As It Is in Heaven | Greg Laurie Interview

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Sign up at harvest.org. Well, Pastor Greg, we're making available your new book called As It Is in Heaven this month. And I know you have some investments in heaven. One of them is a lady you refer to as Mama Stella. And a number of years ago, we talked with her on the phone right here on this program.

Let's go back in time and hear that. Mama Stella, are you there? Hi, Greg.

Hi, Mama Stella. How are you? I'm fine. How are you? I'm great. Good to hear your voice.

Always good to hear your voice. Tell us a little bit about Greg when he was growing up. What kind of a little boy was he? Well, he was a sweet little boy.

He was smiling all the time in that blonde curly hair. And he was really easy to get along with. You know, Dave, my grandmother, she was the first one that really exposed me to the Bible. And I remember going to church with her.

And in fact, right after I became a Christian, one of the first people I called was my grandmother. Delighted to have the little part of it. And God bless you, Greg. Thanks, Mama Stella.

Isn't that great? You know, she's one of the people waiting for you in heaven, Pastor Greg. It's going to be a sweet reunion someday, is it not?

Yes, it really is. You know, Mama Stella, and that's the southern way of addressing your grandparent, you know, you call your grandmother Mama, or your grandfather, Daddy. So it was Mama Stella and Daddy Charles.

And I lived with her and my grandfather for a number of years as my mom was living her wild, tumultuous life. And Mama Stella and Daddy Charles were Christians. They had a portrait of Jesus hanging on the wall. And we went to church on Sunday.

Well, my mother didn't have a portrait of Jesus hanging on a wall, and there was no church. And that is when I first heard about Jesus. And I remember as a little boy, I would stare at that portrait. And there was something about Jesus that intrigued me. Like, who is he?

You know, can I know him? I remember as a little boy, sitting in my bed at night after they'd gone to sleep. And I would put a blanket over my head. And I would talk to an imaginary character that I called Mr. Nobody.

And I think in my little boy way, I was reaching out to God. You know, the Bible says God has placed eternity in our hearts. That's unique to people. You don't have that in the animal kingdom. I don't think a dog sits around and thinks about the meaning of his life.

I know a cat wouldn't for sure. But you know, I did think about those things. And then I thought even more deeply about it as it got a little bit older. And then I went on my own search. And so when I did hear the gospel, and I did accept Christ, I called Mama Stella.

And it's funny because she also played a role in my first answered prayer. Because after I became a Christian, I had this kind of funky Bible somebody gave me. And I wanted a proper Bible, you know, with a leather cover, gold pages. I'd seen one down at a Christian bookstore. And I prayed, God, would you get me a Bible?

I had no money. And I wasn't going to ask my mother to buy me a Bible. And so I prayed, Lord, would you help me get one of these Bibles?

And my grandmother talks to me on the phone. And I told her I accepted Christ. And she said, Greg, I want to buy you a brand new Bible, go pick out a real nice one, and I'll pay for it.

Boom. First answer prayer came through Mama Stella, not to forget also the fact that she was the most amazing cook of all time, because it was southern food, you know, deep fried chicken, okra, collard greens, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes, and the best biscuits this side of heaven. So when I get to heaven, I'm kind of hoping that Mama Stella will fire me up a batch of hot biscuits so I can melt butter on them, and then put some honey or some jam.

She also made jam, of course. And to me, that would be better maybe even than manna. So speaking of heaven, I have written a book called As It Is in Heaven.

You've heard that phrase before. It's in the Lord's Prayer, where Jesus teaches us this prayer. He says, after this manna therefore you should pray our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What is heaven like? What will we do in heaven? Will we be reunited with loved ones who have preceded us when we get there?

