Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Praise and worship involves personal involvement in what is going on.
It is a God directed feeling. We're thinking about Him
and praising him and adoring him and loving him. And
if you and I going to heaven, my friend, and
spend the rest of eternity praising and worshiping God, we
need to learn how while we are down here and
get started with getting on to worship the Living Holy
(00:25):
God who has become our savior.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Believers look forward to heaven as a place with no sin,
no sorrow, only pure joy. We're glad you've joined us
for in Touch, the teaching ministry of doctor Charles Stanley.
Today's program explores some questions about eternity, like what will
we be doing and when we see our loved ones again.
Stay with us now for part two of our Eternal Home.
(00:51):
In our continuing series on how to Choose your Destiny,
let's join doctor Stanley.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, a wise person always prepares for what he or
she knows is inevitable. And the Bible says that one
of these days all of us will die, and when
we do, we're going to spend eternity in one of
two places. Now, the question is are you making any
preparation for where you're going to spend eternity.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
There are only two places.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
One of them is called the Lake of Fire, and
so the preparation for that is to do nothing. That is,
you don't have to do anything at all to end
up there. But my friend, if you're planning on going
to heaven, there are some steps to preparation. You say, well,
I think I'm going. Well, the question is what have
you done to prepare to spend eternity with God and
(01:45):
all other believers in heaven. And that is the theme
of this entire message, And that is preparing for heaven.
And I want you, if you will, to turn to
Revelation chapter twenty one, and I want us to read
the first.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Six verses of this chapter.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
And this is the beloved John who is writing about
what he saw concerning heaven. Beginning in the first verse
of the twenty first chapter of the Revelation, he says,
and I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth
for the first heaven and the first Earth passed away,
and there is no longer any sea. And I saw
(02:21):
the Holy City in you, Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God made ready as a bride a dawn
for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from
the throne, saying, behold, the Tabernacle of God is among men,
and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be
his people, and God himself shall be among them, and
(02:41):
he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. And
there shall no longer be any death. There shall no
longer be any morning, or crying or pain. The first
things have passed away. And he who sits on the
throne said, behold, I am making all things new. And
he said, right, for these words are faithful and true.
And he said to me, it is done. I am
(03:03):
the Alpha and Omega the beginning. In the end, I
will give to the one who thirst from the spring
of the water of life without cost. Now, when John
writes the Revelation, what he's writing is what he has,
what he is in the process of seeing. He talks
about many things, one of which is he describes here
(03:24):
in this chapter, and that is the.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Holy City, the New City, the Holy City.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Of Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. He says,
like a bride adorned for her husband. But what he's
describing here is heaven. Is he sees it now nobody
can fully understand all that Heaven has for the simple
reason that our finite minds are confined to some degree
to earthly understanding. I'm not going to spend time trying
(03:51):
to describe to you what Heaven's going to be like.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But rather how to prepare to get there.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Now, the first question I want to ask is what
a going to do when we get there. A lot
of people have a lot of conjecture about that, but
there are four very specific things the Bible says that
you and I are going to do when we get
to heaven, and so I want us to look at them,
and then I want us to look at.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
This matter of how do we prepare?
Speaker 1 (04:14):
So in order to talk about how we prepare and
why we should talk about that, let's ask the question what.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Are we going to do there? So there are four
things that I want you to take note of in.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
The Book of Revelation. Go back to chapter four for
a moment. One of the things we're going to do
when we get to heaven is we're going to praise
God and worship Him.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And throughout the Book of the.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Revelation that describes future things, there are a number of
passages not verses, but sections of verses that describe this. Look,
if you will, in verse nine of the fourth chapter,
and when the living creatures give glory and honor and
thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him
who lives forever and ever, and the twenty four elders
will fall down before him who sits on the throne,
(04:56):
and will worship him who lives forever and ever, and
will cast our crowns before the throne, saying, listen, worthy,
art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory
and honor and power, for about its create all things.
And because of Thy will they existed and were created. Then,
for example the next chapter, notice what he says. And
(05:17):
I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels
around the throne, and the living creatures and the elders,
and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and
thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is
the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches
in wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.
And every created thing which is in heaven and on
the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea,
and all things in them, I heard saying to him
(05:40):
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be
blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.
And the full living creatures kept saying Amen, and the
elders fall down in worship.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Well.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
These are just two examples of scripture after scripture in
the Book of the Revelation that describe what's going on
in heaven. That is praise to God and worship. Praise
and worship involves personal involvement in what is going on.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
It is a God directed feeling.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
We're thinking about Him and praising him and adoring him
and loving him. And if you and I are going
to heaven, my friend, and spend the rest of eternity
praising and worshiping God, we need to learn how while
we are down here and get started with getting on
to worship the Living Holy God who has become our savior.
He says, we're going to be praising him in the heavens,
(06:26):
the angels. Everyone is praising the Lord Jesus Christ and
magnifying him for his great work of redemption. A second
thing he says we're going to do. He says, we're
going to shine for him. What in the world does
that mean? Go back if you will to Matthew Chapter thirteen.
