HEAVEN IS OUR GOAL
By Cougan Collins

lgchurchofchrist@cableone.net

Getting to heaven should be our main goal in life because no one should desire to spend eternity with the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41). Unfortunately, many do not have their priorities straight. As Jesus said:

 

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Mt. 7:13-14).

 

Living the Christian life and keeping your priorities straight is not easy, which is why Jesus said only a few will make it. Since only a few get to heaven, it should cause us to take a serious look at ourselves to see if we are traveling down the difficult road that leads to heaven or the broad road that leads to destruction.

 

It is easy to get distracted from our goal of heaven because our society is driven by the pursuit of money and possessions. As Jesus said:

 

“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (Mt. 13:22).

 

There is nothing wrong with having riches; they only become a problem when we start loving them more than we love God (1 Tim. 6:10). When our priorities are in order, we will use what God has blessed us with to further the kingdom of God. As Jesus said:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt. 6:33).

 

There is nothing the world can offer that is worth losing our soul to the devil (Mt. 16:26). As Jesus said:

 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6:19-21).

 

We should remind ourselves daily that God must be first in our life (Mt. 10:37-38), and we should keep our thoughts on heaven (Col. 3:2). After all, heaven is a prepared place for prepared people (Jn. 14:2-3). The comfort and beauty of heaven cannot be described by mere words because it is more majestic than we can imagine (1 Cor. 2:9).

 

So, I encourage you to make heaven your goal by fighting the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12) and by obeying the commands of God. As Jesus said:

 

“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21).

 

Getting to heaven requires endurance, patience, and persistence but the eternal rewards are worth it all. The writer of Hebrews tells us how to achieve our goal of heaven:

 

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2).

 

To learn more, we invite you to come worship with us. Lone Grove Church of Christ - lgchurchofchrist.com