Desire to Be With the Lord
Being Torn Between the Two
I am torn between the
two:
I desire to depart and
be with Christ, which is better by far
Philippians
1:23
Therefore we are
always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are
away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say,
and would prefer to be away from the
body and at home with the Lord.
9 So we make it our
goal to please him
2 Corinthians
5:6-9
What is your preference?
Where do you want to be here in the earth or at home with
the Lord?
How strong is your longing for the Lord?
These questions are not to condemn us
but help us not miss the most important thing
The Author of our Faith
The author of our faith is greater than all faith does for
us
Desire to be with the
Lord
Being Torn Between
the Two
When I was growing up I pictured heaven as
sitting on a cloud playing a harp for ever and ever.
Sadly, many people do not see heaven as it is.
Some see it as a boring place where strange
four headed creatures never stop saying…
"Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God
Almighty,
who was, and is, and
is to come."
Revelation
4:8
Others see heaven as a great architectural
wonder of pearly gates and gold streets.
Revelation
21:ff
Many see heaven as the great escape
from the troubles of life.
He will wipe every
tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or
pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Revelations 21:4
Heaven will be wonderful…
A new city, a new
heaven, and a new earth.
A place Jesus has prepared for us.
It is true, heaven will be about us,
our comfort, our desires, our joy.
A place where all the gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 & 13
are no longer needed because we will have
received the greater gift of eternal life.
In the passing away of those gifts
Faith, Hope and Love will remain.
Heaven is about us, but don’t miss
the greatest thing about heaven…
I heard a loud voice
from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and
he will live with them.
They will be his people,
and God himself will
be with them and be their God.
Revelations
21:3-4
Beware if you are looking for heaven
for heaven sake you may miss it.
Heaven is and always will be about God.
The place where God will be with us.
The full manifestation of Immanuel “God with us”.
Heaven will be filled with worship to God.
Everyone there will be filled
with the appreciation of who He is.
So the question is this…
How much do we appreciate Him?
Paul says…
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ,
which is better by
far;
Philippians
1:23
Therefore we are
always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are
away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say,
and would prefer to be away from the
body and at home with the Lord.
9 So we make it our goal to please him
2 Corinthians
5:6-9
What is your preference?
Where do you want to be here in the
earth or at home with the Lord?
How strong is your longing for the Lord?
These questions are not to condemn us, but help
us not miss the most important thing.
The author of our Faith.
The author of our Faith is
greater than all faith does for us.
Scripture Reading
Revelations 21:3-4 NIV
3 And I heard a loud
voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he
will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them
and be their God.
2 Corinthians 5:6-10 NIV
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as
we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not
by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body
and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we
are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the
things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
