10 things that will not be in Heaven

TEN THINGS THAT WILL NOT BE IN HEAVEN:

1. No sea. (Revelation 21:1)
2. No tears. (Revelation 21:4)
3. No cemeteries. (Revelation 21:4 - no death)
4. No hospitals. (Revelation 21:4 - no pain)
5. No temple. (Revelation 21:22 -not needed because God is there on His throne).
6. No sun. (Revelation 21:23- God is the light.)
7. No night. (Revelation 21:25; 22:5 - and thus no evil or fear.)
8. No locks. (Revelation 21:25)
9. No sin. (Revelation 21:8; 22:15)
10. No unbelievers. (Revelation 21:27 - no admission unless their name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, written in the grace-soaked blood of Jesus.)

Should NAMB merge with IMB?

Should the North American Mission Board (NAMB) merge with the International Mission Board (IMB)? In a surprise statement, Tim Patterson, chairman of NAMB, said yes. Read the article here.
He may be right, but I'm not sure. NAMB is a very different animal from IMB. IMB has a simple focus: sending missionaries to other nations and people groups around the world. NAMB is much more diverse, including production of training materials and literature for Men's Ministry and RA's. Also, NAMB coordinates most of its work with local state conventions and associations, jointly funding work with them, whereas IMB sends its missionaries itself, without joint funding (although it cooperates with local national conventions.)
It seems to me that Chairman Patterson should have explored this idea with NAMB president Geoff Hammond and with the other trustees of NAMB before making a public statement such as this. My understanding is that he did not talk to them about his statement, which caught them by surprise. I know that as a pastor, I would not want my chairman of deacons publicly stating that my church should merge with another church, without even talking to me about it first. If I were still a trustee, I would call him on the carpet for making this statement the way he did.

Five questions for a 5-point Calvinist

Calvinism is a term for the teaching of John Calvin that God is sovereign and salvation is all of God, not earned by man. However, the five points of Calvinism were developed after his lifetime, and some people have taken Calvinism where Calvin himself never went, adopting a view of double-edged predestination that teaches some people are predestined to damnation before the foundation of the earth, and there is nothing that can be done to persaude them nor can they ever come to faith in Christ.

This extreme view is sometimes called hyper-Calvinism. I have five questions for the five-point Calvinist:

1. Why would Paul desire salvation for his people if their destiny was already cast?

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. -- Romans 10:1 (NIV)

2. If people are predestined to hell, why send preachers and missionaries?

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" -- Romans 10:13-15 (NIV)

3. If election means we have no free will, why call on brothers to confirm their election?

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. -- 2 Peter 1:10 (NIV)

4. Why would God give the wicked up to their will if God’s will takes away man’s free will?

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. --Romans 1:24 (NIV)

5. Why would Paul endure all things for the elect to obtain salvation if nothing can be done to reach the lost?

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. -- 2 Tim 2:10 (NIV)