In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew. The passage deals with
(06:47):
the judgment, that is the final separation of the righteous
and the unrighteous. And listen to what he says, beginning
in the forty first verse. The Son of Man will
send forth his angels, and they will gather out of
his kingdom all the stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness,
and will cast them into the furnace of fire, And
that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(07:08):
Then then the righteous, those who received the Lord Jesus
Christ as their savior. Then the righteous will shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He
who has ears Let him here. Now what is he
referring to here? Simply this that when you and I
received the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
The Bible says.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
That the Lord Jesus Christ became our life. The Holy
Spirit came to dwell your life in my life. God says,
one of the reasons he saved us is in order
that you and I may glorify Him, that we may
reflect him, that our countenance may show forth the presence
of the Living God within us. He did not save
us merely to keep us out of torment. He saved
(07:51):
us to glorify himself. He saved us to magnify himself.
He saved us because he loves us, because He wants
to give himself to us, live himself through us, shine
forth his glory in his honor, so that when you
and I get to heaven, for all of eternity, we
are gonna shine forth with all the radiance and beauty
and glory and majesty of the Living God, forever and
(08:13):
ever and ever unhindered. And that's why the Bible says
in Ephesians chapter two that God is gonna say to
the angels, Look, these are the expressions of my eternal grace.
Like stars on a moonless night, he says, We're gonna shine.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
He says, like.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
The sun at noonday, you and I will be shining
forth the radiance and the beauty and the glory of God. Now,
if that's what we're gonna do for all eternity, we
need to get busy down here reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ,
both in our character, our conversation and our conduct in
our lifestyle. There ought to be enough of the Lord
Jesus Christ coming through us that those who meet us
(08:50):
know they've met us. But somebody on the inside for
more important than we. Then there's the third thing he
says we're gonna be doing in heaven, and that is
to some people great dismay for you who think, well,
I'm going to retire and finally go to Heaven and
rest and relax forever. I want you to turn to
Revelation chapter twenty two, for he says, as he describes
(09:11):
again heaven. Here, let's start with verse one of chapter
twenty two. And he showed me a river of the
water of life, clearest crystal, coming from the throne of
God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its streets,
And on either side of the river was the tree
of Life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit
every month. And the leaves of the tree were for
the healing of the nations. And there shall no longer
(09:32):
be any curse, and the throne of God and that
of the Lamb shall be in it, and his bun
servants shall serve him. So heaven is going to be
one magnificent wonderful, indescribable, incomparable place as far as we
humanly are able to perceive of it right now. But
he says we're going to be serving him.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Now.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
I want you to think about something, and I want
you to think very very seriously about this. I'm not
questioning your salvation, it's not for me to do.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
But I want you to think about this.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
You mean to tell me, my friend, that you intend
to go to heaven, but you do not intend to
serve God in any fashion.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
That is you saved.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
You know that you're saved, and now the Bible says
that when you get to heaven, you're gonna serve Him.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
So you're just gonna do your thing.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Live your life very smugly saved, but you're gonna start
serving God after you.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Get to heaven. I want to tell.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
You that is as unscriptural, as ungodly, as un christ like,
as unbiblical, and as as theologically erroneous as it can be.
I didn't say you wouldn't get to heaven. I'm just
saying that it's wrong because the Bible says we are
His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of
(10:50):
good works.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
When after we get to Heaven.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Know, down here, all through the Bible, we are admonished.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
To serve the Living God. That is listen.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Serving the Lord is an expression of love, It is
an expression of devotion. It is an expression of adoration
to him. And when I think of the absolutely literally
millions of people who go to church, listen to sermons,
say prayers, give them a little bit of money, and
go home and do nothing in the name of Jesus
Christ until the next Sunday. I want to tell you,
(11:22):
my friend, you are not preparing for heaven. You said, Now,
wait a minute, do you mean I've got to work
to get in?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
You'll never hear me say that.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
But what I'm asking is this, if God has created
us as his servants down here, do you mean to
tell me that you don't intend to do anything until
you get to heaven. I'm going to tell you that
is sin in the eyes of God. It is disobedience
in the eyes of God. And you're not walking uprightly.
If you have determined your heart, you're just gonna float in.
(11:53):
The fourth thing that we're going to be doing listening
to what he says. He says we're going to be
reigning with him. All through the Testament, the Bible speaks
of our reigning with him. Now, think about this. Reigning
means to oversee something all of the scriptures. Isn't it
interesting how the Lord talked about rewards and the judgment
and accountability and responsibility. You've been faithful over a few things.
(12:14):
I'm gonna make you, see, says Ruler, over many things.
Now what is going to determine our responsibility? What is
going to determine our rewards when we get to heaven.
