From His Heart

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Pastor Jeff Shreve has a heavenly question for you today.

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C.S. Lewis is considered an intellectual giant of the 20th century. He said, "If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next."

It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one. Isn't that interesting?

So let me ask you a question. Is heaven on your horizon?

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Are you absolutely certain that your final destination is heaven? The Apostle Paul surely was. He lived with heaven on the horizon and heaven in his mind. And with God's help, we can do the same.

This is from his heart with Pastor Jeff Shreve. Thank you for joining us today for a lesson entitled "When Heaven is on Your Horizon," where Pastor Jeff will share three encouragements for those who are certain their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The lesson today is from the four-message series we're airing this month, "Forever and Ever: The Reality of Eternal Heaven and Eternal Hell."

Before we start the message, a quick reminder: Pastor Jeff Shreve contributed to writing a new daily devotional book for next year. It's called "The Heart is God's Home." It's a beautiful book inside and out, and it's our gift to you for your special year-end gift to From His Heart this month. You can give your best gift when you call 866-40-BIBLE or go to fromhisheart.org.

Right now, though, open your Bible to 2 Corinthians 5. Here's Pastor Jeff to share how you can know when heaven is on your horizon.

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Hey, do you know Jesus in your heart and are you certain and sure that your final destination is heaven? The Apostle Paul sure was. And he lived with heaven on the horizon and he lived with his mind on heaven. He said to the Philippians, in Philippians Chapter one he had the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better. We would say amen to that. It is very much better to depart and be with Christ.

Now in Second Corinthians, Paul defends his apostleship and he gives information to the Corinthians that they desperately need to know. He had talked to them in the book of First Corinthians about the resurrection and he said, if Christ is not raised, then you're still in your sins. Jesus had to come out of the grave physically, bodily for your salvation to be valid. For God to say, put his stamp of approval on the Son's sacrifice on the cross without the resurrection, there is no forgiveness. And so Jesus came up out of the grave.

And then Paul said to the Corinthians, hey, you're going to come up out of the grave one day too. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the dead in Christ shall rise and we will be caught up to be with them in the clouds. He says that in 1 Corinthians 15. He says it in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, the rapture of the Church.

And he talks about it here. This is what Paul has to say in chapter 4, verse 16, through chapter 5, verse 10. Therefore we do not lose heart. But though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For we know that if our earthly tent—he's talking about our bodies, our earthly tent, which is our house—is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed, in this house we groan. How many people groaned this morning? You got out of bed, there's a groan. I asked Debbie one day, I said, "Debbie, do all your joints hurt when you get up in the morning?" She said, "No." And she said, "It's cause you played sports, and I didn't play sports. Nerds age better." That's what she told me.

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For indeed, in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked. For indeed, while we are in this tent, in this body we groan being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He's talking about getting a new body. This mortal will put on immortality and this perishable will put on the imperishable glorified body.

He says in verse five, "Now, he who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the spirit as a pledge." The word pledge is the Greek word "erebon," and that means a down payment. Think of it like an engagement ring. God has given us his spirit as an engagement ring. And that says that I'm coming back for you. Because I've given you my spirit, you can know for certain that I will come and get you one day, and you are the bride of Christ, and I'm gonna come and marry you.

Then he says in verse six, "Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight." We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Whether good or bad.

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I want to share with you three encouragements for those of us who are certain that our final destination is heaven, who are certain that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life, who believe the promise in 1st John 2:25, and this is the promise that he himself has made to us: eternal life. It's a promise from God to all who repent and believe. And he wants us to know that. We know that we know that we know that we belong to Him. He who has the Son has the life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things John said. I've written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God in order that you may know, K n o w, know that you have eternal life. So when you know, you have the assurance of heaven.

Three encouragements. Number one: the assurance of heaven changes our perspective on problems. Our perspective on problems. We look at it from a different lens when we know that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life. When we know that heaven is our final destination. Now, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, in the Easy to Read version, says this: "That is why we never give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but these troubles are helping us gain an eternal glory. That eternal glory is much greater than our troubles." That's what he says. And then he goes on to say, in chapter five, verse one: "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God." We know that. That's going back to 1 Corinthians 15. Remember, gang, I taught you that.

Paul says, and we know this to be true. Now, when it comes to troubles in life and problems in life, everybody's got them. You have them, I have them. Paul had them, Adam had them. Everybody's got troubles in life; it's part of the human existence. Jesus said, "In the world you have tribulation, but be of good courage. I have overcome the world." Job said, "Man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward." That's just the way it is. But when heaven is your final destination and you have that assurance and that certainty, it changes how you look at problems.

