If you missed the first article on what Heaven is like you can find it here. In this article we’ll look at what we’ll be doing in heaven and what’s left on earth for us to accomplish now.

Heaven is  your destiny. It’s what you were created for. You were created to walk with God in the garden of the cool of the day. Sin entered the world and ripped that possibility away from you. Christ came and paid the penalty for sin to make it once again possible for you.

One of the things that marvels me about heaven is that it’s the place where God’s will is done perfectly. I can’t wait to experience what that is like. I know it’s what we’re created for.

Now if you think that everything that happens on earth is God’s will, I have a question for you… Why did Jesus tell us to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven if God’s will is already done on earth like it is in heaven?

May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 (New Living Translation)

God is sovereign in that no one can question Him or stop Him from doing anything He wants to do. His sovereignty does not mean He’s responsible for everything that happens in this world. We have got to stop giving God credit for the works of the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy.

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God’s will is most often done through His body – that’s you and I – doing His will and speaking His will.

When we do that, we extend His Kingdom on this earth.

What frustrates and troubles us now, will no longer frustrate and trouble us in heaven.

Heaven is the culmination and progression of the Kingdom of God in it’s redeemed state.

Let me explain. There are five things that together we do in this life for eternity.

Four of them we continue to do in eternity.

Worship – Fellowship – Discipleship – Service

Let’s take a look at these ones first. It will show us what we’re doing in Heaven.

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Worship

Revelation 19:1-3
After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

See Revelation 5 and 15 and 19.

There will be no temple, no church buildings. We will need no props to worship him. PowerPoint is not eternal.

Christ will be the focus of all. Worship will be unaffected, without pretense, and without distraction. We will lose ourselves in worship of Christ, and before we turn to the duties at hand we may suddenly realize that we were so caught up in worship that we have spent the last hundred years gazing upon the Lamb.

We will worship Christ in singing. In Revelation 5 we are told of a choir of angels of ten thousand times ten thousand–that’s a hundred million. And then we are told that the whole rest of creation joins these 100 million. The 100 million are merely a little ensemble up front. Can you imagine the power of the song? If hearing gathered voices praise God as one moves us in this life, what will this be like in eternity?

How do you worship God in this life? Is it in spirit and in truth? Is it with all of your life, soul, mind and strength? Are you taking your everyday, ordinary life and living it in worship to Him?

Spirit helping you, you can.

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Fellowship

Revelation 19:9
Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

Christ promised we would eat and drink at table with him; plus come from all over to sit at table with Abraham and patriarchs. We will feast at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

There will be an endless supply of water and food. No famine or drought. No food poisoning, no indigestion, no high or low blood sugars.

Eating is not just to eat–the table is the center of conversation and fellowship. We will meet and converse with other inhabitants of heaven. God tells us we’ll fellowship with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. We’ll meet David and Ruth and Esther and John the Baptist and Mary and Peter. I look forward to meeting and feasting with Origen and Anthony and Patrick and Charles Finney and Smith Wigglesworth and C. S. Lewis (and you – won’t we have a lot to catch up on?).

How do you fellowship in this life? If it’s just the coffee time in the service, great. Thanks for showing up. Make time and space to really connect with others. We all need those close friendships.

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Discipleship

We will learn, progress in knowledge. When 1 Corinthians 13 says we will know in full, it’s in contrast to seeing through a dark glass. We will know accurately. But we will not be all-knowing. Only God is that, and we will never be God.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

Ephesians 2:6-7: ” . . . in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace…”

A continual learning more about God, who can never exhausted.

Right now 11% of our brain is used. I know in heaven we’ll have new minds with our new bodies, but consider even what we have now to be amazed at what’s to come.

Theology is the understanding of God and we will be able to understand God in what he reveals to us and throughout his creation. How long will you spend studying a black hole? Why not? Who has placed in us the thirst for knowledge and understanding and beauty? Our Creator. And because he is a Creator he will go right on creating.

How much time do you give yourself to get to know God more in this life? Do you spend time daily in His word? Do you talk to Him on a regular basis? Have you tried the devotionals in RightNow Media?

I want you to experience even a shadow of the joy we’ll have in heaven now!

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Service

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

We are called joint heirs with Christ. We will own property, residences in heaven. We will enjoy those treasures that we have laid up for ourselves in heaven while on earth.

Revelation 22:5 says we will reign with Christ over the earth.
Luke 19 tells us those who have been faithful in this life will be placed in authority, some over one city, some five, some ten.
1 Corinthians 6 tells us we will judge or rule over angels.

Before we’re ready for service in heaven, we will be judged for our service on earth.

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In heaven we will be judged for what we’ve done on in this life.

So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (New Living Translation)

Look, I (Jesus) am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. Revelation 22:12 (New Living Translation)

 

Five Crowns People Will Have in Heaven

1. The Imperishable Crown (1 Cor. 9:25)

Crown for those who run a good race

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 1 Cor. 9:25 (NKJV)

Make sure you run a good race.

2. The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8)

Crown for those who look forward to Christ’s coming

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
2 Tim. 4:8 (NKJV)

The only way to love His appearing is to fall in love with Him. If you’re not excited that one day you’ll be with Him, get to know Him better now.

3. The Crown of Life (James 1:12 Rev. 2:10)

Crown for those who endure

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12 (NKJV)

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev. 2:10 (NKJV)

Endure temptation. Endure trials when they come. God is polishing the good He’s entrusted to you.

4. The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:1,4)

Crown for elders

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed…and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 1 Peter 5:1,4 (NKJV)

This one is for leaders. Be open to leadership opportunities when they arise.

5. The Crown of Rejoicing ( 1 Thes. 2:19)

Crown for Soul Winning

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 1 Thes. 2:19 (NKJV)

Be active in sharing your faith, so you can have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

How else will we serve?

How else will we serve Christ besides ruling? Well, we will be creative and exercise abilities–all will sing and some will play instruments. (Harp and trumpet mentioned, but no doubt many other instruments too.)

We will no doubt compose, write, paint, carve, build. We will exercise our God-given gifts, and continue to develop and perfect our talents.

One other thing that together we can do for the sake of eternity, this one we can’t do in eternity.

Evangelism

This is the one eternal purpose that is only for this time… there are a few other things I’ve noticed we can only do in this life…

Christ sent his disciples out and told them to “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons and raise the dead”. (Matthew 10:8) Then when He commissioned His disciples he told them to make disciples “teaching them to obey everything I’ve commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20). That has to include healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons and raising the dead.

We can only do these things here in this fallen world that screams out for reconciliation. When we do, we bring heaven to earth. We bring the circumstance into agreement with the Father’s will. And it’s so much fun to share your faith in love and power.

What we’re doing when we move in the supernatural on earth, is inviting heaven to invade today. We’re calling into being what is in our future state. We are giving others their hope and future.

Who knows what blessing lies just beyond your obedience?

What can we do?

Prayer each day… “Lord, may today I be part of the answer to someone’s prayer.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13