It isn't what I do and how will I do
when I get there. It's what you and I are
doing down here. This is a school, this is a
testing time. The Lord Jesus Christ came into your life.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
He enabled you with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
To serve him, to honor him, to shine for him,
to praise him, to worship him.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
He has equipped us to.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Do everything we need to do in preparation for what
we're going to do for eternity. But what I want
to ask you, my friend, is what, in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of the
Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God, are you
doing here and now in service for the Lord in
preparation to reign and serve with him forever. God's people
(13:03):
are to be actively involved in the work of the Lord.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Listen to me.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
If you and I are going there is spend eternity.
It's time we got busy doing down here in the
body of Christ. What we're going to be doing for eternity. Well,
that's what we're going to be doing. So how do
we make preparation? Well, I believe there are three steps,
according the Bible, three steps in preparation for heaven. The
(13:30):
first step is the preparation of a person's spirit, and
that preparation takes place by regeneration, that is conversion, salvation,
being born again. The Bible says, in times past, you
were dead in trespasses and sins, dead to the things
of God, dead to the things that are holy, did
the things that are righteous, dead to God. When you
(13:52):
are born again, that is when you receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as your personal savior, something happens. You become
a new person. You are in dwelt by a new life.
The old life is gone, the new life is here.
It is the presence in the life of Christ.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Now.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
He says, I will give undo you a new spirit.
That spirit can communicate with God. You have been born again.
The Bible says, except a man be born again, he
cannot see the Kingdom of God. And again in the
same chapter he says verse five, except a man be
born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
See, it is the.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
New birth, it is the conversion. It is your forgiveness
of sin provided the Cross, that makes it possible for
God to give you a new spirit. Now you can
fellowship and communicate with God. Do you understand that a
lost person wouldn't fit in heaven. A lost person couldn't
communicate with God in heaven, can't communicate with him down here,
couldn't communicate with.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Anybody else up there.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Because there our communication will be from spirit to spirit
in all of its absolute perfection. So that the first
step to getting to heaven, my friend, is not being good,
because listen.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Being good does not give you a new spirit.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Being good he doesn't get rid of the old nature.
Being good doesn't forgive you of your sins. Being good
doesn't transform you're in a man. Being good doesn't bring
about a new birth. It is the work of Almighty God.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
By faith. Step number one a new spirit.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
By what the Bible calls regeneration or conversion or salvation, forgiveness, redemption,
whatever the word may be. Step number one, step number two.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Step number two.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Deals with the soul, the preparation of the soul. Now
what is the preparation. Step number one deals with the spirit,
and that's regeneration. Step number two deals with the soul
of man. His mind, will emotion, his conscious his consciousness.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
That's how we relate to one another.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
And what is the process The Bible calls it conformation.
Listen to what he says in Romans eight twenty nine.
He says in Romans eight twenty nine that God predestined
that you and I would be conformed to the image
of his son. Listen carefully. That doesn't mean that your
works you're going to get better and better and better.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
It means this.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
It means by the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is now within you, and by the power of
the Holy Spirit working within you. Listen that more and
more the person of Jesus Christ who is within you
will begin to be able to express himself through you.
The more you and I surrender, the more we yield.
The more we meditate upon the Word of God, the
more time we spend in prayer, the more we give
(16:24):
ourselves away to others, the more of the Lord Jesus
Christ comes forth out of our life and shines upon
those about us. That is the process of conforming us
to His likeness, shaping us into His likeness, pulling us
away from the ways of the world, shaping us into
the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a
process God began here and now. It is a process
that's going on until you and I are called to heaven.
(16:47):
And when we get there, it is going to be
in all of its perfection.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
We are going to be conformed to His likeness because there.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Will be nothing sinful there to hinder us. Well, there's
one other step, getting ready for heaven. Hallelujah. There's not
a thing in this world you knew about it, not
one thing.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Well, what did we say? We said, first of all.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
As a preparation of the spirit by regeneration, preparation of
the soul by being conformed confirmation the likeness of Christ.
And thirdly the preparation of the body by transformation. Look,
if you will, in Philippians chapter three. Philippians chapter three.
Look at verse twenty. For our citizenship is in heaven,
from which also we eagerly wait for a savior, the
(17:31):
Lord Jesus Christ, who will do what transform the body,
this physical body of our humble state, into conformity with
the body of His glory, that is, his glorious, glorified,
unlimited body, unlimited by time, unlimited by space, unlimited by anything,
(17:51):
by the exertion or the expression of the power that
is his supernatural power, that he has even.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
To subject all things to him.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Now go back to First Corinthians chapter fifteen, and let's
look at verse forty nine, fifty fifty one fifty two,
Verse forty nine. He says, now, and just as we
have borne the image of the earth. That is, just
as in this life we have borne the image of
earthly human beings, we shall also bear the image of
(18:21):
the heavenly, that is, the glorified body. Now I say this, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
That is, something must happen to this body. So he says,
here's what's gonna happen, And here's when. Behold, I tell
you a mystery we shall not all sleep, that is,
we all will be gone when Jesus comes. Some will
be still here, be here, but we shall be changed.
