As a Christian, I know I will have eternal life, a life without end, without tears, aging, illness or any more death. Yet it doesn't stop me from time to time, wondering and sometimes afraid of when it actually happens. Will it hurt? Will I be carried by angels to my heavenly home? What will it be like in heaven? What will I look like?
I guess it's pretty natural considering not many people have made it there and back and lived to tell their tales. Most Christian believers that have had a near death experience really didn't make it into heaven but got glimpses of what it might be like, they were sent back instead of proceeding forward. It simply wasn't there time. I for one, hope it happens quick. I have a huge fear of pain, and I would hate for it to be long and drawn out, like with a terminal illness. I think it would grieve me to watch my family members and friends have to deal with saying goodbye.
I have found comfort in what God's Word, the Bible, has to say regarding some of my greatest fears, from 1 Corinthians 15:55 "“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Sounds like for us, it won't hurt, or perhaps like childbirth, its simply a pain that is forgettable. We remember it hurts, but it doesn't last.
We know how this will all end, in one of two paths, the road to heaven for believers and the road to hell for those that don't. We've read the book so we know how it all ends. If you don't perhaps you should read Revelations. I can tell you it's quite eye-opening. I, for one, know it won't be like what I heard in high school, that hell is a place for partying with all your friends, doing everything you're not supposed to be doing here. It will be a place for eternal suffering, and torment. Think of the worst pain imaginable and think of that, never ending but only way worse.
Yet heaven awaits for believers of Jesus Christ. The Bible is quite clear on that point, especially if you believe in the word of God, the Bible, is true!
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That means to my understand, not through Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, or any other Higher Power but Jesus. Without a belief in Him, what He did for all of mankind and what He represents, we can not enter heaven. We shouldn't think we have time to wait either. How many times do you hear of someone who died so suddenly, no one even had the opportunity to say goodbye. Yet I have so many friends who believe they will make it to their death bed and make their confession there. That, my friends, isn't a risk I would ever want to take. The odds aren't in their favor, but it could happen.
So I am curious and thus the reason for this post, what do you really believe happens when we die?
Do we fall asleep or are we instantly transported to heaven? What is heaven going to be like? What will we be like? Will we have any memories of this life in heaven? Will their be pets in heaven?
I am curious and would LOVE to hear your thoughts. If you leave your thoughts below in the comment box, I will be having a giveaway for the book by Joe Beam and Lee Wilson, called The True Heaven. Simply share with me what you think and if you can, your email address so I have a way of contacting you if you're the lucky winner. This giveaway will be going on until August 10th, so please share your thoughts. I'd love to know what you think heaven will be like.
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3 comments:
In January, I died. I did a blogpost titled 8 seconds. I will never forget what I felt and what I saw. I know there is eternity. I know that there is a warmth and love that surrounds you. I didn't feel pain. I felt a pull upward as I was being pulled, I saw a bright light that I was being pulled into. I was being pulled out of a shell of what my body once was. The only part of my body that still needed to be released from that was my left ankle and foot. Then, I heard my name called and I opened my eyes.
I also think there will be animals. God knows what we love and need. I believe that our furbabies will be right there with us.
The matter that is overwhelmingly the most important is that, if we die, we shall be "with Christ". Paul speaks of this simply as "very much better".
To the dying thief the Lord says, "with me in paradise". We don't have paradise defined, but we know that it is the place of delight.
We will also be "asleep through Jesus": not asleep to the delights of being with Him, but asleep to the scene we have left. But we will be awaiting the Lord's assembling shout when we shall "rise first". But our real hope is to be among "the living who remain":
Our prospect is delighting:
To be with Christ, through grace:
Oh! Won’t it be exciting
To see our Master’s face!
http://dcbverse.blogspot.co.uk/2008/01/prospect.html
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and it happens in the blink of an eye. The Bible gives us lots of glimpses into what Heaven and our eternity on the new earth will be like.
I have a high tolerance for pain, and I don't fear suffering, death holds no fear for me, but the sorrow of leaving those I love behind breaks my heart. I know I won't feel that heartache when I am with the Lord but that is what I think about when the topic of death comes up.
And I want to be sure I have finished the work God put me here for because I want to do all I can to be sure no one enters into eternal suffering because I failed to do my part.
Hugs,
Kat
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