The Beauty of Heaven

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jacqueline a little later in the program will tell you how you get a copy of Dr. Graham's book have first, here's the message the beauty of having God's word and turn to Revelation chapter 21 the last two chapters of the Bible, the book of Revelation chapter 21, 22 and what we will see here beyond our imagination and even our comprehension. I pray will encourage you and bless you and inspire you and if you don't know Christ as your Savior, our prayer, our plea is that you would know him today. We talked about the reality of heaven is real, not surreal, not a state of mind. The real place prepared by Jesus for us. He's been preparing heaven for you for 2000 years. Can you imagine how wonderful how beautiful is going to be just for you.

We say that heaven is not leaving home here but it is going home to be with the Lord. The father's house. We talked about the community of heaven. Who's there, around the throne of God on the throne of God, our God himself, the Angels, the saints of the ages. Every person who has followed Christ Jesus who is the way the truth and the life and we go to heaven because of him. We are part of the eternal forever family of God.

And then we talked about the activity of heaven what are we going to do there. And yes, there will be plenty to do. We will be engaged in the worship of Christ in the witness and the testimony of his glory throughout the universe.

His servants serve him day and night. But how can we talk about heaven without speaking of the beauty of heaven, even the casual observer or thinker when understand that heaven must be a beautiful place a wonderful place a beautiful place now just think for a few moments of the most beautiful places you've seen on earth. Have you had the opportunity to travel and you see some island you been to Hawaii or maybe a GNC and you seen the Greek Isles beautiful beautiful sites are some of the great cities of the world Romar or Athens maybe is not a place at all.

Maybe it's a sunrise or sunset beautiful starlit night or the face of your grandchild for the first time the face of your child when you look into the beauty of a baby in the creation of God, that you hold in your heart and hold in your arms so many beautiful sites in there so many good things to see on earth and we're grateful for that. We're grateful God created this earth in beauty and his glory is expressed throughout mountain ranges and majestic season and magnificent cities and places, and of course people that we love your many beautiful things on earth. I heard about a little girl who was talking to her mother one evening and she looked up seeing the beautiful night and the stars and the moon. She said her mother mommy. If the wrong side of heaven look so good. What must the right side of heaven look like where we want to talk about the right side of heaven which is the heaven of heaven, the new Jerusalem, the millennial kingdom of God, the eternal state condition of every believer in Christ, and it is a beautiful site.

The most beautiful because anything on earth pales in comparison to what we will see when you see Jesus in the beauty of his presence.

When we see the beauty of heaven yes heaven is a wonderful and beautiful place. The apostle John wrote it down in these chapters, and really throughout the book of Revelation. He was given a glimpse of this glory and God told him to write these things down to preserve them for generations so that God's people could be encouraged in this and in effect in chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation is a kind of virtual tour of the new heavens and the new earth is a flyover in one sense, because not everything is here, of course. And when you read the book of Revelation we read the passages that we are about to read are filled with images and illustrations and metaphors and prophecies and so on and sometimes were asked when you read the stories in the Scriptures regarding heaven streets of golden gates of pearl and and majestic diamonds and jewels and all the rest is that literal or is it just spiritual. The answer is yes, because every image is illustrative of something even more real than we can know or understand heaven is beyond our comprehension and beyond our imagination, though it should not be beyond our contemplation. We should think about heaven, so John gives us this prophetic word in Revelation 21. Let's read the began the first several verses at verse one then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth is passed away and the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city. This is a heavenly city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying the hold the dwelling place of God is with man.

He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself.

God himself, take a breath.

There, God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Every one of them personally, you will wipe away your tears, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning or crying or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away and he who was seated on the throne. That's the Lord Jesus the hold I'm making all things new. And he said to write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. Yes, they are the beauty of heaven. He is making all things new, which means that the heavens and the earth will be renovated for the redeemed in this city, this heavenly and holy city described here will be coming down and this is in the future. The millennial kingdom of God when God will renovate the earth and the heavens and the heavens and the earth will become as one – what is known by fit with theologians as the eternal state your condition eternally with God. That's what he's talking about here, coming down out of heaven, and he says is like a beautiful bride. That's verse two.

Also in verse 10. Now one of the best sites in my lifetime was to see my young bride dad coming down the aisle of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells, Texas and on May 22, 1970 than you know every groom can say that and should say that and John said when he saw the holy city, the heavenly city coming down this this city was like in adorned bride for the people of God course. We are the bride of Christ, and we are citizens of this city and members of this family and participants in this beauty where they are where we are right there in his real, just as a bride comes down without blog without blemish, beautiful breathtaking beautiful when the heavenly city. This is the new Jerusalem.

The new heavens the new earth is going to be a beautiful and wondrous site to behold like a diamond in the sky dazzling light diamonds and emeralds and rubies scintillating and glorious, the capital city of heaven is the new Jerusalem and Jerusalem.

