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Pastor Greg Laurie - July 24,
2014
In Colossians 3
Talking about using his GPS and
how it will nag if you don't follow it. Then he spoke about how GPS is
naturally in birds.
He says he thinks God has built
in us a little homing instinct that is heading us towards Heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT
[11] Yet God has made everything
beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but
even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.
1 Chronicles 29:15 NLT
[15] We are here for only a
moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our
days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
We are citizens of a different
place, and we seem to feel it.
Today is the 6th anniversary of
the day Greg lost his son in a car accident.
Philippians 3:20 NLT
[20] But we are citizens of
heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him
to return as our Savior.
“You formed us for yourself, and
our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.” —Augustine
A Christian never says,
“goodbye,” but rather, “see you later.” That is the hope of a Christian.
Your depth of sorrow is an
indicator of your depth of love.
Heaven becomes much more real to
you when you have a loved one there.
Colossians 3:1-2 NLT
[1] Since you have been raised to
new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ
sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. [2] Think about the things of
heaven, not the things of earth.
Set your minds speaks of a
diligent, active, single-minded investigation. Think Heaven and keep thinking
about Heaven. Keep your feet on the ground and your mind in Heaven.
How can we be thinking about and
seeking heaven?
Answer: From careful study of
Scripture.
The Bible is the only source on
Heaven.
Those who think the most of the
next life, accomplish the most in this life.
Psalm 139:7-8 NLT
[7] I can never escape from your
Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! [8] If I go up to heaven, you
are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
Heaven is the dwelling place of
God.
Our longing for heaven is really
a longing for God Himself.
(Psalm 63:1)
Being with God is the heart and
soul of Heaven.
Matthew 5:8 NLT
[8] God blesses those whose
hearts are pure, for they will see God.
When you get to Heaven everything
will make sense to you. You will know more in Heaven, not less. We will have a divine perspective.
1. What is heaven like?
John 14:2 NLT
[2] There is more than enough
room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am
going to prepare a place for you?
Heaven is a real place, for real
people, to do real things.
Heaven is described as a
paradise.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NLT
[2] I was caught up to the third
heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don't
know-only God knows. [3] Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or
outside my body. But I do know [4] that I was caught up to paradise and heard
things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is
allowed to tell.
Heaven is described as a city.
(Hebrews 11:10 NLT
[10] Abraham was confidently
looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built
by God. & Hebrews 13:14 NLT
[14] For this world is not our
permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.)
Heaven is described as a country.
(Hebrews 11:16 NLT
[16] But they were looking for a
better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called
their God, for he has prepared a city for them.)
We tend to think of earth as the
real thing and Heaven is the surreal thing. That is not in the Bible.
Romans 1:20 NLT
[20] For ever since the world was
created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they
can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So
they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Psalm 24:1 NLT
[1] The earth is the Lord's, and
everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.
No one can appreciate the
creations of God more than the one who knows the creator.
For a Christian this is as bad as
it will get and for the non-believer this is as good as it will be.
Matthew 6:28-29 NLT
[28] "And why worry about
your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't
work or make their clothing, [29] yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed
as beautifully as they are.
1 Timothy 6:17 NLT
[17] Teach those who are rich in
this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so
unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for
our enjoyment.
Hebrews 8:5 NLT
[5] They serve in a system of
worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses
was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: "Be
sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on
the mountain."
What will our new heavenly bodies
be like?
1 Corinthians 15:43-44 NLT
[43] Our bodies are buried in
brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but
they will be raised in strength. [44] They are buried as natural human bodies,
but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural
bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
Our resurrection bodies will
resemble His.
(1 John 3:2 NLT
[2] Dear friends, we are already
God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ
appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he
really is.)
2 Corinthians 5:1-2 NLT
[1] For we know that when this
earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this
earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by
God himself and not by human hands. [2] We grow weary in our present bodies,
and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.
2. What will we do in heaven?
In heaven, and on the new earth,
we will be busy!
In heaven, we will eat together!
(Revelation 19:9 NLT
[9] And the angel said to me,
"Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the
Lamb." And he added, "These are true words that come from God.")
Matthew 8:11 NLT
[11] And I tell you this, that
many Gentiles will come from all over the world-from east and west-and sit down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.
You will get to spend time with
all the prophets of the Bible and ask them questions!
Colossians 3:5-10 NLT
[5] So put to death the sinful,
earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an
idolater, worshiping the things of this world. [6] Because of these sins, the
anger of God is coming. [7] You used to do these things when your life was
still part of this world. [8] But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage,
malicious behavior, slander, and dirty [9] Don't lie to each other, for you
have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. [10] Put on
your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become
like him.
1. Sexual sin will keep us
earthbound.
(Colossians 3:5 NLT
[5] So put to death the sinful,
earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an
idolater, worshiping the things of this world.)
The battle against any sin,
especially sexual sin, begins in the mind.
2. Idolatry keeps us earthbound.
Anything that takes the place of
God in your life.
To have More, when possessions
posses you. Not just having something, but wanting even more.
3. Anger, meanness, and slander
keep us earthbound.
(Colossians 3:8 NLT
[8] But now is the time to get
rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.)
Gossip is all around us.
The explosive power of a new
affection. If you are seeking The Lord it will transform you.
“Aim at heaven and you will get
earth thrown in; aim at earth, and you’ll get neither.” —C.S. Lewis
John 3:16 NLT
[16] "For God loved the
world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes
in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Who gets to go to Heaven?
Forgiven people!
You don’t go to heaven to find
Christ; you go to Christ to find heaven!
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