Participants: Lonnie Melashenko
Series Code: VOPS
Program Code: VOPS000022
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00:32 Some folks have the idea that
00:34 Heaven is something like a bunch of cumulus clouds 00:38 painted with rainbows 00:39 where spirits play hide-and-seek with ghosts. 00:43 It's kind of like a spook world. 00:44 Pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by, where you float around 00:47 on wispy clouds playing unearthly music 00:50 on immaterial harps forever. 00:54 Well, you know, if I believed Heaven was like that, 00:55 I really wouldn't want to go there. 00:58 I wouldn't be interested, Would you? 01:00 That would really be kind of miserable. 01:03 Interesting that some religions say 01:05 there are three heavens or even some say seven heavens. 01:10 Others say, well, Heaven is not really a literal place at all, 01:13 it's just a state of mind. 01:16 Millions believe. 01:18 "Well, eventually, everybody will end up in Heaven." 01:21 Others argue, well, no, very few will make it. 01:26 Why are there so many different opinions 01:28 when God's Word of prophecy is absolutely filled 01:31 with stupendous details about Heaven, 01:34 this colossal space station up 01:35 there in the sky under construction right now. 01:40 And, friends, the reason God wants us 01:41 to know what Heaven is like, 01:44 is so that we'll want to be there. 01:46 Heaven is not a secret God is keeping from us. 01:51 In many buildings, there are thousands 01:54 of different keys to fit each of the locks 01:57 in those high-rise structures to fit each door. 02:01 When we were down in Caracas, Venezuela, 02:03 we never say a place with more keys and more locks, 02:06 you got have at least eight different keys 02:08 to get inside your little simple apartment building. 02:12 These are pictures we took down there. 02:14 But usually the superintendent of the building 02:16 of course has one key that fits all of those doors, 02:19 called the master key. 02:22 Well, God has one master key that unlocks the mysteries 02:25 about Heaven, fits all the doors. 02:28 And that master key is the Bible. 02:30 And we don't have to be confused 02:31 by human theories or opinions. 02:33 God's Word is a reliable master source 02:36 of information about the future. 02:39 In fact, 2 Peter 1:21 says, 02:42 "...We have the prophetic word confirmed, 02:46 which you do well to heed 02:47 as a light that shines in a dark place, 02:50 until the day dawns 02:52 and the morning star rises in your hearts." 02:56 Now, it may surprise you, 02:57 but God has revealed in His Word. 03:00 Where heaven will be? What heaven will be like? 03:03 Where its capital will be? What people will do there? 03:06 What people will be like there? Where the saved will live? 03:10 And what the capital city will look like? 03:14 So for the next few minutes tonight, 03:16 let's just have a little bit of fun together, 03:18 salve and just kind of stretch our imaginations, 03:20 let's take God's master key, 03:22 the Bible and discover the truth about 03:25 "The Best That's Just Ahead." 03:29 Two years ago Jeannie and I were with a group 03:31 of Voice of Prophecy supporters and we were sailing 03:33 in the Greek Isles in the Mediterranean Sea. 03:35 We stopped by the beautiful, beautiful Isle of Patmos, 03:40 that's where the last living disciple 03:41 John wrote the Book of Revelation. 03:45 John was a prisoner on this isle 03:48 on this God-forsaken rock that's about six miles long 03:52 and three miles wide, 03:53 located there in the bluest of blue Aegean Sea 03:56 that I've ever seen. 03:58 But there God gave him a vision just before he died, 04:01 a glorious preview of the future. 04:05 And John wrote about what he saw here 04:07 in the Book of Revelation. 04:08 We find for example in Revelation 21:1, 2, 04:12 John said, "Now I saw a new heaven 04:16 and a new earth, for the first heaven 04:17 and the first earth had passed away. 04:19 And also, there was no more sea. 04:22 Then I, John, saw the holy city, 04:24 New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 04:27 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." 04:33 I'm a soft touch on a couple of things, one is kids. 04:36 I can clear up pretty quick. 04:39 But I also get choked up at weddings, don't you? 04:43 To me there's nothing more beautiful and radiant 04:46 than a gorgeous bride on her wedding day. 04:50 Well, this heavenly city is like a bride, John tells us. 04:55 And by the way, Heaven isn't something 04:56 that only John saw and only John knew about. 04:59 All of God's prophets through the ages 05:01 have known about Heaven 05:02 because Heaven is a crucial part 05:04 of God's final plan of restoration. 05:08 In fact, Heaven is His surprise wedding present 05:13 for His bride, the church. 05:15 Listen, Acts 3:20, 21, 05:19 "And that He may send Jesus Christ, 05:22 who was preached to you before, 05:24 whom heaven must receive 05:25 until the times of restoration of all things, 05:29 which God has spoken by the mouth 05:31 of all His holy prophets since the world began." 05:35 Restoration it says. 05:37 Now, what is God going to restore? 05:40 God is going to restore everything that 05:43 Adam and Eve lost. 05:46 Some of you already know that I'm a stereo nut. 05:49 I like to listen to good music. 05:51 That great big speakers at home 05:53 and from time to time when I get a chance, 05:55 I go and turn on a brand new CD of some symphony orchestra 05:58 and I stretch out there on the floor, 06:01 and I'll tell you I cranked the music up big time. 06:05 But there's nothing more disruptive 06:07 than right in the middle of that 06:08 to hear the doorbell ring or maybe the power go off 06:12 or suddenly somehow the music just stops 06:15 right in the middle of the best part. 06:18 That's a little annoying. 