Of course, is an important very important city in all of the history of our faith, the history of the Bible and the history of the world. Jerusalem is important in history is important in prophecy.

Even today, though it is been decimated many times through the years and they are running still everywhere to see 17 times. The city of Jerusalem has been defeated and destroyed left to rubble and 18 times city people have gotten up again because God's hand is upon Israel and the people in this nation. The Bible today.

The Bible proclaims that Israel will be and is the geopolitical center of the earth.

Ezekiel 55 says I have set you Jerusalem in the midst of the nations. In other words, Jerusalem is the touch point is the reference point for the entire earth were also told in the prophetic word that Jerusalem will be a stumbling block to the nations, and we know that's true. So much crisis and so much division as a result of Jerusalem in people's fight to maintain Jerusalem in power and control Jerusalem. That's all in the plan of God and ultimately Jesus our Lord and Savior will just as he ascended from the Mount of olives and Jerusalem will be sin. This same Jesus taken up from you and heaven will come again in the same way that you've seen him go and he will return to Jerusalem and establish his eternal millennial kingdom. That's what this is talking about Revelation 2110 speaks of the great city of our God, what a city it is community of God's people are listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message the beauty heaven even in my happiest moments, the promise of heaven pulled out and encouraging hope for you today. When you understand what your future with God will be like the burdens of the present film writer.

That's a pastor grams but heaven is all about and it's why we want to get a copy into your hands today heaven is our thanks for your gift to help share the truth of the gospel some more people around the world to call now to request your copy of heaven: 800 795-627-1800 795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack M.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Archie now is get back today's message. The beauty of heaven. We live in a sin sick world and ugly, and broken world of already said there many beautiful things on earth that we enjoy. I love living here.

I'm grateful for the beauty we see the good in people we see good neighbors being good neighbors to to others all around whether it is a crisis, a natural disaster we see people rally. We see a lot of goodness that way we can celebrate that, but we also know that there's a tremendous amount of ugliness and brokenness in our world are so much of it. Our world is filled not with beauty but with brokenness and that's because of the thing called the curse of sin because of sin. Sin has shattered the human condition and our world is in trouble because of sin, and there's so much of this darkness in the world. In 1971 John 11 wrote a song well known about the Futurity spoke of the utopian world. In the song he pled for a place that would be beautiful and lovely called and imagine any croon the world without religion.

No, God, no heaven, no hell, but just a perfect world, in perfect peace, void of religious strife and human division and all the rest. Imagine imagine there's no heaven. Imagine there's no hell he wanted something more something better. And yet, on December 8, 1980.

John Lennon was gunned down in New York, near his apartment in Manhattan by an assassin and he was a direct hit to the ugliness in the darkness of a world that is gone astray.

There's no world without God there is no future without him. Everything in this present condition of life is marred and scarred and charred by sin. The world is broken still a broken dreams, broken hearts, broken promises, broken marriages, broken families, broken communities, broken bodies, broken hopes in the rubble. We see it everywhere.

The rulings are everywhere now verse 12 begins a description of this heavenly city of verse 11 we need to note that it says having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like Jasper, clear as crystal. So imagining your mind this crystal city the celestial city and had a great high wall and the wall of the city. Verse 14 had 12 foundations and verse 15 and the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold in measuring the city and its gates and its walls and so verse 16 is worth noting. The city lies foursquare. In other words, it's a cube crystal cube is linked is the same as its width. Any measure, the city buys rod 12,000 stadia. Its length and its width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. Angels have their own measurements, I guess, but there similar to human measurements but here is this city and the size of it is astronomically large. Here's the geometry of this thing 1500 miles. That's the distance described here, in every direction and the measurement is of a cube now, according to the scholars. Therefore, when you added up the square miles of the cube is 2,250,000 that's just on the ground that doesn't consider the what the width in the in the high and is estimated that approximately 30 billion people have lived dollars since its creation 30 billion, give or take a billion or two so that would mean that there is plenty of room in heaven. If all 30 billion went to heaven.

We know not everyone goes to heaven there would be over 200 miles per person of living space – just in the heavenly city.

Remember this is just the capital city will have all of the universe, the heavens, to explore and and this is the capital city.

But there is plenty of room.

The point is, there's plenty of room for the family of God to include everyone who follows Jesus there means that means there's a place and a space for you, reserved in heaven for you, who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and this magnificent to me.

The wall was built of jasper city was pure gold, like glass we see.

I've heard about a city with many colors in the God who painted the wings of a butterfly who blended the colors of the rainbow who is the light of the city and reflecting his radius.

These gorgeous Jim is describing just how beautiful this place is going to be where we're going to spend eternity even the streets were told, are made of gold. Verse 21 and the 12 gates were 12 pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl. This is the reference to the pearly gates. There's really not pearly plural.

