excerpt from Heaven: It's Out of This World by Pastor Gerald Thompson

JOHN 14:1-3

Heaven, according to Jesus Himself, is an abode – a real place. While no one can say for sure exactly where Heaven is located, we do know it is a real place. We do believe it is above just as hell is below (Acts 1:10-11, Galatians 4:26, Exodus 20:4, Isaiah 14:13.).

Heaven is an intriguing subject. It’s a subject on the minds of most Christians. We sing about Heaven, we dream about Heaven, we preach about Heaven, and at times, we long for Heaven. When Christians sing the song, "Heaven Will Be Worth It All," they are thinking about the trouble, the tears, and the trials of this life. One of the most popular songs today is "Sweet Beulah Land," written by Squire Parsons. It begins:

I’m kind of homesick for a country
To which I’ve never been before.

I’ve observed over the years that as Christians grow older, they seem to have a greater desire for that country called Heaven. This truth applies to me as well. I long to see my mom, dad, brother, and a whole host of folks that I have pastored over the years. The fact is that Christians of all ages have looked with great anticipation for Heaven. When Christians think of Heaven, we think of reunion with loved ones, rejoicing, rest, a new body, relief from the troubles and trials of this world. We believe the old song, "Heaven Will Surely Be Worth It All."

When we go to bury a loved one, it is the thought of Heaven and seeing our loved one on the other side that enables us to bear the sorrow. We look forward to being "absent from the body and ... present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). The closer we get to leaving this world, the more we think about the old song, "This World Is Not My Home."

Now, there are many questions about Heaven that cannot be answered down here. But the Bible does give us some insight concerning our home in Heaven. The King James Bible uses the word "Heaven" 582 times in 550 different verses. So, it seems very clear that Heaven is not just a dream, but a wonderful reality. It is a real place.

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