Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
John 8:23 ... Jesus says ... I am not of this world ...
John 18:36 ... Jesus said ... My kingdom is not of this world ...
The Christians who went before us viewed themselves as being strangers to this world and pilgrims, just passing through ...
Heb.
11 ... 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced
them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a
country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from
whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better
country, that is, an heavenly:wherefore God is not ashamed to be called
their God:for he hath prepared for them a city.
The apostle John was given a glimpse of "that city" which God has prepared for HIS people.
Revelation 21 ... 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.
Jesus will come in the clouds with a shout ... with the trump of God ...
The dead in Christ will rise and meet Jesus in the clouds...
Then
those who are still living at that moment will be changed, given new
bodies, spiritual bodies and will be taken up off this present earth and
will meet the dead in Christ who are raised and will meet Jesus in the
clouds.
I Thess. 4 ...
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them
which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this
we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them
which are asleep (dead).
16 For the Lord HIMSELF
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God:and the dead in Christ shall rise
first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:and so shall we
ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Paul
explains that we will not have these present bodies in heaven but we
will be given new bodies, spiritual bodies, as God wills ...
I Cor. 15 ...
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of
them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the
resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order:Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
...
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption;
it is raised in incorruption:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in
glory:it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:44 It is sown a
natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
There
is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is
written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was
made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is
spiritual.
47
The first man is of the earth, earthy:the second man is the Lord from
heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy:and as
is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have
borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
When we are raised, we will meet Jesus in the clouds, in the air ... not on this present earth... and we will not have these present bodies but God will change us instantly, "in the twinkling of an eye" ...
This present earth will be destroyed by God
and it will not be here any longer ... (no man knows the time of this
but it will happen) ... the present heavens and earth will pass away as
John says in Revelation 21:1 ...
Peter explains:
II Peter 3 ... 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in
the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that
are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all
these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto
the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent
that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
When
we really get this concept, what happens on this present earth will
become insignificant to us for this is not where Jesus' kingdom will be
nor is it where the people who belong to God will live for all eternity.