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Jack Graham: Welcome to PowerPoint with Jack Graham. Heaven is real and relevant to our lives today. So, if we want to live a Christ-centered life, we should live our lives focused on him and focused on heaven.

Guest (Male): On today's PowerPoint, Dr. Graham brings a message about how you can have peace, hope, and purpose in life. Now, here's Dr. Graham with his message, "Heaven on My Mind".

Jack Graham: What a privilege it is now to open the word of God to John's Gospel Chapter 14. We're in a message series called "The Christ-Centered Life". And so, Jesus, in the upper room, had gathered his disciples just hours before his arrest and death on the cross. It's Thursday night, as his men, his followers, had gathered with him to receive final promises.

And they were told by Jesus that "I'm going to leave," and they were heartbroken to know that he was leaving. They didn't quite understand all of it yet. They didn't know what was about to happen, even though Jesus had told them before that he was going to die on a cross and give his life, and yet they couldn't comprehend it. They couldn't understand it.

And so, he gathers them in the room to talk to them at the Passover, and to share with them these words that we find in chapters 13, 14, 15, and 16, and then a great prayer in the 17th chapter of John. He said in the first verse of chapter 14, "Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again." Say, "Amen."

And will take you to myself that where I am, you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. And don't stop there. Because he said, "No one, no one, comes to the Father, comes to God, except through me."

Heaven is real. And heaven is relevant. Yes, heaven is a place that Christ is preparing for us. And yes, the Bible speaks of heaven as being up, but there is a very thin tissue-like veil between earth and eternity. Between here and there. There are angels around us. The kingdom of heaven is about us. And therefore, heaven is not to be thought of as somewhere over the rainbow, but that heaven is real and relevant to our lives today.

And so, we should live, if we want to live a Christ-centered life, we should live our lives focused on him and focused on heaven. And our earthly focus will only take us so far. If all you see is what is here and now and on earth, that is not enough. But if you have a heavenly heart and heaven is the habit of your heart, you have a mind that has an eternal focus, then that will be a forever experience in your life.

So, let's get heaven on our minds. Let's be like the Apostle Paul who, in thinking about living the Christian life, he said, "I press on towards the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ." Because you see, heaven is not only real, it's not only relevant, it is a reward to all of those who follow Christ. The meaning of our lives on earth is in heaven.

And when you think about heaven and have the mindset of heaven, you'll realize that this earth with all of its pleasures and entertainment and the things that we may enjoy on earth and our attempts to fulfill self and find satisfaction, we'll find that life on earth is not enough. That God made you for more. That God made us for something better.

The Apostle Paul also said, "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." Better than what? Better than anything around us. Now, there's so much that we can enjoy in this life, and we will. But God has given us so much more, and living a Christ-centered life, a heaven-focused life, will bring you real and lasting pleasure and lasting peace on earth.

So, how do we live this life? Jesus tells us right here. First, he shows us that a peace is promised. He begins with these disciples who were troubled by the whole scene and the whole situation they were in with Jesus. And he says, "Don't let your heart be troubled." This is a picturesque word. A picture word. Troubled. It literally means to shudder, to shake.

And so, he said, "Don't let your heart be troubled." This is medicine for the soul. If your heart is aching, if your soul is shaking, then hear the words of Jesus because what he said way back then, he's saying to you now. Imagine Jesus saying to you, right this moment, "Don't let your heart be troubled." Stop shaking and shuddering. No more anxiety. No more fear.

We all deal with anxieties and fears in our lives. We face them. And many people, of course, we try to deal with our anxieties. This is the anxious age. Young people today are fearful and frightened about the future, as are many adults. So, what do we do? Many of these things can be helpful, but what do we do? We have medications, and we have therapies, and we have counselors, and we have breathing techniques, and support groups just to try to get through the shuddering. Get through the anxiety.

