Ten Questions I Always Wanted to Know about Heaven
Dear Roger, I am so excited about going to heaven. I am ready for the rapture. I hope it comes right now! But I don’t know enough about heaven.…
Dear Roger, I am so excited about going to heaven. I am ready for the rapture. I hope it comes right now! But I don’t know enough about heaven.…
Question from a reader: If we are all co-heirs with Christ, then who are we going to be ruling over on the New Earth? Otherwise wouldn’t we all just be…
“Death Is Certain…but God” Psalm 49 Introduction As humans, we all have to face our own mortality The most basic truth about life is death The theme of Psalm 49…
Ben has decided that he wants to die. This son of mine, who lives with a trust I aspire to….he believes in heaven, and can’t wait to get there. Why…
Why should I hope in heaven instead of this dark world? Remember that eternal life starts now. Jesus said in John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life; that they may know You,…
The angels must have been stunned to see the second member of the triune God become a human being! The baby of Bethlehem was Creator of the universe, pitching His…
If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Most people want to change something about their physical appearance. Imagine having a body that doesn’t wear…
Dear Roger, I’m a new Christian, and I have been reading in the Bible about the crowns, treasures, and rewards that Jesus will give to Christians who live God-honoring lives…
“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal,” said Thomas Moore. But if that is true, why don’t we think more about heaven? Why do we only think and talk…
We have all heard the famous Benjamin Franklin quip, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Given death’s sure nature, why is it…
When you enter heaven, how much will you know? Will you have all knowledge as it pertains to your life? Perfect knowledge as it pertains to everything? Can we learn…
Big books full of Scripture, theology, and quotations from people long dead don’t normally sell well. Yet to my surprise, and the publisher’s, over a million copies of my 2004…
At some point every human has thought, “What happens when I die?” It’s one of the most ubiquitous and mysterious aspects of humanity. Where do we go for answers? To the…
At some point every human has thought, “What happens when I die?” It’s one of the most ubiquitous and mysterious aspects of humanity. Where do we go for answers? To the…
I remember an old episode of The Andy Griffith Show entitled, “Tom Silby Returns.” In that episode there is a funny exchange between Andy and Tom made so by a…
We’re told that we are aliens and strangers in this world, and should be longing for a better country (Hebrews 11:13-16). However, that better country isn’t up in the clouds—it’s…
How many times have you heard someone say you become an angel when you die, or heaven is really boring because you sit on a cloud and play a…
Dear Roger, I’ve been reading about the judgment seat of Christ where we will receive awards according to how profitable or unprofitable our lives have been on earth. It…
“When the new heaven and earth shall own the Prince of Peace, the King, And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.” “Look! God’s dwelling…
Dear Roger, There is so much talk and discussion these days about the antichrist, the Second Coming, the mark of the beast, and so many other end times subjects. I’ve…
Stand for Truth, a wonderful Christian news organization in the Philippines compiled these quotes. EVERY PERSON should read these chilling words: 1. CAESAR BORGIA—Italian nobleman, politician, and cardinal: “While I…
Will the earth we know be destroyed or will it be renewed? Dr. Deb talks about how the bible describes the new earth and the new Jerusalem. www.debwaterbury.com.
What will we experience on the New Earth? (Make your own list. This is just a portion of mine.) Forever more: Closeness to God greater than we’ve ever known The…
One of the most frequent questions I’ve been asked about Heaven over the years is about the nature of marriage there. As I share in my book Heaven, there will be one…
Dear Roger, What is the “Book of Life” and how do I know if I’m in it? Sincerely, Paul Dear Paul, The Bible teaches that the Book…
How can you become heavenly-minded and hopeful? 1. Remember that eternal life starts now. Jesus said in John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life; that they may know You, the only eternal…
Dear Roger, COVID-19 is still here! All over the world, nations are continually trying to eradicate it. People still seem frightened, frustrated and angry. I know that we are continuing…
Our world is always one push-button away from annihilation. If stocks plunge, nest eggs disappear. Pandemic fears fill our hearts. Don’t even get me started discussing global warming, moral depravity…
Our world is always one push-button away from annihilation. If stocks plunge, nest eggs disappear. Pandemic fears fill our hearts. Don’t even get me started discussing global warming, moral depravity…
Jesus Christ speaks to why having a future perspective, an eternal perspective, is absolutely critical for your earthly life now. You have two choices with your life. I have two…
Whenever you travel to another country, you need the right documentation to be admitted across their borders. I made the mistake one time of getting all the way to the Los…
Through the years, I have observed that most people (even Christians) have ideas about what heaven will be like that are vastly different from how Scripture describes heaven. In this…
Dear Roger, Where do we go after death until the judgment? Sincerely, Betty Dear Betty, Death and dying are on the back burners of everyone’s minds, from preschoolers to the…
