The best that God has for us, heaven, is yet to come. Child of God, Jesus has prepared a place for you, and someday you will join Him and live forever!

Heaven: The Best For You Is Yet To Come

STM Bible Lesson

Lesson focus: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Bible lesson background 2 Corinthians 4:7-18: Paul tells of the precious treasure, the gospel, or good news of Christ.
The messenger is of little value compared to the message. Though they endured much opposition, they were not defeated. We, like Christ, may die, but because He lives, we will also.
Presently, He is alive in us, and we present Him to the world! So we grow weak physically, but strong spiritually. Above all, the final reward that lies ahead is worth our temporal troubles.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (16-18)]

We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. 17 These little troubles [here on earth] are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing [i.e., in heaven. See Romans 8:18]. 18 Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. This is why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen. (CEV)

KJV: For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The New Jerusalem

Heaven, your home that will never end, is the best God has for you. The New Jerusalem (aka Heaven) is free from tears, pain, and death. Nothing will make you suffer or feel sad.

Revelation 21:4 [read Revelation 21:1-8 (4)]

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” (WEB)

KJV: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Your life on earth and all that you have here are temporary. God has a better, timeless place for you. So, be patient; your suffering will be worth the reward that is yet to come.

Suffer now

Many people go through very difficult times. Some do not feel they have a future worth thinking about. Jesus said, Be happy and very glad, for your reward in heaven will be great.

Romans 8:18 and 23 [read Romans 8:18-30 (18 and 23)]

18 Yet I’m convinced that what we suffer in the present is nothing compared to the future glory that will be revealed to us. 23 Not only creation, but we too, who have a foretaste of the Spirit, we groan inwardly as we wait for God to “adopt” us—the redemption of our bodies. (FBV)

KJV: 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Hope of Eternal Life

1 Peter 1:3-5 [read 1 Peter 1:3-12 (3-5)]

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (NLT)

KJV: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

The Best is Yet to Come

Jesus said heaven is your great reward. Do you believe it?

Luke 6:22-23 [read Luke 6:20-23 (22-23); compare Matthew 5:1-12 (11-12)]

You are blessed when men hate you and withdraw their fellowship from you and speak abusively about you and reject your name as evil, [all] for being loyal to the Son of man. 23 Be happy at that time and jump for joy and realize that your reward in heaven will be great, for the forefathers [i.e., of your corrupt Jewish leaders] treated the prophets the same way. (AUV)

KJV: Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

A place for you

Child of God, Jesus has prepared a place for you. When you were born again, you became a member of God’s family. In fact, you are listed as a citizen of heaven.

Your mansion awaits

John 14:2-3 [read John 14:1-6 (2-3)]

There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If this were not true, would I have told you that I am going there? Would I have told you that I would prepare a place for you there? 3 If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am. (NIRV)

KJV: In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Luke 10:20 [read Luke 10:17-20 (20)]

Yes, even the spirits obey you. And you can be happy, not because you have this power, but because your names are written in heaven.” (ERV)

KJV: Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Your heavenly home

The best news is that someday in the future, we will join the Lord in our heavenly home (John 14:3). So we will be with Him forever!

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 [read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (16-17)]

The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And those who have died and were in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, those who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with them. We will be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. (ICB)

KJV: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Definite hope of eternal glory

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 [read 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 (1-5)]

For we know that when this tent we live in — our body here on earth — is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home he himself has made, which will last forever. 2 And now we sigh, so great is our desire that our home which comes from heaven should be put on over us; 3 by being clothed with it we shall not be without a body.
4 While we live in this earthly tent, we groan with a feeling of oppression; it is not that we want to get rid of our earthly body, but that we want to have the heavenly one put on over us, so that what is mortal will be transformed by life. 5 God is the one who has prepared us for this change, and he gave us his Spirit as the guarantee of all that he has in store for us. (GNT)

KJV: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Our Hope is in Hope

Colossians 1:5-6 [read Colossians 1:3-8 (5-6)]

You have these because of the hope which is kept safe for you in heaven. Some time ago you heard about this hope in the Good News which is the message of truth.
6 This Good News is present with you now. It is producing results and spreading all over the world as it did among you from the first day you heard it. At that time you came to know what God’s kindness truly means. (GW)

KJV: For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

The best that God has for us, heaven, is yet to come! Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible lesson. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺

Related studies, lessons, and snacks for further spiritual growth:

What We Hope For, Our Destiny, Life In Heaven! – an estimated 6-minute read.

Inheritance: Your Ultimate Priceless Gift Is Reserved In Heaven – an estimated 26-minute read.

Freedom from Sin and the Law; Liberty Through Jesus – an estimated 17-minute read.

Better Life Through Christ Becomes Eternal Life With Christ – an estimated 8-minute read.

Make Your Eternal Destiny, Life In The New Jerusalem! – an estimated 5-minute read.

♥ Question for “Heaven: The Best For You Is Yet To Come”: Are you looking forward to being in heaven?

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