-- HEAVEN --

Think of---

Stepping on shore, and finding it
Heaven!

Of taking hold of a hand, and
finding it God's hand.

Of breathing a new air, and find-
ing it celestial air.

Of feeling invigorated, and find-
ing it immortality.

Of passing from storm to tem-
pest to an unbroken calm.

Of waking up, and finding it Home.

-Safe in the arms of Jesus.~
--Author Unknown

--Perspective --
--By: Marilyn McAuley

-A little girl was visiting her grandmother in the country. One evening they sat and enjoyed the panorama of stars in the heavens--such sparkling billiance the little girl hadn't seen, living in the city with all the lights. She was in awe of the beauty and said to her grandmother, "If heaven is so beautiful on the wrong side, what must it be like on the right side?" --

--JESUS CALLING
--By: Sarah Young
-(Read this as Jesus is talking to you.)

"HEAVEN is both present and future. As you walk along your life-path holding My hand, you are already in touch with the essence of heaven: nearness to Me. You can also find many hints of heaven along your pathway, because the earth is radiantly alive with My Presence. Shimmering sunshine awakens your heart, gently reminding you of My brilliant Light. Birds and flowers, trees and skies evoke praises to My holy Name. Keep your eyes and ears fully open as you journey with Me.

At the end of your life-path is an entrance to heaven. Only I know when you will reach that destination, but I am preparing you for it each step of the way. The absolute certainty of your heavenly home gives you Peace and Joy, to help you along your journey. You know that you will reach your home in My perfect timing: not one moment too soon or too late. Let the hope of heaven encourage you, as you walk along the path of Life with Me holding your hand."

--Eternal Love, Jesus~~
-1 Corinthians 15:20-23; Hebrews 6:19

---FAITH IS A CHOICE~

I was on a plane when a fellow coming down the aisle called my name. He handed me a message he had scribbled on a napkin…

“Six years ago Lynne and I buried our 24-year-old daughter. To unplug our daughter from life support was very hard. Although it was painful, we were confident we were doing the right thing in laying her in the arms of a mighty God. He made our daughter better than new. He restored my Erin to his eternal presence. That is his best work! Our faith is getting us through this. Faith is a choice.”

How does a dad bury a daughter and believe…so deeply believe…that God meant him good and not harm? Simple. This grieving dad believes God’s promises. “Faith is a choice,” he wrote. It is. He knows his daughter is in Heaven with Jehovah God and he will see her again. ~~

--From/ God is With You Every Day/ML~~
------------
['Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'--(Hebrews 11:1)
--------
'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' --(Romans 10:17)

'For we walk by faith, not by sight.' (2 Corinthians 5:7)

'But without faith it is impossible to please Him, (God), for He who comes to God must believe that He is , and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.' --(Hebrews 11:6) -/ Give Me Faith / Elevation Worship~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93drYzKH4p0>
---------

--"DANCING IN THE SKY" / HEAVEN!---By: Dani & Lizzy

-To go to Heaven, Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, Repent of your sins, and Believe that He died for your sins to take you to Heaven.
--- (Please Read/ Romans 10: verses 9-10) ~~

--AT HOME WITH JESUS~~

--"There's no place like home." The phrase reflects a deeply rooted yearning within us to have a place to rest, be, and belong. Jesus addressed this desire for rootedness when, after He and His friends had their last supper together, He spoke about His impending death. He promised that although He would go away, He would come back for them. And He would prepare a room for them. A dwelling-place. A Home with Him forever.

He made this place for them--and us through fulfilling the requirements of God's Law when He died on the Cross as the sinless Man. He assured His disciples that is He went to the trouble of creating this home, that of course He would come back for them and not leave them alone. They didn't need to fear or be worried about their lives. whether on Earth or in Heaven.

