Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every Believer has the Blessed hope of a home in Heaven and a future place in the age to come in the New Heaven and New Earth (1 Thessalonians 4:17, 18; Revelation 21). It is interesting to me of what makes it to Heaven for it shows what God values and sees as important. What makes it to Heaven? There are three things that make it there permanently and a fourth that only stays temporarily.
- PEOPLE
Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Those who we reach with the Gospel and the proper stewardship of the resources entrusted us will one day, when we die, will meet us again in Heaven.
- PRAYERS
Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
All the prayers we pray are not a waste of time, and though many of them were prayed that were hidden from the eyes of men, yet they are accumulated for all in Heaven to see.
- WORKS
Revelation 14:13, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”
1Corinthians 3:13-15, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
It pays to obey God and do good works after receiving salvation and our labor will not be in vain in the Lord. There will be a reward for every good work and those that may not have been obvious to men on Earth will not be hidden. There should be something added to our initial salvation experience in the way of Godly character and good works so that we’ll experience an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-11).
- SINNERS BOTH SMALL AND GREAT
Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
All people will make it to Heaven but not all will stay. To those that rejected Christ and God’s eternal salvation by grace through faith, Heaven will only be a temporary hub or stop on their way to an eternal damnation, separated from the love, kindness, and mercy of God forever. Shouldn’t we use or prayers, doing of good works, and doing the work of the ministry to keep every human being that we can from going to a devil’s hell?
Philippians 3:20 says that our lifestyle, behavior, manner of living life is in Heaven. The Apostle Paul lived with Heaven in view (2 Corinthians 5:1-10) and the Apostle Peter made an appeal to us to abstain from fleshly lusts referencing the fact that we were strangers and pilgrims passing through this world (2 Peter 2:11, 12). We are to be like Abraham who lived his life as a stranger in a foreign land Hebrews 11:8-10 seeking a city whose builder and maker is God. We are to live with Heaven in view.
Pastor John Rasicci is the founder and Pastor of Word of His Grace Church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where we are building people who are building the Church. Pastor's ministry mission is to help people discover God's dream for their Life, the Local Church, and the Last Days' Harvest. With a strong emphasis on the grace of God and with a prophetic voice, Pastor John preaches and teaches in churches, conferences, and crusades both locally and throughout the world. He has produced books, tapes, and other teaching materials to empower, enable, and equip Believers with the Word of God. Pastor John is married to his wife Candy who with their three children, Krista, Joanna, John Anthony, and two son-in-laws, Matt and Doug, serve together in the ministry. After graduating from Kent State University, Pastor John pursued a career in professional baseball before accepting the call to the ministry. He and his wife, Candy, received their ministry training from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
John Rasicci 
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