06:20 Well, God's original music score for this earth 06:24 was like a great big symphony. 06:26 He had the score all written at creation. 06:29 He was the conductor. 06:31 Everything was in position and ready 06:32 and the music began to play. 06:35 Gorgeous music there in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. 06:39 But in Genesis 3 the music suddenly stopped. 06:42 Somebody interrupted, botched the whole thing up. 06:46 And for 6,000 years now God's been waiting 06:50 to get started again His unfinished symphony. 06:56 You see, Heaven is God's strategic plan for restoration. 07:01 To restore all six of the precious treasured gifts 07:04 He'd given mankind in the first place. 07:06 For example, He had given Adam and Eve a mankind life. 07:11 Eternal Life, without end. 07:14 He'd given them a righteous nature, 07:16 pure, holy character. 07:18 He'd given them a beautiful, 07:20 beautiful home, the Garden of Eden. 07:22 Bible says he'd also given them 07:24 dominion over every living thing 07:27 upon the earth that moved." 07:29 In fact, I personally believe that Adam and Eve 07:31 could communicate with the animals and the birds 07:34 just like they do at Disneyland and Sea World. 07:36 I mean, if we can do it human ways, 07:37 think what they could do. 07:39 Call them by name, they would come, 07:41 do tricks He had dominion. 07:45 God also gave them perfect family happiness. 07:49 And face-to-face communion with God. 07:53 No barriers. Open fellowship. 07:56 God's original Paradise was His forever symphony, 08:00 His original score. 08:02 And in Genesis 1, God was so proud 08:04 to show it off to the whole universe, 08:06 because the Creator Himself had designed 08:09 and decorated Adam and Eve's home. 08:11 He gave them perfect health, perfect love, 08:13 perfect happiness, perfect joy. 08:15 Everything was peace, harmony, total freedom, 08:20 if they chose to obey God's very simple instructions. 08:25 Now just "Don't eat of that forbidden tree 08:28 in the Garden of Eden, 08:30 or you'll interrupt the orchestra and the music." 08:34 But that's exactly what they chose to do, 08:37 to eat of the tree rather than listening to God. 08:42 And Heaven's harmony became the unfinished symphony. 08:46 The most tragic day in the universe. 08:49 For the first time in Adam and Eve's lives, 08:52 they felt guilt, they felt shame, 08:53 they felt fear. 08:55 By their disobedience, they lost everything, 08:58 they lost their garden home, 09:00 their lost their dominion of Earth, 09:02 they lost access to the Tree of Life. 09:04 They lost their happiness, they lost love, 09:06 they lost fellowship with the Creator. 09:08 And our world, our perfect world 09:10 became cursed with sin, sickness, suffering and sorrow. 09:15 Bible says they were no longer masters, 09:18 which means they couldn't go down 09:20 and call the fish by name any more. 09:23 Bible says Adam and Eve became slaves. 09:26 They chose to throw away 09:27 their freedoms and they liberties. 09:29 And Paul says in Romans 6:16, 09:33 "Do you not know that whom you present yourselves 09:37 slaves to obey, 09:39 you are that one's slaves whom you obey?" 09:43 In other words, they sold out to the Devil. 09:46 They chose to separate themselves from God 09:48 and life and happiness and freedom. 09:52 But I'm so glad a loving God understood. 09:57 I'm so glad that God couldn't bear 09:59 to be parted from them forever. 10:02 He'd planned too much. He'd invested too much. 10:06 He'd risked too much. 10:07 And He loved them so much, 10:09 He couldn't leave His erring children without hope. 10:13 What could you do? 10:15 As angels sadly ushered Adam and Eve 10:19 out the gate of the garden for one last final time, 10:24 God made a promise to Adam and Eve, 10:26 He promised them something, that one day His own Son, 10:31 the Seed of the Woman, would come to die for them 10:35 so that they could be restored back to the family of God 10:38 and have eternal life again. 10:40 In fact, you find that first promise right there 10:42 in Genesis 3:15 10:44 where God actually He spoke to the serpent 10:48 as He talked there with them and He said, 10:51 "I will put enmity between you and the woman, 10:56 between your seed and her seed, 10:59 He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." 11:06 What a glorious promise. Jesus Messiah would come. 11:11 But, you know, unfortunately, as generations passed 11:14 and Homo sapiens multiplied in earth, 11:17 The Bible tells us that sin also exponentially exploded 11:21 and the human race almost completely forgot God. 11:24 People became corrupt, they became vile, 11:27 they became immoral, they became depraved. 11:29 Genesis 6:5 says, 11:31 "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness 11:33 of man was great in the earth, 11:35 that every intent of His thoughts 11:37 was only evil continually." 11:41 In fact, so abominably evil, 11:43 that we read that it became necessary for God 11:46 to destroy that which He had created, 11:48 this world by a flood in order it says to preserve 11:53 any life on the earth or we'd have self destructed. 11:57 And we read that only eight people survived. 12:02 Well, did we learn our lesson? 12:05 No. 12:07 After the flood, read the account, 12:09 it wasn't many generations 12:10 before people became corrupt again. 12:13 But this time in order to preserve 12:15 a holy people on earth, a remnant, 12:17 a special Church of God's "called out" ones. 12:22 God called Abraham and his family 12:25 out of the idolatrous and corrupt Ur of the Chaldees. 12:29 Have you heard of that place recently in the news? 12:32 It's right there near Baghdad. 