See, first of all, we know that God is at work in our problems. We know that. Now, Paul had lots of problems. You know, we say, "Everybody's got problems. You have problems, I have problems." Paul had problems. But I think Paul's got us beat on problems. He had tons of them, and he was persecuted for his ministry. The Lord said to Ananias to tell Paul when Paul was saved, in Acts chapter nine, Ananias didn't want to go to see Paul because he said he was Saul of Tarsus at that time. He said, "Lord, that guy does much harm to the saints." The Lord said, "Go, for he's a chosen instrument of mine, for I must show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake." And Paul suffered for the Lord's name, but he saw his problems in a different way. He saw his problems as momentary light affliction, small problems that produce an eternal weight of glory.

Let's look at some of the "quote unquote" small problems he had. In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, beginning in verse 24, he writes: "Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes." You've seen "The Passion of the Christ." You've seen when Jesus was scourged. Five times, 39 lashes for the Apostle Paul. "Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have spent in the deep." Can you imagine? I've been on the Mediterranean Sea on a couple of occasions. Can you imagine spending a night and a day in the deep blue sea? You know, one thing that Paul had going for him: he had not seen the movie "Jaws." Because a day and a night in the deep after you've seen "Jaws" would be horrific.

"I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren. I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." And he calls all of that momentary light afflictions, small problems that produce an eternal weight of glory. God is at work in the problems.

And we know Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good." Not some things, not most things, all things—good things, bad things, sweet things, sorrowful things—all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. And when heaven is on your horizon, you just know as you're going through difficulties, God is using this in my life. I need to let God use this the way he wants to use it.

James chapter one says, "Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." God is at work, and God is going to use this. And I know it is true.

Secondly, because heaven is on the horizon, not only do we know that God is at work, we know that the best is yet to come. The best is yet to come. I love this quote. I saw it just in the last week. It was from Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher in England in the 1800s. He said this: "The best moment of a Christian's life is his last moment, because it's the one that is nearest heaven." That's the best moment of your life because in the next moment, then you're gonna be in heaven. What a great perspective.

Hey, we know that God is at work in all our difficulties. He's working those together for his glory and for our good. And we know that the best is yet to come. Paul says in Romans 8:18: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." When I do a funeral, I often talk to the...

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Crowd about breathing your last on earth and your first in heaven. When I do a funeral for somebody that I know as a believer, I said, you know, there's a transition that takes place. There's one last breath on earth and there's a first breath in heaven.

And I think of the wonderful song that was written by Don Wurtson called "Finally Home." And it says this: when surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night, oh, how lonely death can be. At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light, for death is swallowed up in victory.

But just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven, of touching a hand and finding it God's, of breathing new air and finding it celestial, of waking up in glory and finding it home. That's what's in store for a Christian.

Hey, it changes your perspective on problems because you know that God is at work. And momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. The best is yet to come for the child of God.

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Encouragement number one, the assurance of heaven changes our perspective on problems.

Encouragement number two, the assurance of heaven takes away the fear of death. It takes the fear out of death. Now, it is true that people fear death. I mean, we can try and pretend that they don't, but they do.

The scripture says in the book of Hebrews talks about this. It says about Jesus, "Since then, the children share in flesh and blood, Jesus, he himself likewise also partook of the same." He became a human being because we are human beings. He took on flesh and blood that through death he might render powerless him who had the power, that is, the devil, and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

The fear of death. Now, when you give your heart and life to Christ, there is no more fear in death, as the song says, "In Christ alone, no guilt in life, no fear in death." This is the power of Christ.

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I heard Adrian Rogers say one time, he said, I've never met a true Christian who's afraid to die. I've met some who are ashamed to die and stand before the Lord. But I've never met a true Christian who is afraid to die because he knows that the Lord has taken the sting out of death. And so that assurance gives. It takes away the fear of death.

So what happens to a Christian when he dies, when she dies? Well, the Bible makes it clear here: absent from the body, present with the Lord. So when a Christian dies, that Christian goes immediately to be with Jesus. Immediately to be with Jesus. There's not a waiting period. There's not a holding area where you're gonna be there. Well, you're gonna be in this waiting room, you know, for the next... you know, if you're the apostle Paul, well, you're gonna be there for the next 2000 years. Just hold tight, Paul, and then the Lord will come get you. No, he says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. He has the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better.

So when a Christian dies, boom, he goes to be with the Lord Jesus. When he saved the thief on the cross, he said, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And truly, I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise. It's one of those truly statements. Truly means, "Hey, pay attention. This is important. Hang on to this." Truly, I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise.

