Heaven is not just something that will happen when we die, it is a part of the very fabric of our lives. Most of the time we are not aware of it, but those who experienced heaven because of a temporary death are fully aware of it. So much so that afterwards they conducted their lives differently. I think those of us who have never been to heaven can benefit from their experience and have a more eternally focused life and begin to enjoy its blessings now.
The first benefit is absolute knowledge that God is real. After that comes knowing that He is really involved in our lives. Third is knowing He really loves us. After all this comes knowing that what is important in this life is being in accord with Him and focusing on relationships and love, not pride, selfishness, hatred, money, fame, etc.
Everyone in my book experienced the reality and the love of God when they died. Some who had never connected with God were not in any doubt about His reality. One lady reported by Dr. Maurice Rawlings never knew whether there is a God or not. But when she was momentarily killed by a lightning strike, the knowledge of God’s reality flooded her soul and left no doubt. But she was horrified to see she was moving away from Him and not toward Him. Dr. Rawlings didn’t give the rest of the story. But others have. All those who died apart from God and were fortunate enough to revive, came back followers of Jesus for the rest of their lives and radically changed their lifestyles.
They report that the kingdom of heaven is permeated with the presence of God, both as the Father and as the Son, who is the form of God with whom we can identify. God the Father is on the Throne and those who have been to the throne say it is awesome. Thousands of people are joyfully worshiping God before it. God’s power is beyond comprehension. But it is matched with His incredible love for us.
Being in the presence of Jesus there left everyone with a deep sense of belonging and being loved and being accepted beyond anything that can be experienced on Earth. There are not words to describe the love they experienced. It is what life is all about. They did not want to leave.
Richard Sigmund said he experienced peace and tranquility there greater than any human has ever known on Earth. Dawn Cypret said one thing that is constant in heaven but rarely found on Earth is a constant peaceful happy feeling that caused her spirit to rejoice and know she was home. Richard Eby said in Heaven there is total love, confidence, and peace, and everything is perfect, blissful; there is no fear, just total joy and peace. Steven Musick said heaven feels like “being inside pure joy.” That sense of overwhelming love and peace is a feeling that seems to be what life is really all about. It is a love that the person has never known before, stronger, purer, and more real than any that person has known.
Heaven “bye and bye” is going to be more wonderful than you can imagine. But before you die, the knowledge of what is important in heaven can motivate you to pay more attention to others, being loving, and building loving relationships, and not focused on self, greed, ambition, or the acquisition of things.