“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” The Meaning of “Heavenly” The meaning of words is often diluted by misuse or overuse. Words like “epic,” “awesome,” and “inconceivable” are everyday examples. The words “hell” and “heavenly” are examples of Bible terms that are misused (Matt. 25:30, 46, Mk. 9:43-48) In this study, we are not using the word heavenly in any diluted, profane, or accommodative sense. While the earthly life of a child of God is not the life that he will live in heaven, it is a life that is infused with heavenly realities and relationships.

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” Heeding Heavenly Words: The Message from out of this World Jesus is God’s message from heaven! (John 1:1-2; 14, 18; 3:13; 12:49; Heb. 1:2) Jesus completed sharing His message through the Holy Spirit to His messengers – the apostles and prophets (John 16:12-15) The apostles affirmed that their message came from the Lord through the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:12; 1 Cor. 2:13; 14:37)

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” Heeding Heavenly Words: The Message from out of this World The message of Jesus and of His Spirit-inspired apostles and prophets is a heavenly message. Those who love Jesus will heed it, and the Father and Son will reside with them in this life (John 14:23). The words and deeds of those who live such a life are directed and authorized by heaven (cf. Col. 3:17). In contrast, those who refuse to hear and heed the heavenly message are living earthly lives, and their destiny is destruction. (Heb. 12:25; 2:1). Careful and constant attention to the heavenly message is foundational for living a heavenly life on earth!

The Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope, Puerto Rico Humans have endeavored in vain to contact intelligent beings in the heavens. A lot of people want to talk to heaven!!!

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” In Contact with Heaven The One who brought God’s word from heaven also regularly communicated to heaven while on earth (Luke 3:21; 5:16; 22:17-19; John 6:11; 17:1-26) Jesus is “the heavenly man” who enables us to communicate with heaven (1 Cor. 15:48; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4) With such free access, there is no reason for any child of God to be out of touch with heaven (Heb. 4:14-16; Rom. 12:12)

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” Heavenly Citizenship In Matthew’s gospel we learn much about “the kingdom of heaven.” It was “at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7) Access to the kingdom is connected to the building of the church (Matt. 16:18-19; Acts 2:38-41, 48) To enter the kingdom one must “repent” and “be converted” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 18:3) Obedience to the Father is required (Matt. 7:21) Citizens of the kingdom are characterized by righteousness and humility (Matt. 5:3, 10, 20; 18:3)

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” Heavenly Citizenship “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20) “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.” (Hebrews 12:22-23)

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” Heavenly Fellowship When we enter the kingdom of heaven, “we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints” (Eph. 2:19). The relationship we share transcends earthly bounds, for God has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6) Christ is with us in this realm (1 John 1:3) Fellowship is contingent on walking in the light (1 John 1:6-7)

“Living a Heavenly Life on Earth” Worship – The Air of Heaven Heaven is focused on worshiping God (Rev. 4:11; 5:13) Worshiping God on earth as a foretaste of being in His presence eternally (Psalm 140:13; 52:8-9)

Worship – A Breath of Heaven

Worship – A Breath of Heaven