Month: March 2015

Is it true that no one is good enough to get into heaven? How can we know that to be certain? Pastor Colin talks about what it takes to enter heaven and why no human being is capable going to heaven by themselves. So often the message that the world seems […]

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, […]

Ever wondered about heaven? The Bible speaks about eternity often, in both the Old and New Testaments. If you’ve found yourself wondering how a person gets to heaven, what heaven is like, or what Jesus had to say about heaven, then use the following list of Bible verses about heaven […]

The Bible only records a small part of the thief’s story in Luke’s Gospel. So how could an entire book be written on the thief, including the crucifixion of Jesus from the thief’s perspective? Pastor Colin discusses the ‘aha’ moment he experienced while reading Luke 23 and how it influenced the […]

Many of us see behaviors and tendencies within our own hearts that we wish we could change. We wish we were more joyful and less negative, more generous and less selfish, more motivated and less lazy. But how is real change made possible? And is there an even deeper problem […]

This is an excerpt from the new book by Pastor Colin Smith called, Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross, Scotland, UK: Christian Focus, 2015, 96 pp. $8.99. Crucifixion is a long, slow death, and if the Romans had their way, I might have […]

Question: I heard Colin Smith on the radio today talking about his book regarding the thief on the cross.  I’m confused about what Jesus said to him.  I’ve always been taught that Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, NIV), […]

Does a person get to heaven by living a good, religious life? Pastor Colin Smith, author of Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross, discusses the value of religion and what the thief on the cross learned about what it takes to enter heaven. […]

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) This is the promise of the gospel, found in the person and work of Jesus […]

“I had thought of myself as a God-skeptic, but in that moment I saw something deeper and darker in my soul…” These words from the thief on the cross in Heaven, How I Got Here describe a familiar struggle in the human mind: Is God real? Is Jesus worthy of my trust? And […]

The following Heaven, How I Got Here book review first appeared on The Gospel Coalition, March 9, 2015.  I’ve learned something interesting about unbelievers after several years of engaging them with the gospel: while many feel uncomfortable discussing sin, the exclusivity of Christ, or eternal punishment, most don’t mind discussing the afterlife. […]

Our team is praising God for technology. Why? Because through the Internet and tools such as Twitter, we have had the privilege of connecting personally with people all around the globe (like you!) about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Truly, no conversation could be more significant. Friday’s #Heavenbook Twitter Party was an […]

What if you woke up one morning knowing it was your last day on earth? This was the reality of the thief on the cross who hung directly next to Jesus, experiencing all the events of the crucifixion and all the joys of eternity in the same day. Heaven, How I […]

Mark your calendars! On Thursday, March 5, 2015 (5pm ET) Pastor Colin and Unlocking the Bible will join all of you on Twitter for a conversation all about heaven. Have you ever wondered: how someone gets to heaven? what happens when a person dies? what heaven will be like? if there […]