Song of Reflection: Song #551 “There is a Land of Pure Delight”
Salvation Army Song Book (2015)
There is a land of pure delight
Where is Saints immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night
And pleasures banish pain.
Their everlasting spring abides,
And never withering flowers;
Death, like a narrow sea, divides
this heavenly and land from ours.
How does one get to heaven?
Scripture references:
John 3:16 (We have eternal life through Jesus)
Ephesians 2:8 (By grade you are saved)
Acts 16:31 (Believe on the Lord)
Romans 10:9 (Confess your faith in the Lord)
Matthew 7:21 (He who does the will of God will go to heaven)
Mark 10:21 (You must follow Jesus)
Song of Reflection: Song #557 “When All My Labors and Trials Are O’er”
Salvation Army Song Book (2015)
When all my laborers and trials are over
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,
Will through the ages be glory for me.
O that will be glory for me,
Glory for me, glory for me,
When by His grace I shall look on his face,
That will be glory, be glory for me!
What will heaven be like?
Scripture references:
Luke 15:7 (Rejoicing over one sinner who repents)
Matthew 19:28-29 (Eternal life)
Revelation 21:23 (Light – the Lamb)
Revelation 21:3 (Dwelling with God)
Revelation 21:4 (No tears, no death)
Revelation 22:1, 2 (River of life and tree of life)
Revelation 22:5 (No night or nee for a lamp or sun)
Song of Reflection:
Heaven is a wonderful place
Filled with glory and grace
I want to see my Saviors face
Heaven is wonderful place (I want to go there)
Who will be in Heaven?
Scripture reference:
Revelation 21:27 (Those whose names are written I the Lamb’s book of life)
Matthew 5:8 (Pure in heart)
Revelation 22:14 (Those who have washed their robes)
Revelation 2:7 & 3:21 (He who overcomes)
1 John 5: 11 (He who has the Son)
Matthew 10:32, 33 (Those who acknowledge Jesus before men)
Song of Reflection: Song # 559 “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder”
Salvation Army Song Book (2015)
When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound
In time shall be no more,
In the morning breaks Cortana eternal bright and fair,
When the saved earth shall gather
Over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up Yonder I’ll be there.
When the roll is called up yonder, (3x)
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
Who in the Bible has association with heaven?
Acts 1:9-11 Jesus (His ascension)
Acts 7:54-60 Stephen (Saw Jesus at the right hand of God in heaven)
2 Kings 2:9-11 Elijah (Taken to heaven in a chariot of fire)
Daniel 7:11-14 Daniel (Had a vision of heaven)
Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus (Heaven opened and above descended)
Luke 16:19-28 Lazarus the beggar (taken to heave to Abraham’s side)
Devotional
Have you ever been away from home for a long time? When that happens, we often get restless and homesick. Like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” Whether on vacation or visiting family or a work-related trip, eventually we just want to get home to familiar comforts and family.
Many of us have sung the song “This world is not my home; I’m just a passing.” That is true for all Christians. Philippians 3:20 reminds us, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord, Jesus Christ.” But do we eagerly wait? Sometimes we try hard to stay in this world when our heart should be longing for the next.
William Booth once said, “Oh, I wish would let me go. I want to go home.” Think of the glories waiting the Christian in heaven. We will see Jesus. We will live with Him forever. There will be no more tears, sadness, pain, or sin. Life on earth is far from perfect but heaven is a wonderful place. We need not fear the death of this mortal body but rather welcome it. When we take our last breath of this earth, the very next one will be taken in eternity without skipping a beat.
I was fortunate to have godly mother. We knew she prayed, but it was very personal for her, and we didn’t hear her pray aloud. She did not think she could sing, and we never heard her sing. In her last days, however we heard her pray as she weaved in ad out of consciousness. Toward the end, in a weak voice, she began singing, “When we all get to heaven.” What a gift she left for her children. We knew she was anticipating heaven soon. It remained us that we can know where we will spend eternity if our sins are forgiven, and our robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Today we looked at a lot of Scripture verses that have to do with heaven. As Christians we believe that there is a life hereafter, and that someday we will be in heave with the Lord. Do you long to go to your heaven home or are you satisfied with what this life has to offer? Perhaps you’re not sure that when you die you will go to heaven. If so, don’t delay. All you need to do is ask the Lord into your heart, and you can be assured that you will be with Him in heaven.
Song of Reflection: Song #676 “When We All Get to Heaven”
Salvation Army Song Book (2015)
Sing of the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
in the mansions bright and blessed
He’ll prepare for us a place.
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
(This Bible study was first published in Women’s Ministries Resources July 2009)