Some people teach a soul sleep. They say, well, you know, the Bible talks about falling asleep. Stephen, when he was stoned, he fell asleep. Falling asleep is just a euphemism for dying. Stephen, when he was stoned to death, he said, "I see Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Now, that's significant because when Jesus ascended to heaven, he sat down at the right hand of God. But Stephen saw him standing up to receive Stephen because Stephen was so faithful in preaching Christ even amidst the stones. And he said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

What happens when a Christian dies? Your soul, your spirit goes to be with the Lord.

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Boom.

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Like that. Your body goes into the grave, your body goes into the ground, or it goes into the crematorium, or it goes into the sea. Separated, you're separated. Your soul and spirit are separated from your body. We're brought back together again when we get our glorified bodies at the rapture of the church. First Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4. Both those passages speak of the rapture, and they speak of God bringing body, soul, and spirit back together. And we get a glorified body.

But that happens immediately. When a Christian dies, he doesn't go to soul sleep. He goes to be with the Lord. And when a Christian dies, he goes to be at home with Jesus. See, that's what it says in verse 8. We are of good courage, I say, and prefer, rather, to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. At home. That word home means to be among one's own people, among one's own country.

You think about that for a minute. You know, most people, if you ask them the question, you go to the mall or just some store, just start randomly asking random people, hey, do you want to go to heaven when you die? Yes. I mean, most people would say yes.

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You know, if you're in the band AC/DC, you rejoice that you're on the highway to hell until you get there. And then you say, can I come back? But there was no stop sign, no speed limits. Nobody's gonna slow you down. And you went to hell. Nobody wants to go to hell when they understand what hell is.

But here's the thing. Do you wanna go to heaven? Yeah, I wanna go to heaven. Well, will you be at home with the Lord there? Will you be comfortably at home with the Lord there and the Lord's family and the Lord's people? How can you tell if you are really on the highway to heaven? How can you tell?

You love to be around the people of God. You're at home around the people of God. You love to come to worship. You love to read the Bible and to pray. It doesn't mean you do it all the time. It doesn't mean you're 24/7. But it's not like, "Oh, gosh, I have got to read the Bible today. Oh, this is so horrible. I gotta come to church today." It's not that I get to come to church; it's that I got to come to church.

And you don't want to do it, and you never want to be like those Christians who are weird. I don't like being around those Christians. You know, before I became a Christian, I was 17 years old when I became a Christian. I didn't hang out with Christians. Why? Those people were weird. That's what I thought. They were just kind of a little off. They were just like religious nuts, you know, just so fanatical. Lighten up.

You know where I was comfortable before I was a Christian? I was comfortable with my unsaved buddies, drinking beer, chasing girls, playing basketball, having fun.

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That's my hometown. That was my home crowd. Not to be with the people of God.

But then I get saved and the Lord comes to live inside me. He gives me his spirit. And then everything changes. And my wanter changes. And I want to be in the presence of the people of God. I want to be worshiping God.

Hey, has your wanter changed? Because let me tell you something. If you don't want to worship and you don't want to grow closer to the Lord and you don't want to be with the people of God, you would not like heaven.

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When you come to Christ, your worldly desires do grow dim. And the holiness of God cleanses your heart and compels you to want to live a life that glorifies him.

As we at From His Heart celebrate the ending of our 20th year of broadcasting truth, love, and hope to a lost world, we also celebrate this season of Christ's birthday. We’re reminded of that glorious night when the angel appeared to the shepherds and said, "Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people." Now, that same good news still transforms lives today.

Through your generosity, we're declaring the good news around the world. That’s why your gift before December 31st is so vital to ensure From His Heart can continue to proclaim God's truth boldly in 2026 and beyond. Your special year-end gift is so important.

Pastor Jeff wants to thank you by sending you a special resource that will encourage your walk with God throughout the coming year. It is a brand new, beautiful, high-quality daily devotional book. Just request your copy of "The Heart Is God's Home" when you give your best gift by December 31st. Knowing your support will help more people around the world discover real truth, love, and hope found only in Christ.

Simply call 866-40-BIBLE to get your copy or go online to make a secure gift at fromhisheart.org. Thank you for joining us today on From His Heart. I'm Larry Nobles, inviting you to be right back here on Monday for part two of the lesson "When Heaven Is on Your Horizon." That’s when we’ll open up God's Word and share real truth, real love, and real hope. From His Heart.

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He can hear.

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From His Heart is the listener-supported broadcast ministry of Dr. Jeff Shreve, speaking the truth in love to a lost and hurting world.

Remember that no matter what, God loves you and He has a wonderful plan for your life.

To find out more about this, go to fromisheart.org.