Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)
What between eternal life and the present one
is of greater worth?
What between an appetizer and the main dish is
more substantial?
Yet when was the last time you heard any
preaching on heaven? When was the last time you heard a song about heaven? When
was the last time you read a book about heaven?
This is the clearest indicator that the church
has swayed too far from God’s purpose. That the church as presently is has no
similitude to the church Christ died for.
There is nothing wrong with breakthrough. There
is no problem with increase and favor. And it is not a sin to succeed.
But those are the toppings on God’s gift,
eternal life.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we
are of all men most miserable. (1Corinthians 15:19)
Have you ever heard a preacher read or quote this
verse in his sermon?
Yet that is the clearest comparison we have
between this life and the next in Christ.
If the present life is all there is to God’s
gift, we could then be the most lost people the world over simply because we
are choosing the icing instead of the cake.
We could actually be like the swine trampling
on the pearl to be able to eat the wrapping it came in. We could be like the
toddler who will choose a sweet or cheap toy instead of a wad of cash.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain
the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange
for his soul?
(Matthew 16:26)
Yet the preaching of these days is all about
this world and all that it can and does offer.
We are so fixated on this world that I know
many would faint if they had the smallest glimpse of heaven, because of God’s
presence and glory.
Yet you find many believers who are scared even
to read about eternity (or the end of this life) because they think it will put
a damp on the pursuits of this world, as it surely will, only that it will not
be for the reasons our popular preachers advance.
You see, you cannot compare the temporal with
the eternal. You cannot compare this life and eternal life.
The disparity between earth and heaven is more
than that between light and darkness.
And it is not simply because eternal life is
endless as I wrote in a post not so long ago.
Heaven is the desire of any true believer in
Christ.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)
Can you imagine a mansion God, who created the
world as it is in six days, has been preparing for two millennia and counting?
That is not a reality to glide over. It should
be an all-compassing reality guiding everything I am and do.
Why did Jesus overcome?
He had the big picture. He was clear of His
assignment. He knew where He was going.
He therefore was not living from one day to the
next. He was doing everything with a destination in sight.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I
bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and
whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. (John 8:14)
That is why we see Him repeatedly saying that
His time was not yet
And it came to pass, when the time was come that
he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And
sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of
the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because
his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9: 51 – 53)
It is the focus of where He was going that made
His complete focus set on enduring the cross and the shame and pain it
compassed.
Heaven defined Him and shaped everything He
said and did, and how He said and did it.
And it was not only Him. Believers of all ages
have demonstrated the same.
From Stephen who appeared to be rejoicing at
his stoning because he had had a glimpse of heaven to Paul and Silas who could
sing and pray in a prison under immense pain and wounds and the restriction of
their painful shackles.
And over the ages we have enough examples of
those who sang through the flames of their burning at the stake for their
faith.
No breakthrough on earth can make us undergo
such suffering. No rewards on earth have even the smallest spark or fuel to
allow us to enjoy deprivation and persecution true faith is sure to attract.
And it is for the single reason that it is
temporal. In short, there is no reward beyond what we can experience.
A student deprives himself of sleep and comfort
to prepare for exams because he knows that a good grade will offer him better
prospects. A person may deprive himself of the comfort his contemporaries are
enjoying because he is saving for a piece of land. Tourists deny themselves so
much for years to be able to save for a holiday.
Heaven is such a prize. It is worth everything,
and more.
Then comes the modern preacher and his
believer.
You tithe because God will make the 90%
remaining do more than the 100% would have done. You give so that God will hit
you back with more and better. You give yourself to ministry because doing so
will open doors that would not have opened otherwise.
In short, everything we do has to have a here
and now reward.
But nothing could be farther from the truth.
Stephen did not gain anything this side of
eternity from his stoning. Paul gained nothing for the suffering he underwent
as part of his calling. Even Jesus gained nothing earthly for going through the
cross.
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a
desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to
abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know
that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of
faith; (Philippians
1: 23 - 25)
According to Paul, heaven is far better, a
greater destination that he longed for with all his being.
The only thing holding him back was the
assignment Christ had for him, and for that he was willing to suffer so that his
assignment is complete.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look
not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the
things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal.
(2Corinthians 4: 17, 18)
I hope you are grasping what I am saying.
We should for a moment be still and focus on
heaven. We should focus more of our effort and resources on heaven.
Heaven should dictate our whole existence.
Think about the secret agent or undercover
investigator.
They will be given everything they will need
for the success of their assignment. But the focal point is the assignment and
nothing else.
It will be a tragedy of incredible proportions
if they can be bribed to abandon the assignment. In fact, should they even
attempt that, their end is many times worse than that of defectors.
Getting comfortable with the perks of the task
and neglecting the assignment makes one worse than a deserter, even worse than
an enemy.
Yet is not that the way the church is for the
most part?
Why have we stopped preaching against sin for
the longest time?
We have simply forgotten about heaven.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father
which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done
in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6: 9, 10)
The focal point of the Lord’s prayer is heaven.
It goes without say that if heaven is on my
cross hairs, I will be living a markedly heaven-leaning life.
As I said about the fear of God, the view of
heaven will ensure that I will live in such a way as will reflect or radiate
heaven to those beholding me.
Heaven will dictate how I look at life.
Sin is rampant in church because preachers have
forgotten about heaven, meaning that the congregation has no idea it even
exists.
I can’t have a view of heaven and lie, however
white the lie might be, forget about those big sins. And we will avoid even
those sins because we fear the shame that we could attract if we get caught. We
are therefore more scared of shame than we are of sin.
But the reality of heaven will very easily
reverse that order because we will be more scared of behaving in an unheavenly
way even when we know we will not be caught.
Heaven is the clearest antidote to sin and
temptation because an eternal reality is the stopper of everything enticement
brings. And the clearer that reality is the better.
Will we pray that God brings our hearts on what
His Son went to prepare for us?
This is a very short message on a very
expansive topic.
I therefore want us to treat it as an awakening
call. A call to God’s people to refocus on heaven, where God is.
It is very sad that we are all the time talking
and calling upon God’s presence in our events when we have lost interest in His
abode, the place where His presence is the reigning reality.
May God help us.
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