Vacation - September 16, 2008

We have all felt the excitement and anticipation of going on 
vacation. Vacation is so greatly anticipated because it's a chance 
to get away from the normal hustle and bustle of life and take some 
time for rest and relaxation. In planning a vacation we often spend 
countless hours on the Internet or even hire a tour guide to inform 
us of the exciting places and things we can do on our trip. It seems 
as if the more time we spend researching the place the more excited 
we become about the trip. The irony is that we invest time into 
researching a place we'll only visit for a few weeks at the longest. 
Why is it that so many of us haven't spent anytime researching the 
place we will be spending our eternity? If hours are spent 
researching a place we will be visiting for a few short days how 
much more time should be spent researching where we will spend 
eternity. I assure each of you that the more you study about 
eternity the more excited you will be about it. The more you study 
about eternity the more you will anticipate it. In Revelation an 
angel gave John the 3-D Virtual Tour of New Jerusalem – the capitol 
city of the New Earth.

Revelation 21
10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, 
and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven 
from God. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was 
like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 
12It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve 
angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the 
twelve tribes of Israel. 13There were three gates on the east, three 
on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14The wall 
of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of 
the twelve apostles of the Lamb…16The city was laid out like a 
square, as long as it was wide …17He measured its wall and it was 
144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. 
18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as 
glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every 
kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second 
sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth 
sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth 
beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, 
and the twelfth amethyst. 21The twelve gates were twelve pearls, 
each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was 
of pure gold, like transparent glass. 22I did not see a temple in 
the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 
23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the 
glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations 
will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their 
splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there 
will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be 
brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will 
anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose 
names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Wow! Sounds like the perfect vacation spot. Perfect weather – sunny 
and bright 24/7; Beautiful scenery and landmarks – precious stones 
and metals; Good cuisine – feasting, river of life, and the tree of 
life; the locals are nice – all godly people; safe and protected – 
no evil and crime; and the greatest attraction/celebrit y – JESUS! Be 
sure to get your passport (Salvation in Christ), your immunizations 
(crucified flesh), and your place reserved (Book of Life).

RevJP

PS If you want the realest pick me up … Read Revelation 20-22. The 
first 3 verses of Rev. 1 says your eyes are blessed for even reading!