The Moment of Death
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Acts 7:55,56
But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
At the moment of death do we have our own personal encounter with Jesus? This week our Pastor told a testimony of a man he had known for years. This man had been ill and died, but was brought back to life. When he came back, the first words out of his mouth were, "I saw Him." His wife was standing by his bed, she replied, "What? You saw who?" He said, "I saw Him, I saw Christ." She asked him what he looked like and he replied, "all I can say is he was beautiful, I have never seen anything like Him."
I know the scripture says, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." But then I also know there are scriptures that talk about those who sleep, so what do you think? Are we asleep until His second coming? Or do you believe like I do, when we die, we rapture and are in His presence at the moment of death?
But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
At the moment of death do we have our own personal encounter with Jesus? This week our Pastor told a testimony of a man he had known for years. This man had been ill and died, but was brought back to life. When he came back, the first words out of his mouth were, "I saw Him." His wife was standing by his bed, she replied, "What? You saw who?" He said, "I saw Him, I saw Christ." She asked him what he looked like and he replied, "all I can say is he was beautiful, I have never seen anything like Him."
I know the scripture says, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." But then I also know there are scriptures that talk about those who sleep, so what do you think? Are we asleep until His second coming? Or do you believe like I do, when we die, we rapture and are in His presence at the moment of death?
posted by Live, Love, Laugh | 4:47 AM
5 Comments:
I should have myself committed for saying this....but you asked.
It is such a coincidence that you post this today because a friend is coming over to talk about the same thing.
I believe that nothing unclean can enter heaven (Rev 21:27)
I believe we pray for the dead to help them reach heaven, otherwise why pray for them?(2 Macc 12:44-46)
I believe that, although saved, God has created a state of being whereas we prepare ourselves/purify ourselves to enter heaven.(1 Cor 3:15)
I do believe that there are those that enter heaven immediately upon death. These are saints. We should all strive to be saints.(Wis 3:1-6)
Well, you asked! ;)
I believe that whatever we hold in our hearts, we hold forever - whether love or hate, fear or joy. That goes with us. So life is for joy and love, the sharing of it.
This is a good question, one for which I can only wish I knew the true answer. We shall all find out one day. :)
I have questions about this myself. We hear many different stories, but I don't think we will have the answer until we experience it.
Once again, our Heavenly Father shows us the importance of trusting Him.
Wow. What an amazing testimony! I fully believe it, too.
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