Funny Newspaper Article

This is a funny article. You may have to click on the picture to make it bigger to read it. It's worth reading though!

Heaven

I just finished the book "90 minutes in heaven." Really a good read. His description of heaven was pretty much what I thought it might be. Over the past couple of years I have been thinking about the beauty of heaven. The after life is something we can't grasp and really have some descriptions of what it might be like. Yet we can't really get a feel for it though.

Don Piper's description told of a welcoming party waiting for him with great anticipation. He saw people their he knew and received hugs from them and claimed he had never felt such love, ever!

Here is a brief description of his time in heaven.

"In my next moment of awareness, I was standing in heaven. Joy pulsated through me as I looked around. And at that moment I became aware of a large crowd of people. They stood in front of a brilliant, ornate gate. I have no idea how far away they were; such things as distance didn't matter. As the crowd rushed toward me, I didn't see Jesus, but I did see people I had known. As they surged toward me, I knew instantly that all had died during my lifetime. Their presence seemed absolutely natural.

They rushed toward me, and every person was smiling, shouting and praising God. Although no one said so, intuitively I knew they were my celestial welcoming committee. It was as if they had all gathered outside heaven's gate waiting for me."

That is awesome! Think of all the people that have gone before you in death and think about them waiting for you outside of heaven's gate. Smiling and praising God. Smiling, that is something you don't see a whole lot. A smile, a real smile not a fake smile. A smile we will never really know until we reach heaven. A smile of completeness, happiness and pure fulfilled joy! I really have no clue of what that kind of smile is.

People praising God. We praise God every time we worship. We praise Him as much as we can. But earthly praise is nothing compared to Heavenly praise is it? Compete praise to our Lord is what we will be doing when we all get to heaven. He speaks of the music he heard and how wonderful it was. Music we have never heard on Earth.

He states he has never felt such joy and love ever. He was finally where he always longed to be, heaven. I don't know what you believe about this man's journey, but his description seems all to real for me. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident and he was gone for 90 minutes. You will have to read the book to see all that he went through during his recovery. It took him 2 years to finally talk about his journey to heaven. He was afraid to say anything about it, but after he did he helped a lot of people through his story. Nobody knows what God has planned for them. He will eventually show us the way or he already is showing us our Divine path, we just haven't opened up our hearts and our eyes yet to see it. Trust God with all you concerns and needs and He will open a door for you always. He did for Don.

God Is Looking From Above

I found this picture on a friends Facebook page. I thought it was quite awesome. It has a Godly reference to it. I looked at it for awhile and thought is this what our Lord is doing right now. Looking down and watching His world from above.

Three things happened today. Obviously, the passing of Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. I was wondering as I listened to the MJ stuff about his death. I see all kinds of people gathering outside the hospital. People calling the news stations and crying of his death. Kind of crazy! I did like MJ's music but I would never adore any star like many people are right now.

So it made me think of the "King of Kings." How fast did it spread about his dying on the cross? How much jubilation was there when word of his resurrection got out? Was it like this media craze that it happening right now. Probably not! Those things didn't exist then. Word of mouth was the best way then.

Michael Jackson was probably well known because of his ability to do what he did, but he couldn't save us from our sins or even perform miracles. What I am getting at is that Jesus is my hero and will always be. Not any star! So what do you think God is seeing right now? A world that is in disarray! Many feel losing a pop star is more important than praising God.

Then I think about his feelings toward the way we act. Especially this stuff brewing with North Korea. Korea angers me! How will this work out? If anybody intercepts this ship they will send missiles in the direction of that country. North Korea's leader is a heartless person who's soul has been devoured by Satan! So what is God seeing as He oversees this crazy situation? I'm sure He is in control of it all. He has an answer for it all.