In Revelation 4:3, there is one group that will worship Him. Do you see who it is? A holy, faithful, benevolent, sovereign God. Man will risk hell before he will…
Lazarus and Dives: How to Live and How to Die People have differing ideas about what happens when we die. All of these confusing opinions must seem rather strange to…
How can you become heavenly-minded and hopeful? 1. Remember that eternal life starts now. Jesus said in John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life; that they may know You, the only eternal God…
God never guarantees that the Christian life will be smooth or easy. In fact, he promises the opposite: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution”…
In Revelation, after the apostle John describes the river of life, he mentions another striking feature: “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops…
“For we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each of us may be recompensed for his deeds in the body whether good or bad.” 2 Cor.…
Dear Roger, I have a question about what has been termed to be “earning my crown.” My husband and I want to hear your explanation of what earning “jewels in…
John Piper, in his magnificent book, “Why I Love the Apostle Paul,” asks us why Paul didn’t boast more about his vision of the third heaven. Where did Paul go?…
John Piper, in his magnificent book, “Why I Love the Apostle Paul,” asks us why Paul didn’t boast more about his vision of the third heaven. Where did Paul go?…
Dear Roger, So much of the world has been focused on what happens in the Middle East–especially in Iraq. Does the Bible have anything to say about Iraq? Sincerely,…
Will we really see God’s face? Pastor John MacArthur gives a powerful observation of this spiritual truth. “Yes! In heaven we will actually see the Lord face to face. This is…
Do you really want to see Jesus? Randy Alcorn reflects on the happiness we will experience as we look on the face of Christ: “Ancient theologians often spoke of the…
“…on the day when according to my gospel God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 2:16) “He has fixed a day in which He will judge…
After the first edition of my book Heaven, this question was one of the most frequently asked. It’s worth considering. Though it’s possible we may cover vast distances at immense speeds…
Most people know that we’ll worship God in Heaven. But they don’t grasp how thrilling that will be. Multitudes of God’s people—of every nation, tribe, people, and language—will gather to…
Focusing on our eternal inheritance is key to maintaining a proper perspective on Christ’s sufficiency, especially when you’re in the midst of difficult circumstances. That’s not always easy because we’re…
Dear Roger, Where do we go after death until the judgement? Sincerely, Betty Dear Betty, Death and dying are on the back burners of everyone’s minds, from preschoolers to the…
I heard a pastor say, “There will be no more learning in Heaven.” One writer says that in Heaven, “Activities such as investigation, comprehending and probing will never be necessary.…
What is the most powerful way to worship here on earth? A good pattern for earthly worship is heavenly worship. If we study Revelation’s description of heaven, we can truly…
In Revelation 1:4-5a we read: John to the seven assemblies located are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to…
Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov said, “I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever…
Is everyone equal in heaven? What does the Bible teach? All people are equal in worth, but they differ in gifting and performance. God is the creator of diversity, and…
Perhaps you’re familiar with Christ’s promise in John 14: “In my Father’s house are many mansions. . . . I go to prepare a place for you” (v. 2, KJV). The Vulgate, the…
Dear Roger, What do we really know about angels, and how do they reveal themselves to us? How do angels appear to people in the Bible? Angels appeared to people…
Christmas is not always a time of joy. Randy Alcorn shows us five ways to rejoice this holy season. He writes: “Family tensions (whose house do we go to when?),…
When you’re six years old, the world is your oyster and your imagination is taller than you are. Nothing bad could ever happen because the toxic realities of life far…
Roger, My best friend and I were talking recently and he said to me during a discussion about God that, “the bible was written for people who lived a long…
Some people have asked me if our resurrected bodies will shine. They cite two passages: “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43)…
Revelation 6 is an unfolding of God’s judgment in the Tribulation. Discover the antichrist and afterlife. What will these times look like? Man, who has rejected his Creator, will suddenly…
Peter We are citizens and strangers upon this earth. But in Revelation 21, John the Apostle gives us a glimpse of God’s Kingdom at the end of time. Preached at…
When we read about the garden of Eden in Genesis 1 and 2, we can’t help but feel drawn to its beauty and abundance and innocence. It must have been wonderful…
John the Apostle gives us a glimpse of God’s Throne Room in Heaven and the throng around the throne. Who are the beasts and the elders? What can we learn…
Dear Roger, As of now I’m not interested in having a funeral when I pass away. My question is:..Did Jesus have a funeral and is it alright NOT to have…
We’ll have many desires in Heaven, but they won’t be unholy desires. Everything we want will be good. Our desires will please God. All will be right with the world, nothing forbidden.…
One of the most frequent questions I’ve been asked about Heaven over the years is about the nature of marriage there. As I share in my book Heaven, there will be one…
