Will Heaven Be Beautiful Like Earth?

What Kind Of Place Heaven Is?

Question : What kind of place is heaven? Can you explain in short whether it is beautiful like earth? Why God created heaven for us when we could have continued on earth itself?

Answer : Where the Presence of God and God is, there heaven is. God says in His word, heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool which means even though God resides in heaven (Isa 66:1; Acts 7:49), His Presence is all over the universe of which His zenith of creation ends with earth, where He created humans in His image to have dominion over the whole earth under Him (Gen 1:26-27).

Heaven is a real place for real people. Those who want God by choice of accepting His way of salvation, end up in heaven. Nobody will end up in heaven randomly and be surprised to see God there, because those that go in to heaven go by their own choice of accepting Jesus as their Savior and themselves as the sinner who need God's help to end up in heaven (John 14:6; 10:9).

If earth which is God's footstool has been created so beautifully by God, how much more heaven which is His throne will be like? Earth which is tainted by sin and curse (Gen 3:14-19), looks so beautiful to you after these millenniums of human exploitation through sinful actions, then only you can imagine and dream how heaven will be like without a dot of sin tainting it. Because all things which are in heaven and earth were created and sustained by God to reproduce, though Christ the Word for God's pleasure (Col 1:15-17; Rev 4:11 KJV), how glorious and indescribably great heaven will be!

Heaven is indescribably beautiful than words could describe, that is the reason apostle John in the first century saw heaven in the vision that Jesus showed Him and began to describe with superlative words like with streets of gold, pearly gates, mountains and rivers which bring the waters of life, trees that bear the fruit of life for healing of nations, beautiful gardens, bridges, palaces (John 14:2), etc....more than everything God will be the center of attraction who will show forth His glory more and more to them and through them (Rev 21:1-26-22:1-5).

Yes Adam our forefather could have remained sinless and had the privileged chance to continue on earth without ever facing death or judgment but out of voluntary transgression he fell from the perfection of God, and thus death and judgment was appointed for all men alike (Rom 5:12; Heb 9:27). I believe the Scriptures teach that man was created in holiness, under the law of his maker; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners not by constraint but choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation, without defense or excuse. Through one man our forefather Adam all humans fell in to sin, by believing one man Jesus Christ the last Adam, God has given every man a positive opportunity of a choice to become righteous in His sight and gain righteousness by grace to reign over all that has been lost by all humanity (Rom 5:15-21). 

It is not God's perfect will for us to continue on earth forever so He has made it to be a training ground to fight again sin and self, world and Satan for something more glorious and eternal to inherit in the age to come through Jesus Christ His Son (1 Peter 1:17, 20; Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 4:17; Eph 1:11; Heb 6:5), which God want to shower upon each humans who will become His children (1 Cor 2:9-10). God wanted to see if humans will desire His Presence on earth (Psa 14:2; 33:18), if they will desire now then God wants to give them heaven and new earth where they will be able to see Him face to face and experience His friendship for ever and ever (Heb 11:16).

Much Blessings...

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Was Ahaziah 22 Or 42 Years Old When He Became King Of Judah?

How Could Ahaziah Be Both 22 Years Old And 42 Years Old When He Started To Reign? How Do We Know The Bible Is True?

Question : I’m just wondering about what to make of certain things like Ahaziah’s age when he began to rule (22 according to 2 Kings 8:26 and 42 according to 2 Chronicles 22:2). How could Ahaziah be both 22 years old and 42 years old when he started to reign? How do we know the Bible is true? How could we ever say and justify the Inerrancy of the Bible in such a scenario?

Answer : "Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel." (2 Kings 8:26).

"Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri." (2 Chronicles 22:2).

Ahaziah’s true age when he became king of Judah is easy to discern by further research and evaluation. In 2 Kings 8:17, Ahaziah’s father Joram reigned for 8 years after beginning his reign at age 32. Joram was 40 when he died, showing that Ahaziah could not have been 42, but was instead 22 when he began his reign. So what does the 42 in 2 Chronicles 22:2 indicate?

