Heaven's Reality
Last week we spoke about Moving On. Moving where He is.
Wherever He is, is where we want to be.
In order to do this, to move with Him, we must be able to
See things from His perspective
Be where He is
Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Col 3:2
Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. Col 3:1-2
These passage focus on where He is and His perspective:
Where is He?
He is above, seated in heavenly places, enthroned at the place of all power, honor and authority.
We go to that place in order to be where He is
What is His perspective?
His perspective is heaven’s reality
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm
What is Heaven’s Reality?
Revelation 4
Worship in Heaven
Day and Night
8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” 9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever) 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, 11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
To live in heaven’s reality is to live a lifestyle of worship. Where your life exists to bring Him:
GLORY: Latin: gloria, fame, renown & manifestation of God’s presence
HONOR: Hebrew: Kabad: heavy, weighty, rich, glorious Greek: (Timao) to fix value, set worth (to place heaven’s value)
THANKSGIVING: filled with gratitude
This is Heaven’s Reality
Everything exists to bring Him glory, honor and thanksgiving
When we live in this reality we are able to move with Him and Be where He is.
What does this look like?
Testimony of member in hospital
Crying out to the Lord because of loneliness
Placed in a rehab due to health concerns
Questions God for placement
Jesus gives His perspective
Eyes were open to see
Could see all the lost souls needing to be saved
Heaven’s reality
He speaks and says, I have given you lots of people to be around so you won’t feel lonely and have also shown you what I want to do with you here.
WE NEED TO BE FILLED WITH HEAVEN’S REALITY
Jacob’s Ladder
Gen 28:16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
Jacob is filled with God’s perspective for the place he is in and Jacob is able to see heaven’s reality.
We must learn to practice this when:
Worship is taking long
Your car breaks down
Your child is sick
Your boss gives you a promotion
Your filled with fear
There is conflict in your marriage
Your kids are misbehaving
Your parents don’t understand you
What is your perspective? What is Heaven’s Reality?
He will make you aware of where He is and what He is doing! Why? So we can partner with Him in it and see Him GLORIFIED, HONORED AND WE CAN LIVE LIVES FULL OF THANKSGIVING UNTO HIM!
If it is not a part of heaven’s reality it needs to go!
Because we need to be where He is so He can do what He wants to do!
Self check:
Is my thought life, my actions existing to bring Him glory, honor and thanksgiving?
Repent and ask Him to realign your thought life and actions to do so.
Ask Him for his perspective and heaven’s reality.
Make time for this by engaging in:
Prayer
Silence and Solitude
Rhythms of Renewal (Recommend: Rhythms of Renewal by Rebecca Lyons)
Evaluate how your days are spent
(How Jesus spent His time on Earth)
Rest (Sabbath)
Restore (Secret Place)
Connect (Fellowship)
Create (Carpentry)
Eliminating Hurry (Recommend: Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer)
Take time to think & slow down
“My most important work happens here”
Living a lifestyle of fast
Silencing the noise
