1 Thess 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of
salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
I was at the Ywam Go Fest Conference in Perth in 1992 when Bob Fitts
released the Song - heaven is in my Heart. That was 20 years ago as a
young kid with the passion for God burning within my heart yet the
trials and tribulations of being a gay christian, the humbling
experience was God's work of grace in my heart to see God like never
before for the next 20 years.
Some of us are so heavenly minded that we are not of much use living
down here on earth. Whilst other Christians are so earthly minded that
heaven is spoken of in vague and uncertain terms yet they are quick to
bring Jesus down to an earthly level where they claim Christ was present
everywhere as if He never ascended. There is no certainty of heaven we
declare yet we are quick to state categorically that the Holy Spirit is
everywhere on earth. We are somehow afraid of what we might find in
heaven and left behind on earth.
Ascension is a problem for many Christians for in it lies the certainty
of heaven in Jesus Christ, that we too may one day dwell in our heavenly
abode whilst many people of faith are left out because they didn't
believe in Jesus Christ. It is not sufficient to be aligned with Jesus'
love commandments but to believe by faith as the disciples did in Jesus'
death and resurrection for their sins.
Yet a theology without heaven (and hell) in mind, is one that is empty, for without
the Hope of eternity, there is no hope on earth. For those of us who
struggle just to be alive, many a times in hiding due to our sexual
orientation, we know we have fought the good fight and we are tired and
weak looking forward to a heavely abode where we might rest in the bosom
of Jesus Christ. We are fighting the good fight of faith that we may
remain firm in our hope in Christ till the end of our lives. It is a
Hope that will never dissapoint.
Jesus didn't offer instant riches to those who had sought Him. He
offered them a heavenly perspective. They are blessed because in their
poverty and lack, in their emptiness of things in their lives, they see
Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It is when we are empty,
humbled, with nothing left not even our pride that we can see the risen
Christ and our need for redemption. When we loose our ego, our pride,
our self righteousness then the grace of God can enter our lives. When
you loose everything in your life, heaven becomes your only hope of
glory. Being gay is often an emptying experience bringing us to the
throne room of God.
When Jesus died and rose again, He had a new spiritual body, a new
creation that could seemingly apear anywhere and even go through walls.
The disciples saw Him and experienced moments of saying their goodbyes
to Jesus and then He rose up to heaven appearing no more to them.
We wonder what would heaven be like, and Jesus showed us that even
as He was in process of ascension, in His new heavely body, He was still
male. Maybe in heaven, we will still be who we were - either gay or
straight but alas not given to marriage.
Christianity is peculiar, in that in no other major faiths is there
resurrection and ascension. Death in Christianity is a stepping stone to
glory rather than a loss. Our sojourn on earth is but temporary for we
will see Jesus again one day in heaven. Our time here on earth is
limited so is our pain and sufferings hence we look forward to an
eternity of God's grace, our time on earth a short pit stop on our
journey Home.
The disciples didn't seem to shed much tears when Jesus went back to
heaven, for they knew that they too will follow Jesus one day, lest He
comes back before their own deaths. They were a persecuted lot, the
Cross remained a constant threat so was much religious persecution.
Yet, the resurrection of Jesus, His ascension and the coming of the Holy
Spirit giving them a tangible connection to Christ in heaven guided
their paths. For many of us in the GLBT community so fearful yet our
redemption is to come out of the closet. The disciples came out of the
closet because they met the resurrected Christ. There was no more fear,
no more crying, but a boldness rooted in the hope of heaven.
Acts 1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was
taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they
looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you
stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you
into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Today is Acension Sunday and some Christians would
concentrate on Christ being still with us, and even in us as we go out
to continue on the ministry of Christ on earth. Whilst the essence of
Christ remains, He has ascended. The Angels looked down from the heavens
and gave a declaration that Jesus is coming back - "I'll be back ...".
Heaven is mentioned 692 times in the bible.