The 42 in 2 Chronicles 22:2 indicate that there is nothing wrong with the inspiration that God has given to each one to write His Word and record the happenings that He wanted them to record for future inspiration and godly life (2 Tim 3:16-17). We know that a copyist must have made a mistake in this regard, and God knows that humans are susceptible to error because of their imperfection, and still God have assigned and entrusted human vessels to keep His Word secure through the generations. Does that mean that all the Word of God might have error in it? By no means, because one part of the Scripture can be validated from another part of the Scripture by its support to bring clarity to what has been written, so that we might understand the truth and leave out the copyist human error out of our scrutiny to validate (Isa 34:16). God's inspiration in His Word remains the same in spite of some small human error that have crept in, and there is not even a minute error in the truth of God revealed to us humans, and above all God keeps it safe through the copy of it done by many others who have written the same word and reproduced it through other means and methods to keep it safe (Psalm 12:6–7). So better to search the ancient copies of it and see what it says. Many fail to realize that several ancient texts have 22 (or simply 20) instead of 42 as listed in the Masoretic Text (MT) in 2 Chronicles 22:2. The Syriac version (common to Eastern churches) and Arabic version each have 22. But each translation has its own uniqueness and Jesus used different translations of the original for His reference and study. In spite of this difference, God's word remains the same without change and Jesus proved to us through living a supernatural life of a overcomer over self and sin, world and Satan, and put a seal of authority on God's word to be fully true and inerrant (John 1:14; 6:63; 12:49; Matt 24:34-35; Luke 24:27). Praise the Lord!

The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry website in short CARM says, "The fact that this is a copyist error does not invalidate the inspiration or authority of Scripture. Remember, God inspired the originals. They were without error. The copies have problems, though very very few. The copies are copies of inspired documents and, unfortunately, some copyist errors did creep into the manuscripts. However, they do not affect any doctrinal areas and are very rare."

So the bottom line is, those who do not want to believe the truth will always look for a reason to deny the truth by raising such dispute and doubt about the inerrancy of the Bible. But faith is a matter of the heart, so the truth must always be believed first and confessed next and then should be used to draw near to God by calling on Him by faith from that time onwards, and He will draw experientially near to us through various ways for the rest of our eternity ahead to bless us and keep us under His care (Rom 10:6-13; Jam 4:8). After trusting God if you are able to do a little home work of searching through the Scripture, you will come to solve apparent contradiction and get yourself confirmed and rooted in your belief. Searching the Scripture to support your doubt will never make you find the truth through your homework which will always validate the inerrancy of the inspiration of God, but instead it will only rock your boat of faith.

Jesus said, "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority." (John 7:17). In other words, Jesus was saying that if we want to know what the Bible says and what Jesus have said is true, then it is not about learning through studying that gives us the assurance, but it is our sincere desire in our heart to do the will of God that gives us the assurance and experience of knowing the doctrine of the Bible as true or not. Thus Jesus emphasizes first the belief in the truth and sincere heart desire in our heart to do the will of God that will then surely and concretely make us understand the inerrancy of the Divine inspiration of the Bible.

I am reminding of what Jesus has said to all humans regarding how they live their lifestyle regarding the Word of God will influence their future, "10 And he [Jesus] said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” 12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev 22:10-17).

Jesus has made it clear in the above verses that whether we doubt or believe the Word of God will not have any effect to alter the veracity of the Word of God, but it will have effect on our eternal future instead for sure. First of all if someone believes the Words of Jesus, they will get saved from hell fire and condemnation of living their rest of their eternity without God (John 3:16-18; 2 Thess 1:8-10; Matt 25:41, 46). Those who believe His word will live the rest of their eternity with God and His goodness. By believing and doing His commandments through their faith, they will get greatly rewarded by Jesus personally when He comes back again to take back His own to His Father's house in heaven in their new and glorious eternal bodies after rapture (John 14:1-4; 1 Thess 4:14-18). Jesus' invitation has gone global to every human ever born on this planet earth and it is our desire to accept the truth that will decide where we will spend the rest of our eternity with God in bliss or without Him in eternal hell fire. It is always better to first believe and do our homework to find the truth than to doubt and stay in doubt about our eternal future with God.

Much Blessings....

