Three Realities of Heaven

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Eternal Realities

Three Realities of Heaven By Rick Warren — Mar 19, 2015 “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.” (Colossians 3:1 NLT, second edition)            We have many misconceptions about what Heaven is like. You won’t be an angel. You won’t have wings. You’re not going to be a little chubby cherub, wear a white robe, or float on clouds. To me, that would be Hell. I can’t think of anything more boring than being in a colorless place and having to play a harp! We need a right view of Heaven — not Hollywood’s view. The Bible says in Colossians 3:1, “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” (NLT, second edition). So what does the Bible say about these “realities of Heaven”? It’s where God lives and rules. The Bible calls Heaven “the dwelling place of God,” “the house of God,” and “the city of God.” It’s not only where God lives but also where he rules. Jesus calls Heaven “the Kingdom of God” or “the Kingdom of Heaven” 31 times. It is a real place. Heaven isn’t a state of mind, a state of being, or a disembodied condition where you’ll float around without a body. In fact, the Bible says in Heaven there will be streets, trees, water, and homes. Many Scriptures allude to the fact that animals are there. You’ll have a physical body in Heaven, too. Matthew 6:20 says we’re storing up treasures for ourselves in Heaven. You can’t store up treasures in a place that isn’t real. It is designed for you and me. God didn’t design Heaven for himself. He designed it for us. When God started thinking about Earth, he started thinking about Heaven. The Bible says God made the entire universe because he wanted a family with whom to spend eternity. Heaven is the place he’s designing for his family. We weren’t meant to live on Earth. You and I were made for Heaven! Heaven is an amazing place. The Bible says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9b NLT). PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over What is significant about the fact that Heaven is a place where “God rules”? How does the reality of Heaven change the way you live here and now? What can you do this week to help someone hear about our home in Heaven? Our Gift: Eternal Realities Complete Audio Series Are heaven and hell real places and what are they like? How can you be absolutely certain you’ll spend eternity in heaven?  To answer these questions and more, Pastor Rick put together an audio series called, Eternal Realities: Heaven and Hell. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Eternal Realities teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: The Reality of Hell Message 2: The Reality of Heaven Message 3: How To Be Certain You're Going To Heaven PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe