HEAVEN IS ALL THAT THE LOVING
HEART OF GOD WOULD DESIRE. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT THE
INCREDIBLE MIND OF GOD CAN CONCEIVE. AND HEAVEN IS ALL THE
ALMIGHTY HAND OF GOD CAN CREATE. PUT IT TOGETHER: GOD'S LOVE,
GOD'S MIND AND GOD'S POWER. AND FRIEND, THAT'S HEAVEN. [MUSIC]
THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE PROGRAM. ADRIAN ROGERS HAD A
UNIQUE ABILITY TO APPLY BIBLICAL TRUTH TO EVERYDAY LIFE. IT WAS
ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT MADE HIM SUCH A REMARKABLE PASTOR,
BIBLE TEACHER AND WRITER. HAVE YOUR BIBLES OPENED AND STAY WITH
US FOR THIS POWERFUL MESSAGE. AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN FIND OTHER
MATERIALS RELATED TO TODAY'S MESSAGE, LIKE PASTOR ROGERS'
OUTLINE, NOTES AND A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT ALL AT LWF.ORG. NOW
LET'S JOIN ADRIAN ROGERS. JOHN CHAPTER 14, THE DEAR LORD
JESUS SAID, 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 YE MAY BE ALSO. I VISITED DR. LEE, FORMER PASTOR
OF THIS CHURCH, MANY TIMES AT HIS BEDSIDE. JUST BEFORE HE DIED
HE LAPSED INTO A COMA AND HAD A VISION OF HEAVEN. HE CAME BACK.
AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID. HE SAID, I'VE PREACHED ON HEAVEN
MANY TIMES, BUT I NEVER DID IT JUSTICE. NOW IF THERE WERE EVER
AN ELOQUENT AND A GIFTED PREACHER, IT WOULD BE DR. ROBERT
G. LEE. IF HE HAD ANY GREAT SERMON, AND HE HAD MANY, HIS
SERMON CALLED, A PLACE CALLED HEAVEN WAS A CLASSIC, BUT HE
SAID, I NEVER DID IT JUSTICE. NOW WE'RE LIMITED IN OUR
KNOWLEDGE OF HEAVEN. DR. LEE WAS LIMITED, I AM LIMITED, YOU ARE
LIMITED. UH, THE BIBLE TELLS US MORE ABOUT WHAT WILL NOT BE
THERE THAN IT DOES ABOUT WHAT WILL BE THERE. BUT MAY I SAY
THIS; THAT THE BIBLE GIVES US ALL THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
HEAVEN AND WHAT WE KNOW LEAVES US IN BREATHLESS WONDER. NOW GOD
HAS PURPOSELY KEPT BACK SOME THINGS ABOUT HEAVEN FROM US.
WHEN THE APOSTLE PAUL TOOK HIS SOJOURN INTO HEAVEN, HE WENT TO
HEAVEN IN A, HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I WAS IN MY BODY OR
OUT OF MY BODY. BUT I WENT UP, I WAS CAUGHT UP INTO PARADISE,
INTO THE THIRD HEAVEN. AND HE SAID, I SAW THERE THINGS,
UNUTTERABLE THINGS, THINGS NOT LAWFUL TO DECLARE. THAT IS, GOD
SAID, THIS IS A SACRED SECRET, PAUL, YOU CANNOT TELL IT. GOD
HAS SAVED SOMETHING VERY WONDERFUL FOR US, THE PLACE
CALLED HEAVEN. THE GALLOP PEOPLE DID A POLL. THEY FOUND, WOULD
YOU BELIEVE, THAT 72% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BELIEVE IN
HEAVEN. 60% BELIEVED IN HELL. ONLY 4% THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING
TO HELL. HUH, UH, THEY BELIEVE, PEOPLE BELIEVE IN HEAVEN, BUT
THERE'S AN OLD GOSPEL SONG THAT SAYS, EVERYBODY TALKIN' BOUT
HEAVEN AIN'T GOING THERE. I TALKED TO A MAN ONE TIME, ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES I, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU HIS NAME,
BUT YOU MAY FIGURE OUT WHO HE WAS, HE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF A
STATE, SERVED IN THE, UH, UH, SERVED ON THE STAFF OF THE
PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES AND, UH, UH, A, A VERY IMPORTANT
MAN, WAS RUNNING HIMSELF FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND I WAS WITH JIM KENNEDY, JIM KENNEDY, THAT WONDERFUL PASTOR
IN FT. LAUDERDALE WHO BEGAN, UH, UH, EVANGELISM EXPLOSION. JIM
KENNEDY ASKED THIS MAN THIS QUESTION. HE SAID, GOVERNOR, IF
YOU WERE TO DIE AND TO STAND BEFORE THE LORD AND HE WOULD ASK
YOU THIS QUESTION, WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO MY HEAVEN?' WHAT
WOULD YOU SAY? I NEVER WILL FORGET, IT WAS, IT WAS ALMOST
HUMOROUS. THAT MAN DREW HIMSELF UP, HE HAD THAT GOLD, UH, UH,
SILVER HAIR SLICKED BACK LIKE THAT, THAT CHIN. HE SAID, WELL,
SAID, I HADN'T BEEN ALL THAT I OUGHTA BE, BUT I'D TELL HIM, IF
YOU'VE GOT ANYBODY UP THERE, YOU OUGHT TO LET ME IN.' HA, HA, HA,
HA. SO FULL OF, HUH, SELF-ASSURANCE AND PRIDE, BUT
NOT ONE WORD ABOUT THE GRACE OF GOD. NOT EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT
HEAVEN IS GOING TO HEAVEN. WE'RE GONNA BE THINKING A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HEAVEN. I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME FACTS ABOUT HEAVEN. FACT
NUMBER ONE, HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] HEAVEN
IS NOT A, A CONDITION, A STATE OF MIND, SOME WILL-O-THE-WISP.
HEAVEN IS SOME PLACE ON GOD'S MAP. NOW LET ME GIVE YOU A
SCRIPTURE CONCERNING WHAT, WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID ABOUT HIS
JOURNEY TO HEAVEN. SECOND CORINTHIANS 12 VERSES TWO
THROUGH FOUR, PAUL SAID, I KNEW A MAN IN CHRIST ABOVE FOURTEEN
YEARS AGO, WHETHER IN THE BODY I CANNOT TELL OR WHETHER OUT OF
THE BODY I CANNOT TELL. NOW PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT HIMSELF. HE
CALLS HIMSELF, A MAN IN CHRIST. NOW LISTEN TO THIS, LISTEN
CAREFULLY. HE SAID, WHETHER I WAS IN MY BODY OR OUT OF MY
BODY, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT
TELLS US YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN OUT OF YOUR BODY OR YOU CAN GO
TO HEAVEN IN YOUR BODY. UH, HEAVEN IS SUCH A REAL PLACE, UH,
THAT IT ACCOM, IT, IT, IT TAKES CARE OF A REAL BODY. IT, IT IS,
OR YET YOU CAN GO THERE IN YOUR SPIRIT. SO PAUL SAYS, I DON'T
KNOW WHETHER I WAS IN MY BODY OR OUT OF MY BODY. GOD KNOWETH.
SUCH A ONE CAUGHT UP TO THE THIRD HEAVEN. AND I KNEW SUCH A
MAN, WHETHER IN THE BODY OR OUT OF THE BODY, I CANNOT TELL. GOD
KNOWETH. HOW HE WAS CAUGHT UP INTO PARADISE AND HEARD
UNSPEAKABLE WORDS WHICH IT IS NOT LAWFUL FOR A MAN TO UTTER.
NOW IT'S VERY INTERESTING. WE SAY HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE. AND
IN THE BIBLE WE TALK OF HEAVEN AS BEING UP. THE APOSTLE PAUL
SAID, I WAS CAUGHT UP INTO HEAVEN. AND SO THOSE WHO ARE
NAYSAYERS, THOSE WHO LAUGH AT US WHO BELIEVE THE BIBLE LITERALLY,
THEY SAY, WELL, HUH, YOU IGNORAMUS, DON'T YOU NOW THAT
THE EARTH IS ROUND AND SO, AND PAUL IS IN PALESTINE, HE'S
POINTING TO HEAVEN THIS WAY IS UP, AND SOMEBODY PERHAPS IN
AUSTRALIA IS POINTING THIS WAY IS UP, AND THEY'RE POINTING IN
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THOSE
PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE TIMES THOUGHT THE EARTH WAS FLAT, BUT
WE KNOW IT'S ROUND? HOW CAN HEAVEN BE UP IF IT'S IN
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS? WELL, I, I TELL YOU I THINK THAT, UH, GOD
UNDERSTANDS IT ALL. LET ME TELL YOU THIS, FOLKS, THERE'S ONE
PLACE ON THE, PLACE OF THE, ON THE FACE OF THE GLOBE THAT IS
ALWAYS UP. DID YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? IT'S NORTH. NOW IT'S NOT BY
ACCIDENT THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON, UH, PLANET EARTH,
PEOPLE SAY DOWN SOUTH, UP NORTH. WHY? BECAUSE NORTH IS A FIXED
POSITION. IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A CAMERA AND OPEN THAT CAMERA AND,
UH, THE LENS OF THAT CAMERA, AND PUT THAT LENS ON THE NORTH STAR
AND LEAVE THE LENS OPEN, YOU WOULD SEE ALL OF THE OTHER STARS
ROTATING AROUND THAT NORTH STAR AND IT WOULD NEVER MOVE. THAT IS
A FIXED POSITION. I BELIEVE THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT HEAVEN IS
NORTH. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME SCRIPTURES. UH, ISAIAH 14 VERSES
13 AND 14. THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE FALL OF SATAN FROM HEAVEN.
FOR THOU HAST SAID IN THINE HEART, I WILL ASCEND INTO
HEAVEN, I WILL EXALT MY THRONE, ' NOW WATCH THIS, ABOVE THE STARS
OF GOD. I WILL SIT ALSO UPON THE MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION IN THE
SIDES OF THE NORTH.' SATAN SAYS, I'M GOING, I'M GOING ABOVE THE
STARS, I'M GOING TO THE PLACE OF GOD, I'M GOING TO EXALT MY
THRONE THERE IN THE SIDES OF THE NORTH. IN THE BIBLE, WHEN, UH,
GOD WAS TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO MAKE A BLOOD SACRIFICE IN THE
BOOK OF LEVITICUS, LEVITICUS CHAPTER ONE VERSE 11, TALKING
ABOUT KILLING THE ANIMAL AND HE SAYS THIS, AND HE SHALL KILL IT
ON THE SIDE OF THE ALTAR IT, ON THE SIDE OF THE ALTAR, NOW
LISTEN TO THIS, NORTHWARD TOWARD THE LORD. NORTHWARD TOWARD THE
LORD, LEVITICUS ONE VERSE 11. LISTEN TO THIS. PSALM 75 VERSES
SIX AND SEVEN. GOD IS TALKING ABOUT WHERE PROMOTION COMES
FROM, AND HE SAYS, FOR PROMOTION COMETH NEITHER FROM, UH, THE
EAST NOR FROM THE WEST NOR FROM THE SOUTH, BUT GOD IS THE JUDGE.
[AUDIENCE: AMEN] WHAT IS THE INFERENCE? PROMOTION COMES FROM
GOD. WHERE'S GOD? IN THE NORTH. YOU SEE, PAUL SAID, I WAS CAUGHT
UP INTO THE THIRD HEAVEN. WHAT DOES HE MEAN BY THE THIRD
HEAVEN? WELL, THERE'RE THREE HEAVENS. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE
FOWLS OF THE HEAVENS, THAT'S THE ATMOSPHERIC HEAVEN. AND THEN THE
BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE STARS OF HEAVEN, THAT'S THE STELLAR
HEAVEN. AND THEN GOD SPEAKS OF HEAVEN, WHICH IS THE ABODE OF
GOD; SOMEWHERE A REAL PLACE THAT GOD COULD'VE GONE TO IN A BODY.
