clear-headed thinking wake up and come to grips with the most overwhelming, incomparable,...

Clear-Headed ThinkingClear-Headed Thinking

Wake up and come to grips with the Wake up and come to grips with the most overwhelming, incomparable, most overwhelming, incomparable, revolutionary love ever given in the revolutionary love ever given in the history and future of the universe!history and future of the universe!

Paul’s Clear-Headed ThinkingPaul’s Clear-Headed Thinking

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, glory far beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:16-172 Corinthians 4:16-17

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27

“imprisonments, beaten…shipwrecked.. robbers…I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”


Therefore we do not lose heart, but though Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, glory far beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:16-172 Corinthians 4:16-17


while we look not at the things which are while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:182 Corinthians 4:18

By CONTRAST!

““momentary, light affliction”momentary, light affliction”

““I consider that the sufferings of this I consider that the sufferings of this present time are present time are not worthynot worthy to be to be compared with the glory that is to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” revealed to us.” Romans 8:18 Romans 8:18

Our Our FoggyFoggy Thinking… Thinking…1.1. Expect to build happiness Expect to build happiness herehere……““I think we have lost the old knowledge that . . . (this) life I think we have lost the old knowledge that . . . (this) life

is overrated. We have lost, somehow, a sense of is overrated. We have lost, somehow, a sense of mystery about us, our purpose, our meaning, our role. mystery about us, our purpose, our meaning, our role. Our ancestors believed in two worlds, and understood Our ancestors believed in two worlds, and understood this to be the solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short this to be the solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short one. We are the first generations of (our culture) that one. We are the first generations of (our culture) that actually expected to find happiness here on earth, and actually expected to find happiness here on earth, and our search for it has caused--such unhappiness . . .”our search for it has caused--such unhappiness . . .”

Peggy Noonan, "You'd Cry Too If It Happened To You," Forbes Magazine, Peggy Noonan, "You'd Cry Too If It Happened To You," Forbes Magazine, September 14, 1992, p. 65.September 14, 1992, p. 65.

Our Our FoggyFoggy Thinking… Thinking…

1.1. Expect to build happiness Expect to build happiness herehere……2.2. Self-indulgent pursuits…Self-indulgent pursuits…

“When the church doesn’t have heaven on its mind, it becomes indulgent and self-centered and weak. Sometimes its present comfort consumes its thoughts, and heaven is just an after-thought…”

Dr. David Jeremiah, “Heaven”


1.1. Expect to build happiness Expect to build happiness herehere……2.2. Self-indulgent pursuits…Self-indulgent pursuits…3.3. An unquenchable thirst…An unquenchable thirst…

God has made everything beautiful for its own God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. end. Ecclesiastes 3:11Ecclesiastes 3:11


1.1. Expect to build happiness Expect to build happiness herehere……2.2. Self-indulgent pursuits…Self-indulgent pursuits…3.3. An unquenchable thirst…An unquenchable thirst…4.4. Building “Heaven on earth…”Building “Heaven on earth…”

As I looked at everything I had worked so As I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was hard to accomplish, it was all so meaninglessall so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was —like chasing the wind. There was nothing nothing really worthwhile anywherereally worthwhile anywhere..

Ecclesiastes 2:11

““an eternal weight of glory far beyond an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison”all comparison”

So Prominent in the Bible…So Prominent in the Bible…– Over Over 500 times!500 times!

““I don’t believe in the afterlife, so I don’t I don’t believe in the afterlife, so I don’t have to spend my life fearing hell or have to spend my life fearing hell or fearing heaven even more. For whatever fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse!”heaven would be even worse!”

Isaac AsimovIsaac Asimov


So Prominent in the Bible…So Prominent in the Bible…

It’s God’s Place!It’s God’s Place!– God is God is notnot boring! boring!

“Are we so arrogant that we imagine that human beings came up with the idea of fun? The very qualities that you and I admire in others – every one of them – are true of God.”

Randy Alcorn, Heaven

“Who made Bach? Who made Beethoven and Mozart? Who gave them their gifts, and created music, and our ability to enjoy it? All that is fascinating in human beings comes from our Creator!”

Randy Alcorn, Heaven

You will make known to me the path of You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures Your right hand there are pleasures forever.forever. Psalms 16:11 Psalms 16:11



It’s God’s Place!It’s God’s Place!

You will be You will be veryvery different! different!

For we know that when this earthly tent we For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, house in heaven, an eternal bodyan eternal body made for made for us us by God himselfby God himself and not by human hands. and not by human hands. 2 Cor.5:1 2 Cor.5:1

We We grow wearygrow weary in our present bodies, in our present bodies, and we and we longlong to put on our heavenly to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. bodies like new clothing.

