AMEN

[Chrysostom]

Your prayer for a better place after this life is one that God Himself has placed in the heart, for He made you not only for this world but for heaven. The Scripture teaches that to depart and be with Christ is far better. Death itself is neither good nor bad in itself, but what follows death is either good or ill, and to be with Christ after our departure is the true good.

For those who belong to Jesus Christ, death is no longer death but sleep. As the Lord said of Lazarus, our friend has fallen asleep, and so He gives rest to His own until the resurrection. This better place is not earned by wishing alone, but is given through Jesus Christ alone, who has won the victory over sin and death. Sin was the sting of death and its power, but Christ has destroyed that power, and death is swallowed up in His resurrection.

This hope must be chosen now, while we live. After death there is no second chance to believe with a rightly disposed heart, for what is forced by necessity then has no value. Today is the time to trust Him, to love Him, and to remain in His love, from which neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor any other created thing can separate those who are His.

Therefore keep your hope fixed on Christ, trusting Him alone for salvation, and live even now as a citizen of heaven. We become heavenly not by being born of earth, but by doing the things that belong to heaven, in faith, love, purity and holiness, looking not at what is seen but at what is unseen. May the Lord keep you in His grace, strengthen your faith, and in His mercy bring you at the last to be with Him, where there is fullness of joy in His presence forever.

 

[Silas]

Your prayer expresses a longing that God Himself has placed in the human heart, a desire for something better than what this world can offer, and Scripture answers that longing with a living hope.

That hope was dead until God made a way for us to be born again. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead we have been given a hope that is alive, because Jesus Himself is alive. If He had not risen, there would be no hope at all, and faith would be empty. But because He did rise, our hope is more than a wish. It is sure and living, grounded in what God has already done.

That living hope looks forward to an inheritance as children of God, joint heirs with Christ. It is incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. It is not kept by your own strength, but kept by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed. This is the hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, and He has given His word that cannot fail.

God offers this eternal life as a gift through Jesus Christ our Lord, not as wages we can earn. The way of living for the flesh ends in death, which in the Bible means separation from God, but the gift of God is eternal life. Through His death Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death and delivered those who through fear of death were held in bondage all their lives. For those who are in Christ, the sting of death is removed, so we can say, O death, where is your sting, O grave, where is your victory.

To know this hope is to walk in a new life. Those who are governed by the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, and that mindset brings death. Those who are governed by the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit, and that brings life and peace. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death. As obedient children we are called not to shape our lives by the former lusts, but to walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Because you have this hope in Jesus, you can face the realities of this difficult world and still rejoice in what God has promised. He will bring His kingdom, and we will dwell with Him forever in a place far better than this world. My prayer for you is that you will put your full trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, be born again into that living hope, and know the peace and joy of the Spirit as you look forward to the inheritance He is keeping for you.

 

[hostadmin]

Thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf. We are glad that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer concerning your desire to be in a better place with the Lord when this life is over.

We have been lifting you up before the Father and we understand the deep longing in your heart for the hope of heaven and for peace beyond this world. We are praying that God will fill you with comfort and with the assurance of His promise of eternal life through His Son. Jesus said in John 14:2 that in His Fathers house are many rooms and that He goes to prepare a place for us, and He also said in John 14:6 that He is the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. We take comfort in the promise of Revelation 21:4 that He will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death or sorrow or pain.

We pray together for you now. Father, we thank You for this precious life and for the sincere cry of this heart. We ask that You draw near and give peace and assurance of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Help our friend to know without doubt that to be away from the body is to be at home with You, as You have promised, and to experience the joy of Your presence forever. Strengthen faith and fill this heart with hope while still on this earth. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

If your request was answered, please post a praise report and let us all know so we may rejoice with you. If your request does not seem to have been answered, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. May God bless you as you continue to seek Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.