But Jesus says, when it's all said and done, when your heart hurts and you're afraid and you're anxious, then stop and think about what I am about to tell you. You have personal challenges. The world is troubled right now. Here's the big problem: we often borrow trouble. We borrow trouble from tomorrow, and Jesus said, "Don't do that." He said, "There's enough trouble tomorrow to take care of itself. Don't borrow your trouble. Don't live in fears about the future."

See, the disciples, they had this problem. They had an uncertain future. And when you look at the future of your life, you may be uncertain, it may be unclear. But Jesus said, in the midst of that uncertainty, "Don't trouble your heart." And Jesus is calming and settling them and preparing them for what is to come. Controlling our emotions is essential for living an abundant life. You will either control your emotions or your emotions will control you.

So, how do we do this? Because we're all human, and we all have these troubles and tribulations in our lives. So, how do we do this? Jesus made it very clear. "You believe in God, believe also in me." Now, you might think that's way too simple. Well, just believe and it'll all be better. That's not what Jesus means. First of all, he identifies himself as one with the Father. "You believe in God, believe in me. I and the Father are one."

And so, he says, "I am God, and I'm telling you that you don't have to be troubled in this. You can believe what I have promised you. You can trust me." Now, this is a common theme in all of the Bible, isn't it? I mean, this is a faith book. It's all about believing and trusting in God. And through and through, the scriptures tell us in every troubling situation in your life, keep believing. Trust in God. Be comforted. We trust in him.

Now, we trust in him when we ask him to save us. Acts 16:11 says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." So, when you believe and put your faith and trust in Christ as your Lord and your Savior, you are saved. Saved from your sin, saved forever. Christ comes to live in you and you have an eternal home, a promise of heaven in your life. But then the living comes. And the life follows. And we therefore are to live our lives trusting God.

That's what Jesus is talking about here. He's talking to disciples, people like you and me, and saying, "Believe in me." Psalm 46:1, great verse, you know, David dealt with so many fears and anxieties and troubles and he often wrote about them. And in Psalm 46 he said, "God is our refuge and ever-present help in times of trouble." Has there ever been one trouble, one time in trouble, that God has not been there for us?

I'm here to testify that God has not forgotten you. He said to these men, "I'm not going to leave you as orphans. I'm going to send the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will be in you, and I'm going to be with you. I will never fail you. You can trust me." So, a peace, that peace that only God can give, he promises when we believe in him.

Guest (Male): You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message, "Heaven on My Mind". Pastor, 2027 is going to be an amazing year, and you've got an awesome trip coming up. Will you tell us more about it?

Jack Graham: Say, when was the last time something really, truly changed your life? If that's been a long time, let me invite you to something that is absolutely life-changing, and that is to go to the land where scripture comes alive. I'm personally leading a group to Israel, March 9th through 19th, 2027. And we're going to be walking together, studying God's word together, and growing in our faith together in the Holy Land.

From the shores of Galilee to the streets of Jerusalem, from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Garden Tomb, every step will deepen your understanding of God's word, and it will bring the Bible to life. I like to say that a trip to Israel with Christian friends is like a front-row seat to the Bible. This is truly more than a trip. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that will strengthen your faith and leave a lasting mark on your life.

Because interest is very strong, space is limited. So, I want to encourage you to register now. Register early. I would be honored to travel with you. Learn more and reserve your place at jackgraham.org/israel.

Guest (Male): Now, let's get back to today's message, "Heaven on My Mind".

Jack Graham: But then he talked about a place that is prepared. If you want to live a Christ-centered life, understand that there is a peace that is promised and then this place that he's talking about in verse 2. He said, "In my Father's house are many mansions" or rooms or dwelling places. He said, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I'm coming again." This is the promise of his return and our resurrection with him. This is the promise of heaven. That heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

Did you know that we all have this kind of homing instinct for heaven? You have a longing for God, whether you realize it or recognize it, there's that longing that he has put in your heart. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says he has set eternity in our hearts. We were made for more. We were made for beyond this. And the something more that he has promised is heaven. You have a desire for God. Paul said, "I have a desire to depart and to be with God, to be with Christ, which is far better."

