“Encouraging the Saints 218: Our Journey Home” by Michael Martin Greetings Saints and Friends, “Come on, Charlie! We get to go, again!” “This is fantastic, Charles! Since we have begun to serve the generation with the most believers in Jesus, we have had more opportunities than ever before to bring more of God’s children home to heaven.” “I agree, Charlie. Let’s go!” “Hello, Sir. I’m Charles and this is Charlie. We are angels sent by God to escort you home to heaven!” “You don’t look like angels to me. Where’s your halos? Where’s your wings?” “Angels do not actually have halos, as some picture us. And as far as wings, not all angels have wings.” “Well, I am ready to go home to heaven. Let’s go!” As the gates of heaven began to open, the new arrival asked, “Are we here already, Charles!?” “Indeed we are.” ​”Tell me, Charlie. Why did God send you and Charles to escort me home to heaven? Couldn’t He have just called me home?” “Yes, He sure could have done that. But there are a few reasons God sent us to bring you home. First of all, as you know, God loves you. And a father who loves his children will do things for the shear joy of watching his children get excited and have fun.” “Well, Charlie, I’m sure my heavenly Father knows the joy I am feeling right now.” “Yes, He does. And He saw the excitement on your face and the fun you were having as Charles and I were bringing you home.” “You said there were a few reasons God sent you and Charles. Why else did He send you to escort me home?” “He sent us also to give you assurance of His promise of protection. Jesus promises eternal life in heaven to all who trust in Him. And He backs that up with the promise, ‘No one can snatch you out of My hand.’ John 10:28 Every believer is assured that nothing nor anyone can separate you from His love – nor the place in heaven He has prepared for you. If Satan could, he would disrupt our travel from earth to heaven. Many Christians know that God has said, ‘There are spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.'” Ephesians 6:12 “Yes, Charlie, I saw them on our way here to heaven. They did not look friendly at all. But I had no sense of fear with you and Charles escorting me home to heaven. I felt safe and secure all the way!” ​”Another reason God sends us angels to escort His children home to heaven is that, left to themselves, some would not arrive home straight-way.” “O yes, I can understand that, Charlie. Had I been traveling on my own, there were a number of places where I would have stopped on my journey home to heaven. God has created such an awe-inspiring universe. None of the world’s most powerful scientific telescopes can capture what I just saw on my way home. To see the universe close up like I just did was incredible! No wonder the Psalmist exclaims, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God.’ Psalm 19:1 Charlie, Charles, thank you so much for escorting me excitedly and safely home to heaven. I can feel the worship taking place inside the gates of glory. I can not help but now join in with the joyous worship of Almighty God, Who made the heavens and the earth.” “We quite understand. God alone is worthy! We are off to escort another saint home to heaven. But when we return, we shall join you, the other believers, and our fellow angels in worship!” As the angels departed, the believer joined in the heavenly chorus: ‘Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee. How great Thou art, how great Thou art!,…’ ​Can you say with full assurance and confidence today, that the heaven where God rules over all the universe will be your forever home? God wants you there with Him, because He loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus, with the invitation. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 ​You can tell God from your heart: ‘Dear God, thank You for loving me. Forgive me for the things I have said and done that are wrong. I know, Jesus, You paid for all of my sins when You died in my place and rose again. Amen.’ If you prayed that prayer, you can begin to live in anticipation of your journey home to heaven because of Jesus.

“Encouraging the Saints 218: Our Journey Home” by Michael Martin Greetings Saints and Friends, “Come on, Charlie! We get to go, again!” “This is fantastic, Charles! Since we have begun to serve the generation with the most believers in Jesus, we have had more opportunities than ever before to bring more of God’s children home to heaven.” “I agree, Charlie. Let’s go!” “Hello, Sir. I’m Charles and this is Charlie. We are angels sent by God to escort you home to heaven!” “You don’t look like angels to me. Where’s your halos? Where’s your wings?” “Angels do not actually have halos, as some picture us. And as far as wings, not all angels have wings.” “Well, I am ready to go home to heaven. Let’s go!” As the gates of heaven began to open, the new arrival asked, “Are we here already, Charles!?” “Indeed we are.” ​”Tell me, Charlie. Why did God send you and Charles to escort me home to heaven? Couldn’t He have just called me home?” “Yes, He sure could have done that. But there are a few reasons God sent us to bring you home. First of all, as you know, God loves you. And a father who loves his children will do things for the shear joy of watching his children get excited and have fun.” “Well, Charlie, I’m sure my heavenly Father knows the joy I am feeling right now.” “Yes, He does. And He saw the excitement on your face and the fun you were having as Charles and I were bringing you home.” “You said there were a few reasons God sent you and Charles. Why else did He send you to escort me home?” “He sent us also to give you assurance of His promise of protection. Jesus promises eternal life in heaven to all who trust in Him. And He backs that up with the promise, ‘No one can snatch you out of My hand.’ John 10:28 Every believer is assured that nothing nor anyone can separate you from His love – nor the place in heaven He has prepared for you. If Satan could, he would disrupt our travel from earth to heaven. Many Christians know that God has said, ‘There are spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.'” Ephesians 6:12 “Yes, Charlie, I saw them on our way here to heaven. They did not look friendly at all. But I had no sense of fear with you and Charles escorting me home to heaven. I felt safe and secure all the way!” ​”Another reason God sends us angels to escort His children home to heaven is that, left to themselves, some would not arrive home straight-way.” “O yes, I can understand that, Charlie. Had I been traveling on my own, there were a number of places where I would have stopped on my journey home to heaven. God has created such an awe-inspiring universe. None of the world’s most powerful scientific telescopes can capture what I just saw on my way home. To see the universe close up like I just did was incredible! No wonder the Psalmist exclaims, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God.’ Psalm 19:1 Charlie, Charles, thank you so much for escorting me excitedly and safely home to heaven. I can feel the worship taking place inside the gates of glory. I can not help but now join in with the joyous worship of Almighty God, Who made the heavens and the earth.” “We quite understand. God alone is worthy! We are off to escort another saint home to heaven. But when we return, we shall join you, the other believers, and our fellow angels in worship!” As the angels departed, the believer joined in the heavenly chorus: ‘Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee. How great Thou art, how great Thou art!,…’ ​Can you say with full assurance and confidence today, that the heaven where God rules over all the universe will be your forever home? God wants you there with Him, because He loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus, with the invitation. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 ​You can tell God from your heart: ‘Dear God, thank You for loving me. Forgive me for the things I have said and done that are wrong. I know, Jesus, You paid for all of my sins when You died in my place and rose again. Amen.’ If you prayed that prayer, you can begin to live in anticipation of your journey home to heaven because of Jesus.

About the Author: Timothy Burdick