Jesus said, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” ( Matthew 6:9 ). Heaven is the abode of God, the Lord Jesus Christ ( Acts 7:55-56 ), the angels ( Matthew 18:10 ), and the departed saints ( Hebrews 12:23; Revelations 7:9 ). The Lord Jesus told one of the men who was crucified with him that “This day you shall be with me in paradise”.

When a believer dies, the body returns to the earth ( ashes to ashes ) to wait for the resurrection, but the born again spirit departs to be with the Lord in heaven. In Matthew 17:3, Moses and Elijah appear to Jesus and talk with him; Elijah was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot, without seeing death, and Moses went to heaven by way of death, the point is, both men retained their identity. In heaven you will still be you, only glorified! When a person dies their spirit will depart for one or two places; heaven if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and hell, if they haven’t. Their is no scriptural evidence nor proof of purgatory, nor such a thing as soul sleep.

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2 CORINTHIANS 5:8   We are confident. I say, and willing rather to be absent from the
  body, and to be present with the Lord.

PHILLIPIANS 1:23   For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and be
  with Christ; which is far better.

MARK 16:19   So after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven,
  and sat on the right hand of God.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:2-4   I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, ( whether
in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ) such an
one caught up to the third heaven. ( 1st. heaven is the sky etc.   2nd. heaven is where
stars are, space   3rd. heaven is where God is. )
Vs.3   And I knew such a man, ( whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell:
God knoweth;)
Vs.4   How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it
is not lawful for a man to utter.

  See also Revelations 5:9, 6:9, 7:9

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