(18:42):
That is, these bodies of ours will change in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye. At the last trumpet,
the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, imperishable,
and we shall be changed. That is, the bodies of
our loved ones who are raised the gray first, he says,
raised imperishable, not rush and blood, but the gulifried transformed bodies,
(19:03):
he says in Philippians Liken unto the body of the
Lord Jesus Christ, he says, our bodies will be transformed,
and forever and ever and ever we shall be with
the Lord in the heavens, with God, with the Father,
with the Spirit, with his Holy Angels, and with all
the saints. Now, with all of that, let me just
say one last thing. If you don't take step number one,
(19:24):
you're not going.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
There's no way.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
You'll never get into heaven until you have been born
again by the grace of God. And I plead with
you in Jesus' name to make that decision.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Right now. How do you do it? You ask him
to forgive you of your sins.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
You acknowledge that you've been living independently of God. You
tell them that you're placing your trust in the death
of Jesus Christ at Calvary, But they're all sufficient payment
for your sins, and you're surrendering your life to Him
today to live for him and deserve him all the
days of your life. Doesn't mean you're going to be perfect,
but it means that you turn your life over to Him.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
What a fantastic message you are listening to in Touch
the teaching ministry of doctor Charles Stanley. Have you yielded
your life to the Lord to worship and serve him forever? Well?
If not accept Christ's sacrifice on your behalf and receive
his forgiveness, then you can look forward to eternity in
God's presence. So listen again. Go to in Touch dot
(20:28):
org and look for the link to Today on Radio,
and that's where you'll find articles and features that can
enhance your personal Bible study and help you apply Scripture
to your life. If you'd like a copy of doctor
Stanley's Complete Message, Our Eternal Home, Part two, visit our
online bookstore. It's also included in his teaching set how
to choose your destiny. Our web address again is in
(20:51):
touch dot org. Or call or text us at one
eight hundred in Touch. You can also write to us
at in Touch Post Office Box seventy nine hundred, Atlanta, Georgia,
three zero three five seven. We'll hear more about what
life in heaven will be like in today's moment with
Charles Stanley. That is on the way.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
You've got to be willing to set aside time.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
That's a real victory.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Just imagine what it would have been like to look
over doctor Stanley's shoulder as he was spending time with
the scriptures. Doctor Stanley spent hours in preparation for his sermons,
with photos of his Bibles, resources, and handwritten notes. This
new book will give you an intimate look into doctor
Stanley's daily walk with the Father God turned the light
on Charles F. Stanley's personal Bibles, books and notes available
(21:36):
now go to InTouch dot org slash store.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
We're not the first to seek a life of purpose.
The Bible tells of many who followed a specific path,
step by step, with courage, with surrender for a deeper purpose,
a stronger passion, A lasting piece introducing your path to Purpose,
passion and Peace. A new ninety day devotional inspired by
(22:03):
the timeless teaching of doctor Charles Stanley, available now at
InTouch dot org slash store.
Speaker 6 (22:11):
From the Pastor's Heart is an in depth teaching letter
than inspired by the teachings of doctor Charles Stanley. To
receive in touches from the Pastor's Heart letter, call one
eight hundred in touch or visit in touch dot org
slash Pastor's Heart.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
You're listening to in Touch. Do you ever wish you
had more energy? Well, if you're a believer, one day
you will. Here's a moment with Charles Stanley.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
When you and I get to heaven, my friend, we're
going to be serving the Lord forever and ever and ever.
It isn't gonna be that you're gonna have to get
up at eight o'clock in the morning by an alarm
clock after you've got a good night's sleep, because the
Bible says there will be no night now. The reason
God created the night is to give life and nature
rest in heaven. There's not gonna be in a night,
(23:00):
no sun, no moon. He says, God himself shall be
the light of all of heaven. So he says heaven
is not gonna be some idle place.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Some people somewhere.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Backyond the Middle Ages got the idea that when you
and I get to heaven, we're gonna sprout wings.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
And what we're gonna do forever and ever, we just.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Gonna float around in heaven and just enjoy life.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Now. I don't know about you, but here's the way
I feel about that.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
First of all, I'll be very bored just flying around
because God didn't build us just to float around.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
He built us listen.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
He built us to worship Him, to serve him, to
love him and serve one another. He built us as
active creatures whose lives are to be so invested that
our life will make a difference.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
You can learn more about a Christian's life now and
an eternity at in Touch dot Archie. And if today's
program encouraged you to become the person God intends you
to be, we would love to hear from you next
week on in Touch. It's joyful to think about an
eternal home and heaven, but God's judgment of unbelievers evokes
a very different response. Be back to hear what happens
(24:05):
to those who reject Christ as we take a look
at the final judgment in Touch, the teaching ministry of
doctor Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of in
Touch Ministries Atlanta, Georgia and remains on this station through
the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.