Well, the answer to that is yes. So I deal with all of those things and a whole lot more because, you know, heaven is sort of this mystical place to a lot of people. The Bible actually gives us some very important details about heaven. I can tell you this, it's going to be amazing, it's going to surpass your wildest dreams, and it will be better than anything you've ever experienced on earth. And that's why I want to send you a copy of this book, As It Is in Heaven, so you can learn more about your future heavenly home.

And I'll send this book to you for your gift of any size. Well, Pastor Greg, you've mentioned before that your ministry focus and intensity changed in the year 2008. What happened to bring about that change? Well, what happened was my oldest son Christopher died in an automobile accident and he went to be with the Lord. It was the worst moment of my life for sure. It's something I haven't completely recovered from, to be honest with you, and anyone who's lost a child knows what I'm talking about. And honestly, if God had not come through for me, I would have given up preaching altogether.

But I have to say God did come through for me and he comes through for me because here's the thing that I had to deal with. It's so shocking to lose someone so suddenly. I never got to say goodbye.

We didn't have a final conversation. And they have all context suddenly cut off. It's devastating. But I would reassure myself with what the Bible says. And the Bible tells us that we will see our loved ones again. In fact, in 1 Thessalonians 4, when Paul is addressing the topic of the Rapture of the Church, he says, that dead in Christ shall rise first and we which are alive and remaining shall be caught up together with them in the clouds and so shall we ever be with the Lord. With them.

With who? With our loved ones that are in heaven now. So if you have someone that has died and gone to heaven, you will see them again.

They're not just a part of your past, they're also a part of your future. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And then he says this, and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. The Christian never dies.

Now you might say, Greg, you're delusional. Of course they die. I understand. Yes, there'll be that moment where we breathe our last breath and we are laid in a grave. But that's our body. Our soul lives on. And one day God will resurrect our bodies as well. So for me, though that was the worst day of my life, my hope is that I'll see my son Christopher again. And I'm really looking forward to that day. Did your interest in heaven, your curiosity about heaven, grow a lot stronger when it became Christopher's new home?

Yes, it did, of course. You know, I've always had a fascination with heaven, I think as most Christians do. I have always been a student of heaven.

I'm certainly not an expert on the topic, but it's something I've been studying for over 50 years. But after my son went there, it suddenly became far more tangible to me, like he is there right now. What is he doing? What is happening? And so I began an extensive study of the topic of heaven.

And I wanted to learn everything I could learn about it. What is it like? What will we do there? Will we see our loved ones again?

Short answer, yes, if they're Christians. Will it be fun? Will it be boring? The answer is yes, it will be fun.

No, it will not be boring. What are some of the common misconceptions about heaven? Believers know what the Bible says. What do people outside the body of Christ say about the afterlife?

What are some of the common fallacies that we hear? Yeah, good question. Well, I think the problem is a lot of us have our impressions of heaven from movies, or art, or even cartoons, right? I'm going to sit around on a cloud strumming a harp with a bunch of fat baby angels hovering over me, or I'm going to be bored beyond comprehension.

Okay, that's all ridiculous. Those are caricatures of heaven. First of all, heaven is a real place for real people to do real things. Heaven is not some vague mystical thing. It's a destination. It's a place.

It's as real as any city you've been to, as any place you've been to. In fact, the Bible says that heaven is a city. Heaven is a country. Heaven is a paradise. So think about a city that you've been to. Now, so many of our cities are filled with crime and urban decay and so many problems, but think about the best city you've ever been to and maybe the nicest restaurant you've eaten in in that city and now magnify that many, many times you get a glimpse of heaven. Listen, the Bible says when we get to heaven, as an example, we will eat.

I mean, I think that's literal. We're going to eat. It's called the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. So you'll be able to sit down with the great patriarchs and matriarchs of Scripture, the men and women of God, not only be reunited with great men and women of the Bible, I'll be reunited with my loved ones who've gone on before me, my grandmother, my grandfather, my mother, my father, my son, Christopher, many friends that have preceded me to heaven. It'll be such a great family reunion. You know, family reunions can be great and horrible, depending on what kind of a family you have and all of us have weird members in our family.

