If This Isn't Heaven, I Don't Know What Is

Biblical Reasons Why We Should
And Practical Suggestions on How We Can
Create Heaven on Earth

Growth from childhood to adulthood consists of growth of both the external body and the internal person.

This webpage is the culmination of a series of "spiritual exercises" designed to empower Christians to become a force for healing on earth. These spiritual exercises are introduced on the Vine & Fig Tree home page. Ideally the  reader has already gone through the previous exercises and has the spiritual strength to endure this final workout. But I can't assume that. So I must weary the reader with a number of preparatory remarks and qualifications. Let's get them over with.

"Spiritual Exercises"

This is not an easy website. Not only are there more than 1,000 webpages, some of them are very controversial. They really make you think. It's like being on an athletic team and the coach ordering you to do 1,000 push-ups. It's not like the coach thinks that at the big game this weekend the teams are going to decide the championship by seeing who can do the most push-ups. The coach just knows that it will be easier to hit a ball over the wall in deep centerfield if you do your exercises before the big game.

You don't have to agree with everything on this website to benefit from it. Check everything you read here by the Scriptures; test the spirits (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). But if you stretch your spiritual muscles it will be easier to carry the Cross Christ asks you to carry. There's a lot of spiritual muscle-building here, and it's more entertaining than a Jane Fonda workout video.

Previous Exercises:

Although millions of Americans go to church every Sunday, more and more Christians are disenchanted with the liturgies and rituals of only-on-Sunday religion. If you fall in love with Micah's Vine & Fig Tree vision you may be tempted to pull up stakes and leave your church. That may not be the best idea. On the other hand, if you feel that you're entitled to go to heaven just because you planted yourself in a pew every Sunday, you may be in need of some spiritual exercises:

Justification by Allegiance

Should A Christian "Attend Church"?

The Home-Church Debate

Every Christian is a priest, every Christian a pastor

A World Without Priests

 

Most Americans believe that living in America is better than living in any communist dictatorship, and most Americans believe that capitalism is better than socialism, but few can explain why. As a result, America is becoming more socialist. The Vine & Fig Tree defense of laissez-faire capitalism will make it easier for you defend the American idea of "limited government," even if you choose not to go as far as we do. Ready for some push-ups?

Laissez-faire Capitalism

Anarcho-Capitalism

A World without "The State"

The Christian Anarchist Homepage

 

America is the land of "Liberty Under God." Our official national motto is "In God We Trust." But a vocal minority of atheists have convinced the Supreme Court that America's Founding Fathers intended to create a secular nation with a wall of separation between God and Government. Anyone who says religion should be accommodated by the government is accused of trying to "impose a theocracy." You're looking kinda flabby -- time for some exercises:

America was a Theocracy

America should be a Theocracy Again

Atheists should not be allowed to hold political office

America's Laws were Based on the Ten Commandments

Court Decisions Banning the Ten Commandments Should be Resisted

 

But should we resist the increasingly anti-Christian federal government with guns and bombs? If you even thought that for a second, you need to do some spiritual sit-ups.

Christians should be Pacifists

America's War for Independence (1776) was unBiblical

 

Deciding how "realistic" or "practical" the "Vine & Fig Tree" vision is depends on how big your God is. Many Christians pay lip-service to the idea of God being "sovereign," but their God just isn't powerful enough to bring about Micah's "Vine & Fig Tree" vision without coming back to earth, destroying everything and starting over. Besides, the ACLU might be offended if God started fulfilling prophecies like Micah's. How sovereign is your God? Is there a wall of separation between God and society called "free will?" Is Man able to tell God to back off and leave us alone? Push-ups, push-ups, push-ups!!

God Interferes in Human History

God has predestined every molecule in the universe, including the electrical impulses in your brain that you call "thoughts." I dare you to use your "free will" to click here.

 

But even if God is sovereign, hasn't He predestined everything to get worse and worse before the Second Coming of Christ? If we work for the Christian Reconstruction of society, won't that just delay the Second Coming? Wouldn't it be sinful, in fact, to try to "bring in the Kingdom" by our own works?
This is going to take a lot of push-ups. Check with your Physician. Don't try all these exercises alone all at once. Please go through them in order.

The Second Coming has already taken place.

We are already in The Kingdom.

In fact, we're already in heaven.

Again, you don't have to agree that we're already in heaven, and if you're on death's door I don't want to deprive you of Biblical consolation and hope, but if you work through those exercises, you'll find it a lot easier to believe what the Bible says, and you'll agree that after doing these exercises, you'll be strong enough to believe a lot more of what the Bible says than you could before.

And isn't it your goal to believe as much of the Bible as you possibly can? That's our goal as well.