We can take comfort and assurance from Jesus' words, for we believe and trust that He makes a home for us; that He makes His home within us (see John 14:23); and that He had gone ahead of us to prepare our Heavenly home. Whatever sort of physical place we live in, we belong with Jesus, upheld by His love and surrounded in His peace. With Him there's no place like Home, His Home in Heaven. ~~

--JESUS PREPARES A PLACE FOR US TO LIVE FOREVER. ACCEPT HIS 'FREE GIFT OF SALVATION' AND LIVE ETERNALLY. ~~

--ODB/ABP~~--'Dancing in the Sky' / Dani and Lizzy
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw1h7wPkH1w>

-------

--"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." --(John 15:13-15) ----- JESUS CHRIST / "I will never leave you nor forsake you. You are Mine. I have your name inscribed on the palm of my nail-pierced hand. ----
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjNgn4r6SOA>

--HEAVEN IS THE HOPE / By: Matthew West

--"Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning." This too shall pass.
We are going to live forever with Jesus. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

There will be no more pain, no more sorrow. Hold onto Jesus.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbnLlbOeaV8>
---

--ETERNITY~~

-"Verity, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."
--(John 6:47)

-"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."
--(1 John 5:11)

--"I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
--(John 6:51)

-"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."
--(1 John 5:20)

--"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
-"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"--(1 Corinthians 15:54,55.)

--"But thanks be to God, who gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ."
--(1 Corinthians 15:57)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1lrfjmSFkU>
----------

----GOD ALWAYS GIVES GRACE~~

--"All things are possible with God."
--(Mark 10:27)~~

~~~~OUR questions betray our lack of understanding:
-How can God be everywhere at one time? (Who says God is bound by a body?)

How can God hear all the prayers which come to Him? (Perhaps His ears are different from yours.)

How can God be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? (Could it be that Heaven has a different set of physics than earth?)

If people down here won't forgive me, how much more am I guilty before a holy God? (Oh, just the opposite. God is always able to give grace when we humans can't--He invented it.) ~~

--The Great House of God/ML~~
---'God of Wonders'/--Third Day~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M8XK2w7wmw>
-----------

--Morning Has Broken
---Sung By: Cat Stevens~~

--WITH FAITH in your heart, reach out for God's hand
And accept what He sends,
though you can't understand....

For our Father in heaven always knows
what is best,
And if you trust His wisdom,
your life will be blessed. ~~

--Helen Steiner Rice~~
---
--'Morning Has Broken'/By Cat Stevens~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-n-Zmglt0>
-----

---RIGHT THINKING~~

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, . . . honest, .. . . just, . . . pure, . . . lovely, . . . of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
---(Philippians 4:8)

--Our lives are surrounded with ungodliness and demands that often bleed away our thoughts until we are worn and weakened. Reflect for a few moments on this inventory of empowering thinking.

**Truth—Literally “that which is not hidden”; Jesus Himself (John 14:6); the Word of God (John 17:17; Psalm 119:11).

**Honesty—Not just accuracy, but “sober” and “venerable”; sometimes “magnificent” or “great”; used of church officers (1 Timothy 2:2; 3:8).

**Justice—Righteous, just, right, suitable; “The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom. . . . The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable” ---(Proverbs 10:31-32).

**Purity—Morally and sexually chaste; closely connected with “holiness”; the emphasis is on physical and mental purity (1 John 3:2).

**Loveliness—Beauty, friendship, delight, and wonder are all suggested by the “good love” of this word (Luke 12:27).

**Good News—This takes discipline, because there is far more bad news than good in this world; we are admonished to take “inventory” (dwell on, recall) the “good reports” (Proverbs 25:25).

These excellent and praiseworthy matters should dominate our thinking in a conscious “inventory” of the attributes on this final list. If we do so, God promises His peace in our lives.
--ICR/HMM III -/ "What a Wonderful World"-Louis Armstrong~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-T6aaRV9HY>
-------

--WHERE THERE IS NO NIGHT~~

~~I am the Life,
And I hold the key

That opens the door
to Eternity....

And in this dark world,
I am the Light

To the Promised Land
where there is no night. ~~

--(Helen Steiner Rice~~)--/ 'If You Could See Me Now' /Integrity Music
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y0pj9w6ga4>
--------

-----The River and the Tree of Life ~~

--REVELATION 22:1-21 (selected verses)

--Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the Nations.

There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
And there will no longer be any light; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

"And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book."

Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to ever man according to what he has done.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches.
I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." and let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

"He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.~~
~~~~~~~~~~~
---The Throne and Worship of the Creator ~~
--(Revelation 4:5-11)

Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven Spirits of God;
The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings are full of eyes around and within; and the day and night they do not cease to say,

"HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS TO COME."

