Everybody wants or thinks they are going to go to Heaven when they die, but nobody wants to die.  Have you noticed that lately? We forget that we are all terminal.  You have to go through something to get to something. You have to go through death to get to Heaven, and you have to go through death to yourself (dying to self) to get to the victorious, abundant life. Heaven is a real place described in the Bible. The word “heaven” is found 276 times in the New Testament alone.
 
In the Bible in John 10:10 Jesus said: "I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.”  Jesus didn’t say, “I have come that you might have death,” but Jesus said, you might have life.   We won’t receive this life until we’re sick and tired of our old life. Not until we say, “Yes, to Jesus, because you died for me and I died with you. And I thank God, when you rose, because I will rise with you.”
 
People have different ideas about heaven. Many have no understanding of God at all, but still like to think of heaven as the "better place" where we all go when we die. If you asked people about their ideas about heaven their answers are often no more than vague hopes, similar to "maybe I’ll win the lottery some day."  Let’s face it most people don’t give heaven much thought until they attend a funeral or a loved one dies. It is popular to refer to heaven as the place where "the good people go." And of course, everyone they know and love is included in the category of "good people".
 
In the Bible those who were believers remind us that the funeral of Christians while filled with grief and the separation that comes with it also has bright hope.  For the Christian death is not the end.  We look forward beyond our own time on earth and realize that we have comfort in God and what is awaiting us.
 
Why is there so much interest in Heaven?  Well, the heavens are a creation of God along with the earth.  God made everything: the heavens and the earth.  The heavens belong to Him.  The Bible also refers to heaven as God’s dwelling place.  The Bible says that the heavens are His throne and the earth is His footstool.  Are you getting a picture of the greatness of God?  As awesome as the heavens are as they are described in the Bible, but God is not contained in them or even in the highest heavens.  He overfills the heavens and the earth!
 
But now that I said this about heaven the Bible also tells us that the heaven will disintegrate and disappear like smoke.  Then God will create a new heaven and a new earth that will exist eternally for His people.  But only if you have made a commitment to Christ while you are alive then you will spend eternity with Him in heaven.
 
Because of Jesus we understand even better than the Saints of the Bible what awaits us in Heaven.  Yes, death’s sting still hurts.  But we know that the death of the body is our induction into a full experience of eternal life.  The death of a loved one hurts but death is not life’s end, it is our entry into a full experience of that eternal life promised to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Redeemer and soon coming Lord.
 
You want to get to heaven?  Then, while you are alive you must make your commitment to serve Him.  NOW is the time and please humble yourself before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Accept by faith what He did on that Cross for you.  Believe on Him and His Word and then Confess it to others.  That is sending your reservation ahead for your place at the King’s table and His Kingdom eternally.  Do it today!  That is how you make it to Heaven.  
 
The people who go to heaven are all alike in one way: they are all sinners who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). They have recognized their need for a Savior and humbly accepted God’s offer of forgiveness. They have repented of their old ways of living and set their course to follow Christ (Mark 8:34; John 15:14). They have not attempted to earn God’s forgiveness but have served him gladly from grateful hearts (Psalm 100:2). The kind of faith that saves a soul is one that transforms a life (James 2:26; 1 John 3:9-10) and rests fully on the grace of God.
 
Years ago, I heard someone say that Heaven is a place of “no mores”.   There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow (Revelation 21:4). There will be no more separation, because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6). The best thing about heaven is the presence of our Lord and Savior (1 John 3:2). We will be face to face with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
 
Well, do you know for sure that you have eternal life and that you will go to heaven when you die? God wants you to be sure! The Bible says: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Suppose you were standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” What would you say? You may not know what to reply. What you need to know is that God loves us and has provided a way that we can know for sure where we will spend eternity. The Bible states it this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 
 
Accept His free gift today, so that you will know where you will be one blink after you die.

Many times, when we go to church or we listen to a church sermon on television and radio or we hear other Christians and they use phrases over and over again: it is important for us to understand what these phrases or words mean.  It helps us to get a true perspective of what it means to be a true Christian.  One of those phrases you may hear over and over again is the concept of “dying to self” which is found throughout the New Testament.  If you listen to that phrase some may say: “Do I have to kill myself if I become a Christian? No, No, No. It expresses the true heart of the Christian life, in which we take up our cross and follow Christ. Dying to self is part of being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3–7). Not only are Christians born again when we get saved, but we also continue “dying to self “as part of the process of sanctification. As such, dying to self is both a one-time event and also a life long daily process.
 
In John 12:24 (NKJV) we are told: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much."
 
Jesus had to die on the Cross so we could live and we have to die to our desires, our wishes, our wants so Jesus can live through us.  Jesus revealed His death to us by using the picture of a grain of wheat.  God would exalt Jesus as King because He did what the Father had wished; He died for the sins of the entire world.  That includes you and me and everyone all down through the ages.
 
If we follow through on that seed example we get a clearer picture of what the Bible is trying to tell us.  If you keep the seed out of the ground all you have is the seed. If you put a seed into a paper bag you still only have only a seed. But when that seed is planted in the ground and watered and given sun then it grows. You bury it in the ground, it dies and then it rises up. Sounds a lot like a resurrection!!! So it sounds like there better be some spiritual funerals.   Dying to self means dying to my agenda, and giving my all to  the plans that Jesus has for my life.  That means allowing His plans for me to take first place.
 