Check this out. You might be the weird member in your family. Having said that, it is great when you have a good family reunion and you see people you haven't seen for a long time. Imagine how glorious that will be when we're reunited with our loved ones who have preceded us to heaven. But best of all, even more than the great men and women of the Bible, even greater than seeing our loved ones, you'll be with Jesus. And that's what heaven is all about. It's about being with Jesus. Pastor Greg, what will a right view of heaven do for us in terms of our outlook in this life?

Well, I think there's a couple of things I could say to that. Let me broaden that to the afterlife. Because we talk about heaven, but we need to also talk about hell. Just as surely as there is a real place called heaven, there is also a horrible place called hell. Hell was not prepared for people.

It was prepared for the devil and his angels. Heaven is not for good people and hell for bad people. Heaven is for forgiven people. But the reason I bring up hell is because the Bible says there'll be a future judgment. When you think of the horrible atheistic regimes that slaughtered millions of their own citizens over history, you realize that these people did not believe there was a God. They did not believe that there were repercussions for their actions.

They did not believe there was a final judgment. If I believe there's a final judgment, that will affect me in decisions I make. Now, broadening that to heaven, if I believe there are future rewards, that will affect me in the way I live as well. Because the Bible promises that there are rewards in heaven waiting for those that faithfully serve the Lord. The Bible talks about different crowns. There's a crown of life. There's a crown of rejoicing and other beautiful things that we will be given in heaven.

Because Jesus said, and as we faithfully serve the Lord, it's duly noted by the Lord and he would reward us openly one day. Future rewards, future judgment. When I think of the afterlife, it will affect me in this life. Professor Greg, to what extent do our loved ones in heaven know what's going on with all of us down here on earth? Yeah, that's an excellent question. That's one I've studied very carefully because I've studied it because my son, Christopher, who has been in heaven now for many years, I wonder, is he aware of anything that's happening down here on earth?

Now, one answer people will give is no. They know nothing about what's going on on earth. I don't think that's completely accurate, actually. I do believe that people in heaven are aware of some things happening on earth. Example, Jesus said there is rejoicing and the presence of the angels over one sinner repentance. That means that when someone comes to Christ on earth, there's rejoicing in heaven.

So that shows a heaven-earth connection. Wouldn't it be interesting if maybe we found out that someone we'd shared the gospel with came to Christ after we'd gone on to heaven and there was that victory shot in glory and we realized that was a result of something we'd done. Also, you know, there are rewards given out in heaven. Rewards for faithfulness, rewards for obedience, rewards for resisting temptation.

What do you think you're going to have? A complete brain wipe when you get to heaven? If you're giving a reward in heaven for something you faithfully did on earth, obviously you remember something about the life before. But do people in heaven know what's going on down here?

They may. In the book of Revelation, we read of believers who were martyred for their faith and when they get to heaven, they say, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth. So these believers are aware of the passing of time because they say, How long, O Lord? They're aware of people still on earth that have sort of gotten away with this and they're wondering when God's judgment will be meted out to those people. So there are these connections, you see. Now, I don't know if they're following our every movement. I'm sure they have other things to do, like worship the Lord and enjoy all the glories and treasures and pleasures of heaven.

But having said that, I do think there is some connection and they are aware of some things. So I've written about that and a whole lot more in this book called As It Is in Heaven. It's a book that answers your questions about the afterlife, questions like, What is heaven? Where is heaven? Why is there a heaven? What will I do when I get to heaven? Will I eat in heaven? Will I see people in heaven? Will we recognize one another in heaven? I deal with this and a whole lot more in this book, As It Is in Heaven, and I would love to send it to you so you can learn more about your future destination. That is, if you put your faith in Jesus Christ.

