Come Closer -- Heaven

Yesterday I wrote a blog entitled “This is like Heaven to Me”.
WHAT? This gnarly, angry, hateful and unkind world we live in – calling it “like heaven?”

Honestly, the world doesn't get us. It doesn’t understand why Christians can have peace in the middle of uncertainty, joy in the middle of sorrow, hope in the middle of loss, or gratitude in the middle of hardship.

It isn't because we're pretending life is perfect.
It's because the Holy Spirit lives within us.

It’s choosing Jesus -- because every time we choose His voice over the enemy's, His peace over our panic, His truth over the world's lies -- heaven comes just a little closer.

I know God would want us to declare “heaven” for so many people who think they are living in hell on earth. Oh, that they would come to know the peace, joy and happiness in living in the mindset of God's faithfulness right smack dab here on earth and one day heaven will be our home sweet home.

That isn't theologically saying we are in heaven. It's saying we can live under heaven's influence while we're still on earth.

Jesus taught us to pray: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)

In other words – bring a little bit of heaven here. What is heaven like?

There is no bitterness.
No fear.
No jealousy.
No gossip.
No hatred.
No anxiety.
No tears.
No sin.

And every time we choose forgiveness over resentment --
Every time we choose peace over panic --
Every time we choose gratitude over grumbling --
Every time we choose love over anger -- we’re allowing a little of heaven’s atmosphere to invade earth. That's why Paul wrote in Philippians 3:20, "Our citizenship is in heaven."

And since our citizenship is heaven – we ought to think differently.
Speak differently.
Love differently.
Forgive differently.
Hope differently.
Not because life is easy --
But because we're citizens of another Kingdom.

And how do citizens of heaven speak – let me show you!

"The world may choose fear. We choose faith."
"The world may choose anger. We choose grace."
"The world may choose despair. We choose hope."

Why? Because we’re already living with our eyes fixed on our heavenly home. Won't it be wonderful there?