Have They Seen Heaven?

I read an interesting article by Mark Galli called, "Incredible Journeys: What to Make of Visits to Heaven" in Christianity Today online.
 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/december/incredible-journeys.html

The writer mentioned an article I read in Newsweek awhile ago: "Eben Alexander'sProof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife (Simon & Schuster) hit bookstores in late October, eliciting a cover story from Newsweek earlier that month."

I remember reading this story with some disbelief.
 Mark Galli writes about whether the stories these people claiming to have seen heaven agree with the teachings in the Bible.

 "For example, Neal said she was about to enter a hall where she would be given one last chance to accept or reject God. Traditionally Christians have taught that this momentous decision is called for in this life, after which comes judgment (Heb. 9:27). Alexander had lived a life indifferent toward God, and yet when he meets God, whom he calls Om, he is told, "There is nothing you can do wrong." So much for the doctrine of sin."

I believe some stories about people seeing heaven are true. Paul himself was taken to heaven, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven." 2 Corinthians 12:2

But I think John gives us the best advice, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

The Empty Room.

My sister and I were discussing Matthew 12:43-45. "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before."

We think Jesus meant that after the Holy Spirit comes inside us, cleanses us from sin and unites us with God we must not let our hearts become empty of the Spirit. Like Israel every morning went out and gathered fresh manna, so we must each day gather wisdom and strength from God through prayer and reading the Bible. Jesus said, "Eat my flesh and drink my blood." He becomes a part of us and fills us.

The man with the evil spirit left himself empty. If we do this then we will become filled with evil and be "slaves to sin," as Jesus also said. If God does not fill us then Satan will. My sister said, "I knew prayer and Bible study were vital, but I didn't know why until now."

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible 
http://bible.cc/matthew/12-44.htm

Into my house - The soul of that person from whom he had been expelled by the power of Christ, and out of which he was to have been kept by continual prayer, faith, and watchfulness.

He findeth it empty - Unoccupied, σχολαζοντα, empty of the former inhabitant, and ready to receive a new one: denoting a soul that has lost the life and power of godliness, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit.

Swept and garnished - As σχολαζω signifies to be idle, or unemployed, it may refer here to the person, as well as to his state. His affections and desires are no longer busied with the things of God, but gad about, like an idle person, among the vanities of a perishing world. Swept, from love, meekness, and all the fruits of the Spirit; and garnished, or adorned, κεκοσμημενον, decorated, with the vain showy trifles of folly and fashion. This may comprise also smart speeches, cunning repartees, etc., for which many who have lost the life of God are very remarkable.

Grace - What is it?

I first saw this quote on the blog, "Not Unredeemed." Here is the link.

 http://notunredeemed.com/2012/10/03/vapor-31-days-of-truth-day-3/

Ever since I read this it has been rolling over and over in my mind. I take it to mean that we shouldn't look down or around us; we should look up to see what life really means. No matter what happens, God's grace is pouring down from heaven covering the world for those who would receive it. 

I talked about this with my mother and sister. They didn't agree with the quote at first and we decided to look up the word, "grace". These are the definitions we found.

a. Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people.

b. The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God.

c. An excellence or power granted by God.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/grace

My sister objected to the word "protection" in the definition; at least in the way we understand that to protect someone you would never let them get hurt or die. We decided the next definition was better.

a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

b : a virtue coming from God

c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace

Divine assistance. We thought that was better than protection - even though we know God protects us many times from danger and death. 

One thing about my family. We debate everything; but I see that as a good thing. God blessings to all of you.

My Daughter and God.

My daughter put these two pictures on her pinterest page. 

...even when it's really hard.

I know these words were about her son, whom she lost last year. She has clung to the Lord and He has helped her so much. She has also taken grief counseling and I'm grateful God led her to a wonderful Christian woman who has been a great blessing to Sandy. 

My heart feels so full of gratitude to God for all he has done for my family. 

Murder at Christmas.

When I heard about the killings at the elementary school I wished so much that this world would be over and done with. Tragedy, death, sickness, and suffering are all around us.

"Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence!"  Isaiah 64:1

I read this verse this morning and thought, "Yes, come down God, come back Jesus and rescue us from this dark place."

I pray God will give comfort to all who were devestated by these murders. I know what it is to lose those you love. Even though God gives comfort and strength which is needed so very much- you miss those you love, especially at Christmas, on their birthdays, Thanksgiving dinner. Every time you hear or see something wonderful you think, "Oh, how I wish they could see this. How I wish things had been different."

I want to give thanks and praise to God for how he has helped us through the tragedies in our family. I used to wonder how I could ever cope with losing a child or grandchild. Now I know. God makes it possible - God grace is sufficient. 

The Older Brother.

In his story of the prodigal son Jesus also includes another son: the older brother. When the prodigal returns home and is forgiven by his father and given a huge party, the older brother is angry. He doesn't believe his brother deserves a party. The older brother has stayed by his father and worked hard; why should his loser brother have a party?

In the book, "The Life You've Always Wanted,"  John Ortberb writes, "One of the hardest things in the world is to stop being the prodigal son without turning into the elder brother."

Christians can become judgmental and intolerant. This shouldn't happen, but it does far too often. It happened to me when I was in my twenties. For some reason we become proud when God changes us ; we somehow believe we had something to do with becoming good so why can't everyone do the same thing? We forget, or don't realize, that only God is good and any apparent goodness we have is from him alone.

The Bible says our righteousness is "filthy rags". In other words, we don't have any. None at all. We have no right to look down on people no matter what they do. Even Jeffery Dahmer was converted in prison. My mother told me she was watching Bill Maher on TV and he was talking against God and religion. She said she thought, "That man is lost." She said she heard God speak to her heart and say, "No, he isn't." Now, she prays for Bill Maher.

We don't know people's hearts. We don't know how the Spirit is working on that person or how close they are to the kingdom of God. No matter what people do or say, we have no right to be angry at them, hate them or judge them. Sometimes we may fall and do this, but we need to give these feelings and that person to God.

God is Closer Than You Think.

I'm reading, "God is Closer Than You Think," by John Ortberg. It is a very good book and I recommend it. In one chapter he writes about how there is no set way for people to grow in grace.

"God wants to be fully present with each of us. But because he made us to be different from one another, we are not identical in the activities and practices that will help us connect with him. Some writers speak of people as having different spiritual temperaments and pathways. ...A spiritual pathway has to do with the way we most naturally sense God's presence and experience spiritual growth."

 We are not clones, robots or cookie-cut people. Everyone is different, and I think God loves variety in everything, even people. The way I worship God and get to know him may be vastly different than your way, but that's okay as long as we are headed in the same direction: toward God.

Ortberg says, "We need to accept and embrace the unique way God created us. Instead of following "mass production approaches to spiritual growth, we need to make sure we spend adequate time and activity pursuing the pathways that most help us connect with God."

I remember when I used to attend church how there would be programs that they wanted everyone to join and do things a certain way. But that left no opening for individuality. I've noticed churches have changed since then. They see that people have different gifts and everyone can't do the same thing.

Just like flowers are not all alike, God has made us all amazingly different Vive la difference!

A. Gundelach, Gelsenkirchen (grandfather of User:Produnis)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sommerblumen01.JPG