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IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH...WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE?
- May 12, 2008 at 9:39 PM
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- Comments (58) Total Views (1346) Everyone can see this journal post.
On the way home from a conference, Don Piper's car was crushed by a truck that crossed into his lane. Medical personnel said he died instantly.
While his body lay lifeless inside the ruins of his car, Piper experienced the glories of heaven, awed by its beauty and music.
90 minutes after the wreck, while a minister prayed for him, Piper miraculously returned to life. His faith in God was severely tested as he faced an uncertain and gruelling recovery.
90 Minutes in Heaven offers a glimpse into a very real dimension of eternity. It encourages those recovering from serious injuries and those dealing with the loss of a loved one. The experience dramatically changed Piper's life, and it will change yours too.
"Don Piper's ninety minutes in heaven changed his life and his perspective. Reading his book will give you the assurance that God is faithful to bring you through even the most horrific of circumstances. May his eyewitness account of the hope that lies before you change your perspective of this life as well!"
The Dead Man is Singing
...let me ask you a question about death. Do you believe a person can be declared dead by four medical technicians, be transported to heaven, and return to his body, singing praises to God? This is the testimony of a pastor named Don Piper, and the life changing events that shares now draw others into a relationship with Jesus Christ. His book Ninety Minutes in Heaven records the miracle that took place after a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler. Don Piper was killed instantly. Medical personnel declared him dead at the scene of the accident and covered him with a tarp until the coroner could arrive. A card in Piper's pocket provided authorities with a church phone number to report the accident. The church staff wasn't told their pastor was dead, so they called everyone they could think of to request prayer. In a short time, thousands of people were praying for his survival. A preacher at the scene offered his services to the police tending the accident. "Everyone else is fine except the man in the red car," they said. "He is dead." As the police went on working, the preacher heard God's audible voice say, "Pray for that man." As a former medic, he was permitted to lift the tarp on Piper's body. He laid his hand on Piper's shoulder and began to pray and sing. Piper suddenly joined the preacher in singing, What a Friend We Have In Jesus. The policemen didn't believe it when the excited preacher told them, "The dead man is singing!" He threatened to stand in front of the ambulance if they didn't check him one more time. Piper's live body was transported to the trauma center in Houston, then to a hospital where doctors reattached his arm and leg. Thirty-four surgeries over thirteen months repaired his many injuries. However, the grueling recovery gave Piper time to relive the place he had visited been while he was dead. "I was instantly in the presence of God. It was a buffet for the senses; the aroma, the sights, the sounds. I saw colors that don't exist here and heard music that I've never heard on earth. "I was surrounded by people I had known in life: my grandfather—I had been with him when he died, my grandmother crippled in life with osteoporosis stood upright before me, and two close, teenage friends who had told me about Jesus before they died. All the people that impacted me spiritually welcomed me to heaven. I felt at home with them." Piper trusted Jesus at the age of sixteen, so death was not the end for him. He became an eyewitness to God's majesty, and now he lives in a greater dimension of God's presence. Piper sees an incredible response everywhere he preaches. "I have a new normal," he explained. "In Sweden, when I invited people to receive Christ as Savior, they were tripping over themselves--coming to commit their lives to Christ." Jesus desires to have a place in us. The incredible gift He offers is a resurrected life, and today, like Don Piper, we can live overwhelmed by the magnificence of His life in us. ...death has no victory over Christians. Tell someone about the death-defying life they can have in Jesus. Prayer |
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Are there animals or pets in heaven?
I only arrived at the gates of heaven, and the people who greeted me were the people who helped me get to heaven through their witness on Earth. I did not see any animals or pets in heaven. That does not mean they are not there. In fact, I have reason to believe that they will be. In the Bible’s creation sequence, found in Genesis 1, God creates animals before he creates humans. Following the creation of these creatures, he said they were very good. Indeed, they are good, and they bring us encouragement and companionship. It is hard to believe God would create something so majestic and beautiful and not have them in heaven. The book of Revelation tells us when Christ returns; He will come on a white horse. Many theologians such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley and C. S. Lewis feel there will be animals in heaven. I do believe animals will be in heaven.
Do people who commit suicide go to heaven?
The answer depends upon the relationship they had with Christ before taking their own life. The truth is even Christians can suffer from great depression and heartbreaks. It is my opinion that people who commit suicide are not thinking rationally. When a person commits suicide, it is a lose-lose situation. Not only does the person lose his or her life, but the people in that person’s life are also left with a sense of loss. Suicide is a sin, but the Bible only lists one sin that is unforgivable, rejecting Christ. If a person has authentically accepted Christ as their Savior, than I think that person is not precluded from going to heaven. In reality, all of us will die with unconfessed sin in our lives. What washes away our sin is the blood of Christ, but we must remember the Lord gives life and takes away life. Even in the darkest of circumstances, it is NEVER our place to take our own lives.
What happens immediately after death?
Immediately following the crash, Don was at the gates of heaven. There was no intermediate step for Don. Many people ask about the concept of purgatory. Purgatory is a long held tradition by some churches around the world. It is thought to be a place of purging where someone goes immediately after death if they are not worthy of heaven. There is no reference to purgatory in the Bible. Salvation and heaven are not earned. Purgatory implies that you have to earn your way into heaven. We can only be saved by God’s grace.