Dear Pastor Roger: I lost my puppy. He was very sick. Will I see him again in heaven? Sincerely, Kenton, Age 9 Dear Kenton, Let me answer your initial question…
“Then war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels going forth to battle with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there…
We live in a stoic society. Often the expression of our emotions is suppressed because we do not know how to process them. When we “stuff” our feelings and fail…
How a person views the life and death of Christ is not a question of subjective preference or perspective. The issues are objective and bear eternal consequences. And it is…
Augustine and Aquinas—two of history’s most influential theologians—imagined that in Heaven people would focus exclusively on God and that relationships between human beings would be minimal or insignificant.[i] These great…
The death of Hugh Hefner, the Playboy founder, saw multiple posts on social media remarking about the eternal destiny of the man, that Hefner, having never repented of his sin,…
Without an eternal perspective, without understanding the reality that the best is yet to come, we assume that people who die young, who are handicapped, who aren’t healthy, who don’t…
This week I have asked Tom Terry to answer my “Ask Roger” column. It’s fantastic! “I’m going to ask you a question and it’s a big one. If there is…
Dear Roger, Everyone gets so excited about Easter. I don’t understand why. All they talk about is Jesus coming back from the dead. How does that change my life…
Imagine you’re part of a NASA team preparing for a five-year mission to Mars. After a period of extensive training, the launch date finally arrives. As the rocket lifts off,…
Augustine and Aquinas—two of history’s most influential theologians—imagined that in Heaven people would focus exclusively on God and that relationships between human beings would be minimal or insignificant.[i] These great…
Given the substantial evidence of Scripture to the contrary, the burden of proof is on those who argue people in heaven are unconcerned with and unaware of what is happening…
Given the rising tides of militant atheism, postmodern skepticism, biblical illiteracy, self-love and gross immorality, what are we to make of the current interest in heaven? One thing is…
Even though I believe we’ll live in time in Heaven, God is certainly capable of bending time and opening doors in time’s fabric for us. Perhaps we’ll be able to…
Kneel in pursuit of God’s presence. Don’t bow down to something else. Kneel in repentance. Jesus never turns away from a sinner with a repentant heart. Kneel in submission. You can…
Given the substantial evidence of Scripture to the contrary, the burden of proof is on those who argue people in heaven are unconcerned with and unaware of what is happening…
Is it okay to talk to our loved ones who’ve gone on to be with Jesus? First, would it even be possible for someone in Heaven to know what’s happening…
God directed you to this sermon, I believe, so that you would know, first, that you don’t have to die, and, second, so that you would know that Jesus, who…
People usually think of “Heaven” as the place Christians go when they die. A better definition explains that Heaven is God’s central dwelling place, the location of his throne from which…
First Corinthians 15 is the definitive chapter on the subject of resurrection. There Paul severely rebukes anyone who would doubt or question it: “But someone will ask, ‘How are the…
People usually think of “Heaven” as the place Christians go when they die. A better definition explains that Heaven is God’s central dwelling place, the location of his throne from which…
Build a home, not a house. Godly living is caught more than taught. Every child needs consequences, not empty threats. Rules without relationship lead to rebellion. We have to encourage…
Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. The Great Physician has a good prescription. Gain His perspective. Even in sorrow, take heart and wear a cheerful…
I continue to receive emails from parents asking about modern day prodigal children. Whether the prodigal is defying family rules, living an undesirable life style, or leaving to who-knows-where, it’s a…
Dear Roger, Our pastor was arrested for DUI recently. This is not his first offense. He is believed to have the alcoholism disease. As a church body what is our…
Revelation 21 and 22 give us a glorious picture of how God will bring renewal to all things. Pastor Tim Chaddick preaches on the incredible comfort this truth brings and…
We may not like the path God gives, but our eternal destination makes the scenery we see relevant to our desire to keep flowering in desolate places.
Many pastors have nightmares about being naked in the pulpit. My favorite cartoonist, Gary Larson, sketched a cartoon with a deer standing on two legs, a target painted on his…
I am an out-of-the-box parenting problem solver. A clever method of getting little “ankle biters” to obey is less exhausting and more successful than ranting, raving, blaming, pleading, begging or…
Jesus’ parable of Lazarus and Dives is a glimpse into the afterlife. We learn from Jesus that hell is real and that we can be certain of our eternal destination. Hell…
Hi Roger, I am a Christian married to a Christian. I make significantly more money than my husband. I want to be able to tithe on the money I make…
People deal with sexual abuse in different ways. One common method is denial or complete forgetfulness. The memories of the past are so traumatic or painful that a person can…
Heaven, according to Scripture, will be a place of continual discovery, meaningful work, perfect rest, loving relationships, unequalled pleasures and awesome worship.