2 Corinthians 5:22 Corinthians 5:2




You will be You will be veryvery different! different!– With a With a realreal body… body…

For we will put on heavenly bodies; For we will put on heavenly bodies; we we will not be spirits without bodieswill not be spirits without bodies. .

2 Corinthians 5:32 Corinthians 5:3





– Recognizable!Recognizable!

– And And beautiful!beautiful!

While we live in these earthly While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sighbodies, we groan and sigh, , but it’s not that we want to but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. bodies that clothe us. Rather, Rather, we want to put on we want to put on our new bodies so that these our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be dying bodies will be swallowed up by lifeswallowed up by life. . (5:4) (5:4)

For our dying bodies must For our dying bodies must be transformed into be transformed into bodies bodies that will never diethat will never die; our ; our mortal bodies must be mortal bodies must be transformed into transformed into immortal immortal bodiesbodies.. 1 Cor. 15:53 1 Cor. 15:53




You will be You will be veryvery different! different!– With a With a realreal body… body…– Recognizable!Recognizable!– And And beautiful!beautiful!– Able to eat!Able to eat!– And And feast!feast!

““Now come and have Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the said. None of the disciples dared to ask disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the They knew it was the Lord. Lord. John 21:12John 21:12

Let us be glad and rejoice, Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to and let us give honor to him. For the time has him. For the time has come for the wedding come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared bride has prepared herself!herself! Rev. 19:7Rev. 19:7

And the angel said to me, And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to those who are invited to the wedding feast of the the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that “These are true words that come from God.”come from God.” Rev. 19:9 Rev. 19:9

Mark my words—I will Mark my words—I will not not drink winedrink wine again again until the day I drink it until the day I drink it new with you in my new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” Father’s Kingdom.” Matthew 26:29 Matthew 26:29





– Recognizable!Recognizable!

– And And beautiful!beautiful!

– Able to eat!Able to eat!

– And And feast!feast!

– With With POWER!POWER!

So also is the resurrection of So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a the dead. It is sown a perishable perishable body,body, it is raised an it is raised an imperishable imperishable body;body; it is sown in dishonor, it is it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is raised in glory; it is sown in sown in weakness, it is raised in weakness, it is raised in powerpower; ; 1 Cor. 15:42-431 Cor. 15:42-43

it is sown a natural body, it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body. If there is a natural body, there is also a body, there is also a spiritual spiritual body.body. 1 Cor.15:441 Cor.15:44

So when it was evening on that So when it was evening on that day, the first day, the first dayday of the week, of the week, and when and when the doors were shutthe doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, of the Jews, Jesus cameJesus came and and stood in their midst and said* to stood in their midst and said* to them, "Peace them, "Peace bebe with you." with you." John John 20:19 20:19




You will be You will be veryvery different! different!

NotNot imagination! imagination!

Christianity is the only major Christianity is the only major world religion that can point to a world religion that can point to a historical event as evidence for historical event as evidence for its view of the afterlifeits view of the afterlife

““an eternal weight of glory far an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison”beyond all comparison”

How does this affect your view How does this affect your view now?now?1.1. A Change of what we A Change of what we long forlong for!!

While we live in these earthly bodies, While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan we groan and sighand sigh, but it’s , but it’s not that we want to dienot that we want to die and and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, Rather, we want to put on our new bodieswe want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:42 Corinthians 5:4



2.2. A deeper relationship with God…A deeper relationship with God…God himself has prepared us for this, and God himself has prepared us for this, and as a as a

guarantee he has given us his Holy Spiritguarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. . 2 Corinthians 5:52 Corinthians 5:5

So God can point to us in all future ages as So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesusus who are united with Christ Jesus. . Ephesians 2:7 Ephesians 2:7



2.2. A deeper relationship with God…A deeper relationship with God…

3.3. A healthy view on A healthy view on temporary sufferingtemporary suffering……

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seenseen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the ; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:172 Cor. 4:17





Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying,outer man is decaying,yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:162 Corinthians 4:16





4.4. A A consistentconsistent & & courageouscourageous life! life!

Therefore, being always of good courage, and Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— faith, not by sight— 2 Corinthians 5:6-7 2 Corinthians 5:6-7

Clear-Headed ThinkingClear-Headed Thinking

Wake up and come to grips with the Wake up and come to grips with the most overwhelming, incomparable, most overwhelming, incomparable, revolutionary love ever given in the revolutionary love ever given in the history and future of the universe!history and future of the universe!

clear-headed thinking wake up and come to grips with the most overwhelming, incomparable,...

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