As I looked at this picture it just made think of how I would be sitting on the heavenly throne and seeing all that is happening in our world. How tough it would be to be in control of it all. How irritated you would be to see all that is going on. That is why I am here and God is God and can handle it all. It's my responsibility to bring God the praise He deserves. To bring about the best in people and tell them about my Hero. We can be in shock over someone popular dying or in shock over somebody threatening our world. Yet we can't worry about it all. Because God is watching and wanting us to go on with our lives and not forget him and not forget he is watching, hearing, saving, loving and forgiving us all right now. High above or right beside us he is on alert ready to defeat evil and cure our hearts. Praise God! He's done more than anyone has ever done here on Earth. Take him in and feel his love and show him to as many people as we can.

Did you get an email or a text today? How many people did you show it to? How many people did you send it to? Did you hear a joke today ? I did. I shared it with 5 people, I didn't share Christ with that many people today. I'm ashamed of it too! Last question. How many people did you tell about Michael Jackson dying? Me one! Still that is more people than who I shared Christ with. My score is not very good, tomorrow will hopefully be different. I hope! May God be first in our lives and other things last.

What Are Your Visions Of Heaven?

I've just started reading the book, "90 minutes in Heaven." I have been wanting to read for a long time, but I was skeptical. I always believed God doesn't reveal His heaven to anybody. I always thought it won't be seen until we die or until He comes to take us to Him.

I've always had my visions of what Heaven might be like. But they were nowhere near what He has planned for us to see. We just can't fathom such a glorious sight. We can have thoughts though and try our best to see it.

I often think of the pain many have suffered and are suffering right now. To think they will completely healed and have no pain at all. We will feel love like we have never have never felt before. The authors description of his 90 minutes in heaven is to well described to not be real. I just felt this overwhelming relief as he told of his experience. It's almost what I thought it might be and even more. I have no idea if he actually went there or not, but as you continue to read about the accident that false belief in his story really starts to become more real.

His description is so warming. It will make you think twice about what we are missing here on this planet. Love there is something we will never feel here at all. I long for heaven, I don't want to leave here until I accomplish God's work here first and then I will feel ready. God is so real. He is out there among us, don't deny it for one minute.

The author stated he felt so complete that he never worried about anybody back here on Earth, the light was so illuminating that it didn't bother him it just amazed him. The singing was nothing he had ever heard before. He couldn't tell where it was coming from but it just filled him. It was a constant singing of praise to God. I can't even imagine it!

As he entered a welcoming party was there waiting for him of relatives and people who have been an influence in his life. They hugged him and he said he has never felt so much love and their touch was so filling to him. Amazing!

Can you imagine how loving God is? Can you imagine being in his prescence? We know how excitement feels and what it's like to anticipate something good. But we will never feel the excitement here that we will feel when we stand in the light of the Almighty. I can't wait!

A Loss Of A Friend

I was given some bad news the other night about a friend of mine. My friend Adam had been sick for some time and I hadn't known it. He died Monday from a brain tumor and lymphoma. I hadn't talked to Adam probably in 12 years. He worked with me at Beckett's garden center then and we became good friends.

I remember one time we got bored there and climbed up on the tall peat moss stacked on pallets and try to push each other off the top of them. One of us would usually fall between the pallets and get stuck. It was fun. I'm sure there were other things we did to try and pass the time.

He will be sadly missed. I am still in shock about him passing, and I really am going to be praying for his Mom, Dad and his sister Elizabeth. May you rest in peace my friend and be comforted by our loving God.

To God Be The Glory, That's What He Desires

Sunday morning I could only attend Church for 40 minutes because of this unholy company I work for. But I was glad I was able to get that much time. So I came home and got dressed to go to work and sat down to eat something before I left. I turned on the TV and was watching the news. All they talked about was how Obama was going to try and solve the health care system and talked about the financial market and just sat there and argued about how each other disagreed on how things are not getting done.

So I thought, maybe they should instead give God the glory and praise, that He held this country together and hasn't allowed this country to go into another Great Depression. We don't know how to give God the glory and praise He deserves. That is what He wants. He gave His one and only Son on a cross, he wants praised for not wiping us off the face of the Earth and giving His precious son for us. When you are bailed out of a financial crisis or a major health problem don't just say it in a prayer, shout it out loud. Tell everybody you can about how God is alive and how he is healing still. When Jesus healed people they ran off and told all they could about the wondrous healing power of Christ.

