Is Satan in heaven?

Sincerely,
Shouldn’t He Have Tracking?

Dear Shouldn’t He Have Tracking,

Satan was cast down from heaven by the power of Christ's blood.  Jesus even said that He saw it happening when He was preaching (Lk 10:18).  Satan is called the "god of this world" because his power is here on Earth (2 Cor 4:4).  Rev 12:13 says that the devil has been cast down to Earth.  The devil no longer resides in heaven.

When we get to heaven will we know family members that we did not meet on earth, for example will we know members of our family that were deceased before we were born, will they know our kids, etc.?

Sincerely,
Family Matters

Dear Family Matters,

We will definitely know one another in heaven. In fact, if the transfiguration is any indication, we will know everyone in heaven, not just those we have known in this life. When Jesus was transfigured on the Mount of Olives, both Moses and Elijah appeared and talked to Christ (Lk 9:30). The remarkable thing is that Peter recognized both of those men even though they had been dead for many centuries (Lk 9:32-33).

Did the story of Lazarus really happen, or was it just a metaphor?  See, there were some people who came to my house and said it was just a metaphor.

Sincerely,
Friendly Neighbor

Dear Friendly Neighbor,

The story of Lazarus (found in Lk 16:19-31) is real.  Jesus tells the story as a fact, not fiction.  Anyone who would tell you that the story of Lazarus and the rich man was simply a metaphor, would have to prove it because Jesus tells the story like an actual event.  The rule of thumb is to assume a story is literally true unless told otherwise… next time someone tells you the story of Lazarus is a metaphor, ask them for book, chapter, and verse as proof.

When we get to heaven, will we remember our lives here on Earth, such as relationships with our siblings, husband, wife, etc.?

Sincerely,
Kodak Moments

Dear Kodak Moments,

Yes.  Even those in torments remember their lives and families after death.  The story of Lazarus and the rich man shows that the rich man awoke in torments and remembered his brothers (Lk 16:27-28).  We have every reason to believe that after we die, we will still remember who we are, the relationships we have built, and the lives that we have touched on this planet.

How do you build up treasures in heaven?

Sincerely,
Investor

Dear Investor,

Christ taught that we should invest in heavenly riches, not earthly ones (Matt 6:19-21).  He later went on to say that the way we do that is by seeking Christ’s kingdom before all other things (Matt 6:33).  Christ’s kingdom (His kingdom is the church) is a spiritual kingdom (Jhn 18:36).  Every day we can choose to live selfish lives that are focused on our earthly desires, or we can choose to live lives that are focused on eternity (Col 3:2).  Jesus said that we should trust in Him, and He will take care of our burdens (Matt 11:29).  We store up treasures in heaven when we trust in Christ and keep His commandments (Jhn 15:14).  Jesus’ commandments can be found in the Bible – specifically the New Testament.  Christ tells us that the way of salvation is narrow, and few enter it (Matt 7:13-14).  Being a christian means living faithfully in Christ… a life that trusts that Christ will reward us for our faithfulness (Heb 11:6).  We begin that faithful life by believing in Christ (Jhn 3:16), repenting of our sins (Acts 3:19), confessing Christ as our Savior (Matt 10:32), and being baptized for the forgiveness of our sins (1 Pet 3:21, Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38).  Once we become christians, we will spend the rest of our lives growing and learning from God’s Word (1 Pet 2:2).  As we grow and serve in Christ, we store up treasures for ourselves in heaven.