Another idea of what happens after you die is called, “Soul Sleep.” This idea implies that we go to a place of rest and stay there until everyone is resurrected together. The truth is, the bodies of those who are believers will be resurrected in a glorified state. We will then be reunited with our souls so that we may be perfected, as referenced in I Corinthians 15. There are references in the Bible of people who appeared who had died such as Moses and Elijah. This would indicate that they could not have been asleep. Immediately upon impact with the truck, Don was standing at the gates of heaven; he did not experience “Soul Sleep.”
What is the nature of relationships between God’s people in heaven?
First of all, the people Don encountered in heaven were people he recognized. It was not necessary for him to be introduced to any of the people. He knew them even though many had been quite elderly when they died, or in some cases, quite young. They looked neither old or young, they were ageless. There were people there who had been friends of his, and there were family members. The one thing they had in common was they had a positive spiritual impact on Don’s life. He did not see anyone at the gates he did not know. Don fully believes there were many more people inside the gates, and we will meet Moses, Peter, Paul, and other Biblical heroes. We will see them, and we will know them. We have eternity to fellowship with other believers.
Will we be married in heaven?
We may not necessarily be married, but we will be related. Don’s judgment is that the relationships in heaven are actually superior to the ones we experience on earth. Here we have misunderstandings and arguments, and that simply will not happen in heaven. It will be perfection and bliss. Losing a spouse or a child is very difficult, but you will know them in heaven even if the relationship is somewhat different. All of our relationships will be perfect. We will all be brothers and sisters in Christ.
Do people in heaven know what is happening on earth? Can they see me or talk to me?
This is a very difficult question to answer. I did not find myself looking toward Earth, but I was looking out at the most amazing view of heaven. It was as if I was standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. When at the Grand Canyon most people look out and take in the vast beauty instead of looking down. In heaven you are seeing the faces of those who have gone before you, coupled with the beauty and majesty of heaven. The things of Earth no longer command your attention. Earth is filled with decay, sin, death, pain, and war. There are many good things on earth, but there are many bad things here as well. Since heaven is unaware of those things, it would be difficult to believe people in heaven would be aware of the chaos of Earth. People still know and love us, but more importantly, they anticipate our arrival.
As far as communicating with them, we are able to remember them and think back on the good times we shared. But, I cannot testify to being able to receive messages from those who are in heaven. We should take great joy in knowing the people in heaven are eagerly waiting for others to join them there.
What do people do in heaven? What do they wear?
People were walking around and fellowshipping with each other. Often, heaven is compared to the most wonderful church experience you have ever had. So often, God may open the door to show us a little of what heaven is like on earth through a retreat, camp experience or an incredible worship service. In heaven, those types of experiences are eternal. We will learn more and more about whom we are and who God is. Heaven is a place to serve and be served. We will also share experiences with each other. Imagine eating all you want and never gaining any weight! There will be incredible banquets at the Lord’s Table. Heaven is full of singing, and we will all be part of God’s choir. We also get to greet people we know when they come to heaven. One of the most exciting parts about my experience in heaven, was that I was greeted at the gates by people I knew who had gone before me. Heaven is not boring! Heaven is a place of fellowship, singing, praising, serving, and learning.
The people I saw in heaven were wearing magnificent clothing. It was some type of brilliant cloth. It appeared to be like a robe, and it was quite beautiful, pure in its beauty.
What about angels? Do we become angels?
We have been asked about angels quite often. Some people want to know if we become angels when we die. No, angels are a separate class of being. God created angels for many purposes. Angels can appear on earth in human form. They are messengers, servants, and they have other tasks they perform. Humans are the only creation the Bible says were created in the image of God. God breathed into humans the breath of life, and we have living souls. As magnificent and wonderful as angels are, they have a different purpose in God’s kingdom. Angels will be with us in heaven, and we will worship God with them.
Will I go to heaven even though
I do not profess to be Christian?
Don Piper Ministries is a Christian ministry that believes the only way to go to heaven is to trust Jesus Christ as your savior.
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 14, Christ tells his disciples he is going to prepare a place for them. Thomas asks the same question most of us would. Where is it, and how do we get there? Jesus responded without hesitation. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
What does this mean for those who do not follow Christ? As Christians, we believe the Bible teaches the only way to go to heaven is through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. We believe he did what he said he would do, he died and rose from the grave, and he is now preparing a place for us in heaven. Even though many great religions profess an after-life, that there is a place called “paradise” or “heaven,” Christ alone represents the one who conquered death to go to heaven. We profess Christ out of love for all the people of the world, and we hope they too will come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
Christianity would not be possible if it were not for Judaism. Jews are the chosen people of God and therefore they have a special relationship with God. We are often asked if there will be a separate judgment for Jewish people. We acknowledge it is possible. The truth is we still believe you must profess Christ as your Lord and Savior in order to go to heaven. Jesus gives us a better life now and eternal life with him. With great love and respect for those of other faiths and religions, we point people to Jesus. We believe there is a heaven, and we believe Jesus is the way.
Thank you for reading this post. I hope that this has helped someone.
Love and Blessings,
Greeneyes
Comments:
This is for people who are curious...I know what happens to our bodies...I am talking about our soul and spirit...those don't burn and they don't end up in a hole. They live forever...
Thank you for all positive comments...for the negative replies...all I can do is pray for all who don't believe in God...maybe one day you will realize the truth before it is too late.
Thank you Jesus!
Hugz,
Greeneyes
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