"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." ~~
--
--"Take Me In" / Catherine Mullins ~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb1k3DxnpVQ>
------------

---THE TREE OF LIFE~~

--IN THE Garden of Eden stood two trees: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. There were other trees, but these were the two most important. God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge, but they disobeyed and ate from it anyway. The story goes that Adam and Eve were exiled from the garden due to their disobedience. Was it for punishment that God made Adam and Eve leave the garden, or was it mercy?

God doesn't want any of us to suffer, especially eternally. His action with Adam and Eve made it impossible for them to eat from the tree of eternal life, thus ensuring that they could not live forever in their fallen state. In His infinite love, God provided us with another way. He gave us a new tree of life, His Son, Jesus Christ.

Christ died to undo the harm done by Adam and Eve's disobedience. Once He reconciled us to God, God invited us to once more share in the fruit of the tree of life. -Through Christ, we have the promise of eternity in God's Heavenly Home. It is with this promise that we truly attain wisdom.~~

'Thank You, O Lord, for giving me the chance to have eternal life. Through Your love in the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I have come to know Your glory. Thank you, our Lord and Savior, that you have your protective angels all around us. In Jesus Name, Amen~' (Psalm 34:7)~
--'ANGELS' / Singer: Robbie Williams ~~ <https://youtu.be/mhXCnWViVgA>
-----------

--WHEN BEAUTY NEVER ENDS~~

--'Because your love
is better than life,
my lips will glorify
you." -(Psalm 63:3)-

~~~I LOVE LOOKING at the Grand Canyon. Whenever I stand at the canyon rim I see new brushstrokes of God's handiwork that take my breath away.

Even though it's just a (very large) "hole" in the ground, the Grand Canyon causes me to reflect on Heaven. We can only imagine the joy of one day seeing the very Source of beauty--our loving Creator--in all of the pristine wonder of the new creation.

David expressed this longing when he wrote, "One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD" (Psalm 27:4). There's nothing more beautiful than the presence of God, which draws near to us on this earth as we seek Him by faith, looking forward to seeing Him face to face.

On that day we'll never tire of praising our amazing Lord, because we will never come to an end of fresh, new discoveries of His exquisite goodness and the wonders of the works of His hands. Every moment in His presence will bring a breathtaking revelation of His beauty and His love. "GOD IS LOVE." (1 JOHN 4:8)~~

--ODB/JB--/ 'HOW DEEP THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR US' / Adam Young/ OWL CITY~ / <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-KDmvvRMas>
-----

----HEAVEN~~~

---We read in HEBREWS Chapter 11 regarding those people in the Old Testament that died not knowing what the future will bring. However, they "By faith they lived as aliens in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise. Please read this chapter to realize their FAITH in knowing that God promised even those in the Old Testament the future of a City not made with hands. By FAITH all of us live to see a New Jerusalem made by God for us, one day when Jesus comes to gather His saints, we will live with Him forever. ~~
------------
---A LONGING FULFILLED~~
--(Please Read/ Hebrews 11:13-16 (NIV®))

--All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better county; a Heavenly one.

Would you call your life a victory if you led a life of faith but didn’t receive the promise of that faith before you died? Hebrews 11 lists the 'Faith Hall of Fame', men and women who experienced miraculous interventions of God during their days on the earth but “did not receive the things promised.” They were “aliens and strangers” who lived loosely connected to this world, longing for the fulfillment of what they had chosen to believe. Like them, we are a little ill at ease in this world. We see things that trouble us and long for a better country, a Heavenly one.

Our days on the earth are God-ordained, and He has a plan and purpose for each one of them. But when you are discouraged and troubled by the world around you, remember that this is not our final destination.

--PRAYER
--"Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise of a better Home, one that I will share with You for eternity. Help me to live with my heart and hands at work to fulfill Your purposes for me in the earth while my eyes are fixed on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings,
**Pastor Allen Jackson
**Intend Ministries
----------
--I Know Who Holds Tomorrow / Singer: Alison Krauss
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GKNbmYOAow>
------------

---KING OF GLORY, JESUS~~
--By: Third Day~
~~~~~~
-Please read/ (Matthew 20:25-28)
----
--Jesus' ultimate act of service was to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). The word 'ransom' describes the price paid to set a slave free--Christ voluntarily purchased our liberation. There was only one way our holy God could remove our guilt yet remain true to His own law: Someone sinless had to pay our sin debt for us.