12:35 When our Marines started moving up 12:36 from Kuwait to Baghdad, the news reporters 12:40 on CNN and ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, 12:43 they all said, they're passing through Ur right now. 12:47 That's where Abraham was. 12:50 And Genesis 12:1, 2, He spoke to Abraham 12:53 and he said, Abraham, 12:55 I want you "Get out of your country, 12:57 from your family and from your father's house, 13:00 to a land that I will show you. 13:02 I will make you a great nation, 13:03 I will bless you and make your name great, 13:06 and you shall be a blessing." 13:09 Do you think that was easy for Abraham? 13:12 According to what I read in the Bible, 13:13 Abraham was a very wealthy 13:15 business tycoon playing the market 13:18 and trading on Wall Street in downtown Baghdad. 13:21 In fact his friends in the local Jaycees 13:23 and the Chamber of Commerce and the Lien's Association, 13:26 they derided him and said, "Abraham, 13:29 Abraham you're not serious, you're leaving Babylon?" 13:33 Yep. 13:34 "Where on earth are you going?" 13:38 I don't know. God said He'll lead me. 13:41 "What will you do when you get there?" 13:44 Well, I'm gonna raise up a great nation. 13:48 "What? 13:50 Abraham, you've been out in the sun too long, 13:52 you don't even have any children 13:53 and you're 75 years old. 13:56 You're gonna raise up a nation. 13:57 Come on, and who is going to protect you 13:59 in this strange land?" 14:01 Him. 14:03 You know, what a lesson 14:04 for God's faithful people today. 14:06 We've got to learn to trust God, 14:08 even when we don't understand. 14:09 We got to hang on in faith, 14:11 Abraham, even if you have to leave your friends. 14:14 Not knowing where you're going, or what the future holds. 14:17 You see, you may not know what the future holds, 14:19 but you know who holds the future. 14:21 Amen. Praise the Lord. 14:23 Hebrews 11:9, 10, 14:25 "By faith he dwelt in the land of promise 14:28 as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents, 14:30 with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him 14:33 of the same promise, For he waited, 14:35 he looked for the city which has foundations, 14:38 whose builder and maker is God." 14:42 Now here's what's important tonight. 14:45 God promised to give Abraham 14:47 and his children all that Adam and Eve had lost. 14:51 And that's why the Bible prophets in all the ages 14:54 looked forward to our day 14:57 and the restoration of all things. 15:00 In fact, you look back there in the faith chapter, 15:02 it talks about, it says that Abraham, 15:06 and then it talks about Enoch, talks about Noah, 15:10 talks about Abel, Isaac, Rahab, David, Samuel, 15:15 it says they all believed in God's promise to restore 15:19 what Adam and Eve lost. 15:22 But for them, there was just one problem 15:24 as it says here in Hebrews 11:13. 15:27 "These all died in faith, 15:29 not having received the promises, 15:31 but having seen them afar off, 15:33 were assured of them, and embraced them. 15:37 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. 15:41 Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, 15:44 for He has prepared a city for them." 15:49 Heaven! 15:50 In fact, Isaiah, the greatest of all the messianic prophets, 15:55 he gave us a description, clear back in the Old Testament 15:58 of the restoration God has prepared 16:00 for His saved people. 16:01 In Isaiah 65:17, he says, "For behold, 16:06 I create a new heavens and a new earth, 16:10 and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." 16:14 Listen, you folks up there in Washington D.C. 16:17 where all of those snipers were shooting this last fall. 16:20 Listen back home in Los Angeles, 16:21 where the news reported record gang shootings 16:24 all this past winter and spring. 16:27 My friends living up in San Francisco, 16:29 or whether you're in Chicago 16:30 or Toronto or Sydney, Australia. 16:32 Good news, Isaiah 60:18 says, 16:35 "Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, 16:38 neither wasting nor destruction within your borders, 16:41 but you shall call your walls Salvation, 16:44 and your gates Praise." 16:47 I mean, just think, no more violence. 16:51 No smart bombs. 16:53 Isn't that wonderful to think about? 16:56 No need for weapons to defend and protect ourselves. 16:59 No rapists, no thieves. 17:00 I mean, you can walk the streets of gold 17:02 not have to worry about someone coming along 17:04 and jackhammering him up and hauling him away 17:06 or being attacked or robbed? 17:10 Our Voice of Prophecy evangelistic team last year 17:13 was in Colonia Tovar, 17:15 which is near Caracas in Venezuela. 17:17 We held the campaign there 17:18 and we were out in the country one time 17:20 and Curt and I happen, Curt Johnson happen 17:22 to be in the same four-wheel drive 17:24 coming back home to get ready for the evening meeting. 17:26 But it was so breathtaking, Curt said, 17:28 hey let's just stop, we got to get a photograph. 17:29 We went out on little side road and out of nowhere, 17:34 little did we realized 17:35 that is one of the most dangerous places in that area. 17:39 Out of nowhere, all of a sudden, 17:41 a white Ford Bronco roared up. 17:44 And the lady went, "Bang! Bang!Bang! Bang! 17:47 Americans, dangerous. Bang! Bang!" 17:51 We realized we were nearer, 17:52 we would likely have been shot to get out of our vehicle. 17:57 Listen, the prophet tells us in Isaiah 11:6, 18:02 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, 18:06 the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, 18:09 the calf and the young lion and the fatling together..." 18:12 And I love this passage, it says, 18:14 "A little child shall lead them." 18:17 Amen. Praise the Lord. 18:19 See, God restores planet Earth back to its original beauty, 18:23 Isaiah 33:14 says, 18:26 "And the inhabitant will not say, 'I am sick." 18:31 My dad back there watching with your triple heart bypass 18:35 no more heart attacks, dad. 18:37 Lon, no more cancer, no more AVMs, 18:42 arteriovenous malformations. 