Why should the child of God think much about heaven?   I've heard some who are critical of this.   They thought that the Christian should be more concerned with mundane affairs and not think so much about what they would call etherial.   However the poor Chinaman, who by faith in Christ sings, "Heaven is my home, my native land; this world is not worth worrying about," knows that this glorious hope makes a bitter life to be worth living.

     God's word instructs us to be concerned about heaven.   "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.    Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2)   "For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may fashioned like unto His glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)

     Jesus called heaven, "My Father's house."   There are many dwelling places, or apartments, in His Father's house, and He is preparing you a place there if you have trusted Him as your Savior.

     Jesus is doing two great things in heaven today.   First He is our advocate with the Father (I John 2:1), our lawyer or intercessor (Hebrews 7:25), and He is interceding for us.   Every time a child of God sins or does anything wrong, the devil is right there to point it out.   He is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), but Jesus is the intercessor, and He has His blood with Him that was shed on Calvary.   That blood makes full payment for all our sins.

     Second, you might say that Jesus is still in the carpentry business.   He is in the business of preparing mansions (John 14:2-3).   Imagine if you can a revival meeting.   A lost sinner repents and comes trusting in Christ as Savior.   Suddenly in heaven all the angels start shouting and rejoicing, then Jesus says, "Get a new apartment ready and place this man's name in golden letters over the door, for he who was lost is found, he who was astray is now a child of God and one of our great family.   Someday soon he'll be coming home."

     The Bible also calls heaven a city.   It is a city for which the ancient patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were looking.   "By faith he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles (tents) with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:10)   Most certainly this city is the Father's house, which Abraham knew God was preparing, even in his day.

     Hebrews 11:12 says, "These all died in faith not having received the promises."   There were two promises made to Abraham.   One was the promised land.    (Genesis 13:15)   The other was the promised seed (a child) in whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed.   (Genesis 22:18)

     Hebrews 11:12 also says that even though they had not received the promises, they had seen them afar off (seeing them by faith), "and were persuaded of them (the persuasion of faith) and had embraced them."   Genuine faith made the promises so real that they were able to embrace the Savior and take Him into their hearts.   Therefore being born from above they "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth."   The born again child will love to sing, "This world is not my home.   I'm just a passing through."

     Hebrews 11:14 continues, "They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country."   (And it's certainly not a country on earth.)   "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city."   (Hebrews 11:16)

     If you like Abraham have set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth, then God is also not ashamed to be called your God.

     We find more about that city for which Abraham looked when we turn to the book of Revelation, chapter 21.   Here the apostle John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven upon the brand-new earth.   In this chapter are some of the best descriptions of heaven to be in the Bible.

     First "the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them."   (Revelation 21:3)   This is like the promise of Jesus in John 14:3, "that where I am there ye may be also."    Again in I Thessalonians 4:17-18, "And so shall we ever be with the Lord.   Wherefore comfort one another with these words."   The very essence of heaven, the sweetest thing of all is that we will be with Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us.

     John tells us further that in that city God will wipe away all tears, "and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain."   (Revelation 21:4)    These things, that are common in this world, won't be there.   Moreover "there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie."   (Revelation 21:27)   It shall be an impregnable fortress against Satan and all his works.   No lie of his shall enter there.   All will know the truth in perfection.

     John describes this city as having twelve foundations made of twelve different kinds of precious stones.   It has twelve gates and each gate is one giant pearl.   Its street is of pure gold, but unlike any worldly gold, it is like unto transparent glass.   There is no night in that city.   It is full of light all the time, "and the Lamb is the light thereof."   Oh, what a wonderful place.

     John tells us that this city, the new Jerusalem, measured twelve thousand furlongs (about 1500 miles) in length, in breadth, and in height.   One may only wonder about its shape.   Was it a cube?   Was it a pyramid?   Or was it some other shape?   Some day soon I'll know the answer, for I have a home prepared there.

     How are we transported to heaven?   When Jesus told the story of the rich man and of Lazarus, the beggar (Luke 16:19-31), He said, "and it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom."   From this and other scriptures such as Elijah's experience, someone has written, "I looked over Jordan and what did I see, coming for to carry me home?   A band of angels coming after me, coming for to carry me home.   Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home."   Hebrews 1:14 says of angels, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

     But the most important is the way to heaven.   Jesus said, "I am the way. the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   (John 14:6)   He had just finished telling his disciples about the Father's house of many manshions, and now He told them the way to get there.   It was the same way that Abraham went by faith.   It is the one and only way.   If you are trusting in Jesus than you are in the way.