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Ministering To Others With Our Own Personal Storm

God Calms Our Storm When We Choose To Calm Others Storm In Spite Of Our Own

By Abraham Israel

 

There is no place in the Bible that promises us a life without pain. In fact, the Bible teaches us that pain is part of life as naturally as life itself. Jesus did not falsely promise us a life always on the bed of roses but spoke about the truth of this earthly life saying in John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation.” The word used there for tribulation means, “to press, or crush.” It gives the picture of a wine-press, crushing the grapes so the pure juice flows out. When a rose petal is crushed, the aroma of the rose is evident. Apostle Paul who followed Jesus whole heartedly and even went to the extent of saying to all of us "follow me as I follow Christ" (1 Cor 11:1) said, " 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you." (2 Cor 4:8-12).

If Paul has just told about the hard-pressings, persecutions, perplexity, strikings and carrying in his body the dying of Jesus, it would be very disappointing picture for a Christian to live on earth with only negative things to receive passively for one's faith. But praise God that actually Paul speaks about a treasure of heaven which is the equivalent anointing that works gloriously and supernaturally within the hardship facer according to the proportion of hardship they face in their life just for the sake of Jesus and His Church (12 Cor 4:7). I believe that to carry the anointing of heaven that transcends space and time which makes us as a supernatural people, needs a price to operate within us. It is worth it for now and eternity to carry such an anointing which works supernaturally and always makes a God's on-time man and woman of power of heaven to change the earth for the glory of God. Paul's only aim was to experience the resurrection life of Jesus to be manifested in this earthly body, and that life of Jesus is the treasure that he has spoken as something very precious to him. Do we have such a desire for a supernatural life and ask God to make us experience it? God's answer for us is to go through hardships of life willingly and joyfully considering it as a privilege given to us by God personally (Jam 1:2-4).

There is a purpose behind the suffering and pain that comes into our lives. James says in James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” In other words if we respond to the hardship's of life positively by faith in God's way, willingly accept the pressures of life that come our way by the grace of God, we will come out of it all stronger for having gone through them. You might say now, I know that is true, but when it actually comes to me it does makes me more anxious to go through it. I agree that it hurts, and I don’t like to get hurt too. None of us would like to get up in the morning and say, “Oh, I need a little pain in my life today to make me a better person." But altogether when we look back years from the trials of what God has made out of us and have blessed us with His supernatural anointing of heaven which is the joy balm of heaven for all the pain we have gone through, we will be then able to understand how much we are indebted and be grateful for the treasure that God has given to us personally for eternity ahead and have made us to be a channel of His blessing eternally.

Sometimes people may not know that a channel of blessing has so much of trouble in their own lives, but in spite of it all they give themselves to the cause of God and minister great blessings to people like them who are facing storms in their lives. When we feel like we have no strength to go ahead and be a blessing is when we should choose to bless someone in need, at those sacrificial times God's heart moves up in compassion towards us and He will directly begin to deposit eternal treasures upon us and solve our own problems as we minister wholeheartedly towards others in need for God's solution through us. In the midst of our own storm when we help people in need, that is when we actually stand on faith in the Word of God and begin to glorify God the most in our lives. Those are the times God, His people and His Word become so much precious to us because of our love for God beating within our heart.

So let us learn to remember that pain is a part of life (Acts 14:22), let us not hide our pain from God instead receive comfort of God to go ahead with more confidence to face trials and come out victorious as more than conquerors through God's help (2 Cor 1:3-4; Rom 8:37). Let us learn to maintain our mind positively with a servant attitude before God and men (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; Php 2:7). Then keep praying with faith through our storms and not lose heart because the victory from God might come anytime (Luke 18:1; Rom 12:12; James 1:5-8). Then let us keep our focus on God and find meaning in His Presence as He has promised never to leave us at any time of our earthly life (Heb 13:5). Then we must learn to live one day at a time (Matt 6:34) and enjoy God's abundant grace for each new day. Then we have to learn from Jesus to come apart for rest before we come apart (Mark 6:31-32). We should never deny our mistakes to God anytime, but rather accept it to confess it to Him and then throw it away and not bother our self with it by forgetting it like God does toward us (Psa 103:12; Isa 38:17; 43:25-26). We should understand that we all make mistakes one time or the other and none of us are perfect except in Christ Jesus in whose image we are being transformed day by day, and it takes a lifetime to qualify our self to the perfect image of Jesus after which in our life to come we will enjoy the fruit of our earthly effort for eternity ahead (1 John 1:7, 9; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 John 3:3, 2). Finally learn to rejoice in the Lord all the time and weep with those who weep so that they might be comforted as you are comforted by God (Php 4:4; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Rom 12:15; 2 Cor 1:3-4). Above all else, remember to make your election and high calling sure by asking constantly God's help to walk worthy of it, and make sure to remain in that same calling (1 Cor 7:20; 2 Peter 1:10-11).