His Name is Jesus, the King of glory. His sacrifice spared us the penalty we deserve. Instead, we receive grace and have been declared not guilty. Moreover, we are elevated from slaves to children of the Almighty!

-Jesus served the Father's purpose faithfully. He gave up His righteousness to carry our wickedness--and endured a crushing separation from God. To meet our needs, the Savior held nothing of Himself back, and thereby set a powerful example of servanthood for us to follow. Let's walk in Jesus' steps, all the way to the Celestial City.
--IN TOUCH~~ --/'King of Glory'/ By: Third Day
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqo-adRyM_k>
-------

--BILLY GRAHAM IS NOW IN HEAVEN, FACE TO FACE WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!

The Greatest Evangelist that preached more sermons and won more people to Christ Jesus.
--Rest in Peace, Billy. We Love You! [1918-2018] (February 21,2018 With Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! )
You are surrounded by His glory with His Heavenly angels. NOW IN PARADISE!
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlu-a1lgeTo>

---HE'S COMING BACK!

"Christ rose first; then when
Christ comes back, all his people
will become alive again."
--(1 Corinthians 15:23 TLB)

-----God has made [a] promise to us. "I will come back...," He assures us. Yes the rocks will tumble. Yes, the ground will shake. But the child of God needn't fear--for the Father has promised to take us to be with Him.

But dare we believe the promise? Dare we trust his loyalty? Isn't there a cautious part of us that wonders how reliable these words may be?...

How can we know He will do what He said? How can we believe He will move the rocks and set us free?

Because He's already done it once. God cannot lie. He's coming for us, His Church (people). "Be ready at all times for no one knows the day or hour the Son of Man will return."~~

-When Christ Comes/ML~~ / 'Heart Like Heaven' / Hillsong Worship~<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFunKXJKwaE>
--------

--A PERFECT WORLD/ SWEET BEULAH LAND ~~

--NO ONE WILL COME HOME TO BAD NEWS. Isn't that wonderful? Those words point powerfully to the confident hope we have in Jesus. He is "Making everything new" -- healing and transforming our world (REVELATION 21:5).

Paradise is the place of "no more"--no more evil, no more death, no more mourning, no more pain, no more tears (V.4)! It is a place of perfect communion with God, who by His love has redeemed and claimed believers as His own (V.3). What marvelous joy awaits us!

We can enjoy a foretaste of this perfect reality here and now. As we seek to fellowship with God daily, we experience the joy of His presence (COLOSSIANS 1:12 thru 13). And even as we struggle against sin, we experience, in part, the victory that is ours in Christ (2 verses 13 thru 15), the One who fully conquered sin and death. We will see Jesus face to face. ~~

'Lord, thank You that You are making all things new. Help us to live in the hope of the day we will live with You, pure and blameless, on a new Earth in Your presence forever and ever.' amen~
~~~~~~~~~~
--GOD'S PERFECT WORLD IS FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS.~~

--ODB/PFC--/ "Sweet Beulah Land"/ Squire Parsons ~ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pS_-cMv7lc>
------

---A PROMISE DELIVERED~~

"I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband."
--(Revelation 21:2)--

~~~The Holy City, John says, is like "a bride beautifully dressed for her husband."