I don't believe we are to be a bunch of Introverts and keep God's glory to ourselves. Our God is a "consuming fire." His love and mercy can spread through anybody if we tell people about Him. Many know of a higher being, yet they don't know how to reach him or don't think He really does anything for us. As Christians we need to tell our story about how God has done and continues to do for us every day. I've been reading this book titled, "Glimpses of Heaven." It was written by a former Hospice nurse who tells about her patients (who are near death) and shares there stories about leaving and going to their Creator. The stories are "Amazing!" He's ready for us to come to him, but he wants us first to share His story and what a beautiful story it is. Give God the glory and give others His Glory also.

The Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup Champions

Well it's finally over! 2 months of playoffs and more excitement than I almost could bear. But I am glad to see my team finally raise the Cup. The last time they raised it was in 1993 and now finally they have done it. So I can say I have had a huge championship year. The Steelers and the Penguins both have made this Pittsburgh fan extremely happy!

Forgiveness

I have been reading a book titled, "The Reason For God." It's my third time reading. There is so much in it, you have to read it a few times. I learned something new or found a new view on forgiveness. The writers definition of Forgiveness is: bearing the cost instead of making the wrongdoer do it, so you can reach out in love to seek your enemy's renewal and change. Or another definition: absorbing the debt of the sin yourself.

So basically we are doing the same thing Christ did on the cross for us, except He did it on a much greater scale. But I never really thought about this in great detail. When I forgive someone I just always thought it was just letting the sin go and forgetting about it. Letting by gones be by gones. Acting like it never happened. But acting like it never happened is where we are not like Christ. We can act like it never happened. Yet, we still remember it and we may act like it doesn't bother us but it really does still bother us. There are still things that have happened in my life that others have maybe said or done to me that I released them of the guilt by forgiving them. As it goes my memory doesn't fail me and I remember things and they bother me. I guess I really didn't forgive the act or sin the way Christ did. I didn't absorb it and take on the burden like I should have. Make sense? I hope so.

As we live life and are around other people we should be mindful that things are going to happen and people are going to wrong us and we too will wrong others. In order to forgive others we have to have the mind of Christ to be able to forgive others like we should. That being the way Christ did on the cross. He took it upon himself to take the burden of sin and absorb it instead of taking it out on the person who did it. US! The author of this book states this: We are absorbing the debt, taking the cost of it completely on ourselves instead of taking it out on the other person.

Instead of fighting over the wrong, we don't say anything about the sin or wrong doing and don't retaliate against the other person. By our forgiving Christian ability that God has given us we can be an example to others and they might be overwhelmed and want to change. God is amazing. How can anybody not believe in Him! Forgive and keep life happy for others and ourselves.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Going To Game 7

I am a hockey "FREAK!" And also a huge Penguins fan. Tonight they forced a game 7 with Detroit on Friday. I can't wait! I have not missed one Penguins playoff game thanks to the D V R. But it has been a long ride since April. I love it ! Go Pens!!!!!!!!

God The Artist

I just really can't fathom how somebody can look at this picture of this tulip and not know it was created by a higher power. As I grow older I'm starting to realize more and more of when Christ talked about those whose hearts are hardened. Satan makes many people in this world blind to the beauty of God.

He fills them with with foolish schemes to not allow them to seek God but themselves. They deny the existence of a true Living Creator. They just seek a world that just happened and deny a world carefully planned out by a wonderful artist. Over the years I have seen many different plants from being in the plant business. I can't believe how many there are. How many different varieties there are of each plant. No way can all that just happen. It was planned!

To look at the earth and not see it's beauty is a mistake.

If in the final day when the horns are blaring and we see Jesus in the clouds, what will be his final word to those who don't believe? They will plead for mercy. He may say you never read my word or stepped foot in my worship services. But I gave you my Father's work to see and believe, and still it was not enough proof. That is proof of a hard heart. We may not see our heavenly Father, but His beauty is all around us. Look and Believe before it is to late!