Q: I have a hard time getting excited about going to heaven because I can’t imagine not being bored there. Eternity is a long, long time, and it seems to me that sooner or later we’ll run out of interesting things to do, won’t we? — C.H.
A: Heaven is far, far greater than anything we can even begin to imagine — and no, you won’t be bored there, and you will never run out of things to do!
In other words, don’t imagine that life in heaven will be just like life on this earth, only longer — because it won’t be. We get bored here; we also experience pain and disappointment and sorrow. But none of those will be part of our experience in heaven. One of the Bible’s greatest promises is that in heaven “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). You and I can barely understand what this will be like — but someday we will, if we know Christ!
But the Bible also tells us that God will have work for us to do in heaven. We won’t spend our days floating on clouds and strumming harps! The Bible says, “The throne of God and of the Lamb (Christ) will be in the city, and his servants will serve him” (Revelation 22:3). Unlike our work here, however, we’ll never grow weary or bored with the work God has for us there.
The greatest truth about heaven, however, is that you can go there! Don’t be deceived into thinking that an eternity in hell will be better than heaven; it won’t. But God loves you so much that He wants you to be with Him forever, and Christ came into the world to make this possible. Open your heart to Him today.
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Affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” for more than 60 years, the Rev. Billy Graham is one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders of the 20th century. He has been a friend and spiritual advisor to ten American presidents and has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories — through various meetings. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts. Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
Comments
tflowers: Yes I know what it's like to have religion, but not salvation. 12 yrs. ago I finally realized the difference and was set free.
scitsonga and Jerry1
Your free will allows you to choose wether to believe in God or not. Just as mine allows me to believe in a God who loves us. My only fear of eternal damnation is for those who are caught in up in their own belief system like yours. I know what God did for me for I choose life 5 years ago at age 36. Religious people lead me astray for 26 years, I found the truth in the bible and when I found the truth Christ saved me. But, that same Christ loves you despite whether you even believe in him. You can't change that fact. It is better to learn the truth here on earth while you are alive, than to learn it after the fact when you pass away. My prayers are for you to be protected while you journey through this life and that your eyes be open to the truth before it is too late, in the name of Jesus the Christ our Lord and Saviour Selah.....Amen
won't it be wonderful there?
Threats of torture, ignorance, bigotry fear...?
Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fullness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.
Ecc 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Jhn 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
2Th 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord [be] with you all.
Jhn 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Jhn 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Psa 119:163 I hate and abhor lying: [but] thy law do I love.
Pro 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
Phl 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1Jo 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
...I am not sure what religion you are talking about. I moved from the murky, uncertain depths of agnosticism into the Light of the Truth where now I have hope and an eternity of wonder to look forward to. Have you ever fathomed the universe? Have you seen, at night, the countless multitude of stars? Even the sizes and distances are inconceivable by my limited, human, and genuinely small standpoint. GOD breathed all of this in an instant. Am I afraid I might be bored in his presence and home... no.
Peace be with you.
Hey Jerry1
Ezekiel 18:20- "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
"...more like a religion of threats and torture."
And ignorance, bigotry, and fear.
tflowers38382 "now imagine your soul burning like that 24/7 for those trillions of years "
Hey whatever works for you, if believing your religion and god condemn the skeptical & non-believers to the eternal torture treatment thing brings you happiness, then I say good for you. As an agnostic, I dont get caught up in this sort of fantasy. Without the threat of the eternal torture treatment and the promise of heaven for the "believers", there would be few christians. So much for the claim christianity of peace and love, more like a religion of threats and torture.
holito8 "But yes heaven is a theocracy."
Sooooo, what does that mean? Does that mean the end of free will, would people then be robots in heaven? No free expression? Would God be an autocrate rulling over heaven with no room for free expression? Would the character and individuality be removed from humans some what like a frontal lobotomy? What would one do for an eternity in heaven? Would there be recreation such as baseball?
Is it not enough for you to be with your Creator? But no angels do have distint differences. There are 3 different Choir of them and they are all different. We are not angles, but we will be in that same order. There is independent thought in heaven; But you are not involved in the decision making. Children do not get involved in the decision of their parents. As the universe is vast; Heaven is greater.
Bored in heaven! Think on this. All that you see around you and all that you learn that is worthy comes from God. So what you see here comes from the One you will be with if you get into heaven. I know you mention you were agnoistic. God is not boring He is creation, and Creation is never boring. The Bible says were will go where ever Jesus leads us both night and day forever.
As some one stated in a book I read; Eternity is not long enough to praise our God.
In Heaven, our will and God's will will be one and the same and we will always be filled with the Holy Spirit. When we are in God's will on earth and filled with the Holy Spirit we are filled with joy and hope; and, bordem is the last thing on our mind.
Hope Page: http://itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com
Imagine this have you ever burned yourself ever so lightly, the pain seems to intensify over the next few days and that is minor, now imagine your soul burning like that 24/7 for those trillions of years you talk about to me hell is not an optionl. But this is not the reason to choose heaven, my opinion is that this life on earth is a test to see if we will choose to serve the creator of all things. Doubt and disbelief is the only reason people choose hell and after they figure that out it is too late. and lets see free will gets us murders, abortion, drug addiction, acholism deadbeat dads, unwed pregnancies, child abuse, homelessness, debt, profanity, etc and so on. Choose God you are a whole lot better off, than choosing our own way.................
timothybrown01
If you want to know what Heaven and hell is like go to these links that pattiepie gave:
Revelations of Hell - Testimonies of 7 Columbian Youth
http://spiritlessons.com/Documents/7_Jovenes/English_7_Jovenes_Hell.htm
Revelations of Heaven - Testimonies of 7 Columbian Youth
http://spiritlessons.com/Documents/7_Jovenes/English_7_Jovenes_Heaven.htm
I would guess a whole lot of golfers are wondering about the links in Heaven and the effect a life with God will have on thier uncontrollable slice. Now that is a theological discussion I would love to hear.
Jerry1
What original ideas do you have?
Jerry1
Re:"Imagine trillions and trillions of years in a boring heaven. Then another trillion years, then another."
I don't think so.
1 Corinthians 2:9 (King James Version)
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Imagine trillions and trillions of years in a boring heaven. Then another trillion years, then another.
Who could wish for such a disgusting never ending existence? Who could believe in this childish nonsense?
The problem with Christians is they never think. They never have an original idea. Their lives are just blind obedience to their religious brainwashing, never questioning anything no matter how insane it is.