Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Rev.21:4 …God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Rev. 21:3b-5

People with pure and honest hearts know there is a heaven. When my son, Joel, was 9 he wrote this poem.

God’s Heaven
Above the birds that sing;
Above the crooked tree;
Above the puffy clouds;
Above the striking sun;
Above the whistling wind;
There is a place with joy and laughter.
And this place is called God’s heaven!

What a beautiful world awaits us in the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ! The bible says: No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love Him. 1 Cor. 2:9

To die is gain! Everything in heaven will center on and flow from the throne of God. No more tears, pain, suffering, sickness or death. God himself will wipe away our tears and live among us. No more sin. The final battle is over, and the victory is won! No one will ever grow old. No more time pressures or social pressures. No more abuse of children. No murders. No more wars. To die is gain! No more injustice. No hatred. No lies. No need for money. No more leaky roofs, broken down cars or computer viruses. No bills. In heaven the gates will be lined with beautiful jewels, and the streets will be paved with gold. Everything will be beautiful. To die is gain! There will be a sweet friendship with the saints forever. How about sharing a 1,000 year coffee break with me? The dead will rise; the lame will leap; the blind will see; the dumb will speak; the lonely will belong; the weary will rejoice. We will see the dear people we love in that place and be together forever. To die is gain! The Saints and Angels will join in a new song – a song of another world. We will be given a new name, a name and a purpose especially designed for us. There will be work to do, but it will only be a joy because there will be no hindrances. To die is gain! Our lives here are but a vapor compared to eternity. Literally after a million years we will still be singing His praises! We will worship at the very throne of our Father in heaven and cast our crowns before the Lamb – the Lamb who was slain for us and still bears the scars in his hands and feet. To die is gain!

The Prince of Peace will bring perfect peace. The Lord of Righteousness will reign in righteousness. The King of Kings will rule over the heavens and the earth in truth, justice and love. Indeed, to die is gain! Heaven will be beyond anything we could ever dream of. Take your most incredible dream and multiply it 1,000 times, and you still will not come close to the beauty of heaven. Every good desire we’ve ever experienced will find its expression in the wonders of heaven. I can’t wait, can you? To die is gain.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Rev. 21:1. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Rev. 21:21

For Me to Live is Christ
Wow! How exciting it is to think of the joys of heaven that await us. But we also know…

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
Psalm 24:1

Yes, there are so many blessings in this life as well. Finding the girl or guy of one’s dreams and sharing your life together. A kiss from your true love. The joy of a new born baby. Hiking a mountain just to enjoy the view. The simple pleasure of a cookout and playing a yard game with friends and family. Taking a walk down a country road with the Lord. The laughter of children as they wake up on Christmas morning at 4 a.m. to open their presents. A pat on the back. Sitting on the front porch with your mom and dad, brother or sister. Watching your children grow into godly adults. The news that a friend or family member has pulled through a serious illness or accident. Getting a hit in a baseball game or watching your favorite team win. Getting an A on a test or landing that first job. Petting a dog or cat. Cooking a signature dish and hearing everyone rave about how good it is. Hearing the news that someone you’ve been praying for several years has given his life to Jesus. The sound of music.

These blessings are just a glimpse of the glory to come, and while the earth is the Lord’s and the beauty all around us, the world system is not – it is controlled by the enemy of God, Satan. Creation has been marred by the Fall. Not only this, his poison has infected us with the prospect of growing old and dying – and that’s the best case scenario. Even in the best of times, there’s so much suffering in this world. But there will come a day very soon when everything will be made new.