The biggest test that God gives for each one of us individually to promote us to be a blessing is when we are tested to bless someone when we ourselves are facing through such a similar storm in our own life and situation. I believe that the greatest reward for blessing someone when we ourselves are tested with our own storm is when God keeps a eternal blessing on our head and crowns us with an anointed blessing that never runs dry, so that from that time onwards we will be blessed enough always to be a blessing spiritually which is the highest blessing of heaven no matter what we have or have not physically. When we bless someone in need when we ourselves are facing that same need, it shows that the higher power of heaven fills the other one's need through us to show that we are indeed the ambassador of heaven who is never really in need as Jesus stands as the chief Shepherd over us to supply for us in every area of our lives. For those who bless others through the storm, a calm rest remains forever after it passes on. The storm indeed will do its work and pass away, but the blessing that has got settled upon us will eternally stay with us to accumulate for us eternal treasure for earthly exchange. The greatest blessing that a human can ever be blessed with is to be God's channel of blessing!

Pray This Prayer To God : Dear Heavenly Father, I understand the importance of being a blessing to others in the midst of going through my own storm and now know how valuable it is in your sight. Help me lose myself in you and see my new me resurrected in you with your glory all over me. 

I know that the treasure that you anoint me with will make me a eternal blessing to many generations to come, so I willingly surrender my life in to your hands and commit all of me, my family and ministry in to your hands. I know that at the end of all my trials of life, I will come forth as gold and be useful to you and your purpose for eternity ahead. 

 Thank you for giving me the privilege to face all the storms of life and I know that you will never leave me through it all, but instead you will strengthen me through it and will finally make me stand as a person who is more than a conqueror in my Christ Jesus at the end of it all. Make me a continual channel of your blessing of heaven to my fellow humans and keep me as your servant and son by the constant guidance and leading of your Spirit. I pray in Jesus wonderful name! 

Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering it all for your glory. Amen and Amen!!!

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The Taxi Cab Ride — Dream Interpretation

Does God Still Guide Supernaturally Through Dreams To Find One's Future Husband?

Question : I am seeking clarification and confirmation from God about couple of dreams I had.

It's an honor to be given a dream from God, and I know with all my heart this dream is from God. It's a privilege to be able to tell my dreams to you. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

First dream: I was in the back seat of a taxi cab. The driver drove the taxi from the right side of the vehicle. A man got into the back seat with me but there was a wall between us. I looked over the wall and he looked up and smiled back at me. The taxi was moving and we continued to talk through the wall. The longer we talked the more this wall came down. I looked out of my window and realized he was so far up in the sky and it startled me. End of dream.

Before my Second dream happened I had met a man that I had no previous interactions with. I was introduced to him by my best friend, we talked on the phone for a couple weeks but after the first week on the phone I had a dream about him.

Second dream: I was standing outside of his house looking into his window he was sitting reading his Bible. The Bible was big and had big lettering. There was a knock at the door he got up and answered it and it was me. End of dream.

I went to visit him and looked over and seen the same bible that was in my dream. This man told me he read it every night. I was shocked from head to toe when I saw his Bible.

Right now there has been some obstacles between him and I. But I feel this connection with him and I can't shake it. He says the same thing. I haven't spoken to him for about 3 weeks because I really need and want confirmation from God.

My last dream is this: I came out of this man's house and he was standing outside. I looked over a privacy fence and his truck was started. He watched me get into my car and drive away. When I left, I went down the wrong road that was muddy and over grown with weeds. I looked back in my rear view window and he was standing there watching me. Finally I seen the main road and turned right to get on it.

Could this be the man that God sent to be my husband one day?