Praise and worship involves personal involvement in what is going on.
It is a God directed feeling. We're thinking about Him
and praising him and adoring him and loving him. And
if you and I going to heaven, my friend, and
spend the rest of eternity praising and worshiping God, we
need to learn how while we are down here and
get started with getting on to worship the Living Holy
(00:25):
God who has become our savior.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Believers look forward to heaven as a place with no sin,
no sorrow, only pure joy. We're glad you've joined us
for in Touch, the teaching ministry of doctor Charles Stanley.
Today's program explores some questions about eternity, like what will
we be doing and when we see our loved ones again.
Stay with us now for part two of our Eternal Home.
(00:51):
In our continuing series on how to Choose your Destiny,
let's join doctor Stanley.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, a wise person always prepares for what he or
she knows is inevitable. And the Bible says that one
of these days all of us will die, and when
we do, we're going to spend eternity in one of
two places. Now, the question is are you making any
preparation for where you're going to spend eternity.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
There are only two places.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
One of them is called the Lake of Fire, and
so the preparation for that is to do nothing. That is,
you don't have to do anything at all to end
up there. But my friend, if you're planning on going
to heaven, there are some steps to preparation. You say, well,
I think I'm going. Well, the question is what have
you done to prepare to spend eternity with God and
(01:45):
all other believers in heaven. And that is the theme
of this entire message, And that is preparing for heaven.
And I want you, if you will, to turn to
Revelation chapter twenty one, and I want us to read
the first.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Six verses of this chapter.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
And this is the beloved John who is writing about
what he saw concerning heaven. Beginning in the first verse
of the twenty first chapter of the Revelation, he says,
and I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth
for the first heaven and the first Earth passed away,
and there is no longer any sea. And I saw
(02:21):
the Holy City in you, Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God made ready as a bride a dawn
for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from
the throne, saying, behold, the Tabernacle of God is among men,
and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be
his people, and God himself shall be among them, and
(02:41):
he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. And
there shall no longer be any death. There shall no
longer be any morning, or crying or pain. The first
things have passed away. And he who sits on the
throne said, behold, I am making all things new. And
he said, right, for these words are faithful and true.
And he said to me, it is done. I am
(03:03):
the Alpha and Omega the beginning. In the end, I
will give to the one who thirst from the spring
of the water of life without cost. Now, when John
writes the Revelation, what he's writing is what he has,
what he is in the process of seeing. He talks
about many things, one of which is he describes here
(03:24):
in this chapter, and that is the.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Holy City, the New City, the Holy City.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Of Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. He says,
like a bride adorned for her husband. But what he's
describing here is heaven. Is he sees it now nobody
can fully understand all that Heaven has for the simple
reason that our finite minds are confined to some degree
to earthly understanding. I'm not going to spend time trying
(03:51):
to describe to you what Heaven's going to be like.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But rather how to prepare to get there.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Now, the first question I want to ask is what
a going to do when we get there. A lot
of people have a lot of conjecture about that, but
there are four very specific things the Bible says that
you and I are going to do when we get
to heaven, and so I want us to look at them,
and then I want us to look at.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
This matter of how do we prepare?
Speaker 1 (04:14):
So in order to talk about how we prepare and
why we should talk about that, let's ask the question what.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Are we going to do there? So there are four
things that I want you to take note of in.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
The Book of Revelation. Go back to chapter four for
a moment. One of the things we're going to do
when we get to heaven is we're going to praise
God and worship Him.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And throughout the Book of the.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Revelation that describes future things, there are a number of
passages not verses, but sections of verses that describe this. Look,
if you will, in verse nine of the fourth chapter,
and when the living creatures give glory and honor and
thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him
who lives forever and ever, and the twenty four elders
will fall down before him who sits on the throne,
(04:56):
and will worship him who lives forever and ever, and
will cast our crowns before the throne, saying, listen, worthy,
art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory
and honor and power, for about its create all things.
And because of Thy will they existed and were created. Then,
for example the next chapter, notice what he says. And
(05:17):
I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels
around the throne, and the living creatures and the elders,
and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and
thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is
the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches
in wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.
And every created thing which is in heaven and on
the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea,
and all things in them, I heard saying to him
(05:40):
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be
blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.
And the full living creatures kept saying Amen, and the
elders fall down in worship.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Well.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
These are just two examples of scripture after scripture in
the Book of the Revelation that describe what's going on
in heaven. That is praise to God and worship. Praise
and worship involves personal involvement in what is going on.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
It is a God directed feeling.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
We're thinking about Him and praising him and adoring him
and loving him. And if you and I are going
to heaven, my friend, and spend the rest of eternity
praising and worshiping God, we need to learn how while
we are down here and get started with getting on
to worship the Living Holy God who has become our savior.
He says, we're going to be praising him in the heavens,
(06:26):
the angels. Everyone is praising the Lord Jesus Christ and
magnifying him for his great work of redemption. A second
thing he says we're going to do. He says, we're
going to shine for him. What in the world does
that mean? Go back if you will to Matthew Chapter thirteen.
