Heaven in the Real World

We all want to believe there's a place where all is good and right.

A place where there's no violence.

No hatred. No abuse. No divorce.

No in-group. No out-group.

No suffering. No satan. No evil.

So we long, maybe desperately at times, for this place called heaven. Yet we imagine it as someplace we won't see for a very long time.

But what about the present? Why can't we experience heaven right here, right now?

Heaven on earth? Sounds kind of crazy, doesn't it? There's just so much wrong with the world. Yet 2,000 years ago, Jesus said this: "The kingdom of heaven is near!" (Matthew 4:17) Jesus himself claimed heaven was not very far away. So close you could reach out and touch it.

Just read John 1:14: "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood" (The Message). God landed on this planet, took on the name of Jesus, and brought a touch of heaven with him. What an incredible, loving touch it was! He healed the sick. He gave sight to the blind. He fed the hungry. He raised people from the dead. He chased evil spirits from the possessed. And then he sent out his disciples to do similar things. Before his chosen twelve hit the streets, though, he told them: "Preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'" (Matthew 10:1-7)

"Get a clue, people!" Jesus seemed to be saying. "Look around. See what's happening! Heaven's so close, you can touch it."

This obviously doesn't mean everything was perfect during Jesus' lifetime. When he walked around in his well-worn sandals, there was still war and poverty and plenty of evil. And when Jesus sent out his disciples to tell others about the closeness of heaven, he warned them:

"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to local councils and flog you … " (Matthew 10:17). Life in early A.D. was far from perfect.

Even so, Jesus and his disciples brought a good dose of God's love and truth into the world. In doing so, they gave everybody a glimpse of heaven.

This was all fine and good—when Jesus walked the earth. But what about now? Jesus is back in heaven. So that heavenly touch is gone, right?

Wrong. Before Jesus went back to heaven, he told his disciples: "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. … You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses … " (Acts 1:5-8).

God lives inside every believer (2 Timothy 1:14). In fact, a Christian's body is called the very temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Our bodies are "churches" where the God of the universe makes his home! Wherever we go, we take a touch of heaven with us.

Yes, we still make mistakes. We still sin. But we don't have to be discouraged by everything that's wrong with us. We can straighten things out by confessing our sins to God and to each other. (1 John 1:9 & James 5:16) And when we do live out our faith, we also experience some truly heavenly qualities, like these found in Galatians 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

And as Christians we are called to take this touch of heaven to the world around us. 

• Is a friend hurting? Lend a listening ear. 
• Do you know someone who's lonely? Reach out and make a new friend. 
• Do your non-Christian friends feel hopeless? Tell them where they can find real hope. 

Show everyone around you a little bit of heaven in the very real world.

Yes, there is much wrong with the world. Yes, we have good reason to long for a future heaven—a place where all sadness turns to smiles and all pain finds everlasting healing. Until then, though, trust in the truth that heaven is very near. How near? Well, just look inside your own heart.

Christians and Materialism

Sometimes we may ask ourselves the question, “Why can’t I have it all?”  Especially this time of year, we can make the mistake of making Christmas all about the getting.  So, there are really two things we should consider before attempting to answer this above question the way so many of us would like to answer it.

Attitude Check

It's easy to think materialism is all about money and possessions.

But when you look at what the Bible says, it's not the money or even the stuff itself that makes us materialistic. It's our attitude. The Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).

So how can you keep your attitude in check? Whenever you feel the urge to spend money, ask yourself:

•   Am I buying this so other people will like me? It's easy to try to buy acceptance. After all, it really does seem like the people with cool stuff are more popular. But real friends are more interested in who you are than in what you own (Proverbs 17:17).

•   Is buying this the best way to honor God with my money? When we have money, there are tons of great things we can do that really help other people. Take a lonely little kid to a movie, send flowers to your grandmother, buy a sandwich for someone who's hungry (Deuteronomy 15:7-8).

•   How would I feel if this thing were taken away from me? Life is pretty unpredictable. That's why God tells us to focus on the things that are eternal, like his love for us, and not on the temporary things of earth (1 Timothy 6:17).

•   Am I buying this to fill up some empty part of my life? Sometimes we count on material things to make our lives feel complete. But God is the only one who can really take care of our needs. When we trust in him, we can't help but feel satisfied (Philippians 4:11-13).

What's Really Important?

Check out these testimonies!

"My dad's a lawyer, and at times I think, Why do we live here? We could have our own house and our own car. I could have all the clothes I want."

So says Brittany, who lives in a community of Christians known as Jesus People USA (JPUSA), along with her friends Jesse, Layla and Heather.

Located in inner-city Chicago, JPUSA includes about 600 families who live in a renovated hotel. With an emphasis on "sharing all things," the Jesus People reach out to the city's poor and needy.

Let’s look at four of these teenagers and talk about how their lifestyle affects their attitude toward material things.

“There are times I would like to have more material things. But then I go over and help out at our homeless shelter and I'm surrounded by small children who have absolutely nothing. It makes me feel guilty and selfish. I mean, I really do have a lot of clothes—even though at times I'd like more. Working at the shelter makes me appreciate what I do have.

And I have so much. I have close friends who live here in the community. I'm surrounded by so many godly adult Christians who help me when I have problems and who help me grow in my faith. I really have everything I need.”

—Brittany

“We share just about everything here. Our cars are shared. Our meals are shared. Our money's shared. We live in a room with roommates. You'd think that living in this kind of a community would make me it easier to share. But if I'm not careful, it can actually make me too protective of my own stuff.

