Heaven is better

Jonathan Edwards, in “The Christian Pilgrim” (Works, vol. 2): God is the highest good of the reasonable creature; and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied.—To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, […]

The tree in heaven

“And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:2; NASB) Heaven. What pictures come to mind when you hear that word? Streets of gold? Pearly gates? “St. […]

Looking for — and seeing — God’s glory

It’s often hard to see the good in the midst of hardship. When a child receives a diagnosis of cancer or a long-time employee is laid off before Christmas or a college student fails a required course in the semester before graduation or the girl says no to the marriage proposal or the friend betrays […]

Life in heaven

Throughout Revelation, the reader is given glimpses of life in heaven is like. Among these images is one given in chapter 7 during the interlude between the coming sixth and seventh seal judgments. A large multitude of people who had been redeemed from every nation on earth surrounding the throne of God saying, “Salvation to […]

Be heavenly minded

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21; NASB). Jonathan Edwards was a man who longed for heaven. In one sermon he said, “Labor to obtain such a disposition that you may choose heaven for your inheritance and home, and may earnestly long for it and be willing to […]

Think much on heaven’s hope

John Owen, “The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded:” Suppose sundry persons engaged in a voyage unto a most remote country, wherein all of them have an apprehension that there is a place of rest and an inheritance provided for them. Under this apprehension they all put themselves upon their voyage, to possess what […]

Whom have I in heaven?

It has often been said, “don’t be so heavenly-minded you’re no earthly good.” That is, don’t think so much about heaven that you will be of no benefit on earth to those around you. In truth, most of us are so earthly-minded that we’re no heavenly good. We have put so much attention on the […]

Living Ready for Heaven

Though he is best-known for a sermon about hell, I have often said that some of my favorite writings from Jonathan Edwards are about heaven. Here is an example: We ought not to rest in the world and its enjoyments, but should desire heaven. We should “seek first the kingdom of God.” 236 We ought […]

Heaven’s gain

When a believer dies, it is not unusual to hear a response something like, “Our loss is heaven’s gain.” I have always taken such a sentiment to subtly suggest that in some manner, heaven has been deficient until this person has arrived, and that now because of their inherent abilities and worth, heaven has “gotten […]

John Stott on glory

It is good to contemplate the glories of heaven. What lies ahead? What will it be like to be in the presence of and see the Savior? What joy might our newly redeemed from sin bodies be like (can you imagine no impulse to sin ever again)? What glories and grace will be revealed to […]

Three contemplations of heaven

While his most well-known sermon is about hell, Jonathan Edwards seems to me to be most eloquent, passionate, and happy when writing about heaven. Three examples: This, therefore, may be your consolation, that in heaven your heart shall be enlarged, you shall be enabled to praise him in an immensely more perfect and exalted manner […]

A new book: Heaven Revealed

A new book by my Dad has just been released: Heaven Revealed. This has been a particular labor of love for him, since my mother went to be with the Lord six years ago. And this week it has been released. Here is some basic information about the book, including a free download of the […]

Two new books of particular interest

In the coming months, two books of particular interest to me will be released. They are new books written by my father. The first is entitled Living the New Testament. It is a daily devotional (365 one-page readings) that will take the reader through the key passages in the New Testament providing not only explanation […]

Whom have I in Heaven?

When offering the gospel, John Piper asks the question, “If you can have all the good things and blessings of Heaven, and God is not there, do you still want Heaven?” The point of the question is to elicit what the desire of the individual is — does he want God, or merely the good […]

90 Minutes in Heaven

I have not read Don Piper’s book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. Nor, at least at this point, do I plan to do so. As I select books to read, I consider several criteria: is it written by an author that I know, trust, and enjoy? is it about a topic that is either theologically or […]