By: Billy Holland; billyhollandministries.com

This week we continue with our discussion about heaven, and realize we've left many stones unturned. Even though our knowledge of the next life is sparse by design, our curiosity makes this a popular subject. There are countless speculations of what heaven will be like and like all of you I have my own thoughts. I appreciate all the emails about your thoughts and I agree with the general consensus that seeing God in person is going to far outweigh our surroundings. We know that whatever He has prepared for us will be a million times more breathtaking than anything we could imagine, and our fascination will be focused on spending an eternity with the one who loves and saves us.

Our Bible has 66 books that were written by different people and to say the least, it's a challenge to understand. Many believe there is only one interpretation of these truths, yet disagreements have divided God's people since it was written. If there is only one truth of His written word, why can't every Christian hear the Holy Spirit? Arguing and fighting does not usually convince anyone who has already made up their mind. I've studied the Bible for nearly 50 years, and what I've learned about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has not come from others, but rather talking and listening to Him directly. The Bible is our general guide, but knowing Him personally comes from quiet times of intimacy with Him. We can train ourselves to converse with Him in our minds and listen for His still small voice which develops spiritual sensitivity and an awareness of His presence.

We say we cannot wait to worship Jesus in person, or to have a chance to serve Him with all of our hearts, but it strikes me as odd to see some who lack enthusiasm about abiding with Him now. Many believe that in heaven He will be the center of every thought and deed, as He helps, teaches, and guides us. These are truly dreams of bliss for the follower of Christ, but I thought He wanted to be the Lord of our lives in this life. Maybe our lack of concentration is caused by not being able to literally see or hear Him. Most envision one day standing around His throne with their hands raised and voices lifted high in continuous worship as the Bible declares that He is worthy to receive all glory and adoration for all eternity. Listen to Revelation chapter 5 verses 11 through 13.

"Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!' And 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, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!" There is no doubt we will spend plenty of time, (even though measured time will be no more) around God's throne, but I'm also convinced we will be involved with working, serving, helping, blessing, and accomplishing His desires.

So, who is going to heaven? Most will say those who have been born again which means being transformed into a new spiritual identity as Jesus shared with Nicodemus. Does this happen instantly or is it a gradual progression? This sounds simple, but it's not. In fact, it could be one of the most misconstrued concepts in the New Testament as Christ also declared in Matthew 7:21 that eternal salvation includes doing God's will. Regardless of the modern easy path theologies, the gift of heaven is not just handed out to everyone who says they want a free ticket. God will not be deceived. The perception of just believing that He is real as a prerequisite for eternal life is a terrible misunderstanding, as even the devil and the demons believe, fear, and tremble in His presence. Of course, no one wants to suffer for all eternity, but taking up our cross is a lot more than just hoping that God is like a lenient grandfather.

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.