Heaven Is A Prepared Place

Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.  I attended the home going celebration of several Christians recently. It was said; Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.  Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:1-3.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16   Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27
 By washing of water with the word. Without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. God is at work in our lives if we allow him in. I have often said there are no perfect Christians. When I was a young man and very legalistic in my thinking, I expected Christians to be perfect. Actually that is what I was taught in the church I grew up in. My reality was that I was not perfect.  I became very discouraged because I saw my failures. I thought I cannot live this Christian life. I am not perfect. One day God got ahold of me and I repented. I remember at that time thinking no matter how much of a hypocrite I was I would not quit. I saw trouble in my life over and over again. But God was with me. I remember during the struggles of divorce and being alone. I knew what was right in God's sight but I did not like being alone. I sinned. Just to put it as plain as I can I sinned. But God continued to work on me and I repented. I remembered that promise, I would not quit, I continued and repented again and again. I look at the scripture above: that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water by the word. Sometimes when I do well, I feel self righteous and then I remember my past. the struggles with sin. My life was still not perfect. I repented and repented again. Sometimes for the same sin over and over again. God was working on me. Washing of water by the word. that he might sanctify me, clean me up. I could not do it on my own. God prepares us as he works on us in our hearts, cleaning us up. We can never make ourselves clean. We can only come to God just as we are and allow him to clean us and sanctify us. It is not through good works, lest any man should boast.  I cannot boast, I could not do it on my own. I allowed God to work in my life. And he did work in my heart and life. Way back in the beginning years, I see his hand molding me, shaping me as he sees fit. God is preparing a place for us as he prepares us.  He has prepared for us a city. It is better than where we are. Life is good and I enjoy it but there is a better place ahead that God is at work on. When I look around as I travel and see many sights and sounds, I see God's handiwork. I see the beautiful places on earth God has created and many have taken centuries to get to their place of beauty. Sometimes I look up to the clouds and there I too see his painting in the sunsets of time. No two are alike, this masterful creator is at work. I see great men and wish to be like them but in many God took his time, a lifetime and  created a work of art in their hearts and lives. I look, he is still at work in me. What does he have for me on the other side? I see the beauty here below and yet he is working on a prepared place for me. I cannot imagine. I see what he does in the hearts of men that yield themselves to him, and he prepares them for what is ahead. I saw that too, how he prepared me for the trouble that was ahead. A prepared place for a prepared people.  He is working on me. I don't get frustrated any more with my imperfections because I know I am forgiven. At a moments notice when I see something not right in my life I can take it to God and ask to be forgiven and I am forgiven. A prepared place for a prepared people. I am so thankful for that day when I decided to say yes to his prompting, his talking to my heart. I knew I was a mess, but I trusted him to clean me up. I am so thankful for the life I have had. Troubles have been many but God was with me all the way, preparing me for something just ahead. Someday I will take my last journey across the Jordan to the other side of eternity. What lies ahead, I do not know but I have seen his hand in work on this side. We desire a better country and better place a  prepared place for a prepared people. God is still at work in my life and I like what he has done. Something better lies ahead, a prepared place for a prepared people. I looked at the lives of those he took, what a blessing. They were prepared.  A prepared place for a prepared people. I could not fix me, God did it as I allowed him into my heart and life. Have you allowed God into your heart to prepare you for what is ahead?  God bless, LVZ.