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What is Heaven Like?

Most people have only a vague idea of what Heaven or Hell are like. There are hints in Scripture, but these are not very complete.

As I talk to people about how to get to Heaven, a number say matter-of-factly that they are going to Hell;
some actually say they are looking forward to it! Not a good idea!
Here is a simple description of Hell: ” the absence of all good”.
 There is only evil, pain, suffering, remorse and despair. It will be like living under Hamas on steroids.
Heaven, on the other hand, is the abundance of only what is good, wonderful, gracious and positive.
Conversely it is the absence of any evil, sin, suffering, pain , sickness or negativeness.
Both of these descriptions are actually woefully incomplete. I’ve been reading a book, “Imagining Heaven” by Pastor John Burke.
It is the result of his interviewing 1700 people who had “near death experiences,”
that is they were clinically dead from 10 minutes to much longer times.
What they each described was amazingly similar: many went to Heaven, some arrived on the edge of Hell.
it didn’t matter what their background was, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic or Christian,
All who went to Heaven experienced overwhelming love, beauty, harmony, and wonderful experiences, all of which echo biblical descriptions.
Most importantly they met and talked with Jesus, and, irrespective of their religious backgrounds, became followers of Him.
He then sent them back to earth because He had work for them to do.
Check out interviews with John Burke online, like  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRPKEDXgtzg
or read this article about his work   https://www.destinyimage.com/blog/john-burke-the-evidence-that-took-me-from-agnostic-to-believer-how-ndes-changed-his-life
or get his book.
May be an image of text that says 'NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER IMAGINE ola PEAA ΑP3yop Colo HEAVEN Near-Death Near- Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You JOHN FOREWORD BY DON PIPER BURKE Ner Joré Taar Batading Auior Minster L0 Hezen READ BY TRISTAN WRIGHT'
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No Need to Fear

I have friends who are afraid and stressed out with the chaos in the world:
violence, wars, epidemics, high prices, Middle East tensions….
However, personally these things don’t stress me out. Why? Because of what  these two verses tell us:
“The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
He is in charge, has a plan, is loving and is all powerful.
Therefore there is no need to get stressed.
The need is to believe, trust and rest in Him.
I summarize this truth for myself with this statement:
 
“God is  moving history to a conclusion and taking us with Hiim,
so whatever comes, it’s ok!”
 
That is not a flippant statement, it is an announcement of “Truth-nurtured Faith”
that can bring us peace in all situations. Try it!
Picture: God holds all in place.
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Empowered

As it says in Colossians 2:10 (KJV), “…you are COMPLETE in Him, which is the head of all principality and power….”

When we begin to understand who we are in Christ, we can go onto verse 12, which says,

“therefore” (since you are chosen, holy and dearly loved),

“clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness,

humility,

gentleness [“sweet reasonableness”]

and patience.”

Wouldn’t you like to be around people like that?!!!

And that is what we can be for others when we live out the Truth

of who we are in Christ. and stop fighting with others.

In Ephesians 2:18 Paul prays the God will give the believers POWER

so they can understand the greatness of the love of God,

to know the love that surpasses knowledge, (to experience His love in God sightings)

and the result is “that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

To know His love empowers us to rise above conflicts

to bring grace to others and bring joy to God!

Prayer: “Lord God, grant us the power to grasp

‘how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ’

so that we may reject the human struggle for significance,

rest in who we are in Christ

and clothe ourselves with the qualities you have bought for us. Amen.”

Picture: God gives us power so we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God

No photo description available.

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Conflict Source

In thinking about the growing level of conflicts in relationships, the question is, “What is the source of these conflicts?”

One of the deepest themes running through conflicts seems to be the struggle for significance:

**Lucifer wanted more significance, to be like God.

**Eve was tempted to be more significant in knowing good and evil independently of God.

**Cain wanted his sacrifice to accepted and to be significant on his own terms rather than God’s.

**The builders of the tower of Babel wanted to make a name for themselves by their achievement, rejecting God’s command to spread out and fill the earth.