18:44 No allergies for you, friend. 18:46 Isn't that great news? 18:48 Isaiah 35:5 says, 18:50 "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened." 18:54 I'm listening and talking to my friend from time to time, 18:57 like Robin and Stephanie Dawn. 19:01 You know, dear hearts, I want to be there 19:05 when you can open your eyes and see the face of Jesus. 19:09 What a glorious day that will be. 19:12 And you folks watching this Bible lectures 19:14 by sign language. 19:17 That's closed captioning, many of you don't see that, 19:19 but it's on behind the screen, 19:20 the Bible says this for you who can't hear, 19:22 Isaiah 35:5, 6, 19:24 "And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 19:27 The lame shall leap like a deer..." 19:30 No more wheelchairs, my friend Jeff, 19:32 whoever this evening or, Estelita back at our Voice 19:36 of Prophecy where you had your one leg amputated. 19:40 No more quadriplegics, friend. 19:42 No more crutches. 19:44 Everyone will be absolutely perfect with perfect body. 19:48 Whoa! 19:49 There goes grandma on the Sea of Glass, 19:52 sparkling, glittering, 19:53 all kinds of things shooting up, sensational. 19:55 And she is even walking on water. 19:58 Isaiah 35:6 says, 20:00 "And the tongue of the dumb shall sing." 20:04 God used our imaginations a little bit here. 20:07 Perhaps they will be given vocal chords 20:09 that can sing in 4-part harmony at one time. 20:15 What a happy day. 20:16 But there's more, Isaiah 35:1, 20:18 "The wilderness and the wasteland 20:21 shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice 20:24 and blossom as the rose." 20:26 Near where I live in southern California, 20:29 a beautiful southern California golden state, 20:32 that means it's desert. 20:34 But right near where we live, it is a citrus paradise. 20:38 I have a Chinese friend, 20:39 he is the late Dr. Philip Chen now, 20:41 but I would go to his home 20:43 and this guy was an amazing scientist, 20:45 he could grow five different kinds of citrus on one tree, 20:49 gorgeous grapefruit, 20:51 tangerines, lemons, all in one tree. 20:55 But I read about the new earth, 20:57 the beautiful new earth has the Tree of Life 20:59 that has 12 different fruits every month. 21:02 Amen. 21:04 Isaiah 65:21, 22 tells me something else, it says, 21:08 "They shall build houses and inhabit them, 21:10 they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 21:13 They shall not build, and another inhabit, 21:15 they shall not plant, and another eat, 21:18 for as the days of a tree, 21:19 so shall be the days of My people, 21:21 and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." 21:26 I mean, we'll realize our wildest dreams up there, 21:29 unrestricted, limitless innovations. 21:32 creative and ingenious inventions 21:35 because in Heaven, folks, there is no lock on earth 21:38 that God won't let us pick. 21:41 Heaven's a real place with real people 21:43 that's going to do real things. 21:44 The Bible says in fact, 21:45 people will know us by our own names, 21:48 God will give us some new names too, 21:50 but we'll even be known evidently 21:51 by our unique personal idiosyncrasies. 21:56 Our long nose, maybe our big ears, big hands, 22:00 of course, there will be perfect noses there, 22:02 perfect ears, perfect hands. 22:05 Our voice will be similar. 22:06 Our smiles, our little dimples, laughter. 22:09 Isaiah 66:22, 23 says, 22:13 "For as the new heavens and the new earth 22:15 which I will make, shall remain before me," 22:17 says the Lord, 'so shall your descendants 22:20 and your name remain. 22:22 And it shall come to pass, 22:23 that from one new moon to another, 22:25 and from one Sabbath to another, 22:27 all flesh shall come to worship 22:28 before me,' says the Lord." 22:31 Every Sabbath will be one grand 22:34 family reunion party that will never get tired of. 22:36 In fact, we'll have such a good time, 22:38 do you know that the Bible says even God will laugh. 22:42 Amen. Whoa! 22:43 There goes grandma on the Sea of Glass! 22:46 Isaiah 35:10 says, 22:48 "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, 22:50 and come to Zion with singing, 22:52 with everlasting joy on their heads. 22:55 They shall obtain joy and gladness, 22:57 and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." 23:01 Ladies and gentlemen, 23:02 if that doesn't sound exciting, you're dead. 23:06 Wonderful, joyful celebrations 23:09 as we assemble each Sabbath from traveling 23:11 all over the four corners of God's great universe. 23:13 We come back evidently at the speed of thought, 23:16 back to the Capital City, the Holy City, 23:19 on Sabbath to praise and sing and have fellowship. 23:23 And you know what? 23:24 Our Bible says that at this very moment 23:28 there are the sounds of construction up there, 23:32 jack hammers, saws sawing, hammers hammering 23:35 and paint sprayers buzzing, 23:37 because Jesus said He went away 23:39 to personally build each one of us a mansion. 23:44 Can you imagine Jesus up there tonight 23:45 with the angels helping Him out, 23:47 building mansions that are beyond description? 23:50 In fact, Paul says we wouldn't believe it 23:53 if it was described to us. 23:55 They are so majestic, so perfect, 23:57 because Jesus Himself builds that mansion. 24:01 And then Isaiah surprises me even more it says, 24:04 "Lon, you know, something, Lon, 24:07 you're gonna get to build a house, too. 24:09 You'll have a second home. 24:12 And Jesus will help you as the Heavenly Architect 24:15 and Divine Carpenter." 24:18 I try to use my imagination little. 24:20 Perhaps we'll build that home 24:23 out in the country or maybe by the water 24:26 or perhaps if you like a mountain, 24:27 you could have a mountain. 