Heaven And Its Blessings - Braggs Church of Christ · PDF fileHeaven And Its Blessings 1....
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Heaven And Its Blessings 1
Transcript of Heaven And Its Blessings - Braggs Church of Christ · PDF fileHeaven And Its Blessings 1....
Heaven And Its Blessings
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Blessings
Heaven and Its Blessings (handout for membes)� 1. Heaven, the Home of the Soul 2. Every normal soul who knows about heaven wants to go there 3. But, to reach heaven, one must conform his life to the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed in the N.T.! I. A Prepared Place Jn. 14:1-3 Since heaven is a prepared place, only the _________________ will go there We must be partakers of the ______________nature to go to heaven 1 Pet. 1:4 Jn. 3:3 II. A Place Of Security 1. _____________ on this earth is secure 2. All on the earth is subject to ______________________ 3. Storms, floods, drought, financial losses, etc 4. In heaven ___________is safe Mt. 16:19-20 5. Heaven is secure – none will be there but the redeemed III. An Inheritance 1. Children inherit their parent’s estate 2. _______________children will inherit heaven Rom. 8:17 1 Pet. 1:3-4 Gal. 3:26-28 IV. A Better Country 1. We call the U.S. the best country on earth – and to us it is 2. This is a wonderful country, but there is a better one - _______________ Heb. 11:15-16 V. No More Sorrow 1. Think of all the tears, heartaches and sorrows that ________ have all experienced down through the ages 2. NO MORE SORROW IN HEAVEN! Rev. 21:4 3. In heaven there will be nothing but _____________ and happiness for ever and ever 4. Do you want to go to heaven? What You Must Do! -Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God Jn. 8:24 -Repent of your sins and turn away from them Lk. 13:3 -Confess with your mouth Jesus as the Son of God Rom. 10:10 -You must be baptized into Christ Acts 2:38 Rom. 6:3-5 -If you will do these things, then you become a new creature in Christ Jesus and start on the road to heaven -You must continue faithful until death, and heaven will be yours on the resurrection day -You will be in your eternal home with God and the saved of all the ages Acts 22:16 (References: Article by W. C. Graves Braggs church of Christ
Heaven, The Home Of The Soul
• Every normal soul who knows about heaven wants to go there• But, to reach heaven, one must
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• But, to reach heaven, one must conform his life to the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed in the N.T.!
Heaven and Its Blessings (outlined from this article) by W. C. Graves Heaven! The home of the soul and the place every normal soul who knows about it wants to go when life is over. But to reach heaven, one must conform his life to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and most people will not do this.�Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14 ). Few saved, many lost is the teaching of our Lord. Don’t let Satan deceive you into believing that it will be otherwise. But what is heaven? A Prepared Place “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3 ). Since heaven is a prepared place, only those who are prepared for it will go there. That means that one’s nature and character must be assimilated into the divine nature to live in heaven. That’s the exact teaching of Peter, as well as Jesus in His conversation with Nicodemus. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (1 Pet. 1:4 ). “Ye must be born again” (John 3:3 ).�One spirit must be quickened, regenerated, and become a partaker of God’s nature before he can live in heaven and associate with divine society. A Place of Security There is nothing on this earth that is secure. All mater—including man’s body—is subject to corruption and decay and death. Everything on this earth perishes. Neither are our possessions secure. Many banks have closed against savings of life, crops have been washed away or dried up for lack of water, houses are destroyed by fire and storms, and thieves are busy robbing pockets or breaking into homes. Nothing in this old world is secure.�But not so with heaven. There, all is safe and sound for eternity. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal” (Matt. 6:19-20 ). Yes, heaven is a place of security, because none will be there but the redeemed. An Inheritance Children inherit their parents’ estates. God’s children will inherit heaven. Paul says we are “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17 ), and that means that whatever belongs to Christ, also belongs to us who are the people of God. As joint-heirs, we are joint partakers with Him and will share His blessings and glory in heaven. That thought is deep and glorious, but true!�“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:3-4 ).�That is what makes the soul long for a home better than this present world. Everything here is corruptible, defiled, and smeared with sin. But not so with heaven! A Better Country We call this country in which we live the best on earth—and to us it is. Here we have religious freedom, which is the greatest treasure that a government can vouchsafe to its citizens. Here we are protected, in a great measure, from evildoers and every man is free to express his opinion without fear of shackles being placed on either feet, hands, or brain. Yes, this is a most wonderful country, but there is a better one—heaven.�It was said of Abraham and his seed that as they journeyed to the land of Canaan, “if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. 11:15-16 ).�Yes, heaven is called “a better country”—far better than this one, or any country on earth. No More Sorrow There Think of the tears, sorrow, and pain that we have all experienced down through the ages, and that we currently experience. All these are caused by sin. But in heaven there will be no sin, and all sorrow and tears will be left behind. In heaven there will be nothing but joy and happiness through the eternal ages. Do you want to go there? If so, you must do the following:�Believe on the lord Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. “For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24 ).�You must repent of your sins and turn away from them. “I tell you, Nay: but except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3 ).�You must confess with your mouth Jesus as the Son of God. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10 ; cf. Acts 8:37 ).�You must be baptized into Christ. “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38 ). Yes, you must be “buried with Christ in baptism,” that you might be “raised to walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3-5 ).�If these things you will do, you will become a new creature in Christ Jesus and start on that road that leads to heaven. Then faithfully continue on that road until death, and heaven will be yours on that glorious resurrection day.
