We read of Oz, Never-Land, the Hundred-Acre Woods and other fictitious places in our fairy tales. We know, or should know, that these places are imaginary locations created to entertain our children. Unfortunately, most of the world adds heaven to the list of fairy tale lands.

Every Bible student should know that heaven is, in fact, a true, real, actual place. How do we know heaven exists? We know heaven exists based on faith. A divine definition of faith can be found in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." According to Strong's, the Greek word for substance in the passage cited above means "a setting under." Substance is a means of support, or a foundation. Thayer's defines evidence as "a proof." With these definitions in mind, the passage could read, "Faith is the foundation of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen." First Thessalonians 5:21 commands us to "prove all things." The Greek word for prove, according to Strong's, means "to test." The need to test something demands there be evidence used as a basis. Faith, by nature, is based on evidence.

Faith is based on evidence, but where do we get this evidence? Romans 10:17 reads, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We have the Word of God recorded for our study in what we call the Bible. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." We find our evidence, the foundation of our faith, in the Bible.

Since Titus 1:2 tells us God cannot lie and Hebrews 6:18 informs us of the impossibility of God lying, we know the Bible contains truth. One of the truths contained within the Bible deals with heaven. Matthew 5:12, for example, speaks of a "reward in heaven." Numerous passages in the Book of Matthew alone speak of the Father being in heaven (Matthew 5:16, 45, 48; 6:1; 7:11, 22, etc.). Revelation 21 gives a description of heaven. Verse four tells us "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." This chapter also uses similes and metaphors to describe the great beauty of heaven (verse ten and following). Heaven is in our Bible from cover to cover.

Some may use the fact they have not seen heaven as a basis of arguing its nonexistence. That argument does not hold. I have not seen Paris -- does that mean it does not exist? I have not seen my brain -- does that mean it does not exist? Rather, I have faith Paris exists, based on the testimony of others who have seen it. I have faith my brain exists based on the movements and thoughts necessary to write this article. I have faith heaven exists based on the evidence set forth in the Bible.

The fact of the matter is that heaven is an actual place. The Bible, which is the truthful inspired Word of God, is filled with references to heaven. The Bible also contains figurative descriptions of heaven. Heaven is real. Faith, based on the evidence contained in the Bible, leads one to acknowledge that heaven is a real place. It does not get any simpler than that.