Are You Prepared for Heaven?

By David Hobbs

Most Christians are longing for heaven. Quite a number are expecting the Rapture to take them there momentarily. The fact that brother Camping is predicting Jesus’ return for this May 21st (about a week from now) has more people than usual thinking about eternity. But are we ready? How much in sync are our lives with the flow of life in heaven?
Most people are clueless to what heaven is all about. They think it’s like life here on earth except on a higher level. So up there we will have WWF wrestling with mighty angels instead of Hulk Hogan types. We’ll have TV programs about voting an angel off a galaxy every week, and competitions to see if angels can sing better than the redeemed. And who knows, probably some kind of sports’ contests….
As we think about all this (to the extent we do at all), Jesus doesn’t seem to play much of a role. We might need Him if there is a disputed contest, or if an angel starts acting up. But in the normal course of activities, we don’t see Him showing up much, just like He plays no role in events down here on earth. We don’t expect Jesus to show up at a NASCAR race, or an NFL game—we’ll catch up with Him at church Sunday morning before the Sunday afternoon golf match and boat regatta.
People of this mindset are about as prepared for heaven as a slug is prepared to swim the English Channel.
While it’s true there is a lot about heaven we don’t know, there are many things we do know. In heaven, the focus of everything is on Jesus: who He is and what He’s done. Here on earth in church, we sometimes have a time where people can stand up and give a testimony for the Lord. In heaven that goes on all the time. On earth, in church, we sing a few songs and have an opportunity to worship the Lord. In heaven, full-blown worship goes on nonstop. On earth we try to get good seats at sporting contests—we try to get close to the 50 yard line or home plate. In heaven, it’s all about getting close to Jesus.
1 Peter 1:10-12 says the former prophets and the angels in heaven are longing to understand the mysteries of redemption: the suffering of Christ on the cross and the glory of the resurrection that followed. Psalm 145:4 gives us another picture of life in heaven when it says, “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” Now that will be a testimony service!
The Book of Revelation gives us a better picture of life in heaven than anywhere else in the Bible. We see tremendous praise and worship services like in Chapter 5:11:

“And I beheld, and I heard the voices of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

How much of your time last week did you spend in worshipping the Lord? How much in giving and receiving testimony about what He’s done?

Rev. 7:15 talks about those who were saved out of the Great Tribulation serving God day and night in His temple…. When was the last time you were at an all night prayer meeting? How much did you enjoy it?

People say, “But even if I don’t do those things on earth, once I get to heaven it’ll be different.” In her book The Priestly Bride, Anna Rountree was taken to heaven and spent much time with Jesus. On page 22 she had this conversation with Him:

[Jesus] lifted my chin. “Anna, look at me,” He said. “Even a king wishes to be loved for Himself, not for the gifts He bestows.” He smiled at me, “If you do not enjoy being with me now [on earth], why do you believe you will enjoy my company for eternity?”

Jesus is the same forever. He won’t be any different in heaven than He is now. How much do we enjoy spending time with Him now, not only in asking for things, but spending time with Him because we enjoy it? How much time have you spent with Him this week? What makes you think it will be different in heaven?

Everybody wants to go to heaven. But the big question is, are you prepared for heaven? There won’t be all the pleasures we enjoy on earth—no TV or movies or video games or junk food or sports, not even marriage and sex (let alone sexual activities outside marriage!). We may have a mansion on a hill on the streets of gold, but we won’t be watching American Idol in that mansion. We may be able to eat from the tree of life, but not from McDonalds or Starbucks! Are you ready? Have you re-programmed your desires from the earthly to the heavenly? Have you crucified yourself to the desires of the flesh? Do you already enjoy what heaven offers? If not what are you going to do about it? (If you've never given yourself to the Lord, that's where you need to start!)