A Sneak Peek At Heaven

Linda Abercrombie was celebrating a birthday as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Special prayers were requested for Linda Jarvis, Becky Johnson, Barbara Cory, Angela Hamilton, Clyde Moss, Fred Hall and the Pat Ramsey family.

"Be Grateful" was the devotional, and Linda read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. She told us gratitude is a compass for peace and helps us find our way home. It points us in the right direction to God, who is the source of our blessings. There is always something to be grateful for. Living with gratitude is like having our face to the sun. It is the shovel that helps dig ourselves out. We need to thank God for all that He does for us.

Congregational hymns included "Glory To His Name" and "I'll Fly Away," led by Karen Gardner. We were blessed with special music from Jerry Abercrombie, who sang "God On The Mountain." Tyrel Lett asked God's blessing upon the offertory, and he and Rick Lett served as ushers.

Brother Mark Hall began Sunday's sermon by telling us that when we are in the valley, we should run to God like cattle run to us when we have a sack of feed in the winter time. He then read Revelation 21:9-10 as he talked about "a sneak peek at heaven." Sometimes, a peek is all it takes. He read verses 1 and 2, which look at heaven and tells us to be heavenly minded.

Brother Mark discussed five things about heaven.

First, the geography. "There will literally be resurrected bodies there. John 14:2 tells us there are many mansions there, and God has prepared a place for us. If you are saved, there is a place for you, just like a hotel reservation." Hebrews 11 is a chapter of faith. Abraham talks of the New Jerusalem -- "which has foundations and whose builder and maker is God" -- where we will live eternally.

Second, Brother Mark talked about the government of heaven. "It is a majestic place with no sorrow or sin. The Lord rules in majesty," as he referred to Revelation 21:3-8.

Revelation 21:9-21 talks about the glory of Heaven and describes it -- the third thing about heaven. "The glory of heaven comes from God and it shines with the glory of God." Revelation 21:23 says, "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminates it. The Lamb is its light."

The Godliness of Heaven was the fourth thing Brother Mark talked about. God has prepared a place for His people who are prepared. We learn how to live in Heaven in church." Revelation 21:24-27 tells us, "And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there will be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the lamb's Book of Life."

The last thing about heaven Brother Mark talked about was the gladness of Heaven. "It is a place of satisfaction, sufficiency, service and incredible sights. The light comes from God." He read Revelation 22:1-5, which tells us of this. Bro. Mark said, "Nothing comes close to the vision of the glory of God. We can't even imagine Heaven because we have nothing to compare it to. God has prepared this unimaginable place for us."

In closing, Brother Mark told us there are two more things we need to know about Heaven.

"We need to know when do we go and how do we get there. We go immediately upon death."

In 2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul tells us "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

And secondly, Brother Mark told us that the only way to get to Heaven is through Jesus, as Jesus tells us in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Brother Mark told us earth is our home because our family is here, but Heaven is home because Jesus is there. When we die, we can say goodbye to our body, but our soul says hello to Jesus.

Do you have an eternal home in heaven if you are not on this earth tomorrow? From here, we only have a peek of Heaven, but if we know Jesus, one day we will see Heaven."

Our hymn of invitation was "Where The Roses Never Fade," and Wayne Johnson gave the benediction. After our service, Brother Mark hosted the Widow's lunch.

We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist Church on Sunday mornings at 11. Sunday school begins at 10. Everyone is welcome.