OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2026

TOPIC: HEAVENLY HOME

MEMORISE:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:3

READ: Revelation 21:1-11

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

MESSAGE

Yesterday, I mentioned that some people treat the earth as their home and final resting place. There is, however, another set of people who see heaven as their home and conduct their lives in a way that ensures they will end up there. I am one of such people. I also mentioned yesterday that the earth and everything inside it are temporal.

In Revelation 21:1, the Bible says that this earth will pass away someday, then verse 2 says:

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The Scripture above makes us understand that when the earth passes away, people who did not take the earth as their home, those who remained faithful to Jesus Christ, the Husband of the Church, will be in a new Jerusalem that will descend from God out of heaven.

When you read the passage in today’s Bible reading further, you will find out that as genuine Christians, we will dwell with God in the same city and be with Him at all times. There will be no more sorrow or weeping for us forever. This is why I do not mind sacrificing anything in this world as long as I make it to heaven. This is because I know that when I get there, it will be joy forevermore.

Indeed, as Romans 8:35-39 says, nothing will ever separate me from the love of my Father, and I am determined to spend eternity with Him. This earth is not my home; therefore, nothing here is as important as my goal of making it to heaven. When people see me still going on long prayer walks at my age, travelling from place to place to preach the gospel, giving to the poor, and spending and being spent for God, they may not know it or understand it, but I am laying up treasures for myself in heaven because that is my final destination; that is my home.

I have been shown glimpses of heaven in visions a few times before. Anyone who has experienced the beauty of heaven will not desire to be anywhere else because God’s glory lightens the city, and the Lamb is the light in it (Revelation 21:23). Beloved, do everything possible to ensure that you make it to heaven. I pray that I will see you there, in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT

Do everything possible to ensure that you make it to heaven.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 47-49

Hymn 11: I’VE FOUND A FRIEND IN JESUS

1. l’ve found a friend in Jesus,

He’s everything to me,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;

The Lily of the valley, in Him alone I see

All I need to cleanse and make me fullywhole.

In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay,

He tells me every care on Him to roll:

(Halleluyah)

Chorus:

He’s the Lily of the Valley,

the Bright and Morning Star,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

2. He all my griefs has taken, and all my sorrows borne;

In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tower;

I’ve all for Him forsaken, and allmy idols torn

From my heart, and now He keeps me by His power.

Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,

Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal:

(Halleluyah)

3. He’ll never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,

While I live by faith and do His blessed will;

A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,

With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.

Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,

Where rivers of delight shall ever roll:

(Halleluyah)