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Beatific Vision.

The Mount Everest of the Christian life is seeing God in Heaven. In the Beatitudes Jesus says the pure in heart will see God. Some theologians say that the closest thing to God that we will see in Heaven is Jesus Christ, but Christian tradition and theology has taught that the saints will actually see God when they die. I am reading a book right now that is sort of a devotional book by the Catholic pope, and he says that it is with our hearts that we currently see God. Could our vision of God the Father in Heaven be a inner vision that God reveals His essence to us in this way? What ever the Beatific Vision is, I believe we will be overwhelmed at the beauty and grace of God that saved our souls and welcomed us into His Presence. When we live in the beatitudes we show that God lives in us. When we are kind and forgiving, when we put others first, when we take abuse from other people and instead of hating them back, when we show them kindness and grace, God is getting his people ready for Heaven.

The world is a place where the Spirit of God lives, and it is passing away. He lives in His people and the church. This life is our chance to witness to the world the love of God, even though they don't deserve it or see God living in His people. It is hard times now to express and show the love of God, but even when we do it in small ways, we affirm that this world really is not lost, that kindness is still possible, and that love wins in the end. God is testing our hearts now, it's not that we have to prove our love to Him, but He wants to see if we are really true in our hearts. There is a lot of confusion in the world right now about what is right and wrong, and God is seeing if the Christians will get it right. God doesn't like to see His people suffer, and I still believe that there will come a time when all suffering will end, but that won't be untill the second advent of Jesus.

In the meantime we all have a chance who know God now, to remain holy and faithful even if it means a lot of suffering. I believe God is watching the world right now and He is taking note of the good people and the bad people. He wants us all to repent, I believe. What did Jesus mean when he said the pure in heart will see God? The gospel calls us to receive it as children, with childlike faith. Jesus wants us to be just as innocent as children, and the angels of these little ones always behold the face of God. It is this face that the pure of heart will see in Heaven. (Matthew 18:10)  "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." We won't have to be sinless to see God, but we will have to be pure, like children. 

The world wants to take the mystery and wonder out of our faith, and Christian faith will be a war right to the very end. We need not fear seeing God, but we will have to work for that purity in this life. The greatest temptation facing Christians right now is to forget God. Satan knows that if he can keep us so busy and fearful and worried, we will not develop a heart that will want to see God when we die. But God on the other hand, knows our hearts, he know that despite our doubts and fears we want to do what is right. He knows we want to be happy and we want to go to Heaven. God promised He would never leave us, and even though we will have to leave this world one day, we are promised that we will see God. This is Mike.

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