Tuesday 9 February 2016

Of God and Heaven

Of God and Heaven
Jesus said,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” 
                                                                                                                             Matthew 13:44-46.
As a Christian this is how I see heaven. It is a treasure, the finest of pearls. It is to be desired above all things on this earth. There is nothing to compare.
Man has known throughout history that there is a heaven and a hell. I believe its because it’s part of man’s make up. The writer of Ecclesiastes writes,
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  
                                                                                     Ecclesiastes 3:11.
Man being finite has a hard time understanding eternity yet he knows its there whether he wants to admit it or not he will one day end up.
Those who admit there is a heaven have throughout history strived to get there.
Throughout history through the Jewish scriptures, Moses and the prophets God has pointed man to himself.
On top of all of this he has sent his one and only Son Jesus. Jesus said of himself,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                              John 3:16-18.
In Jesus God reached down to man. He said to each person on this earth here I am simply believe in me and you will get to heaven.
The apostle Paul states,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                   Ephesians 2:8,9.
In order to get to heaven we must simply believe by faith God exists and Jesus is God’s Son.
According to Hebrews
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                         Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’”
                                                                                                       Hebrews 11:6.
Some people I have talked to have noted to me that it’s hard to have faith in anything at times and doubly so if you can’t see it or touch it.
Perhaps that’s why God asks us to have faith in Him. Because God knows that those who truly have faith in Him without actually being able to see and touch him are true believers.
Please think about it.

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