AND, BY THE WAY, JESUS IS THERE IN A BODY. [AUDIENCE: AMEN]
THERE'S A MAN IN THE GLORY. SOMEBODY SAID OF THESE THREE
HEAVENS, THE FIRST WE SEE BY DAY, THE SECOND WE SEE BY NIGHT,
THE THIRD WE SEE BY FAITH. I LOVE THAT. THE, HEAVEN IS A REAL
PLACE! NOW DON'T GET THE IDEA IT'S SOME SORT OF A GASEOUS,
NEBULOUS STATE OF MIND OR SOMETHING. NO! HEAVEN IS A REAL
PLACE. ONE DAY YOU'LL GO THERE IN A RESURRECTED BODY AND YOU'LL
HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO PUT THAT RESURRECTED FOOT ON. HEAVEN
IS A REAL PLACE; IT IS SOMEWHERE ON GOD'S MAP. SECOND THING,
SECOND THING I WANT YOU TO LEARN, UH, THE SAVED GO TO
HEAVEN IMMEDIATELY UPON DEATH. LISTEN TO THIS SCRIPTURE, SECOND
CORINTHIANS CHAPTER FIVE VERSES SIX THROUGH EIGHT. PAUL SAYS,
WHEREFORE, WE'RE ALWAYS CONFIDENT, BOY I LOVE THAT, SO
BOLD, KNOWING THAT WHILE WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY, YOUR BODY
IS A HOUSE, YOU LIVE IN IT, WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY, WE ARE
ABSENT FROM THE LORD, THAT IS, HIS LITERAL PRESENCE, FOR WE
WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. WE ARE CONFIDENT, I SAY, AND
WILLING RATHER TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND TO BE PRESENT WITH
THE LORD. THAT'S THE REASON I SAID, YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN IN A
BODY OR OUT OF THE BODY. YOU CAN BE ABSENT FROM YOUR BODY AND GO
TO HEAVEN, OR YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN IN A RESURRECTED BODY.
UH, THE SAINTS GO IMMEDIATELY TO HEAVEN UPON DEATH. SOME PEOPLE
THINK THAT THE SOUL SLEEPS IN THE GRAVE TO AWAIT THE
RESURRECTION. NO. THE BODY AWAITS THE RESURRECTION; THE
SPIRIT GOES IMMEDIATELY TO BE WITH JESUS. [AUDIENCE: AMEN]
WHAT DID JESUS TELL THAT DYING THIEF ON THE CROSS? JESUS SAID,
TODAY, TODAY YOU'LL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. AS JESUS BOWED HIS
HEAD AND DIED, HE SAID, FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY
SPIRIT. WHEN STEVEN, THAT SAINT, WAS STONED AND MARTYRED FOR HIS
FAITH, HE LOOKED UP. HE SAID, I SEE HEAVEN, I SEE JESUS ON THE
RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER. AND THEN HE PRAYED, FATHER, UH,
RECEIVE MY SPIRIT. NOT SO LONG AGO I WAS AT THE DEATHBED OF MY
DARLING MOTHER. UH, I WISH YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN MY MOTHER. MY
MOTHER WAS A, AN, IN, AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL, AS WAS MY
DAD. UH, BUT MY MOTHER HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, AND, UH,
MY MOTHER WAS FULL OF WITTICISMS AND, AND YOU COULD NEVER GET
AHEAD OF HER, YOU, NO MATTER WHAT YOU'D SAY SHE ALWAYS HAD A
COMEBACK. AH, HUH. UH, BUT ANYWAY. UH, I, I SAW MY MOTHER
THERE, THE LAST FEW, UH, MOMENTS OF CONSCIOUSNESS, AND I SAW HER
AS SHE JUST TURNED HER EYES AND LOOKED UPWARD. I CAN'T PROVE IT,
BUT I JUST HAVE A FEELING THAT SHE WAS LOOKING INTO ANOTHER
WORLD. UH, THERE, THERE, THERE JUST COMES A TIME, THERE COMES A
TIME WHEN WE MOVE OUT OF THIS BODY AND WE MOVE INTO A POSITION
WITH OUR LORD IN HEAVEN. AND SO I HAVE A DESIRE TO DEPART AND BE
WITH CHRIST, THAT'S WHAT THE, UH, APOSTLE PAUL SAID. NOW
HERE'S THE THIRD THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT HEAVEN. I, AH, HEAVEN
IS A REAL PLACE. UH, THE SAINTS GO TO HEAVEN IMMEDIATELY WHEN
THEY DIE. TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT FROM THE
LORD. THE THIRD THING ABOUT THIS IS A QUESTION OFTEN ASKED; WILL
WE KNOW OUR LOVED ONES? WE WILL KNOW OUR LOVED ONES! WE'LL KNOW
THEM FACE TO FACE. FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 13 VERSE 12,
FOR NOW WE SEE THEM IN A GLASS DARKLY. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, IN
A GLASS DARKLY? WELL, IN BIBLE TIMES THEY DIDN'T HAVE MIRRORS
LIKE WE HAVE WITH QUICKSILVER ON THEM. THEY WOULD TAKE BRASS AND
THEY WOULD POLISH IT. NOW THE TRANSLATORS CALLED IT A GLASS,
BUT IT WASN'T REALLY EVEN A GLASS. IT WAS A, A BURNISHED
BRASS REFLECTOR. AND THEY WOULD LOOK IN IT AND, UH, UH, YOU
COULD, YOU COULD SEE, BUT YOU COULD NOT SEE AS CLEARLY AS WE
SEE. THAT'S WHAT HE MEANT WHEN, WE SEE IN A GLASS DARKLY, BUT
THEN FACE TO FACE. NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW EVEN AS
ALSO I AM KNOWN. YOU SEE, FOLKS, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW ONE ANOTHER
NOW. THE QUESTION IS, UH, NOT WILL WE KNOW ONE ANOTHER IN
HEAVEN? THE REAL QUESTION IS; DO WE KNOW ONE ANOTHER NOW? YOU
KNOW WHEN, UH, SAMUEL WAS GOING TO ANOINT A KING FOR ISRAEL, UH,
GOD TOLD SAMUEL, UH, EH, LOOK NOT ON HIS COUNTENANCE NOR ON
THE HEIGHT OF HIS STATURE, TALKING ABOUT ELIAB, FOR I HAVE
REFUSED HIM. THE LORD SEETH NOT AS MAN SEES. MAN LOOKS ON THE
OUTWARD APPEARANCE, GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. YOU KNOW, SOME OF
THESE HIGH AND MIGHTY PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALL OF THESE BEAUTIFUL
BODIES AND CHISELED FEATURES AND EVERYTHING, DON'T THINK THEY'RE
MORE IMPORTANT. LISTEN, GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. [AUDIENCE:
AMEN] GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. GOD DOESN'T SEE AS A MAN SEES.