Have you ever been homesick? I mean, really homesick. I was when I went to college. I couldn't wait to get to college. You know, when you're young you can't wait to get out of the house and go wherever you're going. We got to Abilene, and they helped me set up my room. Tom and Imogene, my parents. And then I was kind of ready to start my college life. "Okay, Mom, okay, Dad, see ya."

But I stood at my window. It was a corner room in Anderson Hall at Hardin-Simmons, room 214. And I watched, and it was getting dark, I watched as my parents got in their car, drove out of the parking lot slowly, I'm sure with some tears in their eyes, and I just broke down. And I thought I was a tough guy. I couldn't wait to be on my own. But I had a case of homesickness that started that lasted at least a couple of months.

But the thing about homesickness, the only cure for it is when you go home. It's just something good about going home. Because we all have this, this desire for belonging. This desire for home. For a place where you are loved unconditionally. For a place where you are seen and accepted. That's the homing instinct. It's in us. And you know what that really is? It's the heartsick, it's the homesick for heaven.

Because we weren't made, every Christian knows that this world is not our home and that our future is not here. Our future is with the Lord. Now, there's so many good things about here that I love. There is a downside to this world. There's sin and suffering and decay and disease and death. That's the ugly side of this world. And this world is passing away.

When you think about today, today is just a warm-up for heaven for the Christian. This is just a preview of coming attractions because everything on this earth that we love, that we care about, is going to be better there. He will make all things new. This is our heavenly hope, and this is what Jesus said. This is why he said, "Don't let your heart be troubled." You said, "Well, just believe God." No, believe in Christ and what Christ has promised you, that no matter what troubles you, what shudders you, that you have a hope and you have a future with Christ.

It's the place where we belong, where we will be with the people that we love, that we will be with Jesus and worship him forever. And let me tell you this: that there is a sense in which we can experience heaven here and now in Christ. How so? It's when heaven touches earth. It may be in a moment of worship and praise to God.

So, get your mind off this world and the things of this world and start focusing on Christ and what he is preparing for you. All the good things we love about living here is going to be far better there. And you will be fully alive when you get your mind on heaven. That's when you fully live, when you're living in the life that he has given us. That's when we'll enjoy abundant flourishing in life. This is heaven.

Now, I know we have a lot of questions about heaven. And some of them are like, "Will we know one another in heaven?" "Are we going to be bored when we get to heaven because eternity's a long time?" So, will we be bored? Will we eat? Will there be mansions and streets of gold? Are the people there watching us now, the people in heaven? People ask me that. When we get to heaven, what will we remember about our time on earth?

Some of these questions are clearly answered in the Bible, some are not. And so, we all have questions about the afterlife, but what we know, here's what we know according to Jesus: that we will be with the Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And these great words right here in our scripture: that "where I am, where I am, there you will be."

Where I am, that's what heaven is. Heaven is a place, but it's really a person. It's the person of Christ in his presence. We know and believe that Jesus is coming again. And that sets our future up for greatness. So live with heaven in your heart, your thoughts on the future and the hope that you have in him. If you have uncertainty and you need clarity, if you need courage for this life, contemplate the glories and the grace and the promises that is in heaven.

When we get to heaven, when we go to heaven, we're not leaving home. We're going home. We're going to the Father's house. There is an echo for eternity in our souls. And we long for this. You want to know what heaven is like? Here's your homework for today: Go home and read Revelation 21 where it talks about this wonderful place where there are no more tears and no more sorrows, and all of this is wiped away. The promise of hope that we have.

He said, "Believe in me." We believe that he's coming for us. We trust in him. How could our hearts be troubled in light of this? One final thing: there's a pathway provided. A pathway provided. Jesus said, "You know where I'm going." And Thomas, I'm glad he asked the question because we got one of the greatest statements Jesus made. Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know. We don't know where you're going. How can we know the way?" That's when Jesus made this statement, verse 6: "I am the way, the truth, the life, and no one comes to the Father except by me."

