What REALLY matters

"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne there were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne there proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, teh third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying,"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!" Whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, "You are worthy, OLord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created ALL things, and by Your will they exsist and were created."

I love this passage! I am a very visual person, and this passage gives exact details concerning the heavenly throne room! Can't you just picture it in your mind? Of course, we can't ACTUALLY picture how it really is, but even in our minds, it is absolutely amazing! And WE get to go there! Lots of times I think of heaven as being there during the triblulation, or for the wedding supper of the lamb, or just some time in the future. But one thing I think is very interesting is that heaven is "going on" right NOW!!! Jesus Christ is preparing our homes, and getting it ready for when we join Him! It makes me wonder what else is going on up there. And what we're going to be doing up there for eternity! But the Bible tells us! We will be "glorifying and praising God" all our days! We will never tire of it! Our God is SO AWESOME, He deserves all our praise, our respect, our admiration, our worship, and our very lives!! It is so amazing that the God who CREATED THE WORLD cares about each and every one of us. Everybody in the world. He knows what we're going to do tomorrow, what we're going to say and do in ten years (unless He comes before that) and He knew all of that before He created the world! Often times I get caught up in the world, what's going on NOW, and making plans for what I'm going to do. But what really matters is how we will spend eternity! I'm not trying to say that it doesn't matter what you do on earth, because it does. But ONLY the things done for our Lord and Savior will count for anything in heaven. We need to ask ourselves, "will what I'm doing right now stand the test of fire at the judgement?" Ok, you don't have to ask yourself EXACTLY that, but something of that s0rt:) The point is, keeping it at the back of our minds that EVERYTHING we do is written in the books, and only the things done for Christ will count for anything. Wouldn't it be terrible to get to heaven, and you don't have any crowns to lay before our Lord? It's like the parable when Jesus talked about the servant who was given a talent, dug a hole, buried it, and then when his master came that was all he had to give to him. I want to be like the one with five talents, who gained five more and had ten to offer to his master! So this is the challenge: think about what you're doing, and try to do what will matter for eternity, not just today. Sometimes it can be hard, and you REALLY want to do a certain thing, but maybe you can use that thing to further the gospel, or you could turn that thing into a tool to praise and honor the Lord! May the Lord bless you all as you live for Him!!!