WILL WE KNOW ONE ANOTHER IN HEAVEN? OF COURSE WE WILL KNOW
ONE ANOTHER IN HEAVEN. I, T, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE PICTURE OF OUR
LITTLE BABY PHILLIP AND MY HEART WENT TO THAT PASSAGE OF
SCRIPTURE WHERE KING DAVID HAD A BABY, UH, THAT DIED AND WENT TO
HEAVEN. HE HAD PRAYED AND, AND HE ASKED GOD, LORD, PLEASE SPARE
THE LIFE OF THE BABY, BUT GOD DID NOT. THEN THE BIBLE SAYS IN
SECOND SAMUELS CHAPTER 12 VERSE 20, THEN DAVID ROSE FROM THE
EARTH AND WASHED AND ANOINTED HIMSELF AND CHANGED HIS APPAREL
AND CAME INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AND WORSHIPPED. THEN HE
CAME TO HIS OWN HOUSE AND WHEN HE, UH, REQUIRED, THEY SET BREAD
BEFORE HIM AND HE DID EAT. THEN SAID HIS SERVANTS UNTO HIM, WHAT
THING IS THIS THAT THOU HAST DONE? THOU DIDST FAST AND WEEP
FOR THE CHILD WHILE IT WAS ALIVE, BUT WHEN THE CHILD WAS
DEAD THOU DIDST RISE AND EAT BREAD.' AND HE SAID, WHILE THE
CHILD WAS YET ALIVE I FASTED AND WEPT, FOR I SAID, WHO CAN TELL,
WHETHER GOD WILL BE GRACIOUS TO ME THAT THE CHILD MAY LIVE?' BUT
NOW HE IS DEAD, ' LISTEN TO THIS, WHEREFORE SHOULD I FAST? CAN I
BRING HIM BACK AGAIN? I SHALL GO TO HIM. HE SHALL NOT RETURN TO
ME.' I WILL GO TO HIM. NOW WE GO TO OUR LOVED ONES IN HEAVEN. THE
APOSTLE PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS
CHRIST, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS TELLING THE CHURCH
AT THESSALONICA IS, YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THE SECOND COMING OF
JESUS, AND OUR BEING GATHERED NOT ONLY TO MEET THE LORD, BUT
TO MEET ONE ANOTHER. PUT THIS VERSE DOWN, FIRST THESSALONIANS
CHAPTER FOUR VERSE 16, FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM
HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT AND WITH A VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL AND THE
TRUMP OF GOD. AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST. THAT'S
TALKING NOW ABOUT THE BODY THAT'S IN THE GRAVE. THEN WE
WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP, NOW LISTEN TO
THIS, CAUGHT UP TOGETHER, THAT'S PAUL'S EMPHASIS, CAUGHT UP
TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. AND
SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD. AGAIN HE TOLD THEM IN
FIRST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER FIVE AND VERSE 15; IT SPEAKS OF JESUS
WHO DIED FOR US, THAT WHETHER WE WAKE OR SLEEP, WE SHOULD LIVE
TOGETHER WITH HIM. NOW IF YOU THINK OF THE SAINTS IN THE
BIBLE, WHEN THEY DIED, WHAT, HOW DOES THE BIBLE TALK ABOUT THE
SAINTS DYING? IT TALKS ABOUT THEM GOING TO BE WITH THEIR
PEOPLE. UH, WHEN MOSES DIED, HERE'S WHAT GOD SAID TO MOSES,
GET THEE UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN AND DIE IN THE MOUNTAIN AND BE
GATHERED UNTO THY PEOPLE. NOW MOSES' MOTHER, THAT MOTHER THAT
MADE HIM THAT LITTLE, UH, ARK. HE SAID, MOSES, GO SEE YOUR
MAMA. GET UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN; BE GATHERED TO YOUR PEOPLE.
ABRAHAM KNEW THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY REUNION.
GENESIS 25 VERSE EIGHT, THEN ABRAHAM GAVE UP THE GHOST, THAT
IS, HE YIELDED UP THE SPIRIT. AND DIED IN A GOOD OLD AGE, AN
OLD MAN AND FULL OF YEARS, AND WAS GATHERED TO HIS PEOPLE.
LISTEN TO WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ISAAC. GENESIS 35 VERSE
29, AND ISAAC GAVE UP THE GHOST AND DIED AND WAS GATHERED UNTO
HIS PEOPLE, BEING OLD AND FULL OF DAYS, AND HIS SONS ESAU AND
JACOB BURIED HIM. LISTEN TO WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT JACOB AND
HIS FAMILY REUNION IN HEAVEN. GENESIS 49 VERSE 33, AND WHEN
JACOB MADE AN END OF COMMANDING HIS SONS, HE GATHERED UP HIS
FEET INTO THE BED AND YIELDED UP THE GHOST AND WAS GATHERED UNTO
HIS PEOPLE. NOW HIS BODY IS STILL SOMEWHERE MOLDERING IN THE
GRAVE, BUT HE GATHERED WITH HIS PEOPLE. HE IS WITH HIS PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT JESUS, UH, TALKED ABOUT, A FAMILY REUNION IN
HEAVEN. IN MATTHEW CHAPTER EIGHT AND VERSE 11 HERE'S WHAT JESUS
SAID, AND I SAY UNTO YOU THAT MANY SHALL COME FROM THE EAST
AND THE WEST AND SHALL SIT DOWN WITH ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB
IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. WE'RE GOING TO FELLOWSHIP THERE WITH
THESE PEOPLE. WE'LL KNOW THEM. ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION,
WHEN JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED, WE JUST HAD A PREVIEW OF HEAVEN,
WHEN HE'S UP THERE ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION. ELIJAH WAS
THERE, MOSES WAS THERE. THE DISCIPLES HAD NEVER OF MET
ELIJAH, THEY'D NEVER MET MOSES, THEY WERE FROM A DIFFERENT ERA,
BUT THEY RECOGNIZED MOSES, THEY RECOGNIZED ELIJAH. WE WILL KNOW
ONE ANOTHER IN HEAVEN. PUT IT DOWN BIG, PLAIN AND STRAIGHT.
