Jesus said many things to His apostles (just a few hours before His betrayal) as He endeavored to prepare them for His departure. The Lord offered these encouraging words in John 14:1-3 - "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Yes indeed, heaven is a wonderful place! Although I've never been there, I plan to go one day. As much as I like my home here on Earth, I know it is not intended to last forever. Nothing can compare to the eternal home God has prepared for us to live with Him! Heaven is better in every way than life on Earth. Consider some of the awesome descriptions of heaven conveyed in the book of Revelation:

• Revelation 21:1-7 - "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.' And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son."

• Revelation 21:25-27 - "Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."

• Revelation 22:3-5 - "And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever."

Although it is difficult for us to understand a spiritual place like heaven (or hell) with the limits of human language, we must believe that such exists. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the heavenly goal He has put before us. This should motivate and energize us when we are tempted to quit. We must not lose sight of eternal life in heaven with Almighty God!

Let's close with I Peter 1:3,4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you." Friends, there is no home like heaven; there is just no comparison!