Are there tears in heaven for believers? Of course, we are saved by faith, but Scripture teaches that God “will wipe away” every tear. Certain passages teach that our judgment…
Trying to explain God’s thoughts on hell must be approached with humility-not with heartlessness, arrogance, or carelessness. People’s eternal destiny is at stake. We must never put God’s actions in…
We need to suffer in order to reign with Christ. When you are in the middle of suffering and you doubt that Jesus cares for you, picture Him stretching His…
Money Matters Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (13:11)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.…
If these are the Endtimes, We need encouragement and direction. What should a Christian do? Read the Book of Revelation. Receive a blessing. Consider God’s perspective on materialism. Handle your…
Acts 16:19: “And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers. “…
Naivete or Christian love? What is the balance? The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them” (Proverbs 12:6). This…
Our heavenly body, according to Paul, is built for heaven, not for earth. It is perfect, powerful and spiritual. Our life here on earth is like a “job interview” for…
We’ve got to be willing to be salmon swimming upstream. What do salmon do? They get bloodied and beat up on the rocks in order to give birth and produce…
God’s grand design for man in the garden was “very good.” His plan was to lead man as rulers in the Garden to become kings and queens in eternity. The…
Heaven is the place where God will bring good from bad. The greatest stories have powerful beginnings and triumphant endings. In the middle, things go wrong. Jesus is the God-Man…
People always have many questions about heaven. Will we be bored? Do our loved ones see us on earth? Will we remember our earthly lives? Will we recognize our family…
The tighter we hold onto life, the harder it will be to let go. The believer sees death as a graduation, not the end!
Jesus related an intriguing tale about a rich man and a pauper and their eternal destinations. This story from the lips of Jesus gives us a riveting glimpse of the…
Benefit of the slop or benefit of the doubt? People, OK and Us magazines rake in bazillions of dollars by cashing in on our curiosity. Who did what to whom? The juicier…
The dawn of the twenty-first century finds our world facing multiple crises. Headlines everywhere proclaim, “AIDS Crisis Mounts”; “Teenage Pregnancy Hits Crisis Level”; “Marriages and Families in Crisis.” Like a…
Spiritual leaders & teachers come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, rank, stations of life, intelligence, experiences, education, gender, race, nationality, geography, looks, age, up bringing, church affiliation, heritage, and…
Heaven is a re-made earth, life as it was meant to be lived. Our bodies will be glorious, imperishable, powerful and spiritual. With our heavenly bodies, we will find joy…
God’s perfect world is broken because of man’s sin. Relationships are dysfunctional, cultures are oppressed, God is no longer in constant communion with man. God promises redemption and restoration through…
Dear Roger, I believe that I’m a +3 on my spiritual journey. I want to propel myself on the scale. What specific steps or what should I be doing to…
In a previous blog, I was thinking about our responsibility to admonish one another based on our history of loving that person. While it might not take much planning to…
Dear Roger, How were years determined in Noah’s days? Sincerely, Member of Casas’ Discovering Christianity Class Dear Member, You are obviously referring to the genealogies in the early part of…
Dear Roger, My mother died this week. I’d like to know what the Bible teaches about what happens after death. Love, Roger Dear Roger, Death and dying is a subject…
What happens to us when we die? Paul teaches we have an earthly, temporal tent that will be transformed into an eternal, durable building from God. Paul is confident that…
God’s presence with man revealed in Christ is traced throughout scripture. God’s call in the Garden, the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the saints remind us that He is with us…
The parable of the ten virgins teaches us that we must focus on one thing: preparing for God’s kingdom. When we discover the value of a life, we recognize that…
No matter what kind of pressure we are under, the Lord understands and comforts us. Even while being stoned, Stephen sees the glory of God and testifies of his Savior.…
The story of Lazarus and the rich man teaches us that temporal rewards are far different than eternal rewards. Lazarus finds comfort and rest in the afterlife while the rich…
Making praise a habit touches the heart of God and reminds us that we have a give and take love relationship with Him. A life of worship requires us to…
Welcome to Job’s world of undeserved suffering, pain and affliction. This praying, faithful, godly man is the pawn in a spiritual battle between God and Satan that leaves Job penniless,…
The greedy man wasted God’s gifts and lost his soul. Investing in eternal things brings great blessings and heavenly rewards.
Solomon’s advice is to enjoy life now—because good health, vigor and youth do not last forever. But true enjoyment is found by living in harmony with Jesus Christ, by carrying…