It is part of our faith, something we hope for, yet not seen. We
believe, because Jesus came from heaven to tell us the story of
redemption and the way to heaven. We have The One who had returned from
the dead to tell the story and His name is Jesus Christ.
a. Heaven is where we will be with Jesus.
b. Heaven is where we live forever.
c. Heaven is in a spiritual dimension
Jesus
became the proof needed of its existence and power. He came through that
divide between earth and the heavens and stayed with mankind for 33
years. It is God coming from the other side to visit us and not we
visting heaven. We have a connection to the Heavens where God
resides - it is through the Holy Spirit of God.
We are made of mind, body and Spirit. Our different
Christian Spirituality have different emphasis on the body of humanity,
intellectual reflection of the mind, and on the spiritual matters.
We take the spiritual realm so casually as though they don't exist. Some
say that gays are particularly spiritually sensitive which is true
especially when we can put aside our strong intellect.
The reality of heaven is in the spiritual domain
beyond mind and body. With the fall of Satan down to earth, there is an
overlap in the physical and spiritual dimensions with access points and
portals going in between. One day at the end of times, the access will
be sealed to hell. Jerusalem is one of the portals to heaven - a
staircase to heaven without a spiritual hindrance of demonic forces.
We are spiritual beings that may transcend beyond
the physical into the spiritual realm even to the heavens. The Holy
Spirit gives us the keys to the heavens. The speaking in tongues in the Christian faith is a spiritual language
going beyond the mind and speaking into a spiritual plain.
Rom
6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of
God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting
life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As people of faith, we don't really own ourselves. We belong and are owned by the spiritual dieties we
worship. As people of faith, who we have faith in, is who owns and have
control and domain over our lives. Just as in the past, where a god
would be the patron god over a city, in the kingdom of God, we are under
the covering and protection of Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God has come
to earth because in Christ, there is a bridge between the heavens and
the Kingdom of God on earth residing in the hearts of those who
confessed their faith in Jesus Christ.
Some christians are quite sentimental seeing jesus
everywhere in every situation when He is in heaven at the right hand of
God. However, Jesus is very near to us if we can indeed discern the
spirit of God. When we are filled with the Spirit of God, the same power
in christ is available to us. We become little christ, the arms and feet
of Christ for heaven is in our hearts if we would indeed discern the
voice of God.
Matt 24:14 And this gospel
of the kingdom
will be preached in the whole world
as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Jesus is retuning back again when the Gospel
message of redemption in Christ is spread throughout the earth including
good news to gays that Jesus loves and accepts them just as they are.
Gay or straight isn't entry requirements to heaven but our faith in
Jesus.
Heaven
awaits us for Jesus is coming to bring us Home to our heavenly abode.
The declaration of the Angel in Acts 1:9 that Jesus would come back
likewise from heaven in the Mt of Olives in Jerusalem at the end of
times. There are portals to heaven for which Jerusalem is but one. When
we lift up Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, in our praises and worship,
in our own lives, we become a temple of God, a highway to heaven. The
portals can be places or people.
Heaven is not on earth, but part of heaven is in
our hearts if we indeed commune with the Holy Spirit of God who leads
and guides us in the way of Christ, the way of God's love, grace and
mercy. The yearning for many gay christians is to return home
where the battle for our faith is over and we still be found standing
firm for we already have found heaven in our hearts.
Heaven Is In My Heart lyrics (bob
Fitts)
O, heaven is in my heart
O, heaven is in my heart
The kingdom of our God is here
Heaven is in my heart
The presence of His majesty
Heaven is in my heart
And in His presence joy abounds
Heaven is in my heart
The light of holiness surrounds
Heaven is in my heart
We are a temple for His throne
Heaven is in my heart
And Christ is the foundation stone
Heaven is in my heart
He will return to take us home
Heaven is in my heart The Spirit and the Bride say, "come," Heaven is in
my heart