For I have told you often before, and I say it again now with tears in my eyes, there are many who walk along the Christian road who are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal loss, for their god is their appetite: they are proud of what they should be ashamed of; and all they think about is this life here on earth. But our homeland is in heaven, where our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is; and we are looking forward to his return from there. When he comes back, he will take these dying bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer all else everywhere.
Philippians 3:18-21 Living Bible (TLB)
Most of us have heard the term "Heaven on earth" for it is often used to describe a place of loveliness and serenity. However, no person alive can truthfully substantiate this depiction. Those who are believers in Jesus Christ and waiting for His return are led by the Holy Spirit to trust that Heaven is our ultimate destination and that it will indeed be everything we have read in God's Word and much more than we can even imagine. We look forward with faith and hope to futures in our "Heavenly Home" where we are promised perfect peace, endless joy and eternal life with our Savior and Lord. The Bible encourages us to remember this promise of God to His children, especially when we find this world in which we now live spinning totally out of control.
Through these words, Paul gives us a reason for some of our discomfort now. There are some living among us who don't believe in this glorious future God has promised in His Word. Some just don't accept it and deny its truth. Some others play along superficially while living expressly to find their satisfaction in this present world. God knows every heart and offers His love to all. When Christ returns, everyone will see true Heaven on earth, even if they can't call it "Home." We who believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is coming back to establish God's Kingdom on earth eagerly await His return. With the help of the Holy Spirit, let us love, trust and obey God's Word while we wait on Jesus to live in true Paradise, for then we will be home with Him forever. No more dying there.
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