NUMBER THREE, NUMBER FOUR. UH, THERE WILL BE JOYFUL ACTIVITY IN
HEAVEN. THERE'RE SOME MYTHS ABOUT HEAVEN. UH, ONE OF THE
MYTHS IS THAT WE'RE GONNA WEAR A WOOLY ROBE WITH A HALO SITTING
ON A FLUFFY CLOUD, PLUCK A HARP. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] UH, YOU
KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE, UH, HEAVEN'S GONNA BE SO BORING, AND
YOU KNOW, ALL DAY LONG WE'LL HAVE TO LISTEN TO ANTHEMS AND,
UH. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] THERE'LL BE MUSIC IN HEAVEN, BUT I'll
GUARANTEE YOU, IT WON'T BE. BORING MUSIC. YOU, DON'T, YOU,
HEAVEN IS REST, BUT IT'S NOT LAZINESS. IT'S NOT JUST LOLLING
AROUND FOR ALL ETERNITY. UH, ADAM HAD WORK TO DO BEFORE SIN
EVER CAME INTO THE GARDEN, BUT IT WASN'T LABOR, IT WASN'T BY
THE SWEAT OF HIS BROW, IT WAS TO DRESS THE GARDEN THE KEEP IT.
UH, PUT THIS VERSE DOWN, LUKE CHAPTER 19. OUR LORD IS TALKING
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IN HEAVEN. LUKE CHAPTER 19
BEGINNING IN VERSE 12, AND HE SAID, THEREFORE, CERTAIN
NOBLEMAN WENT INTO A FAR COUNTRY.' THE NOBLEMAN IS, THIS
IS A PARABLE AND JESUS HIMSELF IS THE NOBLEMAN. UH, TO RECEIVE
FOR HIMSELF A KINGDOM AND RETURNED.' OUR LORD HAS GONE TO
RECEIVE A KINGDOM, HE'S COMING BACK. AND HE CALLED HIS SERVANTS
AND DELIVERED UNTO THEM TEN POUNDS AND SAID, OCCUPY TILL I
COME.' BUT HIS CITIZENS HATED HIM AND SENT A MESSAGE AFTER
HIM, SAYING, WE WILL NOT HAVE THIS MAN TO REIGN OVER US.' AND
IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN HE WAS RETURNED, HAVING RECEIVED
THE KINGDOM, HE THEN COMMANDED HIS SERVANTS TO BE CALLED UNTO
HIM TO WHOM HE HAD GIVEN THE MONEY THAT HE MIGHT KNOW HOW
MUCH EACH MAN HAD GAINED BY TRADING. THEN CAME THE FIRST,
SAYING, LORD, THY POUND HAS GAINED TEN POUNDS. AND HE SAID
UNTO HIM, WELL DONE, GOOD SERVANT. BECAUSE THOU HAST BEEN
FAITHFUL IN A VERY LITTLE, "THOU," UH, HAVE THOU AUTHORITY
OVER TEN CITIES.' AND THE SECOND CAME, SAYING, LORD, THY POUND
HAS GAINED FIVE POUNDS.' AND HE "SAID LIKEWISE TO HIM, BE THOU
ALSO OVER FIVE CITIES." NOW, I, I WANT TO GO NO DEEPER INTO THIS
EXCEPT TO TELL YOU THAT OUR LORD HAS GONE TO HEAVEN, HE HAS GIVEN
TO US CERTAIN ABILITIES AND CERTAIN, UH, UH, THINGS THAT WE
ARE MADE, TO BE MADE STEWARDS OF. HE SAYS, OCCUPY TILL I COME.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN TAKE UP SPACE. YE, DUH, AN OCCUPATION IS WHAT
YOU DO. HE SAYS, GET BUSY! AND WHEN I COME AGAIN, I'M GOING TO
REWARD YOU. AND I'M GONNA REWARD YOU ACCORDING AS YOUR LABOR
SHOULD BE AND YOU'RE GOING TO SERVE ME. UH, YOU KNOW, YOU,
WE'RE GONNA HELP OUR GOD RULE THE VAST UNIVERSE. PAUL SAID, IF
WE SUFFER WITH HIM, WE'LL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM. HERE'S A GREAT
VERSE I LOVE FROM THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION, CHAPTER SEVEN
VERSE 15. UH, THE APOSTLE JOHN HAD A GLIMPSE INTO GLORY, AND HE
SAW THE SERVANTS OF GOD AND HERE, HERE'S THE WAY HE
DESCRIBED THEM, THEREFORE, THEY ARE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD AND
SERVE HIM DAY AND NIGHT IN HIS TEMPLE. THEY SERVE HIM DAY AND
NIGHT. THE GREATEST JOY THAT I HAVE IS SERVING THE LORD.
[AUDIENCE: AMEN] WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE LORD.
SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD SERVE HIM BETTER. I ALWAYS ENJOY
MUSIC, I LOVE MUSIC, AND I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, TASTE AND
ABILITY IN MUSIC THAN SOMETIMES I LET ON. UH, WHAT SOME OF YOU
DON'T KNOW, I CAN S, KINDA SIT AT A PIANO AND PLAY BY EAR. I'M,
I'll NEV, I WON'T DO THAT IN A. SERVICE, BUT, [AUDIENCE
LAUGHTER] UH, I, I LOVE MUSIC. I HAVE A, EH, SOMEHOW I HAVE, UH,
DIFFICULTY GETTING IT OUT. I CAN CARRY A TUNE; I JUST CAN'T
UNLOAD IT. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] HEH, HEH, HEH. BUT, HUH, I'M
TELLING YOU, WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN, GUESS WHO'S GONNA BE
LEADING THE CHOIR? IT'S NOT WHITMIRE. ROGERS! [AUDIENCE
LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE, THE LAST WILL BE
FIRST. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] UH, FRIEND, WE'RE GOING TO SERVE GOD
IN HEAVEN! IT'S NOT GONNA BE BORING! IT'S GONNA BE THRILLING,
IT'S GOING TO BE BLESSED, THERE'S GOING TO BE JOYFUL
ACTIVITY IN HEAVEN. NUMBER FIVE, HEAVEN IS GOING TO BE A PLACE OF
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION, ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. AS I SAID THAT, IN
THE INTRODUCTION TO THIS MESSAGE, WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT
WILL NOT BE IN HEAVEN THAN WE DO TO WHAT WILL BE IN HEAVEN. BE NO
MORE TEARS, NO MORE SIGHING, NO MORE CRYING, NO MORE DYING, NO
MORE PAIN, FOR THE FORMER THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY. THAT'S THE
REASON THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER ONE
BEGINNING IN VERSE 21, FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE,
LISTEN, IS GAIN. TO DIE IS GAIN. THEN HE SAID, I HAVE A DESIRE TO
DEPART AND BE WITH CHRIST, WHICH IS FAR BETTER. GAIN. NO MORE
SIN, NO SORROW, NO SUFFERING, NO DEATH, NO DISEASE, NO DOUBTS.
