Headlines in Heaven by Lily Hill is a book about what it might be like in heaven. It's fiction, but as far as I can tell does not contradict scripture. It is somewhat of a devotional in places and has scripture references. I think the book is meant to help people imagine heaven instead of it seeming so unimaginable.
These are interesting conversations. Are there rules about what is truly spiritual? Is there a way to “test the Spirits” (NDE's) to see if they are true and from God. “Testing” must be done with wisdom but “rules” have limited value as we seek to know if this miracle or experience or that one are from God or Satan. Since Satan can be an “Angel of Light”, do we then doubt and disparage every experience of “Light” that comes along? Jesus miracles were “Light” and were experiential in the life of the people, but the Light of The Bible, God’s Word, tells us not to do work on the Sabbath and the penalty is death - Ex 20:10-11; 31:14-16. The Jews had determined that healing and forgiving someone on Sabbath was "work" or “blasphemy”. But Jesus did this type of work! They put the Son of God to death because they failed to see the bigger picture, that God loves the sinner and is “working” to reconcile people to Himself. That is His “work”. Healing. Forgiving. Bringing back to relationship with the God Who loves us. Jesus even admits it was “work” in Jn 5:17. He works to brings healing, belief in Him, and gives glory to the Father for the experience of it and this activity exalts Him if the people give glory to Him . Indeed, God calls all people everywhere to repent Acts 17:30, and whoever you are... believe! Jn 3:16. Today, many people by the hundreds or thousands in the Middle East are coming to faith in Christ due to dreams and miracles. But... somehow, here in the West, the U.S., the habit is for us to doubt it, and attribute it to Satan, and say that only through God’s Word can someone come to faith in Him. That is the “safe” position to take. The Pharisees of Jesus Day were being “safe”. They laid heavy rules on people to make sure they did not inadvertently disobey God’s Word and sin and "be cursed". Avoiding curse (instead of bringing salvation), and pointing fingers was their way, and Jesus compared them as being “whitewashed”, and “sepluchres”. They accused Him of being in league with Satan. They denied the “Light” of God’s work right in front of their eyes! Now days, many people, “sinners”, unbelievers, in fact, who are atheists, are coming to faith in Christ and becoming believers in Him through the “NDE”, and if the heart stopped and brain waves ceased, and for more than 10 minutes, are they not considered clinically dead? Of course. Like the 9 lepers, many will not recognize their miracle and will move on without giving glory to God. But God did heal them, all 10! So… how does one tell if these “NDE’s” are true? Can Dr. Jeffress tell? Did he tell us how to tell, or to “play it safe” because we “can’t know for sure”. How do we know if Lazarus didn’t tell about His experience? Or that The Widow of Nain’s son or the daughter of Jairus didn’t? Apostle John states that there could be volumes of books written of things not recorded for us to read, and Dr. Jeffress is right that the Word itself is enough for us. Does Dr. Jeffress know there are no NDE’s described in the Bible. Some disagree. But faith is also about experience in life. The experience of miracle is also God’s way too, and they happen now and Jesus said they would - Mk 16:17-18. I think we can be stumbling blocks and end up as accusers (Pharisees) if we simply say that all NDE’s are fake, because some of them are. There’s no doubt that NDE’s and dreams are bringing many people to God today. Let us “test”, but be open to God’s true Light of healing and faith, and not discount His Light in instances where people are definitely brought to faith in Him. “Being on the safe side” to attribute it all to Satan puts us at risk of being destroyers of faith and God’s true work and miracles. He is True Light Himself! Let us be shrewd so we don’t put ourselves on the wrong side of some of the miraculous things God is doing. We can be better “testers” than just writing it all off as “Satan’s work”, can’t we? Can we doubt with a sense of God’s purpose, to doubt where doubt and testing are needed, and yet with belief where God works true faith, miracles, and Light! Christian, can you tell the difference rightly? I value Dr. Jeffress and his insights. He speaks God's word. But I also value some of the experiential miracles God is truly working through NDE’s as the Work of His Presence in believers and unbelievers..
Yes. Paul did.