A Prepared Place
• Jn. 14:1-3• “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also
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ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
A Prepared Place
• Jn. 14:1-3I go to prepare a place for you.[3] And if I go and prepare a
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[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
A Prepared Place
• Since heaven is a prepared place, only the prepared will go there
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there• We must be partakers of the divine nature to go to heaven• 1 Pet. 1:4• Jn. 3:3
1 Pet. 1:4
• To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
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not away, reserved in heavenfor you
Jn. 3:3
• Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
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thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
A Place Of Security
• Nothing on this earth is secure• All on the earth is subject to decay
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decay• Storms, floods, drought, financial losses, etc• In heaven all is safe
A Place Of Security
• Mt. 16:19-20• Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break
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corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
A Place Of Security
• Heaven is secure – none will be there but the redeemed
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An Inheritance
• Children inherit their parents estate• God’s children will inherit
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• God’s children will inherit heaven• Rom. 8:17
Rom. 8:17
• And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
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with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
An Inheritance
• 1 Pet. 1:3-4• Gal. 3:26-28
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1 Pet. 1:3-4
• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant
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according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Pet. 1:3-4
• To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
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not away, reserved in heaven for you
Gal. 3:26-28
• For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
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baptized into Christ have put on Christ.[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
A Better Country
• We call the U.S. the best country on earth – and to us it is
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is • This is a wonderful country, but there is a better one - HEAVEN
A Better Country
• Heb. 11:15-16• And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from
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mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
A Better Country
• [16] But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not
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heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
No More Sorrow
• Think of all the tears, heartache and sorrow that we have all experienced down through the
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experienced down through the ages• NO MORE SORROW IN HEAVEN!
No More Sorrow
• Rev. 21:4• And God shall wipe away all tearsfrom their eyes; and there shall be
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from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
No More Sorrow
• In heaven there will be nothing but joy and happiness for ever and ever
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and ever
•Do you want to go to heaven?
What You Must Do!
• Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God• Jn. 8:24
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• Jn. 8:24• I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
What You Must Do!
• Repent of your sins and turn from them• Lk. 13:3
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• Lk. 13:3• I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
What You Must Do!
• Confess with your mouth Jesus as the Son of God• Rom. 10:10
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• Rom. 10:10• For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
What You Must Do!
• You must be baptized into Christ• Acts 2:38
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• Acts 2:38• Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
What You Must Do!
• Rom. 6:3-5• “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
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us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
What You Must Do!
• [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
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glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection”
What You Must Do!
• If you will do these things, then you become a new creature in Christ Jesus and start on the
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Christ Jesus and start on the road to heaven
What You Must Do!
• You must continue faithful until death, and heaven will be yours on the resurrection day
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yours on the resurrection day• You will be in your eternal home with God and the saved of all the ages
Acts 22:16
• “And now why are you waiting?Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling
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wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
• Outlined from article by W. C. Graves
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