Thank you for any help!

Answer : As much as I understand from what you have shared, I see this man might be the person God has in His mind for you. Yes God does share His heart to His children to keep them on the right track and also make them understand His will and walk pleasing to Him (Acts 2:17; Job 33:14-18; Heb 11:6). Let me try to clarify with the help of God what your dreams mean. What is the highlight of your first dream by which you can title it? "The Taxi Cab Ride!," Ok. What does it mean? You are traveling in your life from a point to another. There is someone driving the taxi from the right side of the vehicle, it means that the Lord is at your right hand and you shall not be moved as long as He drives your life (Psa 16:8; Acts 2:25). A man came in to the back seat with you and a wall was in between you. Wall in the Scripture does mean two things mainly, spiritually it is a prayer that is before God that He wants you to pray or that which is a prayer that you have prayed for the fulfillment of His will in your life (Isa 49:16; Matt 6:10), and also it does mean that the protection of God has always been around you (Zec 2:5; Job 1:10). Whatever way here it mean, it clearly shows that when the God intended person comes in to your life, the walls of protection and the fulfillment of your prayer happens, and then you see that man's communication with you brings God's protection around you both (1 Cor 11:3, 6-11). When you look out he was so far up in the sky because it was God who was actually covering you through him with protection that was intended by Him, and it startles you seeing that it is from God, as you have been asking God for His will to be done in your life.

The second dream is about that person whom you have met, he is a godly person and the Lord speaks to him about you. The Big Lettering of the Bible is something that shows that this person has sought God through His Word sincerely to find the will of God in his personal life, and have asked God confirmation to speak to him personally about the person whom he will marry. God has clearly brought you to his house to confirm it as He has already showed him a sign about it.

To you God has clearly confirmed the dream by what you have seen through your physical eyes. Yes the obstacles are something that can be overcome through intimate and personal communication over a period of time within the marriage and not outside of it which never honors God (1 Cor 7:1-6). Trust God and your personal conviction that God has given you, and go ahead in faith in to a godly marriage, and see God work within your life and family in the future.

Your last dream is something of a warning that God has given you. God has told you in advance of what will happen if you continue to drive your life by your own will after you have come to realize God's will for your life. What can we title the last dream as, "I Drove and Lost My Way," which shows that you lost your way because you drove your way. When you come out of his house, he also came out and was standing outside is something that shows how concerned he is towards you. The privacy fence is something that he wants you to stay in and when you looked over it, he started his truck and wanted you to go in it or be dropped to your destination through it. You not being sure whether this will work or not, got in to your car and drove away. There might be a season that might come and test you both to see whether you really wanted to go God's way in this, but at this time if you go your way, you might drive yourself in to the wrong road that is muddy and over grown with weeds. The fact that in your rear view mirror, you can see this man watching you all the way shows that he will stay faithful even through your mistakes and your low times, even when you feel like you have lost your way. The main road is again the way God has already shown to you, and again you taking the right turn shows that you will stick on to God's plan and will fulfill your destiny for your life and future family that God has in His mind for you, if you stay on to God's plan and stick to it until your end of life.

If you ask me the bottom line of all this, 'Could this be the man that God sent to be my husband one day?'. I think yes it is, but just do not take my word as the final one to decide the course of your future life. I am giving you a Biblical interpretation of the dream and spiritual guidance that God has given you to the best of God's ability in me, but it all depends on your unshakeable conviction that it is God who is leading you in to His destiny for your life, and your unmovable faith in God and His guidance, to stick on to your quality decision to stay on course of what has been revealed no matter what comes your way will finally keep you in the center of God's will for your life through which you will please God immensely. By the way I would say to you personally to keep yourself away from any intimacy until you get married in God's time because anything before that is not the right way to approach marriage in a godly Biblical way (1 Cor 7:9, 36-37). Wait for God's perfect time and then marry, you will enjoy every moment of your future life together the rest of your lifetime on earth. Until that time both of you be devoted to the Lord and stay faithful to Him. My best wishes to you.

I have personally stuck myself to God's dream and visions through which I have been blessed enough to be able to minister to you now supernaturally. May God also be pleased enough to bless you to be a blessing to many in the coming days.

Much Blessings....

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