Sunday, January 7, 2018

January 8, 2018

"After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from all nations and provinces and languages, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white, with palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God upon the throne, and from the Lamb.” And now all the angels were crowding around the throne and around the Elders and the four Living Beings, and falling face down before the throne and worshiping God. “Amen!” they said. “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be to our God forever and forever. Amen!” Then one of the twenty-four Elders asked me, “Do you know who these are, who are clothed in white, and where they come from?” “No, sir,” I replied. “Please tell me.” “These are the ones coming out of the Great Tribulation,” he said; “they washed their robes and whitened them by the blood of the Lamb. That is why they are here before the throne of God, serving him day and night in his temple. The one sitting on the throne will shelter them; they will never be hungry again, nor thirsty, and they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat. For the Lamb standing in front of the throne will feed them and be their Shepherd and lead them to the springs of the Water of Life. And God will wipe their tears away.” Revelation 7:9-17
Everyone wants to go to Heaven! 
As you read through the Revelation you will find yourself even more excited about Heaven.
That's one reason I have chosen to preach a series on Heaven over these next six weeks.
I began that series this morning by sharing five Heavenly activities you and I should be doing on earth if we want His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
But I must close out this week of blogs by reminding you that Heaven is available to everyone but it isn't automatic. Not everyone will make it to Heaven.
Even if you do these five Heavenly actions all your life that will not be enough to get you to Heaven.
There is only one way through Heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. You must have your sins forgiven and you must love God more than you love yourself or anyone else.
Religion doesn't get you to Heaven a relationship does. That relationship is a faith-relationship with God through Jesus.
Good works don't get you to Heaven only a GOD WORK performed in your heart by faith will get you to Heaven.
Heaven is available but it is NOT automatic. If you or I could earn our way to Heaven Jesus never have had to die on the Cross.
So, do you have the assurance of Heaven when you die?
If you were to die today do you have the assurance - absolute assurance - that you would awaken in Heaven?
A simple prayer confessing your sins and turning from your sins and inviting Jesus to come and take control of your life - your past, the present and your future!
You need to do that!
You need to know that!
You can know that!
When you know Christ you know that!