WHAT IS HEAVEN? HEAVEN IS THE PRESENCE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD.
PRESENT, HEAVEN IS THE ABSENCE OF ALL THAT IS BAD. LET ME TELL
YOU WHAT HEAVEN IS. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT THE LOVING HEART OF GOD
WOULD DESIRE. CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEONE WHO LOVED YOU SO MUCH HE
GAVE HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOU? THAT'S LOVE, ISN'T IT? HEREIN IS
LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVE GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND GAVE HIS
SON. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT THE LOVING HEART OF GOD WOULD
DESIRE. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT THE INCREDIBLE MIND OF GOD CAN
CONCEIVE. AND HEAVEN IS ALL THE ALMIGHTY HAND OF GOD CAN CREATE.
PUT IT TOGETHER: GOD'S LOVE, GOD'S MIND AND GOD'S POWER. AND
FRIEND, THAT'S HEAVEN. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] NO WONDER PAUL
SAID, EYE HATH NOT SEEN NOR EAR HEARD NOR HATH IT ENTERED INTO
THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM
THAT LOVE HIM. I HAVE A DESIRE TO DEPART AND BE WITH CHRIST, HE
SAYS, WHICH IS FAR BETTER. NOW, I'M NOT A GREEK SCHOLAR, I WAS
EXPOSED TO GREEK, IT DIDN'T TAKE, [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] BUT
I'M GONNA TELL YOU THIS. THE GREEK LANGUAGE SAYS, IT IS FAR,
VERY MUCH FAR, MUCH MORE BETTER. HE'S ADDING SUPERLATIVES UPON
SUPERLATIVES WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN. HEAVEN IS
A PLACE OF ABSOLUTE, AH, PERFECTION. YOU THINK OF GOD'S
CREATIVE GENIUS IN THIS WORLD. THIS WORLD HAS BEEN MARRED BY
SIN AND YET YOU GO LOOK SOMETIME AT A MOUNTAIN RANGE OR SOMETIMES
LOOK INTO THE FACE OF A BUTTERCUP OR SEE THE GOD THAT,
UH, THAT, UH, SCULPTED THE ROSE, OR THE GOD THAT PAINTED THE
RAINBOW, A GOD THAT GIVES US THESE GLORIOUS SUNSETS, THE GOD
WHO CRAFTED THE DELICATE WING OF THE BUTTERFLY. EVEN IN A WORLD
THAT'S MARRED BY SIN YOU CAN SEE A GLIMPSE OF THAT GLORY. BUT
HEAVEN WILL BE THE CONSUMMATE WORK OF GOD'S CREATIVE GENIUS.
YOU WILL LOVE HEAVEN. THERE'RE MANY QUESTIONS THAT A
FOUR-YEAR-OLD CAN ASK ABOUT HEAVEN NONE OF US CAN ANSWER,
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, FRIEND, THAT HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. WHY? BECAUSE JESUS SAID, I GO AND
PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. EVERY PREACHER THAT PREACHES ON HEAVEN
TELLS AND RETELLS THIS STORY OF A LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS BLIND AND
HAD NEVER SEEN. BUT A SURGEON BELIEVED THAT HE COULD RESTORE
SIGHT OR GIVE SIGHT TO THAT CHILD. THE PARENTS WERE WILLING.
THEY DID THE SURGERY. THE EYES WERE BANDAGED. THERE CAME THAT
TIME WHEN THE BANDAGE WAS TO BE REMOVED. WOULD SHE BE ABLE TO
SEE? THEY UNWRAPPED THE GAUZE, TOOK THOSE PADS FROM THOSE
PRECIOUS LITTLE EYES, AND THE DOCTOR SAID, SWEETHEART, OPEN
YOUR EYES. THIS LITTLE GIRL OPENED HER EYES AND BLINKED. THE
FIRST THING SHE SAW WAS THE FACE OF THAT DOCTOR. THEN THE FACE OF
A NURSE, THEN THE FACE OF HER MOTHER. SHE SAW A TEAR FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN HER MOTHER'S EYE, AND SHE SAID, I CAN SEE. AND SHE
LOOKED AROUND AT THE THINGS IN THE ROOM THAT YOU AND I TAKE FOR
GRANTED. AND THEN SHE WENT TO THE WINDOW AND LOOKED OUTSIDE.
SHE DIDN'T SEE THE GRASS, SHE SAW THE GREEN GRASS. SHE DIDN'T
SEE THE SKY, SHE SAW THE BLUE SKY. SHE DIDN'T SEE THE FLOWERS,
SHE SAW THE MULTI-COLORED FLOWERS. SHE RAN BACK TO HER
MOTHER, SQUEEZED HER MOTHER, AND SAID, MAMA, MAMA, IT'S
BEAUTIFUL. OH, MAMA, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. MAMA, WHY DIDN'T YOU
TELL ME IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL? THAT MOTHER, THROUGH TEARS OF
JOY, SAID, SWEETHEART, I TRIED TO TELL YOU, BUT YOU HAD TO SEE
IT FOR YOURSELF. YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN
WE'LL SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. FATHER, WHY
DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT HEAVEN WAS SO WONDERFUL? HE'LL SAY,
WELL, I, I TRIED TO TELL YOU, I TOOK THE THINGS THAT YOU VALUE,
STREETS OF GOLD, WALLS OF JASPER, GATES OF GOLD. THOSE ARE
JUST SYMBOLS OF GREATER GLORY, GREATER THINGS, THINGS THAT EYE
CANNOT SEE NOR EAR HEAR NOR HEART CONCEIVE OF, OF WHAT
HEAVEN IS GOING TO BE LIKE. HEAVEN, FRIEND, IS A PLACE OF
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. NOW HERE'S THE NEXT THING ABOUT HEAVEN, AND
JESUS, JESUS IS THE CROWNING GLORY OF HEAVEN. JESUS IS THE
CROWNING GLORY OF HEAVEN. HEAVEN TO ME IS NOT PRIMARILY A PLACE,
HEAVEN IS A PERSON. JESUS SAID, I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR
YOU, NOW LISTEN TO THIS, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF A PLACE, SO WE
CAN LIVE THERE? NO, THAT WHERE I AM THERE YE MAY BE ALSO. I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING WITH JESUS, ARE YOU? LISTEN, IF
YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING WITH JESUS, IF YOU, IF
YOU'RE JUST WAITING FOR A, A, A ETERNAL VACATION OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAVEN. [AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT]
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAVEN. IT'S WHERE HE IS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT,
WHEN I GO OFF ON A TRIP AND I COME HOME, WHAT DO YOU THINK I
DO, BURST THROUGH THE DOOR AND RUN OVER AND HUG THE LAMP?
