Life after Life Part 3
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Transcript of Life after Life Part 3
Imagine
Heaven
Heaven is the Fulfillment of FAITH, It is a prepared place, for prepared people.
Heaven is not aprivilege for the pampered!
“How is it with your soul?”John Wesley
“If your soul is healthy,no external circumstance can destroy your life.
If your soul is unhealthy,no external circumstance can redeem your life.”
― Dallas Willard
HEAVEN is not a reward for good behavior, but
the natural result of HUMAN RESTORATION
“The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become - because He made us. He invented us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.”
Everyone ever will born live forever,the only question is WHERE
Do you want Jesusor just Heaven?
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 15:11-32
Hints of Heaven are Everywhere!
“he came to his senses…”
“Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees takes off his shoes;The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.”
― Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“Once the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment.” ― John O'Donohue
You feel UNWORTHY – self-esteem, courage
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phil 3:14
Symptoms of Hell
You feel UNLOVED – relationships, alone
Jesus said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35
You feel ANXIOUS – security, fear, worry
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
Heaven is not the DEFAULT DESTINATION
If you can’t stand DISCIPLESHIP here and now,you won’t want it THERE AND THEN
Heaven must begin TODAY
Live today in light of a greater reality, Heaven – Be INSPIRED
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. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Col 3:1-2
Heaven must begin TODAYLive today in light of what is to come. - Be INTENTIONAL
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Heaven must begin TODAY
Live today in light of a greater reality, Heaven – Be INSPIRED
Live today in light of what is to come. - Be INTENTIONAL
Live the life of heaven in community – Make an IMPACT
Death is like your car…
It will take you where you want to go.