I was recently asked, “Pastor, what is heaven like?”  The person asking has heard sermons on hell, but few on what heaven is like and wanted my thoughts.  At first I was suspicious trying to understand their intention.  However, this is an interesting question since we as Christians talk a lot about heaven.  Here I will share my view of heaven.

I’ve often struggled with the idea of heaven.  From what I learned of heaven as a Christian it is a perfect place where we sing praises to God for eternity.  Furthermore, heaven is supposed to be a place to meet all those we have ever loved.  Third, it is a place for select people.  I will address the problem I have with each of these.

The Perfect Place: It is hard for me to grasp the perfect place.  Often we understand heaven as a place which all of our wildest dreams come true.  My wildest dreams are just not something that should be in the same conversation with God.

Meeting those we love: Honestly, I do not want to meet everyone I have ever loved.  Some of the people I have loved have hurt me in such a way I would rather not spend eternity with them.  To do so would not be my perfect place.

A place for select people: I think we will be in for a surprise as to who is actually in heaven.

These are just my thoughts on heaven, share your thoughts in the comments

Check out what the Bible says: Heaven in the Bible

100 Push Ups

100 Jumping Jacks

100 Sit Ups

Repeat 3 times

Who is our Enemy?

New Testament word for Enemy: http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/echthros.html

Definition of enemy in the New Testament
1. hated, odious, hateful
2. hostile, hating, and opposing another
1. used of men as at enmity with God by their sin
1. opposing (God) in the mind
2. a man that is hostile
3. a certain enemy
4. the hostile one
5. the devil who is the most bitter enemy of the divine government

Why Love our enemy?
Romans 12:17-20
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord.

How to Love our Enemies

20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Wisdom of Loving our Enemies
Proverbs 25:21-22
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.

The Purpose of Loving our Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

Get to Work

¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved:^[g] let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. ²¹ Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

²² But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. ²³ For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves^[h] in a mirror; ²⁴ for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵ But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

²⁶ If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:19-27).

The Epistle (Bible word for letter) of James is a short letter written to the To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion (James 1:1). We do not know who this James is, though some suggest he was the half-brother of Jesus. The book may have also been the first New Testament book written.
The book of James is a hotly debated biblical book. There are those who do not like it for its emphasis on “works.” The argument is that James promotes works to achieve salvation as opposed to faith in Christ.
Martin Luther (the founder of the Protestant movement) called the book of James, “an epistle of straw” as it was his least favorite biblical book and contrary to the Protestant belief: salvation by faith alone.
Does James argue works are more important than faith? Is the letter a bunch of fluff? Read for yourself and decide.

Weekly Reading: The Book of James, Matthew 25, Psalm 111, Exodus 20
More about the book of James http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/james.html