[KISS, KISS] GOOD LAMP. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] THERE'S A
NICE RECLINER! [KISS, KISS, [KISS] OH, GOOD TO HAVE MY
RECLINER! OH, LOOK AT OUR RUGS! NO, IT'S JOYCE I WANT TO GET IN
MY ARMS. YOU SEE, HOME TO ME IS JOYCE, WHERE SHE IS. AND THAT,
THAT'S WHAT MAKES MY HOME, HOME. WHAT MAKES HEAVEN, HEAVEN?
J-E-S-U-S. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] TO BE WITH JESUS. ONE OF THE GREAT
PRAYERS THAT JESUS PRAYED IS JOHN 17 VERSE 24. HE IS PRAYING,
FATHER, I WILL THAT THEY ALSO WHOM THOU HAST GIVEN ME BE WITH
ME. DO YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE WHO'S SICK AND ARE YOU PRAYING,
GOD, OH, GOD, DON'T LET THEM DIE! WELL, IT'S ALL RIGHT TO
PRAY THAT PRAYER, BUT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOMEBODY
ELSE WHO'S PRAYING ALSO AND IT'S JESUS. YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS IS
PRAYING? FATHER, I WILL THEY ALSO WHOM THOU HAST GIVEN ME BE
WITH ME, WHERE I AM, THAT THEY MAY BEHOLD MY GLORY. HA, HEH,
LOOK, FRIEND, IF YOUR LOVED ONE STEPS OVER INTO THE FACE OF
JESUS TO BEHOLD HIS GLORY, DO YOU THINK THAT'S BAD? NO.
LISTEN. TO BE FACE TO FACE WITH CHRIST MY SAVIOR, IT WILL BE
WORTH IT ALL WHEN WE SEE JESUS. I'VE GOT TO JUST CUT TO THE LAST
POINT AND, AND VERY QUICKLY. ONLY THE REDEEMED ARE GOING TO
HEAVEN. ONLY THE REDEEMED ARE GOING TO HEAVEN. AS I SAID
EARLIER, YOU HAVE TO BE HEAVEN-BORN TO BE HEAVEN-BOUND.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN HEAVEN-BORN? WELL, THE BIBLE SAYS, WHEN
YOU'VE BEEN BORN AGAIN, THE LITERAL LANGUAGE OF THAT IS, TO
BE BORN FROM ABOVE. YOU'VE HAD AN EARTHLY BIR, BIRTH, YOU NEED
A HEAVENLY BIRTH. AND IF YOU'RE HEAVENLY BORN YOU'LL BE HEAVENLY
BOUND. HEAVEN-BORN YOU'LL BE HEAVEN-BOUND. LET ME GIVE YOU A
COUPLE OF SCRIPTURES. I'M COMING INTO THE END. REVELATION CHAPTER
SEVEN VERSE 14. JOHN AGAIN IS IN THE GLORY. HE SEES THIS GREAT
MULTITUDE AND HE ASKS THIS QUESTION. JOHN, REVELATION SEVEN
VERSE 14, AND I SAID UNTO HIM, SIR, THOU KNOWEST WHO, WHO ARE
THESE?' AND HE SAID UNTO ME, THESE ARE THEY WHICH CAME OUT OF
GREAT TRIBULATION AND HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM
WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.' THOSE IN HEAVEN ARE THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN WASHED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. I HEAR PEOPLE STRUT
AND TALK ABOUT THEIR DENOMINATION. NO DENOMINATION
EVER GOT YOU TO HEAVEN. OH, I'M A DYED-IN-THE-WOOL BAPTIST. ARE
YOU A WASHED-IN-THE-BLOOD BAPTIST? THESE ARE THEY WHO HAVE
MADE THEIR ROBES WHITE. I'M A, I'M A MEMBER OF BELLEVUE.
DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT BEING A MEMBER OF BELLEVUE. I'M A GOOD
PERSON. DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT BEING A GOOD PERSON. THESE
ARE THEY WHO HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED CHRIST, AND
HIS ATONING BLOOD FOR YOUR SIN. JOHN CLOSES THE BOOK OF THE
REVELATION, REVELATION 21 VERSE 27, TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN, AND
THERE SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER INTO IT ANYTHING THAT DEFILETH,
NEITHER WHATSOEVER WORKETH ABOMINATION OR MAKETH A LIE, BUT
THEY THAT ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMB'S [TAP] BOOK OF LIFE. A MAN
DREAMED THAT HE DIED, AND HE CAME TO THE PORTALS OF HEAVEN,
AND HE KNOCKED ON THAT PEARLY GATE, JUST A DREAM, AND, AH, A
VOICE WITHIN SAID, WHO IS IT THAT SEEKS ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN?
WHAT IS THE PASSWORD? AND THE MAN SAID, I'M A MORAL MAN. WELL,
WHAT IS THE PASSWORD INTO HEAVEN? HONESTY. AND THE VOICE
WITHIN SAID, DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY, I NEVER KNEW
YOU. ANOTHER [CLAP] KNOCKED AT THE PORTALS OF HEAVEN. THE VOICE
WITHIN SAID, WHO IS IT THAT SEEKS ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN, AND
WHAT IS THE PASSWORD? THIS MAN SAID, I AM A HUMANITARIAN. WHAT
IS THE ENTRANCE, THE PASSWORD TO HEAVEN? HE SAID, LOVE, CHARITY,
GOOD DEEDS. AND THE VOICE FROM WITHIN SAID, DEPART FROM ME, YE
THAT WORK INIQUITY. I NEVER KNEW YOU. ANOTHER KNOCKED. [CLAP] WHO
IS IT THAT SEEKS ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN AND WHAT IS THE PASSWORD?