In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew. The passage deals with
(06:47):
the judgment, that is the final separation of the righteous
and the unrighteous. And listen to what he says, beginning
in the forty first verse. The Son of Man will
send forth his angels, and they will gather out of
his kingdom all the stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness,
and will cast them into the furnace of fire, And
that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(07:08):
Then then the righteous, those who received the Lord Jesus
Christ as their savior. Then the righteous will shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He
who has ears Let him here. Now what is he
referring to here? Simply this that when you and I
received the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
The Bible says.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
That the Lord Jesus Christ became our life. The Holy
Spirit came to dwell your life in my life. God says,
one of the reasons he saved us is in order
that you and I may glorify Him, that we may
reflect him, that our countenance may show forth the presence
of the Living God within us. He did not save
us merely to keep us out of torment. He saved
(07:51):
us to glorify himself. He saved us to magnify himself.
He saved us because he loves us, because He wants
to give himself to us, live himself through us, shine
forth his glory in his honor, so that when you
and I get to heaven, for all of eternity, we
are gonna shine forth with all the radiance and beauty
and glory and majesty of the Living God, forever and
(08:13):
ever and ever unhindered. And that's why the Bible says
in Ephesians chapter two that God is gonna say to
the angels, Look, these are the expressions of my eternal grace.
Like stars on a moonless night, he says, We're gonna shine.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
He says, like.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
The sun at noonday, you and I will be shining
forth the radiance and the beauty and the glory of God. Now,
if that's what we're gonna do for all eternity, we
need to get busy down here reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ,
both in our character, our conversation and our conduct in
our lifestyle. There ought to be enough of the Lord
Jesus Christ coming through us that those who meet us
(08:50):
know they've met us. But somebody on the inside for
more important than we. Then there's the third thing he
says we're gonna be doing in heaven, and that is
to some people great dismay for you who think, well,
I'm going to retire and finally go to Heaven and
rest and relax forever. I want you to turn to
Revelation chapter twenty two, for he says, as he describes
(09:11):
again heaven. Here, let's start with verse one of chapter
twenty two. And he showed me a river of the
water of life, clearest crystal, coming from the throne of
God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its streets,
And on either side of the river was the tree
of Life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit
every month. And the leaves of the tree were for
the healing of the nations. And there shall no longer
(09:32):
be any curse, and the throne of God and that
of the Lamb shall be in it, and his bun
servants shall serve him. So heaven is going to be
one magnificent wonderful, indescribable, incomparable place as far as we
humanly are able to perceive of it right now. But
he says we're going to be serving him.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Now.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
I want you to think about something, and I want
you to think very very seriously about this. I'm not
questioning your salvation, it's not for me to do.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
But I want you to think about this.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
You mean to tell me, my friend, that you intend
to go to heaven, but you do not intend to
serve God in any fashion.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
That is you saved.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
You know that you're saved, and now the Bible says
that when you get to heaven, you're gonna serve Him.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
So you're just gonna do your thing.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Live your life very smugly saved, but you're gonna start
serving God after you.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Get to heaven. I want to tell.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
You that is as unscriptural, as ungodly, as un christ like,
as unbiblical, and as as theologically erroneous as it can be.
I didn't say you wouldn't get to heaven. I'm just
saying that it's wrong because the Bible says we are
His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of
(10:50):
good works.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
When after we get to Heaven.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Know, down here, all through the Bible, we are admonished.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
To serve the Living God. That is listen.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Serving the Lord is an expression of love, It is
an expression of devotion. It is an expression of adoration
to him. And when I think of the absolutely literally
millions of people who go to church, listen to sermons,
say prayers, give them a little bit of money, and
go home and do nothing in the name of Jesus
Christ until the next Sunday. I want to tell you,
(11:22):
my friend, you are not preparing for heaven. You said, Now,
wait a minute, do you mean I've got to work
to get in?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
You'll never hear me say that.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
But what I'm asking is this, if God has created
us as his servants down here, do you mean to
tell me that you don't intend to do anything until
you get to heaven. I'm going to tell you that
is sin in the eyes of God. It is disobedience
in the eyes of God. And you're not walking uprightly.
If you have determined your heart, you're just gonna float in.
(11:53):
The fourth thing that we're going to be doing listening
to what he says. He says we're going to be
reigning with him. All through the Testament, the Bible speaks
of our reigning with him. Now, think about this. Reigning
means to oversee something all of the scriptures. Isn't it
interesting how the Lord talked about rewards and the judgment
and accountability and responsibility. You've been faithful over a few things.
(12:14):
I'm gonna make you, see, says Ruler, over many things.
Now what is going to determine our responsibility? What is
going to determine our rewards when we get to heaven.