I have my own stereo and my roommate will want to use it. Now I have no reason not to let him use it, especially when I'm not in the room. But I find it hard to give him permission. It's like I just have to have something that's mine and nobody else's.

When I find myself getting selfish like that, I have to stop and asked myself what's more important—my relationship with my roommate, or this thing I own? I know the answer, but I just find it hard to do what's right sometimes.

I don't think it's bad to want nice things, like my stereo. But it is bad when some thing becomes more important than God, family or friends.”

—Jesse

“I get magazines that have all these nice clothes, and I say, "I want that!" I see a newspaper ad that tells me I can fly to Italy for $500, and I think, That's really cheap. Why can't I go to Italy?

But you know what? I have plenty of nice clothes. And I get to go on a two-week vacation every year with my family. I have more than I really need.

I guess part of the problem is that the things we see in advertisements are made out to be so attractive. Take something as insignificant as a chocolate candy bar. The ads make it look delicious, like you have to have it. But you don't have to have it. We all need to fight those kind of lies.

Besides, our God is a loving God. He wants us to be happy. He understands our feelings and our desires. He knows what we really need and will give it to us. If he doesn't give it, we really don't need it.”

—Layla

“I do volunteer work with AIDS patients. Many of the people I minister to are men who had just about everything they could want materially. Some of them were really rich. Now that they're dying, what do their material possesions mean? In many cases, their money is even gone because of all the medical expenses. Everything the world told them was important is all gone.

Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever." All people will eventually die. All things on earth will change. What's cool today will not be cool tomorrow. But the Word and our Lord do not change. Shouldn't we put our time and energy into something that will last forever?”

—Heather

So I hope you take some time to think about your relationship with materialism as a follower of Christ.  Be mindful that "getting whatever you want" may not be what you really need.

6 Gifts That Always Fit

Have you ever wanted to give a gift to someone, but weren't really sure what to give?  Well let's take a look at some gifts that never get old no matter how many times you give them.  Actually, the more you give them, the better they become!  And with Christmas just around the corner, this may be just what YOU need!

1. A Smile.

Hey, it's one of the easiest ways to show you care. It doesn't have to be big and grinny, just genuine. It can show a lonely person you care, it can lift somebody's spirits, and it's just a small way to give little glimpse of God's love.

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV), “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

2. A Listening Ear.

The world's full of advice-givers and people who love to hear the sound of their own voices. But listening is a rare and valuable gift in any friendship. When you listen carefully, you silently communicate: "You're important. I care about what you have to say because I care about you."

James 1:19 (NLT), “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

3. Encouragement.

Cheer on a friend. Let someone know when he or she has done a good job. Give a little encouragement to a friend who feels like a failure. Here's how to take this whole encouragement thing up a notch: Make an Encouragement Book for someone who needs extra support. Paste uplifting pictures, quotes and Bible verses into a notebook or inexpensive journal. Decorate the cover—wrapping paper is optional.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT), “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

4. A Helping Hand.

Let's imagine a tough situation. You have a friend whose parents are going through a divorce. With all the hurt he's experiencing, he's also got a lot more responsibility around the house. Maybe it's babysitting a little sis. Or possibly, he has to help cook meals or clean the house more than he used to. Offer to help out. Look for ways to put hands and feet to your concern and love for another person—especially someone who's hurting.

Hebrews 13:16 (ESV), “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

5. Volunteering.

Talk to your youth pastor about places where you could serve over the holidays. Maybe you could visit lonely people at a nursing home. Possibly a local food pantry needs extra help. Just do something to demonstrate your concern for others less fortunate than you. And don't just make it a holiday thing. Plan regular times throughout the year to reach out and help others.

Philippians 2:4 (ESV), “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

6. Your Talent.

Play the guitar? Lead worship for children's church. Handy with a camera? Take photos of your family's holiday gatherings. Got a knack for fixing something old and broken down? Use your knowledge to help fix it!

Romans 12:6 (ESV), “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…”

I hope this helps you realize that you have gifts that you can give to others everyday of the year...and not just on Christmas.

Don’t Grow Up Too Much

Why Jesus wants us to remain childlike.

How would you answer the question, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

When you first think about it, you might say someone who is...

•   Deeply religious

•   Highly disciplined

•   A serious Bible scholar

•   A famous pastor or teacher

In other words, we often think the greatest person in the Kingdom of Heaven would probably be a wise old man. But let's see what Jesus said when he was asked this same question...

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

- Matthew 18:1-4 (NIV)

Childlike faith

What is it about little children that Jesus is trying to say we should be like in this passage of the Bible?

I don't think he was saying we should be immature or silly like kids can be. But here's a couple of things he might have been suggesting:

•   Children depend entirely on their parents

•   Children accept and believe things quickly

•   Children know they need the help of other people

•   Children live in the moment and enjoy what they have

•   Children trust those who care for them

So what could that mean for you and I in our relationship with Jesus?

Growing up with God

When we grow up, we are often told that the goal is to become independent. We are trained to leave our parents, get a job, make a living and stop depending on other people for what we need.

However, our relationship with God is quite different.

•   Growing up with God means we depend more on him every day

•   Growing up with God means we learn to accept what He says quickly and without questioning

•   Growing up with God means we admit we can't do things on our own

•   Growing up with God means we learn to be thankful what he has given us, and enjoy each day he provides

•   Growing up with God means we trust Him, because we know he cares for us

So don't grow up too quickly. Don't give in to thinking the goal of life is to become independent. Just like a child depends on their parents for everything they need, we need to remember that we depend on God for everything too.