How do we know that we're going to heaven? How can we know? Can you know? Well, Jesus could not have made it more clear. We don't know because we're keeping all the rules because most all of us have broken the rules. We've all sinned and come short of the glory of God. He didn't say, "Here are the rules, keep them." Jesus didn't give us rules to go to heaven. And yet most people think, "I'll go to heaven if I keep enough of the rules or don't break too many of the rules."

But Jesus didn't give us rules as to how we are to go to heaven. He didn't give us a regimen to go to heaven. He didn't give us religion. He gave us redemption. He died on the cross for our sins. He rose again on the third day. And this claim, therefore, "I am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father except by me." That is only true if Jesus is alive. That he is who he claimed to be. Because if Jesus isn't who he claimed to be, the way, the truth, the life, then he's a liar. And he shouldn't be worshipped. No, Jesus is Lord, and therefore he can say this. He can claim this.

Now, if these words seem narrow to you, let me remind you that all truth is narrow. Two plus two is four, no matter how you add it or subtract it. And people say, "This is just so narrow. I can't believe that there's only one way to heaven." Well, let me tell you something: I'm never going to question the words of Jesus. I'm just going to keep repeating them. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by him.

Now, it's a narrow road. He said that. "Narrow is the road that leads to eternal life. Wide is the road to destruction." So, we choose the road we're on. Are you on the narrow road following Christ, or are you on the wide road that leads to eternity without God in your heart?

Guest (Male): You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message, "Heaven on My Mind". Right now, every gift you give to PowerPoint Ministries will be doubled through a generous $150,000 matching grant, helping reach even more people with the hope and truth of Jesus Christ. Every day, people burdened by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty are discovering the peace found in God's word through this ministry.

Your support helps make that possible. As our thanks for your gift of $10 or more, we'll send you Dr. Graham's brand-new book, "The Lord is My Shepherd". Text "September" to 59789 to have your gift doubled and receive your copy today. Again, text "September" to 59789.

Did you know that you can join Dr. Graham for his daily devotion? It's a study of God's word that will help you grow in your faith, encourage you in your walk with Christ, and show you how to navigate through the challenges of life. To sign up, text "DEVO" to 59789 and begin receiving Dr. Graham's devotional every day. Again, text "DEVO" to 59789.

Jack Graham: Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? Most of us structure our whole lives around what's next: the next promotion, the next season, the next milestone we're chasing. And there's nothing wrong with planning ahead. But I want to ask you a harder question this morning. When's the last time you actually planned for the thing that's actually coming? Not retirement, not next year. Eternity.

Because here's the truth: you're going to spend a lot more time on the other side of this life than you will on this side of it. And yet most people give it almost no thought at all. They'll research a car purchase for weeks. They'll agonize over a vacation itinerary. But the one certainty every single person shares—that we are all going to die and stand before God—gets pushed to the back of the mind like it's optional to think about. It's not optional.

And here's the good news: it doesn't have to be terrifying. It can be the most settled, confident part of your whole life. Not because you've got it all figured out, not because you've lived a perfect record—none of us have—but because Jesus already went ahead of you and did the work. He's not asking you to find your own way there. He's asking you to follow him there.

So, if you are carrying some uncertainty about where you'd go if today were your last day, don't walk away still carrying it. This is the moment. Settle it. Not with a feeling, not with a resolution to try harder, but with a decision to trust the one who already prepared the place and already knows the way. Heaven is not a "maybe". For everyone who trusts Christ, it's a promise. Make it yours today.

If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, just pray a simple prayer like this: "Lord, I know that I have sinned and I need you to be my Savior. I believe you died on the cross for me and rose again to give me eternal life. I turn from my sin and trust in you. Come into my life, Lord Jesus. Take control of my life. Be my Lord, my Savior, my master, and my friend. Amen."

Guest (Male): And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift of $10 or more, we'll send you Dr. Graham's book, "The Lord is My Shepherd". Just text "September" to 59789. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about three promises God gives his followers. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.