24:29 And each weekend 24:30 we'll go into the capital city in the New Earth 24:32 and stay in our mansion that Jesus built us in the city, 24:36 but then we'll have our own home 24:37 that we're building out in the country. 24:40 Now, it may surprise you that all this is going on 24:44 and it's going to take place eventually right here 24:47 on this re-created Earth, 24:50 this is going to be the future home of the saved, 24:53 because Jesus said in Matthew 5:5, 24:56 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit" a star. 25:01 What did He say? 25:03 We would inherit "the earth." 25:06 Amen. 25:07 While the meek don't have much of it today, 25:09 most of it's in the hands of finance companies. 25:12 But listen, God as we've learnt 25:14 on previous nights is going to restore Planet Earth 25:17 to its original perfection, a glorious New Earth. 25:21 By the way, this is another reason 25:23 why no one is in Heaven yet today, 25:24 because Jesus says 25:27 this earth is where God 25:30 is going to finally re-create Heaven. 25:34 This earth will be our final ultimate home, recreated. 25:35 I want you to repeat out loud 25:37 with me one of Jesus' most wonderful promises, 25:40 it's on the screen, John 14:1-3, 25:42 "Let not your heart be troubled, 25:46 you believe in God, believe also in Me. 25:48 In My Father's house are many mansions, 25:51 if it were not so, I would have told you. 25:55 I am going there to prepare a place for you. 25:58 And if I go to prepare a place for you, 26:02 I will come again to receive you to Myself, 26:05 that where I am, there you may be also." 26:07 The only reason Jesus is coming, friend, 26:11 is because He doesn't have a one of us with Him tonight. 26:12 And Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer, 26:15 to pray that day of restoration come soon 26:18 in Matthew 6:10, we should pray, Lord, 26:21 "Your kingdom come. 26:24 Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." 26:26 We're not up there yet. 26:30 So, friend, we need to pray that prayer every single day. 26:32 But now, for the grand finale of the story, 26:35 let's go back once again to that Isle of Patmos 26:38 and consider the details of that magnificent city 26:39 which John saw in vision. 26:43 And poor John, it seems like as a prophet 26:45 he had a hard time finding the right words 26:48 to express the grandeur of that Holy City. 26:51 As gorgeous as pictures are on the screen are, 26:53 as mind-boggling any visualization, 26:56 as crazy and preposterous as our zany imaginations 26:59 try to picture Heaven, Paul says, 27:02 Lon, you aren't even close. 27:04 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, 27:08 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, 27:09 nor have entered into the heart of man, 27:11 the things which God has prepared 27:13 for those who love Him." 27:14 But wait a minute. 27:17 Most people don't read the next few verses. 27:22 1 Corinthians 2:10 says, "But God has revealed them 27:25 unto us through His Spirit." 27:29 Enough information to give us a little sneak preview. 27:32 Now, if He described what it was really like, 27:34 Paul said we'd be so absolutely astonished 27:37 and blown away, we wouldn't believe it. 27:40 So, as we read the Bible it's kind of looking through 27:43 a dark pair of sunglasses. 27:45 We got to use our imaginations a bit. 27:48 There goes grandma on the Sea of Glass. 27:49 But he says, you can imagine that 27:52 but the half of it hasn't been told. 27:56 I mean, if Peter could walk on water, so can we. 28:01 So say John and Isaiah and all of the prophets 28:03 that it's all true. 28:04 And John tries real hard 28:07 to unfold the details of this Holy City. 28:10 But then he just kind of puts his pen down, 28:13 takes a deep breath and he says, Wow! 28:16 "It's just too fabulous to be true." 28:18 But we have God's Word for it. 28:22 John continues over there in Revelation 21:1, 2, 28:25 "I saw a new heaven and a new earth 28:27 and there was no more sea." 28:30 At least not big oceans like we have here. 28:33 "And then I, John, saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, 28:35 coming down out of heaven from God, 28:39 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." 28:41 And then he kind of struggles with his attempt 28:42 to use human language 28:46 to tell us about the city in Revelation 21:11. 28:49 "Her light was like a most precious stone, 28:53 like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." 28:55 Revelation 21:17, 28:59 "Then he measured the wall: 144 cubits." 29:04 That's 66 meters high Revelation 21:21, 29:10 "The 12 gates, wow, there were twelve pearls." 29:12 So there are pearly gates, 29:15 on which are written the names of the 12 tribes 29:18 of the children of Israel, Verses 21-22 it says. 29:22 "The streets and the city are pure gold, 29:24 transparent as glass. 29:27 Verse 16 gives the measurements of this city. 29:30 "The city is laid out on a square, the Bible says, 29:33 its length is as great as its breadth. 29:35 And he, that's the angel 29:38 measured the city 29:42 with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. 29:45 And then it adds: The length and the breadth 29:48 and the height of it are equal.' 29:49 ' Or we might think, well, maybe that means proportionate. 29:52 Let's do some mathematics. 29:57 A furlong is one-eighth of an English mile 29:59 or for our Canadian friends, one-fifth of a kilometer. 30:02 So translated into everyday arithmetic 30:08 that makes that city somewhere around 30:14 1,500 miles around or 375 miles on each side. 30:15 But maybe what we just read, maybe it's a perfect cube? 30:18 Maybe we don't know how to think 30:23 in the third dimension. 30:26 This would mean that city is also 375 miles high! 30:28 Will it be big enough? 