It isn't what I do and how will I do
when I get there. It's what you and I are
doing down here. This is a school, this is a
testing time. The Lord Jesus Christ came into your life.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
He enabled you with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
To serve him, to honor him, to shine for him,
to praise him, to worship him.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
He has equipped us to.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Do everything we need to do in preparation for what
we're going to do for eternity. But what I want
to ask you, my friend, is what, in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of the
Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God, are you
doing here and now in service for the Lord in
preparation to reign and serve with him forever. God's people
(13:03):
are to be actively involved in the work of the Lord.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Listen to me.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
If you and I are going there is spend eternity.
It's time we got busy doing down here in the
body of Christ. What we're going to be doing for eternity. Well,
that's what we're going to be doing. So how do
we make preparation? Well, I believe there are three steps,
according the Bible, three steps in preparation for heaven. The
(13:30):
first step is the preparation of a person's spirit, and
that preparation takes place by regeneration, that is conversion, salvation,
being born again. The Bible says, in times past, you
were dead in trespasses and sins, dead to the things
of God, dead to the things that are holy, did
the things that are righteous, dead to God. When you
(13:52):
are born again, that is when you receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as your personal savior, something happens. You become
a new person. You are in dwelt by a new life.
The old life is gone, the new life is here.
It is the presence in the life of Christ.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Now.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
He says, I will give undo you a new spirit.
That spirit can communicate with God. You have been born again.
The Bible says, except a man be born again, he
cannot see the Kingdom of God. And again in the
same chapter he says verse five, except a man be
born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
See, it is the.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
New birth, it is the conversion. It is your forgiveness
of sin provided the Cross, that makes it possible for
God to give you a new spirit. Now you can
fellowship and communicate with God. Do you understand that a
lost person wouldn't fit in heaven. A lost person couldn't
communicate with God in heaven, can't communicate with him down here,
couldn't communicate with.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Anybody else up there.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Because there our communication will be from spirit to spirit
in all of its absolute perfection. So that the first
step to getting to heaven, my friend, is not being good,
because listen.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Being good does not give you a new spirit.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Being good he doesn't get rid of the old nature.
Being good doesn't forgive you of your sins. Being good
doesn't transform you're in a man. Being good doesn't bring
about a new birth. It is the work of Almighty God.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
By faith. Step number one a new spirit.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
By what the Bible calls regeneration or conversion or salvation, forgiveness, redemption,
whatever the word may be. Step number one, step number two.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Step number two.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Deals with the soul, the preparation of the soul. Now
what is the preparation. Step number one deals with the spirit,
and that's regeneration. Step number two deals with the soul
of man. His mind, will emotion, his conscious his consciousness.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
That's how we relate to one another.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
And what is the process The Bible calls it conformation.
Listen to what he says in Romans eight twenty nine.
He says in Romans eight twenty nine that God predestined
that you and I would be conformed to the image
of his son. Listen carefully. That doesn't mean that your
works you're going to get better and better and better.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
It means this.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
It means by the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is now within you, and by the power of
the Holy Spirit working within you. Listen that more and
more the person of Jesus Christ who is within you
will begin to be able to express himself through you.
The more you and I surrender, the more we yield.
The more we meditate upon the Word of God, the
more time we spend in prayer, the more we give
(16:24):
ourselves away to others, the more of the Lord Jesus
Christ comes forth out of our life and shines upon
those about us. That is the process of conforming us
to His likeness, shaping us into His likeness, pulling us
away from the ways of the world, shaping us into
the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a
process God began here and now. It is a process
that's going on until you and I are called to heaven.
(16:47):
And when we get there, it is going to be
in all of its perfection.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
We are going to be conformed to His likeness because there.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Will be nothing sinful there to hinder us. Well, there's
one other step, getting ready for heaven. Hallelujah. There's not
a thing in this world you knew about it, not
one thing.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Well, what did we say? We said, first of all.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
As a preparation of the spirit by regeneration, preparation of
the soul by being conformed confirmation the likeness of Christ.
And thirdly the preparation of the body by transformation. Look,
if you will, in Philippians chapter three. Philippians chapter three.
Look at verse twenty. For our citizenship is in heaven,
from which also we eagerly wait for a savior, the
(17:31):
Lord Jesus Christ, who will do what transform the body,
this physical body of our humble state, into conformity with
the body of His glory, that is, his glorious, glorified,
unlimited body, unlimited by time, unlimited by space, unlimited by anything,
(17:51):
by the exertion or the expression of the power that
is his supernatural power, that he has even.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
To subject all things to him.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Now go back to First Corinthians chapter fifteen, and let's
look at verse forty nine, fifty fifty one fifty two,
Verse forty nine. He says, now, and just as we
have borne the image of the earth. That is, just
as in this life we have borne the image of
earthly human beings, we shall also bear the image of
(18:21):
the heavenly, that is, the glorified body. Now I say this, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
That is, something must happen to this body. So he says,
here's what's gonna happen, And here's when. Behold, I tell
you a mystery we shall not all sleep, that is,
we all will be gone when Jesus comes. Some will
be still here, be here, but we shall be changed.