What is more beautiful than a bride?...

Maybe it is the aura of whiteness that clings to her as dew clings to a rose. Or perhaps it is the diamonds that glisten in her eyes. Or maybe it's the blush of love that pinks her cheeks or the bouquet of promises she carries.

A bride. A commitment robed in elegance. "I'll be with you forever." Tomorrow bringing hope today. Promised purity faithfully delivered.

-When you read that our Heavenly Home is similar to His Bride, tell me, doesn't it make you want to go Home?

--The Applause of Heaven/ML~~ --/'Hear the Song of the Beautiful Bride'--/ Paul Wilbur ~~
<https://youtu.be/JnMoiq_H1Ak>
--------

--GOD IS LOVE!
---------
---"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
--(1 JOHN 4:7 thru 11).
We will never get too much love when we love the Creator of the Universe, the Lord Jesus Christ. [Read the Preeminence of Christ= COLOSSIANS 1: verses 12 thru 20]

[ Although the below song is secular, by the Bee Gees, let's use it in place of God's LOVE. God knows our hearts. He is our Creator.-[Colossians 1:12 thru 20] "Too Much Heaven" / By: Bee Gees= <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nREV8bQJ1MA>
----------

--IT'S A HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN/ Jessy Dixon ~~

--Jesus came and spoke to them, "All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit..

Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." --MARK Chapter 28 verses 18 thru 20 NASB)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_e8ySKU1Zc>

--HEAVEN'S LOVE SONG~~

--"We love Him
because He first
loved us."
--(1 John 4:19)--

--Revelation, the last book in the Bible, describes a love song that will someday lift the voices of everyone in Heaven and Earth ( Revelation 5:9, 13). As John learns the real glory and story of love, he can not contain himself. Soon he hears all creation praising the powerful Lion-King of Judah (v.5), who has won the hearts of His subjects by lovingly sacrificing Himself, like a Lamb, for our rescue (V.13).

In the most moving lyrics ever sung, we see why even simple acts of kindness rise on the wings of Love, [G-D IS LOVE]. The glory we sing about reflects the heart of our God. We sing about Him because He gave us our song. We give Him praise, the Creator and Maker of all.

--"My soul glorifies the LORD and my Spirit rejoices in GOD my Savior." -- ~~--"Open Up the Heavens"/ Meredith Andrews ~


------------

--A GREAT LIGHT ~~

--"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light."
---[Isaiah 9:2] --

---IN 2018, twelve Thai boys and their soccer coach descended into a mazelike cave, intending to enjoy an afternoon adventure. Due to unexpected rising water that forced them deeper into unexpected rising water that forced them deeper into a cavern, it was two-and-a-half weeks before rescuers led them out. Dive teams, thwarted by rising water, attempted the rescue as the boys sat on a small rock shelf with only six flickering flashlights. They spent hours in darkness, hoping that somehow light -- and help -- would break through.

The prophet Isaiah described a world of brooding darkness, one overrun by violence and greed, shattered by rebellion and anguish (Isaiah 8:22). Nothing but ruin; hope's candle flickering and fading, sputtering before succumbing to dark nothingness. And yet, Isaiah insisted, this dim despair was not the end. Because of God's mercy, soon "there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress" (9:1). God would never abandon His people in shadowy ruin. The prophet announced hope for his people then and pointed to the time when Jesus would come to dispel the darkness sin has caused.

--Jesus has come. And now we hear Isaiah's words with renewed meaning: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light," Isaiah says. "On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned" (v.2).
No matter how dark the night, no matter how despairing our circumstances, we're never forsaken in the dark. Jesus is here. A great Light shines. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

--"LORD, there's so much darkness. I fear sometimes that the darkness will overwhelm me. Be my great Light. Shine on me with Your radiant Love."

---ODB/WC~
~~~~~~