30:30 Well, you know, Tokyo has nearly 30:33 35 million people last I heard. 30:35 New York, about 20 million people. 30:37 Seoul, Korea and Mexico City, 30:40 they each have nearly 20 million each. 30:42 One mathematician has estimated 30:47 the New Jerusalem, if you calculate it carefully, 30:51 could easily house 2 billion people 30:52 in the first dimension only. 30:54 In other words, folks, there is going to be 30:55 more than enough room for everyone 30:57 and anyone who wants to be there. 30:59 Amen. 31:03 says also, 31:06 "The city does not need the sun nor the moon to shine on it, 31:09 for the glory of God gives it light." 31:11 Then I read something else that the twelve foundations, 31:14 they have the names of the apostles on them, 31:17 and they are garnished with precious stones 31:20 precisely the colors of the rainbow, 31:23 so from a distances as we come zooming in, 31:25 the city looks like it's sitting on a rainbow. 31:29 And, Revelation 22:1, 2 says, 31:33 "A pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, 31:34 proceeds from the throne of God and of the Lamb." 31:37 This is interesting. 31:40 "On each side of the river is the tree of life, 31:42 bearing twelve kinds of fruit." 31:46 A different fruit each month. 31:50 I can picture this sort of a trunk of the tree 31:52 is on each side of the river, and perhaps joining together, 31:54 kind of like a banyan tree like you'd have in Hawaii 31:57 or somewhere overseas. 31:59 And then Revelation 22:5 says, 32:01 "There shall be no night there." 32:03 Revelation 22:4, 32:04 "And there shall be no more curse, 32:07 but the throne of God 32:09 and of the Lamb shall be in it." 32:12 And then the most wonderful promise 32:16 found in Revelation 21:4, 32:20 "And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, 32:21 there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. 32:24 There shall be no more pain, 32:25 for the former things are... What?" 32:28 "Passed away." 32:32 I can't wait for that, can you? 32:34 I never get used to a funeral. 32:35 But what will we do to keep us busy 32:36 in such a wonderful place? 32:39 I mean, there's gonna be no crime, 32:42 we don't need any policemen, there will be no sickness, 32:45 all the hospital employees will be out of work, 32:47 there will be no hunger, no disease, 32:49 no regular jobs like we have here. 32:52 Just peace and harmony and happiness forever. 32:56 Well, what will we do? 32:58 Listen, friend, we'll get to do all of the things 33:01 that we ever dreamed of doing here 33:03 in this world only zillions more. 33:06 We'll build our dream home in the Alps if we want. 33:08 We'll plant our vineyards over there on the Riviera. 33:09 Jesus, the Creator, will be there to open to us 33:13 the mysteries of creation. 33:16 We'll never quit learning new things, science, 33:19 astronomy, astrophysics, mathematics, geometry. 33:22 We'll be able to travel any time we wish. 33:24 "Whoa, there goes grandma again on the Sea of Glass." 33:26 We'll have forever-time to be with our friends 33:27 and our loved ones. 33:29 I want to go home and be there with you. 33:30 Don't you want to be there with me? 33:40 I want to spend a couple 33:41 of thousand years with you there. 33:45 I want to go there and be there 33:49 with all of these wonderful people from West Columbia. 33:51 I want to spend a couple of thousand years with you be. 33:56 God's gonna say let's you two off 33:59 to some part of my universe and share your testimony. 34:06 You'll play back this moment, 34:07 and you too, Barry, Leslie, each of you. 34:10 I see people here from night to night, 34:11 I haven't got a chance to get acquainted with them all. 34:14 I want to spend a little time 34:17 with you up there in Heaven, and with you. 34:19 God's gonna show us back in videotape, remember, Lon, 34:21 you guys stopped together, you folks, 34:23 you wanted to go to Africa with us. 34:27 We gonna get to travel some big time up there. 34:28 All of these young people back there, each one of you. 34:30 How about it? 34:32 Can we plan out some big time travel up there? 34:34 Amen. Amen. 34:37 I'll never forget you. 34:41 Everyone of you dear hearts and gentle people. 34:52 Heaven's gonna be real place. We gonna get to go there. 34:56 I'm looking forward to being there with you. 34:58 You know, every weekend in Heaven after we've traveled, 35:01 gone out into space somewhere, 35:04 Bible says we gonna return back at the speed of thought 35:06 to spend Sabbath in our city home, 35:08 praising God and singing with the angels 35:12 and Jesus, can you imagine hearing that 35:14 great big deep rich resident baritone voice of Jesus, 35:17 our special time of fellowship with Him 35:18 and our Lord Jesus Christ. 35:21 Well, someone asks, 35:23 "Lonnie, it almost sounds too good to be true. 35:27 Sound so glorious. 35:30 Can I be certain that I can make it there?" 35:34 The answer is simple. 35:37 And yet, friends, many people try to make that so complex. 35:42 Jesus turns our master key in the lock 35:45 to get every one of us inside those pearly gates. 35:50 Tonight, He's your ticket to Heaven. 35:52 Galatians 3:29 says, "And if you are Christ's, 35:55 then you are Abraham's seed, 35:59 and heirs according to the promise." 36:01 In other words, if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, 36:03 that means He's Boss. 36:05 Then the same promise made to Abraham 36:07 is your promise, too. 36:10 Paul calls this something kind of different, 36:12 in the writings of Paul, you read his writing sometimes, 36:15 it's called the "in Christ" motif. 36:16 See how many times it says in Christ. 36:20 That's kind of like if you put a little piece of paper 36:22 here in this Bible, it becomes part of that Bible, 36:23 and it is one with that Bible. 