultimate home will be the New Earth, where I will see God and serve him as a resurrected being in a resurrected human society, where I will overflow with joy and delight in drawing nearer to God by studying him and his creation, and where I will exercise, to God’s glory, dominion over this creation?…
Theologian Paul Helm writes, ‘The goal of a person’s calling does not terminate in this life, but it makes sense only in the light of life to come…. The basic fact about the present life is that it is important and valuable in all its aspects because it leads to the world to come. THe world to come is what we were made for — and it gives shape and meaning to our lives. If we think regularly of the heavenly and the eternal, we aren’t prey for Satan’s lies and distractions.
… So then dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him? (2 Peter 3: 11-14)
…
Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:33, NASB)…
Heaven should affect our activites and ambitions, our recreation and friendships, and the way we spend our money and time. If I believe I’ll spend eternity in a world of unending beauty and adventure, will I be content to spend all my evenings staring at game shows, sitcoms, and ball games? Even if I keep my eyes off of impurities, how much time will I want to invest in what doesn’t matter?
What will last forever? God’s Word. People. Spending time in God’s Word and investing in people will pay off in eternity and bring me joy and perspective now.
Following Christ is not a call to abstain from gratification but to delay gratification. It’s finding our joy in Christ rather than seeking joy in the things of this world. Heaven — our assurance of eternal gratification and fulfillment — should be our North Star, reminding us wher we are and which direction to go.
To be Heaven-oriented is to be goal oriented in the best sense. Paul says, ‘But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus ‘ (Philippians 3: 13-14).
Thinking of Heaven will motivate us to live each day in profound thankfulness to God: ‘ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe’ (Hebrews 12:28)”
And on pg 473 , Randy’s parting paragraph:
“If you know Jesus, I’ll be with you in that resurrected world. With the Lord we love and with the friends we cherish, we’ll embark together on the ultimate adventure , in a spectacular new universe awaiting our exploration and dominion. Jesus will be the center of all things, and joy will be the air we breathe.
And right when we think ‘ it doesn’t get any better than this — it will.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pick up a copy!: “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn // ISBN 978-0-8423-7942-7
p.s. – I will put in one more bible verse from the book and this chapter: From the hand of the messenger John, the book of Revelation.