So it goes through all of scripture and all of life. I see this in myself,

being hurt and angry when someone does something to rob me of my dignity;

striving for accomplishment to feel and look more significant.

The resolution of  this root of conflict is stated in Colossians 3:12-14, “Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved….”

Here in this verse is all the significance that anyone will ever need.

We are created in the image of God.

We are chosen before the foundation of the world to be a child of the Most High.

We are made holy: forgiven, purified and commissioned for significant work.

And we are dearly loved: sought out by the intense and pure desire of God the Ruler of all,

We are unconditionally accepted, whole-heartedly adopted, deeply cared for and delighted in.

As it says in Colossians 2:10 (KJV), “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power….”

If we could just grasp this on a “whole person level,”

(that is, not just intellectually but also volitionally and emotionally),

what a difference that would make in  us and all those around us.

And this is possible.

Tomorrow I will tell you more about bringing that difference to pass in your life.

Picture: I am chosen by the Creator of the universe

May be an image of horizon

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The Cure

Follow up on yesterday’s post on “tent caterpillar sins” of:

—complaining (thanklessness)
—Lying (telling ourselves it’s horrible, when it’s only a minor disappointment)
—criticizing, speaking negatively (ignoring all the good God gives us)
—following our feelings rather than truth.
How can we “squash” these ugly and destructive sins before they take over?
First is to confess that these are sins flowing from unbelief and rebellion,
we sin when we complain, condemn, criticize and believe our feelings because we do not believe God
we do not believe that He is good, He has a plan, whatever comes He will cvarry us through.
we sin thinking that we do know better than Hiim!
Second, practice recognizing recognize these sins as they pop up in your mind  or heart:
—when you start to complain, stop
—when you use the wrong description, think what is true.
—when you start to speak critically, halt and reject it.
—when your feelings tug you in the wrong direction, start thinking biblically.
Third, replace them with Truth:
—instead of complaining, offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving  (Psalms 50:23).
—instead of labeling things wrongly, think on what is true, noble, right, pure….. (Phil. 4:6).
—instead of being critical, bounce to thinking positive things, living in the light. (1 Jn 1:7).
—instead of following your feelings, follow Truth and guard your heart  (John 8:32, Prov. 4:13).
If you give these responses,
your life will be brighter,
your burdens lighter
and your thoughts cleaner.
You will walk in Freedom.
Picture: intentionally walking into the Light
May be an image of fog
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Little sins

This afternoon we went for a walk along the road and I noticed the nests of tent caterpillars in the bushes.

After these nasty creatures mature enough exit their nests, they head up the nearest tree and proceed to devour all its leaves.
A large number of caterpillars means by the middle of June our trees will look like it is January with no leaves left.
A few years back on a Sunday afternoon I went out, cut down all those tent nests and crushed all the caterpillars.
As time progressed, the forests on either side of our land lost all their leaves while  ours remained lush and green
Timely action averted a tree catastrophe.
This brought a comparison to mind. These little tent caterpillars are like “minor sins,”
seemingly unimportant, harmless as they are common, like
—complaining (thanklessness)
—Lying (telling ourselves it’s horrible, when it’s only a minor disappointment)
—criticizing, speaking negatively (ignoring all the good God gives us)
—following our feelings rather than truth.
Small in the eyes of people, big in the eyes of God,
for each one springs from unbelief, rebellion and selfishness.
If we don’t crush these caterpillar sins quickly, the damage will grow and grow
destroying all the leaves on our spiritual trees.
Tomorrow we will talk about how to crush these and protect yourself.
picture: tent caterpillar nest.
No photo description available.
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Exalt Him!

“Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.” Psalm 99:9

As part of your holiness, Lord, you are completely other than your creation:

  • We are physical, you are spirit.
  • We are limited to one place, you fill the universe.
  • We must eat and sleep, you are never hungry or tired.
  • We are mortal, you are eternal.
  • We are sinful and sinners, you are pure and holy.
  • We so easily sin, you are unable to sin.
  • We are of the earth, you are of heaven.
  • We create from materials, you create from nothing.
  • We are human, you are the most High.
  • We are creatures, you are the Creator.
  • We are your children, you are our Heavenly Father.
  • We live in time, you are outside of time.
  • We don’t know what will happen in the next second, you know all that will happen in every second for all history.
  • We can’t control more than a few details of our lives, you are the sovereign God who has the power to control every event and detail in the lives of billions at the same time.
  • We can focus on only a few events around us, you are intimately involved in the lives of every living person.

So, why do we so ofen not trust you?

Forgive us, we surrender to you,

the Great and Mighty One, Ruler of all!

Picture: each point of light is not a star but a galaxy made3of billions of stars.

May be an image of outer space

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Seeing the Hand of God

Here is an entry from my journal, which shows the importance of journaling to help see how much God is doing in our lives.

Praise be to you, Lord God, for your protection, your power, your provision in making it possible to have this anti-stroke devise inserted in my heart.

As I look back I can see your goodness and mercy working through the whole process. Here are 9 God Sightings that I saw.

  1. My regular cardiologist was not available, so saw his assistant.
  2. She read my history very thoroughly and saw my tendency to have blood clots because of my having A-Fib and urged me to do something about it.
  3. First, she prescribed a blood thinner that cost $510 after insurance, but I had some left over from a previous incident, so opted to use that.
  4. However, that blood  thinner failed to work properly, so she had me stop it—if I had gotten the new prescription, I would have been out all that money.
  5. Then she got me an appointment within just 3 weeks with a heart specialist—unusual, for when I had to see a kidney doctor because of severe kidney failure, it took 3 months to get an appointment.
  6. When I saw the heart specialist, he said, “I just happen to have an opening in 5 days and can insert a device in your heart to prevent clots!” In contrast, my neighbor had a serious hernia but had to wait 7 months to get it operated on!
  7. The specialist also put me on a new blood thinner that worked.
  8. The insertion of the device went quickly and smoothly without complications, and after one night in the hospital I was able to go home, minimal disruption.
  9. Our sister-in-law, Cynthia, graciously came and stayed with Barbara while I was gone, The Lord worked everything out.

Thank you, Lord for your loving care and protection. In the light of this, I praise you for what you will do for our other needs before we see your answers to prayer.

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Follow the Gifts

God’s way to true success as laid out in 2 Peter 1:3-7

THROUGH His divine power God has given us
everything we need for life and godliness
THROUGH
our knowledge of Him who called us
THROUGH
His glory and goodness and
THROUGH
Them He gave very great and precious promises,
That by them we may
participate in the divine nature, and
escape the corruption in the world.
THEREFORE, ADD TO YOUR FAITH
VIRTUE,
KNOWLEDGE,
SELF-CONTROL,
ENDURANCE,
GODLINESS,
BROTHERLY KINDNESS,
AGAPE LOVE.

The dawn of a new day full of possibilities as we add to our

May be an image of twilight, horizon and tree faith virtue…

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Successful Protectiion

Update on May 5, 2026

Today I had the procedure done on my heart–the insertion of a protective device–and it went well. Now there is a filter that keeps any blood clots from going from my heart to my brain. I had no pain and woke up with everything already done.

I had quite an international staff: an Indian cardiologist, a nurse from Dominican Republic, another nurse from Korea, one from India and one from Haiti. They all did a great job.

I am thankful for God’s protection and provision and am predicted to get out tomorrow by 10:00  am to go home where I should be able to operate normally.

Thank you for your prayers. Truly as it says in Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…”  This whole event was one long series of God sightings, from my aged pickup making the one-hour trip safely, to a quick check, speedy prep and speedy procedure.  Now I am looking forward to a night’s sleep.

Praise God for taking me again through the valley of the shadow of death and out the other side into the land of light where I can look back and see His goodness and mercy!

Hello from my “Hotel room!”

May be an image of one or more people, people smiling and hospital