Part 10: Living with Heaven in Sight

1. Summary of the Book’s Key Points

In the conclusion of the book, Pastor Randy Alcorn emphasizes the importance of "living with Heaven in sight" and explains how the hope of Heaven profoundly impacts our current lives. Living with a focus on Heaven is not just about looking forward to the future; it’s a crucial spiritual perspective that redefines our daily actions, decisions, and life’s purpose. The hope of Heaven helps us transcend all the sufferings and trials we face on earth and reframe our lives from an eternal perspective.

In 2 Corinthians 4:18, the Apostle Paul says, "What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." This means that we should not fixate on the temporary issues we encounter in our present life but should instead live with our eyes set on the eternal. The hope of Heaven guides us to overcome the temptations and trials of this world and to pursue eternal values. Pastor Alcorn uses this scripture to explain how living with a focus on Heaven brings fundamental changes to our spiritual lives (pp. 281-295).

Living with a focus on Heaven completely redefines our values and priorities. We become less attached to material and temporary things and instead pursue eternal values. The hope of Heaven turns our hearts toward God and drives us to dedicate our lives to fulfilling His will. Additionally, this focus provides the patience and courage we need to endure the present sufferings and difficulties. By looking toward the glory of Heaven, we gain the strength to overcome all trials on earth (pp. 296-300).

Pastor Alcorn emphasizes that living with a focus on Heaven is not just about a future hope; it is a practical force that transforms our current lives. The hope of Heaven gives our lives meaning and guides us to live in a way that pleases God. When we focus on Heaven, we realize how temporary and fleeting earthly life is, and we become more focused on pursuing eternal values. This perspective leads us to fill our earthly lives with worship of God and dedication to His will (pp. 301-305).

2. Central Message

Living with a focus on Heaven strengthens our faith and gives meaning to our present lives. We must live with our focus on the unseen and eternal, and the hope of Heaven should be central to our lives. This focus helps us transcend all the suffering and trials we face and redefines our lives from an eternal perspective. We should hold onto the hope of Heaven and let it guide our lives.

Living with a focus on Heaven completely redefines our values and priorities. We must view earthly life as temporary and pursue eternal values. The hope of Heaven helps us overcome present sufferings and look forward to the eternal life that God has prepared. This hope gives our lives deeper meaning and leads us to live in a way that glorifies God. We must look toward the glory of Heaven and let that hope influence all our decisions and actions (pp. 306-310).

3. Our Application

We must live our current lives with the hope of Heaven. This hope gives us the strength to transcend all difficulties and sufferings and strengthens our expectation of the eternal life promised by God. We must view life on earth as temporary and live from an eternal perspective. When we live with Heaven in sight, our priorities shift toward pursuing eternal values, and we can live in a way that pleases God.

Living with a focus on Heaven changes our actions and decisions. We must not become attached to material things but instead choose to pursue eternal values and live a life that pleases God. This means using our time, talents, and resources for eternal purposes. We must hold onto the hope of Heaven in our daily lives and let it guide all our decisions and actions. Moreover, we should share this hope with others. The hope of Heaven strengthens our faith and gives deeper meaning to our present lives (pp. 311-315).

We must center our lives around the hope of Heaven and allow this hope to guide our faith and actions. We should view earthly life from an eternal perspective and dedicate ourselves to fulfilling God’s will. As we anticipate the eternal joy of Heaven, we must align all our decisions and actions with that hope. We should fully dedicate our lives to God and live in a way that glorifies Him. This hope will strengthen our faith and guide us to live a life that brings glory to God (pp. 316-320).