But… this seems to be so difficult!  We do not want to humble ourselves.  Why do we struggle so?  Why do we want to be in control???   The Bible says; Our lives are not our own.   It’s time to give up and give in to Him. The Master (Jesus) says: And when He had called the people unto Him with his disciples also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34). He said that to the people and to us, His disciples, in case you were wondering.
 
When Jesus called them to "take up their cross," their 1st Century ears perked - up because they truly understood exactly what He meant: it was a call to die to themselves. In 1st Century Rome, the cross was not a lovely, gold decoration worn around the neck; it was a cruel instrument of torture and death. No one (besides Jesus) ever went to the cross and came back alive.   Let’s face it we can waste our lives saying this life is all about me, myself and I.  But do you know those 3 little words: me, myself and I, is the greatest roadblock for God to move and make a difference in our lives?  That is an issue of pride.
 
If you go back to Genesis 3 in the Bible, in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned and it continues on today: our flesh fights God’s spirit.  You do know that the way we think things should be and the way we think things ought to happen and what the Word of God says…. is completely opposite.  You and I must die to our selves.   We have to die to our desires, wants and plans.
 
Then Galatians 2:20 should be our battle strategy:    "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
 
So, are we holding on to the things we want?  Just like a little child who has a temper tantrum and stamps his feet, holds his breath and won’t move or obey.  We all have choices to make.  You do know that we can live a life of obedience to God, or a life of disobedience. But remember, as Christians, we owe our flesh nothing. Your flesh hasn’t done a single thing for you. We all have this idea that when we die and we are before Jesus Christ that we are going to tell Him who we are, all we were, and what we did for Him, but that is not the truth.  There is no scripture to back that up.  Paul said you are not obligated to the flesh; you are obligated to the Spirit.
 
Well, which one are you feeding?  Are you feeding your flesh or your Spirit?  We have to stop feeding the flesh for when you kill the flesh you live. Most believers want to serve God and give him their all. But somehow, we manage to fall short. The spirit is willing – that is, the heart, the desire is there, but the flesh is weak – the ability to get it done falls short. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak it gets in the way. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is lazy. The spirit is willing, but the flesh makes excuses. Flesh and spirit constantly struggle for control of you. We must base everything we do on God’s Word.
 
You see in Galatians 2:20. Paul explains to the Galatian church the process of dying to self as one in which he has been “crucified with Christ,” and now Paul no longer lives, but Christ lives in him. Paul’s old life, with its leaning toward sin and to follow the ways of the world, is dead, and the new Paul is the dwelling place of Christ who lives in and through him. This does not mean that when we “die to self” we become inactive or insensible, nor do we feel ourselves to be dead. Rather, dying to self means that the things of the old life are put to death, most especially the sinful ways and lifestyles in which we were engaged.

Dying to self is never portrayed in the Bible as something optional in the Christian life. It is the reality of the new birth; no one can come to Christ unless he is willing to see his old life crucified with Christ and begin to live again in obedience to Him. Jesus describes lukewarm followers who try to live partly in the old life and partly in the new as those whom He will spit out of His mouth (Revelation 3:15–16). That lukewarm condition characterized the church of Laodicea as well as many churches today. Being “lukewarm” is a symptom of unwillingness to die to self and to live for Christ. Death to self is not an option for Christians; it is a choice that leads to eternal life. 

Our primary responsibility in life is to die to self through meekness and humility. Remember Christ is in control.  To accomplish this we should draw our strength from the Lord. In our pursuit of following Jesus, there are temporary, earthly pleasures we must be willing to pass up. We will be laughed at, mocked, ridiculed, and shamed by those who don't understand.   At those times we must fully and completely trust in God.  Do God’s will, and you will be greater and happier than any king, Jesus, the Son of Man died a physical death to give us eternal life, but now our new life in Him necessitates following Him by dying to self. (Galatians 2:20)

Yes, it is difficult, but like Jesus’ illustration of a grain of wheat, it will bear abundant fruit. When wheat is buried, dies, and germinates, it produces a stalk topped by a head with fifty-plus kernels – each ready to keep on producing.  What about you, do you wish to see Jesus? And do you want others to see Christ alive in you? Then determine to take up your cross – that instrument of death – and embrace the very thing that chafes and causes you sorrow. Crucify every fleshly desire contrary to God’s will and live with one purpose: following Him.”
 I know we all believe that: “I am in control of my life, we believe that I lead and we expect Jesus Christ to follow our lead.”  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  We are to let Jesus go first and then we follow Him.  Yes, abundance is a sign of life but it begins by dying to our selfish desires and plans and following Jesus Christ. 

If we realize that God is in control we will seldom become depressed or anxious about why God doesn’t do things our way. We won’t expect Him to. And we will seldom wonder why God hasn’t blessed our plans when we have gone through all the trouble to make them and we even asked God to bless our plans.  As Christians we should seek His will first and not take our plans and desires and to get the majority opinion. We waste so much time checking on what everyone else thinks and their opinions.  Let us bring our plans and hopes and desires to Christ in prayer for He is truly our hope and joy.