(18:42):
That is, these bodies of ours will change in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye. At the last trumpet,
the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, imperishable,
and we shall be changed. That is, the bodies of
our loved ones who are raised the gray first, he says,
raised imperishable, not rush and blood, but the gulifried transformed bodies,
(19:03):
he says in Philippians Liken unto the body of the
Lord Jesus Christ, he says, our bodies will be transformed,
and forever and ever and ever we shall be with
the Lord in the heavens, with God, with the Father,
with the Spirit, with his Holy Angels, and with all
the saints. Now, with all of that, let me just
say one last thing. If you don't take step number one,
(19:24):
you're not going.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
There's no way.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
You'll never get into heaven until you have been born
again by the grace of God. And I plead with
you in Jesus' name to make that decision.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Right now. How do you do it? You ask him
to forgive you of your sins.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
You acknowledge that you've been living independently of God. You
tell them that you're placing your trust in the death
of Jesus Christ at Calvary, But they're all sufficient payment
for your sins, and you're surrendering your life to Him
today to live for him and deserve him all the
days of your life. Doesn't mean you're going to be perfect,
but it means that you turn your life over to Him.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
What a fantastic message you are listening to in Touch
the teaching ministry of doctor Charles Stanley. Have you yielded
your life to the Lord to worship and serve him forever? Well?
If not accept Christ's sacrifice on your behalf and receive
his forgiveness, then you can look forward to eternity in
God's presence. So listen again. Go to in Touch dot
(20:28):
org and look for the link to Today on Radio,
and that's where you'll find articles and features that can
enhance your personal Bible study and help you apply Scripture
to your life. If you'd like a copy of doctor
Stanley's Complete Message, Our Eternal Home, Part two, visit our
online bookstore. It's also included in his teaching set how
to choose your destiny. Our web address again is in
(20:51):
touch dot org. Or call or text us at one
eight hundred in Touch. You can also write to us
at in Touch Post Office Box seventy nine hundred, Atlanta, Georgia,
three zero three five seven. We'll hear more about what
life in heaven will be like in today's moment with
Charles Stanley. That is on the way.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
You've got to be willing to set aside time.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
That's a real victory.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Just imagine what it would have been like to look
over doctor Stanley's shoulder as he was spending time with
the scriptures. Doctor Stanley spent hours in preparation for his sermons,
with photos of his Bibles, resources, and handwritten notes. This
new book will give you an intimate look into doctor
Stanley's daily walk with the Father God turned the light
on Charles F. Stanley's personal Bibles, books and notes available
(21:36):
now go to InTouch dot org slash store.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
We're not the first to seek a life of purpose.
The Bible tells of many who followed a specific path,
step by step, with courage, with surrender for a deeper purpose,
a stronger passion, A lasting piece introducing your path to Purpose,
passion and Peace. A new ninety day devotional inspired by
(22:03):
the timeless teaching of doctor Charles Stanley, available now at
InTouch dot org slash store.
Speaker 6 (22:11):
From the Pastor's Heart is an in depth teaching letter
than inspired by the teachings of doctor Charles Stanley. To
receive in touches from the Pastor's Heart letter, call one
eight hundred in touch or visit in touch dot org
slash Pastor's Heart.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
You're listening to in Touch. Do you ever wish you
had more energy? Well, if you're a believer, one day
you will. Here's a moment with Charles Stanley.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
When you and I get to heaven, my friend, we're
going to be serving the Lord forever and ever and ever.
It isn't gonna be that you're gonna have to get
up at eight o'clock in the morning by an alarm
clock after you've got a good night's sleep, because the
Bible says there will be no night now. The reason
God created the night is to give life and nature
rest in heaven. There's not gonna be in a night,
(23:00):
no sun, no moon. He says, God himself shall be
the light of all of heaven. So he says heaven
is not gonna be some idle place.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Some people somewhere.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Backyond the Middle Ages got the idea that when you
and I get to heaven, we're gonna sprout wings.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
And what we're gonna do forever and ever, we just.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Gonna float around in heaven and just enjoy life.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Now. I don't know about you, but here's the way
I feel about that.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
First of all, I'll be very bored just flying around
because God didn't build us just to float around.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
He built us listen.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
He built us to worship Him, to serve him, to
love him and serve one another. He built us as
active creatures whose lives are to be so invested that
our life will make a difference.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
You can learn more about a Christian's life now and
an eternity at in Touch dot Archie. And if today's
program encouraged you to become the person God intends you
to be, we would love to hear from you next
week on in Touch. It's joyful to think about an
eternal home and heaven, but God's judgment of unbelievers evokes
a very different response. Be back to hear what happens
(24:05):
to those who reject Christ as we take a look
at the final judgment in Touch, the teaching ministry of
doctor Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of in
Touch Ministries Atlanta, Georgia and remains on this station through
the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.
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