36:27 When you become Christ when you're in Christ, 36:29 all the promises made through Christ to any of us 36:30 on Planet Earth are yours. 36:33 They are yours. 36:37 You have the title deed to your crown of life 36:39 and your home in Heaven forever. 36:41 That's why today God wants you and me to know 36:44 the best is yet to come. 36:45 Are you homesick for Heaven? 36:48 I am. 36:50 Friend, don't you want to be there? 36:53 I do. 36:55 God gives us an invitation tonight. 36:57 The last verses of Book of Revelation. 37:02 Most beautiful in all of the Scriptures, 37:04 in Revelation 22:16-18 right at the very end. 37:05 Jesus speaks if you have a red letter edition, 37:08 it's in red type, it says, 37:11 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel 37:13 to testify to you these things in the churches. 37:15 I am the Root and the Offspring of David, 37:18 the Bright and Morning Star. 37:21 And the Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' 37:23 And let him who hears say, "Come!" 37:24 Let him who is thirsty come. 37:27 Whoever desires, 37:30 let him take the water of the life freely. 37:32 For I testify to everyone who hears the words 37:35 of the prophecy of this book." 37:38 It is true, friend. 37:41 You can be a part of God's fabulous tomorrow 37:45 if you invite Him into your heart today. 37:47 Revelation 22:20, 21, he continues and says, 37:51 "He who testifies these things says, 37:52 'Surely I am coming quickly.' 37:54 Amen. 37:55 Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 37:57 And then the Bible ends, 38:00 "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 38:04 be with you all." 38:05 Amen. Amen. 38:09 There is a series of books, most of you probably have 38:10 at least one of them called "Chicken Soup for the Soul" 38:12 or "Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul 38:16 or whatever they are. 38:18 One of those books has the most touching story 38:20 from Seattle, Washington. 38:25 And it's about the 100 yard dash competition 38:26 in the Seattle Special Olympics for the disabled. 38:28 I hope I can tell you this story, 38:31 I get all choked up. 38:33 Nine little kids, contestants, 38:36 all physically or mentally disabled, 38:39 and they position themselves there at the starting line 38:40 in that huge stadium, 16,000 people there. 38:43 And the gun fires and off they go 38:46 with their arms flailing in a half-sprint. 38:49 One little boy, however, he's barely out off the blocks, 38:50 he trips and he falls face down into the asphalt. 38:54 And as he tumbles to the ground, 38:57 he lets out a mournful wail and begins to cry. 38:59 Hearing the forlorn sobs from well up the track now 39:04 those other eight runners, 39:06 they reduce their already slow pace. 39:10 And they all turn around. 39:13 And all eight of them, they go back 39:16 and they pick up their fallen athlete friend to his feet. 39:22 Then the entire group links arms 39:27 and together they walked to the finish line, 39:34 to the thunderous standing ovation of 16,000 fans 39:37 cheered for 15 minutes for all nine gold medalists. 39:43 It was so refreshing. It was so innocent. 39:45 So unhuman-like to give an opponent a break. 39:48 Folks, that's what Jesus has done. 39:51 Luke 6:32-36 says 39:56 that's why He came down to the race track of life 39:59 because we've all fallen down, we've become disabled. 40:01 We were damaged goods and He came to pick us up, 40:03 set us free from our problems and our sins 40:07 and our self-centered broken lives, 40:10 and to link arms with us and go marching to Zion 40:13 right to the finish line together. 40:15 And the best news of all is those golden crowns, 40:17 those Olympic gold medals, 40:21 they won't be given to just one winner 40:24 but to everyone who finishes the race with Jesus Christ. 40:27 You know, He is on that race track right now. 40:30 He's here. He has come. 40:34 And He is reaching down around each one of us. 40:37 He's lifting us up, giving us another chance. 40:40 And tonight He offers to pick us up, 40:45 put His arms around us, and walk us all the way 40:48 to the finish line and give us Heaven. 40:50 Would you close your eyes for just a moment 40:54 wherever you are, I just want to bow your head 40:56 and use your imagination and think about Heaven. 40:59 Imagine that it's evening up there tonight 41:01 and there's two lone figures Christ 41:03 and you recognize the other one must be Gabriel, 41:06 they are walking silently 41:08 in the gathering dusk of the city. 41:12 They're all alone, and they are passing 41:14 huge sections filled with mansions. 41:15 Can you see them there as they walk along 41:18 those silent streets, 41:20 it's Gabriel who breaks the silence, 41:22 and he says, "Master! 41:26 They're so lovely, so perfect, 41:33 and so wonderful as only You can make them." 41:36 "Yes Gabriel, they are. If only they weren't so empty." 41:39 "But, Master, didn't You plan sometime ago to go down 41:45 and receive Your people?" 41:49 "Yes, Gabriel, but not yet." 41:54 "But, Master, I look down and see the people 41:56 in Toronto, in Los Angeles, in Sydney, Columbia, 42:01 they seem so content like 42:05 they don't even want to come to this place." 42:07 "Yes, Gabriel, I know." 42:10 And they walk in silence and tears begin to flow. 42:12 And again it's Gabriel who finally breaks the silence. 42:15 And he turns with tears in his eyes 42:16 and he says, "Jesus." 42:19 And Jesus loves to be called that name 42:25 because that's his human name. 42:27 "Jesus, when are You going to get them?" 42:31 "Not yet. A little longer." 42:33 See, Jesus realizes that so few are ready 42:34 if He would come. 42:35 And they walk just a little further. 42:38 Can you see them there? 42:41 And this time it's Jesus who finally breaks the silence 42:46 and through tear-dimmed eyes He turns to Gabriel 42:51 and He says, "Gabriel, 42:55 "Gabriel, don't they want to come home?" 42:57 Do we? 43:01 I ask you, friend, to look into your heart. 