Headlines in Heaven by Lily Hill is a book about what it might be like in heaven. It's fiction, but as far as I can tell does not contradict scripture. It is somewhat of a devotional in places and has scripture references. I think the book is meant to help people imagine heaven instead of it seeming so unimaginable.
These are interesting conversations. Are there rules about what is truly spiritual? Is there a way to “test the Spirits” (NDE's) to see if they are true and from God. “Testing” must be done with wisdom but “rules” have limited value as we seek to know if this miracle or experience or that one are from God or Satan. Since Satan can be an “Angel of Light”, do we then doubt and disparage every experience of “Light” that comes along?
Jesus miracles were “Light” and were experiential in the life of the people, but the Light of The Bible, God’s Word, tells us not to do work on the Sabbath and the penalty is death - Ex 20:10-11; 31:14-16. The Jews had determined that healing and forgiving someone on Sabbath was "work" or “blasphemy”. But Jesus did this type of work! They put the Son of God to death because they failed to see the bigger picture, that God loves the sinner and is “working” to reconcile people to Himself. That is His “work”. Healing. Forgiving. Bringing back to relationship with the God Who loves us. Jesus even admits it was “work” in Jn 5:17. He works to brings healing, belief in Him, and gives glory to the Father for the experience of it and this activity exalts Him if the people give glory to Him . Indeed, God calls all people everywhere to repent Acts 17:30, and whoever you are... believe! Jn 3:16.
Today, many people by the hundreds or thousands in the Middle East are coming to faith in Christ due to dreams and miracles. But... somehow, here in the West, the U.S., the habit is for us to doubt it, and attribute it to Satan, and say that only through God’s Word can someone come to faith in Him. That is the “safe” position to take. The Pharisees of Jesus Day were being “safe”. They laid heavy rules on people to make sure they did not inadvertently disobey God’s Word and sin and "be cursed". Avoiding curse (instead of bringing salvation), and pointing fingers was their way, and Jesus compared them as being “whitewashed”, and “sepluchres”. They accused Him of being in league with Satan. They denied the “Light” of God’s work right in front of their eyes! Now days, many people, “sinners”, unbelievers, in fact, who are atheists, are coming to faith in Christ and becoming believers in Him through the “NDE”, and if the heart stopped and brain waves ceased, and for more than 10 minutes, are they not considered clinically dead? Of course. Like the 9 lepers, many will not recognize their miracle and will move on without giving glory to God.
But God did heal them, all 10!
So… how does one tell if these “NDE’s” are true? Can Dr. Jeffress tell? Did he tell us how to tell, or to “play it safe” because we “can’t know for sure”. How do we know if Lazarus didn’t tell about His experience? Or that The Widow of Nain’s son or the daughter of Jairus didn’t? Apostle John states that there could be volumes of books written of things not recorded for us to read, and Dr. Jeffress is right that the Word itself is enough for us. Does Dr. Jeffress know there are no NDE’s described in the Bible. Some disagree. But faith is also about experience in life. The experience of miracle is also God’s way too, and they happen now and Jesus said they would - Mk 16:17-18. I think we can be stumbling blocks and end up as accusers (Pharisees) if we simply say that all NDE’s are fake, because some of them are.
There’s no doubt that NDE’s and dreams are bringing many people to God today. Let us “test”, but be open to God’s true Light of healing and faith, and not discount His Light in instances where people are definitely brought to faith in Him. “Being on the safe side” to attribute it all to Satan puts us at risk of being destroyers of faith and God’s true work and miracles. He is True Light Himself! Let us be shrewd so we don’t put ourselves on the wrong side of some of the miraculous things God is doing. We can be better “testers” than just writing it all off as “Satan’s work”, can’t we? Can we doubt with a sense of God’s purpose, to doubt where doubt and testing are needed, and yet with belief where God works true faith, miracles, and Light! Christian, can you tell the difference rightly?
I value Dr. Jeffress and his insights. He speaks God's word. But I also value some of the experiential miracles God is truly working through NDE’s as the Work of His Presence in believers and unbelievers..