There pearl dates one pearl and you know how a pearl is made right and un-oyster is irritated the creature inside the shell is irritated by some sander debris and as a result, the creature secretes a fluid which surrounds the irritation the pain and the hurt and it becomes a pearl. So a pearl is burst in pain and to be that always signifies the fact that the entrance to heaven. Reminders for air of the price that was paid at the cross, the pain of the cross, the suffering of the cross in the same hands nail scarred hands that open the gates of grace will open to us the gates of glory indescribably wonderful streets of gold word here is translucent go see-through, go yes heaven is going to be an enriching and elevating place. So many things beautiful about heaven in the course. He is the God of wonders. He is making it. He is the Lamb who is the light of the city.

No more night and John when it comes to describing the heavenly city what he is seeing their it's interesting that he tells us some things that are not there, and in some ways it is easier to describe heaven by what is not there, then what is there and he says what is not there. Verse four. No more tears, no more terrors of death, no more crying pain, suffering, why no more sin. Had there been no sand there would've been no suffering. Had there been no suffering. That would've been no death, and this is the place where death has died and risen Lamb of God reigns radiates from the throne of God and it is his beauty that attracts us. It is his glory that draws us in and yes we will see his beautiful face when you get down to it, it won't be streets of gold are gates of pearl translucent crystal cities that will be the main attraction for us in heaven, but it will be the beautiful face of Jesus. Some of the great preachers of yesteryear brought sermons regarding the beauty of God. We need more sermons like that.

The beauty of God. The beauty of Jesus and one glimpse of his dear face all sorrows will erase when we see Christ that a lot of funeral services, in my time, seen a lot of tears but a broken hearts.

People bury their loved ones and half their hearts with. But in heaven there'll be no funeral processions down streets of go there will be no more sad goodbyes. No more tears staining her cheeks because we will live in the perfect bliss beauty and blessedness of Jesus. We will see his face. I wish I could describe it for you better. Dr. RG Lee, Robert G.

Lee, the preacher of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis Tennessee was one of a one of the greatest preachers of the generation. He was a magnificent orator type and boy he could paint a picture I got to here and preach. When he was 92 years of age and even then, I mean he just he would get up and say things like, and the moon was blossoming like a yellow John called in the Garden of the stars. If I said something like that today. You would laugh me off the platform. You know that was that error and that generation. He was so descriptive, that is the vocabulary was was truly extensive and and and it came time to die, and Dr. Rogers, Adrian Rogers is pastor who succeeded him at Bellevue. Many of you know Dr. Adrian Rogers also now in heaven.

Went to CMI.

I believe the story as it took Billy Graham with him and they went to see Dr. Lee and his dye on his deathbed, and Lee drew them up close and said let me tell you something I never did it justice. I never said I never did it just is not if anybody did the descriptions of heaven just as it would've been really but he said is more beautiful than you can imagine. A few days later they turned aside so you believe and trust listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message beauty, no matter what struggles are facing today. You have hope in the premises awaiting you in heaven. And God calls you to share that hope with others today. That's why we want to encourage and inspire you today by sending you pastor Graham's book heaven is exciting. That takes you straight to Scripture to help me see all that awaits you in the life to come, and how it impacts your life today.

Hopefully today encouraged to share that hope with others. So don't wait to request a copy. Heaven is our special thanks for your gift to help me proclaim God's word through PowerPoint to request your copy when you call today, when 800 795-627-1800 795467. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotion our website again is Jack Graham.March pastor went through PowerPoint like today runs 100 miles a minute is not five for the moment we wake up in the moment. We finally put our heads on the pillow.

There are so many things. Thousands of things. Maybe that are vying for your attention, but is in the midst of all the stress and all the hustle and the hurry of life that we need to seek God's peace and God's grace and the promise of God's word and wisdom. And that's why want you to spend time with the Lord every day growing in your faith developing as a disciple and follower of Jesus and the word of God in your life will help you develop spiritual muscle and strengthen you as you live the Christian life. This is the reason I want to really encourage you to get my daily email devotion PowerPoint today we take God's word specific point of it and a promise of God's word and we deliver it with an application every single day. So many write to me or let me know how much the daily devotional means to them and so I believe it will be something that would add blessing and strength to your life help you manage the problems and the stresses and the stresses of life PowerPoint today will help you get the most the best out of your life as you walk with Christ every day.

So here's all you need to do to get the daily devotion PowerPoint today. Visit Jack Graham.org Jack Graham.org and sign up for PowerPoint today that Jack Graham.org and that is today's remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint will send Dr. Graham's book heaven is our thanks.

Call one 800-7954 627-1800 795467 also text the word PowerPoint 259789 Joyce again next time.

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