And so, for your gift of any size this month that you sent, I will rush you your own copy of As It Is in Heaven so you can learn more about the afterlife that will enable you to live a godly life now. When someone close to us passes away, you know, it can be so shocking. On a day-to-day basis, we just tend to forget that death awaits us all, you know, should the Lord tarry. How can we remind ourselves that our days are numbered, but that there's a brighter future waiting for us, at least those of us who put our faith in Christ?

Yes, that's right. The Scripture tells us, Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. You know, in ancient days they used to write a phrase over, say, a financial record, so you're checking out your bank balance. And they would write these words down, memento mori, which means think of death. How morbid, think of death. But it's a good thing.

It's like, hey, I have so much money in the bank. Yeah, dude, but think of death. In other words, you can't take it with you. But you can send it on ahead when you invest in the work of the kingdom, can't you?

But here's my point. It's grounding to think of the afterlife. It's important to think about the next life, and it should affect us in the way that we live in this life. So, Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Every day is a gift from God. The beat of your heart is a gift from God.

The breath you're drawing in your lungs right now is a gift of God. We have no guarantee of a tomorrow. Therefore, we should live every day as though it were our last day, because one day it will be.

I don't say that so you'll be afraid. I say that so you'll be practical. And make your days count, and make your life count. And don't just throw it away, because one day you're gonna enter into the next life, the afterlife. And there'll be rewards given to you for your faithful service to the Lord.

Think of this. When you share the gospel with someone and you come to Christ, you'll be joined in heaven by them one day. And so we want to do everything we can in this life to get ready for the afterlife.

And it's gonna be beyond your wildest dreams. So maybe I'm talking to somebody right now that's in a hospital room, or the effects of old age are kicking in, or they've had a recent problem or catastrophe. And it just seems like this is the end, but there's a better life ahead of you. There's a better world coming in heaven. And that gives us hope, and it gives us perspective to keep walking forward until that day we see Jesus face to face. Well, if somebody doesn't have that hope that hope of heaven, what would you say to them?

What do they do? I would say the way that you can prepare yourself for heaven is by getting right with God. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Jesus said, In my Father's house are many mansions, and if I go, I will come again and receive you unto myself, for I have gone to prepare a place for you. So how do you prepare to go to heaven?

Well, let's just use an illustration. How do you prepare to go on a trip? Let's say you're going overseas. Well, get your passports in order.

Make sure that they're current. Pack the clothes. Find out what the weather is like. Of course, make a reservation for a plane flight and then a reservation for a hotel. Maybe exchange your money into the currency of the place you're visiting. These are practical things you do to prepare for a trip.

Okay, so we're thinking about the afterlife. How do I prepare? Make sure your passport is in order. And by that, I would say make sure you're ready to meet God. How can you be ready to meet God? Well, you need Christ to be living in your heart.

You need him to forgive you of your sin. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me. So the way we get to heaven is through Christ. We don't go to heaven to find Christ. We go to Christ to find heaven. So when you ask Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, then you will know you're ready for the next life.

Now you're prepared for the afterlife. In fact, hey, I could lead you in that prayer right now if you would like. A prayer where you could ask Christ to come into your life to be your Savior and your Lord and your friend and thus you would be ready for heaven. If you would like to ask Christ to come into your life right now, just pray this out loud after me. Mean it from your heart and God will hear and answer this prayer.

Just pray this if you would. Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Jesus, I'm sorry for my sin. I ask you to come into my life right now and forgive me and be my Lord, and be my Savior, and be my God, and be my friend.

I choose to follow you from this moment forward. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Amen. And listen, if you have just prayed that prayer with Pastor Greg and have meant those words sincerely, the Lord has forgiven your sins and we want to welcome you into the family of God. And we want to help you get started living this new life. Let us send you Pastor Greg's New Believer's Bible.

It's been read by millions of people and they enjoy the scores of helps for new believers and the easy to understand translation. So get in touch for your free copy of the New Believer's Bible. Call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime. Again, 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org and click Know God.