43:10 Would you be happy if He'd come tonight? 43:14 Do you really want to go Home? 43:20 If your life so full of duties 43:27 That your Lord is crowded out 43:31 Do you neglect to study and to pray? 43:36 Or would your heart be ready 43:44 And with glory fill your soul 43:49 If Jesus would come for you today 43:53 Do you really want Jesus 43:55 Your Lord to appear? 44:01 Do you long 44:05 For your Savior's return? 44:11 Your lips praise His name 44:14 Does your light show us today? 44:23 Do you really 44:24 Want Jesus to come? 44:29 Let us bow our heads as we pray. 44:33 Lord, precious Jesus, 44:36 thank You for the wonderful promise of a place in Heaven. 44:41 For the assurance that Jesus is coming soon. 44:44 Would you help us to be ready moment by moment 44:47 by surrendering to You everyday. 44:50 Everything, our all, our broken dreams, 44:52 our failures, our disappointments, 44:54 our frustrations. 44:58 Lord, tonight we have a wonderful little glimpse 45:01 of the best that's yet to come. 45:03 And we want to make a decision. 45:04 Want the row captains to pass please 45:08 those containers right now, 45:09 we'd like to have you take your response card. 45:13 I'd like to go through this with you 45:14 because this is an eternal commitment tonight. 45:17 Take one of those 45:18 and we'll go over this together. 45:21 Thank you for passing them down 45:24 in the downlink locations, row captains, 45:27 thank you for servicing all of our guests. 45:31 The first one says, I understand 45:33 what Heaven is like and we'd like to be there. 45:35 I hope everyone will check that first one. 45:37 Thank you for checking that off right now. 45:39 I see many of you doing that. 45:40 Secondly there maybe someone here 45:43 who like to say I want to accept 45:44 Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, 45:48 please check that tonight, 45:50 that's the most important decision you can make. 45:51 Number three, there may be individuals 45:54 who need to take the step of baptism 45:55 we've talked about from night to night, not tonight 45:59 but somewhere in the near future, 46:00 please check number three, I want to be baptize soon. 46:03 Our staff will be in touch with you 46:04 at all of your downlink locations 46:06 will help you prepare 46:08 for that wonderful and glorious event. 46:10 Then number four, maybe you've come recently 46:12 and you have some question, you'd like to have someone come 46:13 and visit you or talk with you. 46:15 You check that and we'll try to arrange it 46:16 in your community. 46:19 Number four, make your decisions 46:22 and mark your cards and then pass them down 46:25 to the baskets as the row captains 46:30 continue to service you as Joey sings. 46:35 Do your lips say come Lord Jesus? 46:37 Yet if He would come today 46:42 His lovely face 46:46 You could not stand to see 46:51 So many things unpardoned 46:53 Cherished sins you've held to dear 47:00 Would you tremble 47:04 To face the eternity? 47:09 Do you really want Jesus 47:11 Your Lord to appear? 47:17 Do you long 47:22 For your Savior's return? 47:27 Your lips praise His name 47:30 Does your life show the same? 47:39 Do you really 47:42 Want Jesus to come? 47:53 Do you really 47:57 Want Jesus to come? 48:00 Thank you, Lord, as we close this prayer season. 48:02 Lord, I want to thank You for every sincere decision, 48:07 and help us all to fix our eyes on that 48:09 glorious tomorrow, the best is yet to come. 48:14 And hasten the day when all of our wars and strife 48:18 and pain and sickness, old age will be no more. 48:24 May we all meet at last to enter our heavenly 48:25 and our eternal home, in Jesus' name, amen. 48:26 Amen. 48:28 We have a discover lesson 48:29 for all of you in our downlink locations. 48:31 It's one of the most beautiful 48:34 in the entire discover Bible lesson series. 48:35 If by chance you haven't signed up yet, 48:37 tonight's your chance 48:39 to take a discover lesson, get started. 48:42 You'll get all 26 of these beautiful lessons, 48:45 there are some advance course lessons as well, 48:47 they will now called "Focus on Prophecy.' 48:49 Be sure you take that as you go home tonight. 48:51 Also in your downlinks locations, 48:53 make sure you find out like you're in Columbia 48:54 where your continuing class is going to be 48:57 the next time I'll be with you. 48:59 Remember, next Wednesday evening, 49:01 we're moving with our meetings now 49:02 to just Wednesday nights. 49:05 Next Wednesday night, our subject 49:07 "The Mark of the Beast." 49:09 How do you avoid receiving the Mark of the Beast? 49:10 What is it? Does anybody have it? 49:12 Don't miss. 49:14 Forever Marked next Wednesday 7:15 49:15 at all of our downlink locations. 49:17 We'll see you there of course. 49:19 But now, we want to close our meeting 49:20 just a little different tonight. 49:22 All of the folks here in Columbia, 49:24 maybe wherever you are located, 49:27 I want to invite my staff to come on the platform. 49:31 We want to sing a song about being in Heaven together. 49:34 Song that was made famous in the Christian gospel world, 49:36 "Side by side we stand, awaiting God's command. 49:40 Worshiping the saving King, 49:43 Living by His grace and moving forth in grace." 49:44 Brothers and sisters, I'll be there. 49:47 Meet me in Heaven. 49:50 Stand together, move across the aisles everybody. 49:52 Take someone's hand and let's sing it together, 49:54 all of us, all right? 49:59 Come on up and join me. 50:05 As we go, remember, friend, God really does love you. 50:06 Let's sing. 50:13 All together. 50:20 Side by side we stand Awaiting God's command 50:24 Worshiping the saving King 50:28 Living by His grace |
Revised 2015-03-26