     A Sunday service was over, and a highly educated preacher was receiving compliments from members of the congregation.   At the door one man said to an old farmer, "Wasn't that preacher's sermon wonderful?    He is so learned and well traveled and has such an intimate knowledge of the Holy land."

     "Yes," said the farmer.   "He is well traveled.   He told us all about the way from Jerusalem to Jericho, but he didn't say a word about the way to heaven."

     What the world needs above everything else is to know about Jesus, for He is the way to heaven.

Hundreds turn out at North Pole, Ak to protest global warming.
Sent to us by Sister Wayne Harding.

UPDATE ON
BROTHER WILEY CAMERON
This note came from Brother Robert McCurry
Saturday, December 12, 2009
 
Please pray for Brother Wiley Cameron.
Second and third degree burns to his face and upper 
body on October 31, 2009.
 
I visited with Wiley Cameron his wife, Faye, and their 
daughter, Alice, this morning (Saturday, December 12).
 
Wiley’s condition:
  He is still in the Burn Intensive Care Unit at Atlanta 
Grady Hospital.
  The doctor suspended the drug induced coma two weeks ago.
However, Wiley remains in a coma. The doctor’s only 
explanation for this is that the administered drugs to 
keep him in a coma for the past six weeks may not have 
yet been completely flushed from his body due to a weak 
heart beat and poor kidney function at times.
 A CT (CAT) scan was performed this week. Thankfully, he 
has not suffered a stroke and has no brain damage.  
 He remains on a ventilator. A ventilator therapist 
visits his room several times a day.
  His facial burns have healed. Most of the skin grafts 
have healed.
 Faye and Alice report that they have witnessed some 
response since Thursday when they talk to Wiley. 
At times he has briefly opened his eyes and fluttered 
his eye lids.
 The doctor’s prognosis: “His condition remains critical. 
He has a long way to go. We are taking it one day at a time.”
 
Wiley is in need of our continued prayer.
 
For those desiring to send a financial gift to the Camerons, 
a “Wiley Cameron Burn Account” has been opened at:
The People’s Bank,
P.O. Box 4250
Eatonton, GA 31024-4250. 

VICTORY BAPTIST PRESS OF LATIN AMERICA,
LOCATED IN GOIANIA, BRAZIL
IS IN OPERATION:
Brother Miza Oliveira has posted some new and exciting 
information on the web site for the VBP of Latin America.
Read more

Big Jubilee Coming Up:
The fifteenth annual Emerald Coast Jubilee at Victory Baptist
Church is only one month away. The preachers will be Evangelist
Bryan McBride, Pastor Scott Caudill, Pastor Joe Arthur and Evangelist
David Smallwood. Special music will be by the Daughtery Family,
Lonnie Moore, and the Victory Baptist Church choir and youth choir.
Read more.

Link

     Mountain View Baptist Church of Kelso, Washington at their fellowship meeting which is held the second Friday of each month, ordained two men.    Tony Marquand was ordained as a minister of the Gospel, and Tim Handcock was ordained as a deacon.   Brother Bo Smith, pastor at Walport, OR preached the charge, a very good sermon from the book of I Samuel 2 and 3 where it tells how God called Samuel.   Please pray for these men as they embark on a life devoted to God's service.

     If your church has a special meeting coming up that you would like mentioned here, please E-Mail me at edit@BaptistLandmarks.org and let me know.   I will put it in the next issue.

Letters To The Editor

     Still there have been no letters to the editor.   Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

     I would like to have a cartoon in each issue if possible.   If there is someone reading this paper who can draw cartoons that will cause us to laugh at the foolish things we sometimes do and cause us to think of how we could better serve our Savior, please E-Mail me and let me know.

     WILL YOU TAKE A POSITIVE STAND FOR LANDMARK DOCTRINES, HISTORIC BAPTIST INDEPENDENCE AND DIRECT MISSION PRACTICE?   THEN SIGN UP FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THIS PAPER AND SPREAD THE TRUTH AS IT IS IN THE WORD OF GOD.