I AM A RELIGIOUS MAN. WHAT IS THE PASSWORD? RELIGION. BAPTISM.
CHURCH ATTENDANCE. THE VOICE WITHIN SAID, DEPART FROM ME, YE
THAT WORK INIQUITY. I NEVER KNEW YOU. FINALLY A FOURTH MAN
KNOCKED AT HEAVEN'S PORTALS. THIS IS ALL JUST A DREAM. BUT
THE FOURTH MAN SAID, THE VOICE WITHIN SAID, WHO IS IT THAT
SEEKS ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN AND WHAT IS THE PASSWORD? AND THE
MAN ON THE OUTSIDE SAID, I'M A CHRISTIAN. I'VE GIVEN MY HEART
TO CHRIST. I'VE BEEN BORN AGAIN. IN MY HAND NO PRICE I BRING;
SIMPLY TO THY CROSS I CLING. AND THE VOICE WITHIN SAID, OPEN WIDE
THE GATES AND LET HIM IN, FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.'
HAVE YOU EVER DONE THAT? HAVE YOU EVER SAID, LORD, I'M NOT
TRUSTING MY HONESTY, I'M NOT TRUSTING MY CHARITY, I'M NOT
TRUSTING MY RELIGION! LORD JESUS, THANK YOU FOR DYING FOR
ME. I TRUST YOU. AND YOU DO THAT, AND I PROMISE YOU ON THE
AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD, YOU'LL BE HEAVEN-BORN AND YOU'LL
BE HEAVEN-BOUND, AND JOYCE AND I'll MEET YOU JUST INSIDE
[AUDIENCE: AMEN] THE EASTERN. GATE. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] LET'S
PRAY. FATHER GOD, I PRAY TODAY THAT MANY IN THIS BUILDING WILL
SAY AN EVERLASTING, YES, TO CHRIST AND BE SAVED. HOW MANY OF
YOU SAY, PASTOR ROGERS, I KNOW IF I DIED TODAY I'D GO STRAIGHT
TO HEAVEN BECAUSE I'VE REPENTED OF MY SIN, I'VE TRUSTED CHRIST,
I AM HEAVEN-BORN AND I'M HEAVEN-BOUND. CAN YOU LIFT YOUR
HAND? THANK YOU, TAKE IT DOWN. NOW IF YOU COULD NOT, LET'S GET
IT SETTLED RIGHT NOW. I WANT YOU TO PRAY THIS PRAYER AFTER ME,
DEAR GOD, JUST PRAY IT RIGHT NOW, DEAR GOD, I'M A SINNER, I'M
LOST, I NEED TO BE SAVED, I WANT TO BE SAVED. JESUS, YOU DIED TO
SAVE ME, YOU PROMISED TO SAVE ME IF I WOULD TRUST YOU. I DO TRUST
YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART. COME INTO MY HEART, FORGIVE MY SIN,
SAVE ME, JESUS. I TRUST YOU TO DO IT RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU FOR
DOING IT. LORD JESUS, GIVE ME THE COURAGE TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.
HELP ME NOT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOU. YOU'RE NOW MY LORD AND MY
SAVIOR, AND I WILL LIVE FOR YOU THE REST OF MY LIFE, NOT IN
ORDER TO BE SAVED, BUT BECAUSE YOU SAVED ME BY YOUR GRACE. OUT
OF GRATITUDE, I WILL LIVE FOR YOU, MY GOD. IN YOUR NAME I
PRAY, AMEN. LET ME HAVE ANOTHER MOMENT OF
YOUR TIME. WE OFTEN HEAR THE WORD SAVED. BELIEVE ON THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
SAVED? WELL NUMBER ONE IT MEANS THAT EVERY SIN IS FORGIVEN AND
BURRIED IN THE GRAVE OF GOD'S FORGETFULNESS. NUMBER TWO, IT
MEANS THAT GOD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES TO LIVE IN US;
THAT'S NOT AN EMOTIONAL FEELING. IT IS AN AWARENESS THAT GOD IS
THERE. NUMBER THREE, IT MEANS THAT WHEN WE DIE, OR WHEN JESUS
COMES AGAIN, HE TAKES US HOME TO HEAVEN TO BE WITH HIM. NOW HOW
ARE WE SAVED? THE BIBLE SAYS CLEARLY, PLAINLY, SWEETLY,
SUBLIMLY, BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE
SAVED. NOW THAT WORD BELIEVE GOES BEYOND INTELECTUAL BELIEF;
IT'S A BIBLE WORD THAT MEANS TRUST. TRUST HIM; DO IT NOW!
SAY, LORD JESUS, LIKE A CHILD, I TRUST YOU TO SAVE ME. PRAY IT
AND MEAN IT. AND IF YOU DO, WRITE TO US AND LET US KNOW AND
WE'LL SEND YOU SOME LITERATURE TO HELP YOU GET STARTED IN YOUR
CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE HOPE THAT TODAY'S MESSAGE HAS BEEN AN
ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU. AND YOU CAN LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE
AGAIN, LISTEN TO OUR OTHER MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD THIS
MESSAGE AS WELL AS PASTOR ROGERS OUTLINE, NOTES OR TRANSCRIPTS
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WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME. UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY
OF DAVID, A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST, THE LORD. SHARE THE
LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL WITH A DARK WORLD, WITH THIS NEW CHRISTMAS
CARD FROM LOVE WORTH FINDING. THIS BEAUTIFUL NATIVITY SCENE,
PAINTED BY LOCAL ARTIST LACEY HANCOCK, IS ACCOMPANIED BY A
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FROM ADRIAN ROGERS, AND WILL HELP YOU SHARE
SOME TIMELESS HOPE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AS WE NEAR THE END OF A
STRESSFUL YEAR. THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, FOR YOUR GIFT TO LOVE
WORTH FINDING, WE WANT TO SEND YOU A PACKAGE OF 10 CARDS AND
ENVELOPES. REQUEST YOUR PACKAGE WHEN YOU CALL 1-800-647-9400, OR
ORDER YOUR CARDS ONLINE AT LWF.ORG. ALSO THIS MONTH, LEARN
ABOUT GOD'S PURPOSE AND PLAN FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION WITH
THIS NEW COLLECTION OF EIGHT POWERFUL MESSAGES FROM ADRIAN
ROGERS, HIS STORY, AVAILABLE NOW THRU OUR ONLINE STORE AT
LWF.ORG.
